Legacy and alternative halogenated flame retardants in Lake Geneva fish

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Legacy (i.e., polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)) and alternative halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) were...     

Evaluation of the waste heat discharged from the Di-ammonium Phosphate production plant: a case study

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This work presents an energy analysis of an industrial plant of production of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP plant). It aims to evaluate the important...     

Lateral migration and offsite surface emission of landfill gas at City of Montreal Landfill Site

An evaluation of lateral landfill gas migration was carried out at the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex in Montreal, City of Montreal Landfill Site, Canada, between 2003 and 2005. Biogas concentration measurements and gas-pumping tests were conducted in multilevel wells installed in the backfilled overburden beside the landfill site. A migration event recorded in autumn 2004 during the maintenance shutdown of the extraction system was simulated using TOUGH-LGM software. Eleven high-density instantaneous surface monitoring (ISM) surveys of methane were conducted on the test site. Gas fluxes were calculated by geostatistical analyses of ISM data correlated to dynamic flux chamber measurements. Variograms using normal transformed data showed good structure, and kriged estimates were much better than inverse distance weighting, due to highly skewed data. Measurement-based estimates of yearly off-site surface emissions were two orders of magnitude higher than modelled advective lateral methane flux. Nucleodensimeter measurements of the porosity were abnormally high, indicating that the backfill was poorly compacted. Kriged porosity maps correlated well with emission maps and areas with vegetation damage. Pumping tests analysis revealed that vertical permeability was higher than radial permeability. All results suggest that most of the lateral migration and consequent emissions to the atmosphere were due to the existence of preferential flow paths through macropores. In December 2006, two passively vented trenches were constructed on the test site. They were successful in countering lateral migration.     

Is sex-biased maternal care limited by total maternal expenditure in polygynous ungulates?

We examined data on sex-specific differences in neonatal weight, litter size and adult female body weight in 32 populations of polygynous ungulates of 18 different species to test for the existence of a trade-off between sex-biased maternal care and the total amount of maternal expenditure. This corresponds to an extension of the hypothesis of Byers and Moodie (1990) that sex-biased maternal care is limited by a high level of maternal expenditure. We did not find any relationship between sex-biased care and two measures of total maternal expenditure. We highlighted high intraspecific variability in sex-biased care and very low intraspecific variability in total maternal expenditure. Even when this between-population variability in sex-biased care was accounted for, no relationship between sex-biased maternal care and maternal expenditure was detected. Apart from difficulties in finding suitable measures for both variables, two other reasons may account for the lack of a relationship between sex-biased maternal care and total maternal expenditure. Firstly, male offspring seem to be more affected than female offspring by harsh environmental conditions. This may lead to the variation observed in the extent of sex-specific differences in birth weight within a single species. If we assume that for a given maternal expenditure reproductive costs incurred by mothers are highest during harsh conditions, this could indicate the existence of a trade-off between sex-biased maternal care and maternal expenditure at the intra-specific level, thereby supporting the Byers and Moodie hypothesis. Secondly, polygyny is only a poor predictor of sex-biased care and factors such as compensatory growth or extended periods of growth may be expected to modify predictions for different species. Thus, environmental conditions and relative effects of maternal care on male and female lifetime reproductive success are better predictors of sex-biased care than total maternal expenditure.Communicated by P.M. Kappeler     

Nitrogen removal in valley bottom wetlands: assessment in headwater catchments distributed throughout a large basin

