Monitoring of diazinon concentrations and loadings,and identification of geographic origins consequent to stormwater runoff from orchards in the Sacramento River watershed,U.S.A

Diazinon contamination of California's rivers has resulted in placing several rivers on the federal Clean Water Act § 303d list of impaired waterways. Impaired water body listing requiresthe development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). Previous studies identified stormwater related diazinon pulses in California rivers. This study was conducted to monitor diazinonconcentrations in the Sacramento River watershed after rainfallevents, to ascertain whether pulses could be identified and, ifconcentrations of concern were observed, to estimate loadings anddetermine geographic origins of the insecticide. TMDL developmentrequires knowledge of contaminant sources, loadings, and geographic origins. Flow and diazinon concentrations peaked in the Sacramento River at Sacramento after the three largest stormsduring January and February 1994. Diazinon concentrations peakedconsequent to each of three storms. Diazinon concentrationsmeasured in the Sacramento River at Sacramento exceeded theCalifornia Department of Fish and Game acute and chroniccriteria for protection of aquatic life during January andFebruary for nine and nineteen days, respectively. Multipleexceedances were observed throughout the watershed. Diazinon loading and geographic origin differed with each of the three storms. The design of this study provides a useful template for others attempting to identify loadings and sources of contaminants in surface waters and to rectify aquatic ecosystemcontamination from various land use practices.     

Land User Participation in Developing a Computerised Decision Support System for Combating Desertification

Combating desertification in natural rangelands has recently become a priority in large parts of southern Africa. Rangeland managers, farmers, scientists, conservationists and land users have been applying a variety of restoration technologies to address this problem. Bush encroachment, as part of the desertification process, involves the natural replacement of the herbaceous plant cover by undesirable problem woody species. The active and passive restoration technologies that are applied, are mainly based on indigenous knowledge and include the chemical, mechanical or manual reclamation of unproductive rangelands, as well as the combating of woody and alien species encroachment. Indigenous practices and knowledge play a major role in the effectiveness and success rate of these technologies. This project faces the challenge of bringing together both local and scientific knowledge in a single user-friendly, computerised Decision Support System (DSS) which is directly accessible by land users to support them in the process of decision making, concerning the combating of desertification. Case studies from central and northern Namibia were used to combine qualitative and quantitative data to develop this Decision Support System. The DSS currently consists of two databases and an expert system, which evaluates the results of land users’ management practices, and provides easily accessible information and advice for participants in the system, based on the incorporated data. The DSS is also linked to national and international web sites and databases to offer a wider range of information on technologies concerning agricultural and conservation practices.     

Monochlorobenzene Marine Risk Assessment with Special Reference to the Osparcom Region: North Sea

This risk assessment on monochlorobenzene was carried out for the marine environment, following methodology given in the EU risk assessment Regulation (1488/94) and Guidance Document of the EU New and Existing Substances Regulation (TGD, 1996). Data from analytical monitoring programmes in large rivers and estuaries in the North Sea area were collected and evaluated for effects and environmental concentrations. Risk is indicated by the ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for the marine aquatic environment. In total, 27 data for fish, 24 data for invertebrates and 13 data for algae were evaluated. Acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account and appropriate assessment factors used to define a final PNEC value of 32 micro/l. Recent monitoring data indicate that monochlorobenzene levels in surface waters are below determination limits of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 microg/l used in monitoring programs. Assuming that half of the lowest determination (0.1 microg/l) is typical, a PEC of 0.05 microg/l was derived. A worst case of 0.5 microg/l is assumed. PEC/PNEC ratios give safety factors of 60 to over 500, taking no account of dilution in the sea. Monochlorobenzene is not a 'toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate' substance sensu the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR-DYNAMEC) criteria. Environmental fate and effects data indicate that current use of monochlorobenzene poses no unacceptable risk to the aquatic environment.     

