Exposure-complaint relationships of various environmental odor sources in Styria,Austria

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the planning and authorization process of industrial plants or agricultural buildings, it needs to be ensured that odor emissions do not annoy...     

Relationship Between Crown Condition and Tree Diameter Growth in Southern Swedish Oaks

We studied correlation between crown conditions and tree-ring widths in 260 trees of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) growing on 33 sites in southern Sweden. The tree-ring increment over 1998-2002 was highest in trees with healthy crowns, intermediate in trees with moderately declined crowns, and lowest in trees with heavily declining crowns. The time period with significant correlation between crown status and tree-ring increment varied between 10 years (given autocorrelation in tree-ring chronologies preserved) and 4 years (autocorrelation removed). In pairwise comparisons of three crown classes, differences in tree-ring increment between trees with healthy crowns and trees with heavily declining crowns were the most pronounced, Fisher LSD P value staying below 0.05 over 13 years (autocorrelation preserved ) or 4 years (autocorrelation removed). Over two 5-year periods (1993-1997 vs. 1998-2002) the cumulative increment increased significantly for trees with healthy crowns, did not change in trees with moderately declining crowns, and significantly decreased in trees with heavily declining crowns. For trees with healthy crowns, this dynamics may represent growth recovery after 1992 drought. Instead, oaks with defoliation above 60% appear to reach a threshold in their ability to recover growth. At sites on nutrient-poor soils cumulative increments over 1998-2002 differed significantly among trees with different crown condition and no differences were observed at sites on nutrient-rich soils. Analyses and interpretation of the oak growth trends as recovered from tree-ring chronologies may be improved by controlling for the crown status of the trees sampled, e.g., by using sampling strategy that would represent the average crown and growth conditions of the sites.     

基于卫星图像的村庄真实形态评价:一种识别欧洲完整文化景观的方法

土地由中心到边缘呈现不同分布利用方式的村庄,构成了欧洲文化景观的基本单元.然而在许多的乡村景观中,那些拥有细致结构的耕地和有树木的草场的真正前工业时代的村庄正在不断失去其原有的结构,这种遗失威胁着文化的继承和生物多样性.因此,监测景观中这样的村庄真实形态的变化范围和速度是非常重要的.随着废弃时间的增加,村庄的真实形态不断丢失,我们所要研究的是怎样的丢失程度才能够通过卫星图像定量分析和目视解译进行评价.1999年,我们在波兰东南部的Bieszczady山脉开展本研究.使用1998年的陆地卫星TM数据,利用景观元素的粒度(田地大小)和土地覆盖组成(灌木和森林的扩侵)对代表真实村庄结构形态退化不同阶段的6种类型村庄进行定量描述.我们利用历史地图勾勒出村庄的边界,并测量从前森林和空地的范围.利用卫星数据,将当前的土地利用和表示成粒度及森林的扩侵状况的土地废弃程度绘制成图.退化沿着2条变化路径发生:被废弃并且最终变成森林,或者形成集约农业.为了验证这样的结果,我们通过对原始卫星影像的目视解译,将1000km2范围内的22个其他村庄分成了4类.而后,我们收集了过去60年人口变化的历史数据.村庄真实形态的分类与人口下降速度明显相关.我们希望验证和应用这种快速评估文化景观真实形态的方法能够得到重视,尤其是在随着欧盟的扩大正在经历或者将要发生巨大变化的欧洲区域.最后,我们论证了村庄具有成为一个融合自然与社会科学的景观尺度的可能性.     

Biological Activity in a Heavily Organohalogen-Contaminated River Sediment (8 pp)