Although the reduction of nutrient loading between uplands and streams is sometimes considered evidence of the effect of wetlands acting as buffer zones, the influence of valley bottom wetlands (VBWs) on NO(3)(-) loading has seldom been assessed at the catchment scale. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of VBWs on NO(3)(-) concentrations in streams in the Brittany region of France. We analyzed the spatial variation in NO(3)-N concentrations in 18 headwater catchments located in a 400-km(2) basin, with varying topographic, climatic, and agricultural intensity conditions. Approximately every 10 d, water was sampled during the high flow season. We investigated the relationships between the mean NO(3)(-) concentration and different characteristics of the catchments: (i) the amount of effective rainfall, i.e., the combined effect of precipitation and actual evapotranspiration on discharge and chemical dilution, (ii) the intensity of farming, i.e., the area used for farming in the catchments and the surplus of the agricultural N budget, and (iii) the relative area of VBWs. Although the first two characteristics were the main factors controlling N concentration variability, a step-by-step regression allowed us to attribute a significant part of the NO(3)(-) concentration decrease to the increase of VBW area in each catchment. For an increase of VBW area from 11 to 16%, the NO(3)-N concentration decreased from 5.3 to 4.2 mg L(-1). Therefore in this basin, VBWs reduced the NO(3)(-) concentrations in streams with sources in agricultural fields by 30%. This work demonstrates the contribution of natural VBWs to NO(3)(-) removal at the catchment scale compared to other sources of variation, which is a current need for integrating water quality criteria into wetland management.     

Preparation of solar-enhanced AlZnO@carbon nano-substrates for remediation of textile wastewaters

Photoactive aluminum doped ZnO(AlZnO) was synthesized by sol-gel method.After that,AlZnO photocatalyst was deposited on five carbon-based materials(CBMs) using ultrasonic route followed by solid-state mixing using ball mill.The CBMs used were poly aniline(PANI),carbon nitride(CN),carbon nanotubes(CNT),graphene(G),and carbon nanofibers(CNF).The crystal phases,elemental compositions,morphological,and optical properties of the AlZnO@CBMs composites were investigated.Experimental results revealed that two of AlZnO@CBMs composites exhibited superior bleaching efficiency(100% removal) and photocatalytic stability(three cycles) for 50 μmol/L Methylene Blue(MB) contaminated water after 60 min irradiation in visible light at pH 6.5,0.7% H_2O_2,and 5 g/L inorganic salts.Under optimum conditions,AlZnO@CBMs nanocomposites were employed for the treatment of mixed dyestuffs composed of MB,Methyl Orange(MO),Astrazone Blue FRR(BB 69),and Rhodamine B(RhB) dyes under dark,ultraviolet,visible,and direct sunlight.For mixed dyestuffs,the AlZnO@G achieved the highest dye sorption capacity(60.91 μmol dye stuffs/g) with kinetic rate 8.22 × 10~(-3) min~(-1) in 90 min via multi-layer physisorption(Freundlich isotherm) on graphene sheet.In additions,AlZnO@CN offered the highest photo-kinetic rate(K_(photo)) of～54.1 × 10~(-3) min~(-1)(93.8% after 60 min) under direct sunlight.Furthermore,the selective radical trapping experiment confirmed that the holes and oxidative superoxide radicals are crucial on dyes photodegradation pathway.Owing to their superior performance,AlZnO@G and AlZnO@CN nanocomposites can offer an effective in-situ solar-assisted adsorption/photocatalytic remediation of textile wastewater effluents.     

One-year monitoring survey of organic compounds (PAHs, PCBs, TBT), heavy metals and biomarkers in blue mussels from the Arcachon Bay, France