Monitoring of Phenol in Wastewater Bioremediation by HPLC

Bioremediation emphasizes the detoxification and destruction of toxic substances by microorganisms. Wastewater obtained from an industrial concern was solvent extracted with methyl alcohol and dichloromethane and analysed by GC/MS. Besides phenol, a large variety of organic compounds were detected. Under controlled laboratory conditions, the wastewater was innoculated with a mixed culture of microorganisms specially selected for their abilities to degrade phenol. Samples were collected at regular intervals from the stirred tank bioreactor and analysed for phenol by reverse phase HPLC with a C18 column. Results shows that from an initial phenol concentration of 987 ppm, slightly more than 50% was destroyed within 163 hours. The dry weight of the microorganisms and the plate count (CFU/ml) shows a steady increase from 0.5238 gms to 0.5355 gms and from 1.1E+9 to 1.94E+13 respectively over the same period. This suggested that the phenol was consumed by the microorganisms as the sole carbon source.     

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of marker chromosomes found at prenatal diagnosis

The nature and origin of two de novo small marker chromosomes found at prenatal diagnosis were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization using chromosome centromere-specific probes and chromosome-specific plasmid libraries. One marker was found in a mosaic state and was shown to be an i(18p). The second marker was characterized as an inv dup(22). We conclude that molecular cytogenetic analysis contributes to the identification of marker chromosomes and therefore facilitates genetic counselling and decision-making for the parents.     

Effects of atmospheric mercury pollution on terrestrial ecosystem in Chongqing, China

1　ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＭｅｒｃｕｒｙ(Ｈｇ)ａｓａｇｌｏｂａｌｐｏｌｌｕｔａｎｔｈａｓｃａｕｓｅｄｃｏｎｃｅｒｎｗｏｒｌｄｗｉｄｅｓｉｎｃｅｔｈｅｅｎｄｏｆ 1980ｓ.Ｉｔｉｓｅｍｉｔｔｅｄｔｏｔｈｅａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｅｆｒｏｍｂｏｔｈａｎｔｈｒｏｐｏｇｅｎｉｃａｎｄｎａｔｕｒａｌｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ.Ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔｓｏｕｒｃｅｏｆｔｈｅｆｏｒｍｅｒｉｓｔｈｅｄｉｓｃｈａｒｇｅｆｒｏｍ ｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎａｎｄｕｓｅｏｆＨｇａｓｗｅｌｌａｓｔｈｅｃｏｍｂｕｓｔｉｏｎｏｆｆｏｓｓｉｌｆｕｅｌｓ(Ｎｒｉ…     

澳大利亚自然保护区系统与管理

澳大利亚是全球生物多样性最丰富的12个国家之一。于1879年4月26日建立的澳第一个国家公园是世界上第二个国家公园，澳保护区系统类型齐全，名称不一。大多数保护区由各州自行管理。     

耐热粉末铝合金筒体热旋成形试验

介绍了喷射沉积耐热铝合金管坯经挤压变形 ,变薄旋压筒体的研制过程 ;重点论述了热旋成形筒体的工艺路线。试验探讨了耐热铝合金的旋压温度为 35 0～ 45 0℃ ,道次变薄率约为2 0 % ,累计变薄率约 5 0 % ,需中间退火 ,退火温度宜取 35 0℃。热旋结果认为 ,喷射沉积耐热粉末铝合金铸坯直接热旋成形困难 ,需经挤压比大于 4的变形致密 ,有助于热旋成形。耐热粉末铝合金挤压坯加热变薄旋压 ,应采用小压下量多道次的变形过程 ,逐渐细化晶粒组织 ,才能旋出综合性能良好的筒形件。     

上海市大气颗粒物高浓度区污染物的源解析

应用受体模式的化学质量平衡法支９个监测点的大气颗粒物进行污染源的源解析，得出这９个监测点的各类污染源平均贡献率为建筑尘占３２．１％，土壤尘占２７．５％，钢铁尘占２４．９％，燃煤尘占１４．８％，汽车尘和燃油尘分别占０．２％和０．４％。     

炼油污水气浮絮凝处理中试

气浮絮凝是炼油污水处理工艺中重要的一步 ,它是确保炼油污水生化处理顺利运行的关键 ,而开发和筛选优良的絮凝剂则又是提高气浮处理效果的保证。采用无机—有机复合絮凝剂进行炼油污水的中试试验 ,通过一系列条件试验 ,确定了复合絮凝剂投药剂量、投药间隔时间和投药方式 ,取得了令人满意的试验效果 ,CODCr的去除率 5 5 % ,石油类去除率 >75 % ,为后续的生化处理提供了合格的水质