Background, Aims and Scope Sediments of the Spittelwasser creek are highly polluted with organic compounds and heavy metals due to the discharge of untreated waste waters from the industrial region of Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany over the course of more than one century. However, relatively few data have been published about the chloroorganic contamination of the sediment. This paper reports on the content of different (chloro)organic compounds with special emphasis on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), and chlorobenzenes. Existing concepts for the remediation of Spittelwasser sediment include the investigation of natural attenuation processes, which largely depend on the presence of an intact microbial food web. In order to gain more insight in terms of biological activity, we analyzed the capacity of sediment microflora to degrade organic matter by measuring the activities of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes involved in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Furthermore, the detection of physiologically active bacteria in the sediment, particularly of those known for their capability to reductively dehalogenate organochlorine compounds, illustrates the potential for intrinsic bioremediation processes. Methods PCDD/F and chlorobenzenes were analyzed by gas chromatography(GC)/mass spectrometry and GC/flame ionization detection, respectively. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes were determined from freshly sampled sediment layers using 4-methylumbelliferyl (MUF) or 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin-conjugated model compounds and kinetic fluorescence measurements. Physiologically active bacteria from different sediment layers were microscopically visualized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Specific bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Results and Discussion The PCDD/F congener profile was dominated by dibenzofurans. In addition, the presence of specific tetra and pentachlorinated dibenzofurans supported the assumption that extensive magnesium production was one possible source for the high contamination. A range of other chloroorganic compounds, including several isomers of chlorobenzenes, hexachlorocyclohexane and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chloro-phenyl)ethane (DDT), was present in the sediment. Activities of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes showed a strong decrease in those sediment layers that were characterized by high contents of absorbable organic halogen (AOX), indicating disturbed organic matter decay. Interestingly, an abnormal increase of cellulolytic enzyme activities below the organochlorine-rich layers was observed, possibly caused by residual cellulose from discharges of sulfite pulping wastes. FISH revealed physiologically active bacteria in most sediment layers from the surface down to the depth of about 60 cm, including members of Desulfitobacterium (D.) and Sulfurospirillum. The presence of D. dehalogenans was confirmed by its partial 16S rRNA gene sequence. Conclusions Results of chemical sediment analyses demonstrated high loads of organochlorine compounds, particularly of PCDD/F. Several years after stopping the waste water discharge to Spittelwasser creek, this sediment remains a main source for pollution of the downstream river system by way of the ongoing mobilization of sediment during high floods. As indicated by our enzyme activity measurements, the decomposition potential for organic matter is low in organochlorine-rich sediment layers. In contrast, the comparably higher enzyme activities in less organochlorine-polluted sediment layers as well as the presence of physiologically active bacteria suggest a considerable potential for natural attenuation. Recommendations and Perspectives From our data we strongly recommend to explore the degradative capacity of sediment microorganisms and the limits for in situ activity towards specific sediment pollutants in more detail. This will give a sound basis for the integration of bioremediation approaches into general concepts to reduce the risk that permanently radiates from this highly contaminated sediment. Submission Editor: Dr. Henner Hollert (Henner.Hollert@urz.uniheidelberg.de)     

Fate of cancerostatic platinum compounds in biological wastewater treatment of hospital effluents

The present work focuses on the fate of two cancerostatic platinum compounds (CPC), cisplatin and carboplatin, as well as of two inorganic platinum compounds, [PtCl₄]²⁻ and [PtCl₆]²⁻ in biological wastewater treatment. Laboratory experiments modelling adsorption of these compounds onto activated sludge showed promising specific adsorption coefficients K_D and K_OC and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. However, the adsorption properties of the investigated substances were differing significantly. Adsorption decreased following the order cisplatin > [PtCl₆]²⁻ > [PtCl₄]²⁻ > carboplatin. Log K_D-values were ranging from 2.5 to 4.3 , log K_OC from 3.0 to 4.7.

A pilot membrane bioreactor system (MBR) was installed in a hospital in Vienna and fed with wastewater from the oncologic in-patient treatment ward to investigate CPC-adsorption in a sewage treatment plant. During three monitoring periods Pt-concentrations were measured in the influent (3–250 μg l⁻¹ Pt) and the effluent (2–150 μg l⁻¹ Pt) of the treatment plant using ICP-MS. The monitoring periods (duration 30 d) revealed elimination efficiencies between 51% and 63% based on averaged weekly input–output budgets. The derived log K_D-values and log K_OC-values ranged from 2.4 to 4.8 and from 2.8 to 5.3, respectively. Species analysis using HPLC-ICP-MS proofed that mainly carboplatin was present as intact drug in the influent and – due to low log K_D – in the effluent of the MBR.     

Determinants of Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Soil Conservation Technology in a Middle Mountain Watershed of Central Nepal

This study explores different socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the adoption of improved soil conservation technology (ISCT) on Bari land (Rainfed outward sloping terraces) in the Middle Mountain region of Central Nepal. Structured questionnaire survey and focus group discussion methods were applied to collect the necessary information from farm households. The logistic regression model predicted seven factors influencing the adoption of improved soil conservation technology in the study area including years of schooling of the household head, caste of the respondent, land holding size of the Bari land, cash crop vegetable farming, family member occupation in off farm sector, membership of the Conservation and Development Groups, and use of credit. The study showed that technology dissemination through multi-sectoral type community based local groups is a good option to enhance the adoption of improved soil conservation technology in the Middle Mountain farming systems in Nepal. Planners and policy makers should formulate appropriate policies and programs considering the farmers' interest, capacity, and limitation in promoting improved soil conservation technology for greater acceptance and adoption by the farmers.     

Split-hand/split-foot malformation with paternal mutation in the p63 gene

We report the prenatal diagnosis at 16 weeks' gestation of bilateral split-hand/split-foot malformation (SHSFM) with severe lobster claw deformity of hands and feet in a male fetus without associated malformations. A minor manifestation of SHSFM was present in the father with only mild bilateral foot involvement (syndactyly I–II; cleft II–III; left cutaneous syndactyly III–IV). Mutation analysis of the p63 gene on chromosome 3q27 showed a missense mutation 577A→G (predicting amino acid substitution K193E) in the father. This mutation has not been reported so far in SHSFM but resembles the previously reported 580A→G (predicting amino acid substitution K194E) in a family with SHSFM. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.