Marine mussels Mytilus sp. were transplanted on a monthly basis in cages over one year to oyster farms and harbours in the Arcachon Bay (France) in order to assess the water quality of the bay. Contaminant levels (organotin compounds, trace metals, PCBs and PAHs) were measured in tissues of transplanted mussels and mussels from a reference station, along with physiological parameters of the mussels (condition indexes, lipid content and dry weight). Four biomarkers (AChE: acetylcholinesterase activity, GST: gluthathione S-transferase activity, CAT: catalase activity and TBARS: thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance content) were also monitored. The remote stations monitored (oyster parks) exhibited no accumulation pattern of pollutants. Their respective concentrations therefore constitute a background level of the contamination in the bay ([TBT]= 30 ng Sn g(-1) dw, [SigmaHAPs]= 100 ng g(-1) dw, [SigmaPCBs]= 35 ng g(-1) dw). The elevated chemical contamination of the largest harbour of the bay, the Arcachon harbour, can be interpreted in terms of persistence of organotin compounds ([SigmaOTs]= 1500-2000 ng Sn g(-1) dw) and PAHs ([SigmaHAPs]= 4500-5000 ng g(-1) dw) in sediments and, to a lesser extent, of direct inputs of copper ([Cu]= 20 microg g(-1) dw in harbours versus 7 in oyster parks) and petrogenic PAHs ([methylphenanthrenes]= 1600 ng g(-1) dw in the dockyard versus 170 at the gas stations), related to the use of copper-based antifouling paints and to dockyard activity, respectively. However, the Arcachon Bay presents a low contamination level by PCBs and metals, including harbour stations. Furthermore, higher levels of other PAHs (particularly alkyl PAHs such as methylphenanthrenes/1600 ng g(-1) dw) not included in the 16 PAHs from the EPA priority list (usually studied in biomonitoring programmes/1500 ng g(-1) dw) in the Arcachon harbour underline the need to integrate these compounds in biomonitoring of highly PAH-polluted areas such as harbours in order to avoid misinterpretation of the biological responses observed. Biomarker responses were not able to discriminate the different chemical contamination levels recorded in the Arcachon Bay and rather reflected changes in environmental factors. Furthermore, the strong intraspecies variability of biological responses could be due to genetic differences of mussels from the Arcachon Bay. It is the first time that such an integrated monitoring is performed in the Arcachon Bay, also taking into account seasonal variations of chemical contents and biomarkers levels in mussel tissues.     

Seasonal variations in nickel and vanadium in Mont Blanc snow and ice dated from the 1960s and 1990s

Ni and V have been determined in snow and ice collected at a high altitude location (Col du D?me) near the summit of Mont Blanc on the French-Italian border; dated from the 1960s and 1990s. Ni and V were simultaneously determined by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations range from 6 to 700 pg g(-1) and 4 to 1,100 pg g(-1) for Ni and V, respectively. The results show pronounced seasonal variations in the concentrations of both metals, with high concentration values in summer layers and much lower values for winter layers. These seasonal variations are linked especially with the existence of inversion layers during winter months. Ni and V concentrations in excess of the contributions from rock and soil dust (Ni(excess), V(excess)) appear to be mainly associated with anthropogenic inputs, with pronounced seasonal variations. Large variations in the V(excess)/Ni(excess) ratio are observed, with a higher ratio in summer than in winter. This shows differences in anthropogenic inputs at Col du D?me during the different parts of the year. The above ratio was compared with the corresponding ratios for oil combustion from stationary sources and the exhaust from gasoline and diesel engines. It appears that Ni and V concentrations at Col du D?me are probably the result of changing combinations of contributions from oil combustion for power generation, industrial and residential uses, on one side, and automobile and truck traffic, on the other side, with possibly a significant contribution from Ni smelters in Russia during winter months.     

Development of a practical forest ecosystem classification from existing biophysical studies: An approach used in northwestern Quebec

While forest ecosystem classification work in Quebec has traditionally concentrated on inventory and mapping, more effort is now being placed on developing field guides similar to those produced in other Canadian provinces. As part of a project to produce a practical forest ecosystem field guide for the Amos Lowlands Ecological Region in northwestern Quebec, existing sub-regional ecological studies were exploited in order to develop a regional classification of forest ecosystems, or forest stations. Review of four fundamental studies provided a list of 107 ecological phases, each representing a particular combination of forest composition, surface deposit type and moisture regime. A series of silvicultural and environmental interpretations were developed and values for each were attributed to the ecological phases. Cluster analysis was then performed to classify phases into 29 broader units. A large, regional biophysical database which became available later in the project provided a means of validating and effectively modifying the classification. The justifications for using the original approach are discussed.