Low‐concentration hydrogen peroxide decontamination for Bacillus spore contamination in buildings

Remediation and recovery efforts after a release of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) spores may be difficult and costly. In addition, response and recovery technologies may be focused on critical resources, leaving the small business or homeowner without remediation options. This study evaluates the efficacy of relatively low levels of hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) delivered from off‐the‐shelf equipment for the inactivation of Bacillus spores within an indoor environment. Decontamination evaluations were conducted in a house using both Bacillus atrophaeus var. globigii (Bg; as surrogates for B. anthracis) inoculated on the carpet and galvanized metal as coupons and Geobacillus stearothermophilus (Gs) as biological indicators on steel. The total decontamination time ranged from 4 to 7 days. Using the longer exposure times, low concentrations of HPV (average levels below 20 parts per million) effectively inactivated Bg and Gs spores on the materials tested. The HPV was generated with commercial humidifiers and household‐strength hydrogen peroxide solutions. The presence of home furnishings did not have a significant impact on HPV efficacy. This simple, inexpensive, and effective decontamination method could have significant utility for remediation following a B. anthracis spore release, such as following a terrorist attack.     

Divorce in common murres (Uria aalge): relationship to parental quality

Behavioral precursors of 12 divorces were examined in 30 color-banded pairs of common murres (Uria aalge) over six breeding seasons. Common murres are long-lived seabirds that typically return each year to the same mate and nest site in dense colonies. At least one parent is present continuously from egg lay to chick fledging. Murres, therefore, have considerable opportunities to compare their mates parental behavior with that of several familiar neighbors. Previous reproductive success was lower for divorcing birds than for reuniting pairs. As predicted by the better option hypothesis, there were clear choosers (seven females and five males) that initiated divorce by moving to a new birds site or by courting a new partner at their current site. Choosers improved their reproductive success after the divorce, whereas their previous partners, the victims did not. Yearly divorce rates (average 8.2% per year) were significantly correlated with yearly mortality rates. Divorces appear to be opportunistic: pairs divorced after varying numbers of reproductive failures with the immediate precursor usually being the disappearance (death) of a murre from a successful neighboring site. In contrast to the delays experienced by victims, choosers formed new pairs quickly and laid their eggs no later than reuniting pairs. Prior to the divorce, victims fed their chicks less often than choosers, and some engaged in other behaviors that compromised egg or chick survival. These observations suggest that deficiencies in parental behavior were precursors to the divorce. This report is one of the first cases where reproductive failure of divorcing pairs has been linked to deficits in the parental behavior of the subsequent divorce victim.Communicated by C. Brown     

Fate of petroleum hydrocarbons taken up from food and water by the blue crab Callinectes sapidus

Radiolabeled paraffinic and aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzopyrene, fluorene, naphthalene, methylnaphthalene, methylcholanthrene, hexadecane, heptadecane and dotriacontane, were taken up from food and water by the blue crab Callinectes sapidus. In 2 days, approximately 10% of the benzopyrene and fluorene were taken up from the water when their concentrations were 2.5 and 30 g/l, respectively. When given food with radiolabeled hydrocarbons, 2 to 10% of the hydrocarbons were assimilated by the carbs, with the remainder excreted. After uptake of hydrocarbon from water or food, a major pathway for the elimination of hydrocarbon and metabolites was through fecal material. All hydrocarbons used in the study were metabolized, with similar rates for both paraffinic and aromatic hydrocarbons. More than 50% of the radioactivity assimilated by the crabs was in the hepatopancreas, suggesting that the hepatopancreas was the site of hydrocarbon metabolism. Twenty-five days aftex exposure to radiolabeled hydrocarbons, radioactivity was found only in the hepatopancreas. The hepatopancreas contained highly polar hydrocarbon metabolites, including dihydroxy-compounds and their conjugates, while blood contained both monohydroxy-and dihydroxy-compounds. No evidence was found of storage of hydrocarbons by any of the crab tissues.     

Robust population management under uncertainty for structured population models.

