Sorption and mobility of ivermectin in different soils

Avermectins are widely used to treat livestock for parasite infections. Ivermectin, which belongs to the group of avermectins, is particularly hazardous to the environment, especially to crustaceans and to soil-dwelling organisms. Sorption is one of the key factors controlling transport and bioavailability. Therefore, batch studies have been conducted to characterize the sorption and desorption behavior of ivermectin in three European soils (Madrid, York, and artificial soil). The solid-water distribution coefficient (K(d)) for ivermectin sorption to the tested soils were between 57 and 396 L kg(-1) (determined at 0.1 microg g(-1)), while the organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficients (K(oc)) ranged from 4.00 x 10(3) to 2.58 x 10(4) L kg(-1). The Freundlich sorption coefficient (K(F)) was 396 (after 48 h) for the artificial soil over a concentration range of 0.1 to 50 microg g(-1), with regression constants indicating a concentration-dependent sorption. The obtained data and data in the literature are inconclusive with regard to whether hydrophobic partitioning or more specific interactions are involved in sorption of avermectins. For abamectin, hydrophobic partitioning seems to be one of the dominant types of binding, while hydrophobicity is less important for ivermectin, which is probably due to the lower lipophilicity of the molecule. Furthermore, the presence of cations such as Ca(2+) leads to decreasing sorption. Thus, it is presumed that ivermectin binds to soil by formation of complexes with immobile, inorganic soil matter. In contrast to abamectin, hysteresis could be excluded for ivermectin in the studied soils for the evaluation of sorption and desorption. The sorption mechanism is highly dependent on physicochemical properties of the avermectin.     

Implications of urine-to-feces ratio in the thermophilic anaerobic digestion of swine waste.

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion of swine manure represents a potential waste treatment technology to address environmental concerns, such as odor emissions and removal of pathogenic microorganisms. However, there are concerns relative to the stability of this process when swine manure is the sole substrate. In this study, the potential of biogas production from swine manure as the sole substrate under thermophilic (50 degrees C) conditions was investigated in the laboratory, to determine whether separation of urine and feces as part of the waste collection process would benefit anaerobic digestion. Effluent from a continuously stirred tank reactor was used as the inoculum for batch tests, in which the substrate contained three different concentrations of urine (urine-free, as-excreted urine-to-feces ratio and double the as-excreted urine-to-feces ratio). Inocula were acclimated to these same urine-to-feces ratios to determine methane production. Results show that both urine-free and as-excreted substrates were not inhibitory to anaerobic inocula. Anaerobic microorganisms can be readily acclimated to substrate with double the as-excreted urine concentration, which contained nitrogen concentrations up to 7.20 g/L. Cumulative methane production reached similar levels in the batch tests, regardless of the substrate urine concentration.     

Soils, climate change and the OECD

Some concepts of sustainability applied to soils are given in relation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Co-operative Research Programme 'Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems'. The application of these concepts to climate change will be discussed in relation to seven high-profile papers published over the past 12 months. It is argued that multi-disciplinary (including social science) approaches are needed to address the issues. There is also a brief discussion on biomass energy in terms of soil sustainability and climate change.     

Sorption of the veterinary antimicrobials sulfadimethoxine and ormetoprim in soil

Currently, limited research on the fate of antimicrobials in the environment exists, once they are discharged in human and animal wastes. Sorption of two antimicrobials, sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and ormetoprim (OMP), was investigated in two soils and sand using a series of batch experiments. Because OMP and SDM are often administered in combination, their sorption was also investigated in combination as co-solutes. The rate of SDM and OMP sorption was rapid over the first few hours of the experiments, which then slowed considerably after 16 to 68 h. OMP sorption was enhanced at high concentrations when in combination with SDM, with linear sorption coefficients ranging from 1.3 to 58.3 L.kg(-1) in the single solute experiments and 4.96 to 89.7 L.kg(-1) in the co-solute experiments. Sorption of OMP as a single solute seems to provide a better fit with the Freundlich equation, which became more linear (n approached 1) when SDM was present. Overall, SDM sorbed less than OMP in the two soils and sand. SDM linear sorption coefficients ranged from 0.4 to 25.8 L.kg(-1) as a single solute and 2.5 to 22.1 L.kg(-1) as a co-solute. Sorption of SDM becomes more nonlinear (n < 1) when SDM is present in combination with OMP. Overall, sorption of both antimicrobials increased in the selected soils and sand as the organic matter, clay content, and cation exchange capacity increased. These experiments indicate relatively low sorption of SDM and OMP in natural soils, making them a potential threat to surface and ground water.     

Community evacuation following a chlorine release, Mississippi

On 7th September 1986, four miles north of Collins, Mississippi, a train transporting chlorine derailed. Two cars ruptured and gas escaped. As a result, 100 families were evacuated. To study the evacuation process, we conducted person-to-person interviews with sixty-two families staying in the evacuation center. Only 52.5% of the families received their first directive to evacuate directly from police or other officials. Delays in evacuating tended to be shorter when people were warned by the police and were told the reason for evacuating. Lack of personal transportation and preexisting health problems resulted in delays in evacuation. Concerns about evacuation included fear of looting, lack of a place to go, lack of transportation, difficulty in moving with children and elderly persons, and the need to take care of pets. One third of the interviewees reported feeling panic. Community evacuation procedures would be improved if: (1) officials contact all households directly; (2) the warning message addresses people's concerns; and (3) transportation is provided.     

DESIGN OF AN INDEX OF WATER QUALITY1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes the formulation of an Index of Water Quality to evaluate the level of pollution in fresh water. A Four-Round Delphi equation, using a panel of seven nationally recognized water scientists, was performed to ascertain the pollutants to be included in the index, the relationship between the quantity of these pollutants in the water and the resulting quality of the water, and the importance of each pollution variable to each water use as well as to overall pollution. A multiplicative index was used to bring the pollutants together into one system.     

Material suppliers and industrial metabolism

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not sufficiently tailored to the analysis of strategic environmental problems of material suppliers. Sustainable development calls for a reduction by a factor of 10 to 20 in the material intensity of the economy, a situation which leads to dramatic shifts in markets for raw materials. Furthermore, a material supplier might have major improvement options in the material’s numerous downstream uses. LCAs, however, can’t cover these two aspects. An adapted form of Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) may be an answer. This approach defines a system in relation to the flow of a specific material through society. All environmental interventions related to the material are inventoried. An emission evaluation indicates the dominant environmental bottlenecks, given the current market volume of each application of the material. This helps to identify improvement options and strategic choices in market portfolios. Scenario analysis on potential measures can further indicate changes of material flows — and thus markets — in the system. The approach is illustrated with a case study on chlorine.