Structured population models are increasingly used in decision making, but typically have many entries that are unknown or highly uncertain. We present an approach for the systematic analysis of the effect of uncertainties on long-term population growth or decay. Many decisions for threatened and endangered species are made with poor or no information. We can still make decisions under these circumstances in a manner that is highly defensible, even without making assumptions about the distribution of uncertainty, or limiting ourselves to discussions of single, infinitesimally small changes in the parameters. Suppose that the model (determined by the data) for the population in question predicts long-term growth. Our goal is to determine how uncertain the data can be before the model loses this property. Some uncertainties will maintain long-term growth, and some will lead to long-term decay. The uncertainties are typically structured, and can be described by several parameters. We show how to determine which parameters maintain long-term growth. We illustrate the advantages of the method by applying it to a Peregrine Falcon population. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently decided to allow minimal harvesting of Peregrine Falcons after their recent removal from the Endangered Species List. Based on published demographic rates, we find that an asymptotic growth rate lambda > 1 is guaranteed with 5% harvest rate up to 3% error in adult survival if no two-year-olds breed, and up to 11% error if all two-year-olds breed. If a population growth rate of 3% or greater is desired, the acceptable error in adult survival decreases to between 1% and 6% depending of the proportion of two-year-olds that breed. These results clearly show the interactions between uncertainties in different parameters, and suggest that a harvest decision at this stage may be premature without solid data on adult survival and the frequency of breeding by young adults.     

A review of the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera)

Summary. This review summarizes the literature related to the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae and provides a brief overview of cerambycid biology, ecology, economic significance, and management. Beetles in the family Cerambycidae have assumed increasing prominence as pests of forest and shade trees, shrubs, and raw wood products, and as vectors of tree diseases. Exotic species associated with solid wood packing materials have been notable tree killers in North American urban and peri-urban forests. In forested ecosystems native species respond to disturbances such as fires and windstorms, and initiate the biodeterioration of woody tissue. Eggs are laid by females, on or through the bark surface of stem and branch tissue of moribund, recently killed or decomposing woody plants; larval cerambycids (roundheaded woodborers) typically feed in the phloem and later in the xylem. Females will also, in some cases, select living hosts, e.g. adult conifer and angiosperm trees, for oviposition. Research on the chemical ecology of over 70 species has revealed many examples of attractive kairomones (such as floral volatiles, smoke volatiles, trunk and leaf volatiles, and bark beetle pheromones), repellents and deterrents, oviposition stimulants, short- and long-range sex pheromones, and defensive substances. Emerging generalities are that attractants tend to be monoterpenoids and phenolic esters; oviposition stimulants are monoterpenoids and flavanoids; short-range sex pheromones are female-produced, methyl-branched cuticular hydrocarbons; and long-range sex pheromones are male-produced -hydroxy ketones and (,)-diols ranging in length from 6 to 10 carbons. The latter compounds appear to originate from glands in the male thorax; putative defensive substances originate from metasternal secretory pores or mandibular glands. In one unusual case, a flightless, subterranean female that attacks sugar cane produces a sex pheromone that is derived from the amino acid isoleucine. With significantly more than 35,000 species of Cerambycidae worldwide, these generalities will be subject to change as more species are examined. Addendum The authors would like to point out that the electronic version is more accurate than the printed version.     

A preliminary study of the phycological degradation of natural stone masonry

For many years it has been realised that the weathering of stone is not merely determined by physical and chemical factors but also by biological agents. When the stone in question is a historic building or monument, the damage done constitutes an irretrievable loss of our heritage and history. Laboratory studies have commenced in Paisley to study the effect of photoautotrophs on the major sedimentary rock forming minerals, with a view to expanding this work to study the overall effect of these micro-organisms on heritage masonry. Tests were carried out on Albite, Calcite, Dolomite, Orthoclase, Siderite and Quartz, using axenic cultures of the following: Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorococcum tetrasporum, Scenedesmus obliquus, Oocystis marsonii, Stichococcus bacillaris. The rock chips were immersed in either water or bolds basal media and exposed to a mix of the micro-organisms listed above and then tested weekly for their pH, fortnightly for the waters chemical composition using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and visually utilising the universitys SEM facilities. Work so far has revealed biologically mediated etching of minerals, a well-defined pH profile over a period of 90 days, as well as a variety of elemental release patterns for the different minerals.     

Carbon monoxide emission rates from roasted whole bean and ground coffee

Carbon monoxide (CO) emitted from roasted coffee is a potential occupational respiratory exposure hazard to workers within the coffee industry. The current study objective was to estimate CO emission factors from commercially available roasted whole bean and ground coffee measured in loose form, not packaged, and to assess the utility of CO monitoring in nonventilated storage spaces such as within coffee roasting and packaging facilities, transport vessels, and cafés. Determinants affecting CO emissions from coffee were investigated, including form (whole bean vs. ground), roast level (light, medium, medium-dark, dark), and age (time since the package was opened). CO emission factors were estimated for roasted coffee samples from a variety of manufacturers purchased from local grocery stores and online. Emission tests were performed on 36 brands of coffee, some with more than one sample per brand and with various roast levels. Decaying source equations or smoothing functions were fitted to the CO concentration measurements. Maximum observed emission factors at the peak of the predicted concentration curve were adjusted by the time required to reach the maximum CO concentration and reported as emission factors (EF_buildup). Ground coffee had a significantly increased EF_buildup (P < 0.0001) compared with whole bean. Roast level did not significantly affect emissions for whole bean (P = 0.72) but did for ground (P < 0.001) coffee. For ground coffee, medium-dark and dark roasts had significantly higher emissions than medium and light roasts. Worst-case emission factors from commercially available whole bean and ground coffee measured in loose form, not packaged, showed that roasted coffee can rapidly emit CO. CO concentrations should be monitored in storage spaces in service and manufacturing facilities as well as transport vessels to ensure exposures do not exceed occupational exposure limits. Storage spaces may need to be ventilated to control CO concentrations to safe levels.

Implications: Emission rates of carbon monoxide (CO) from roasted coffee showed that unventilated or underventilated storage spaces should be monitored and ventilated, if necessary, to control CO concentrations to safe levels.     

Artificial sweat enhances dermal transfer of chlorpyrifos from treated nylon carpet fibers

The dermal transfer and absorption of 14C-ring-chlorpyrifos from nylon carpet fibers was measured in skin penetration-evaporation cells with excised pig skin. Prior to application, synthetic sweat was applied to skin in half of the cells. Radioactivity was measured in receptor fluid, dermis, epidermis, tape stripping samples, and vapor trap samples during a 24-h period. The sum of radiolabel recovered from the dermis and receptor fluid represented the absorbed dose. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in percutaneous absorption between cells that received the synthetic sweat application and "dry" cells (1.3 +/- 0.3% of applied dose). There was significantly more (p < 0.05) radiolabel recovered from tape stripping (5.4 +/- 2.1 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.6%) and in the epidermis (4.5 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.3%) from cells that received the synthetic sweat application, which indicated synthetic sweat facilitated transfer of chlorpyrifos from a treated substrate to the skin surface. The measured value for percutaneous absorption of chlorpyrifos agreed with the value predicted from an empirical model previously developed for nitro compound-containing soil.     

Globalization and multi-spatial trends in the coverage of protected-area conservation (1980-2000)

This study is focused on the global expansion of protected-area coverage that occurred during the 1980--2000 period. We examine the multi-scale patterning of four of the basic facets of this expansion: i) estimated increases at the world-regional and country-level scales of total protected-area coverage; ii) transboundary protected areas; iii) conservation corridor projects; and iv) type of conservation management. Geospatial patterning of protected-area designations is a reflection of the priorities of global conservation organizations and the globalization of post-Cold War political and economic arrangements. Local and national-level factors (political leadership and infrastructure) as well as international relations such as multilateral and bilateral aid combine with these globalization processes to impact the extent, type, and location of protected-area designations. We conclude that the interaction of these factors led to the creation and reinforcement of marked spatial differences (rather than tendencies toward worldwide evenness or homogenization) in the course of protected-area expansion during the 1980--2000 period.     

Rodent sperm analysis in field-based ecological risk assessment: pilot study at Ravenna army ammunition plant,Ravenna, Ohio

Ecological risk assessment (ERA) guidance recommends that field-truthing efforts proceed when modeled hazard quotients (HQs) suggest that toxicological effects are occurring to site receptors. To date, no field methods have been proposed by the regulatory community that can lead to definitive determinations of acceptable or unacceptable risk for birds and mammals, the two terrestrial classes of receptors that are commonly assessed using the HQ method. This paper describes rodent sperm analysis (RSA) as a viable method to be applied in the field at sites with historical contamination. RSA is capable of detecting biological differences that bear on reproduction, a highly regarded toxicological endpoint of concern in USEPA Superfund-type ERAs. The results of RSA's first application at a study site are reported and discussed. The paper also provides the rationale for RSA's efficacy in the context of Superfund and other environmental cleanup programs, where limited time and money are available to determine and evaluate the field condition.