Genotoxic potential of diesel exhaust particles from the combustion of first- and second-generation biodiesel fuels—the FuelHealth project

Epidemiological data indicate that exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) from traffic emissions is associated with higher risk of morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, accelerated progression of atherosclerotic plaques, and possible lung cancer. While the impact of DEPs from combustion of fossil diesel fuel on human health has been extensively studied, current knowledge of DEPs from combustion of biofuels provides limited and inconsistent information about its mutagenicity and genotoxicity, as well as possible adverse health risks. The objective of the present work was to compare the genotoxicity of DEPs from combustion of two first-generation fuels, 7% fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) (B7) and 20% FAME (B20), and a second-generation 20% FAME/hydrotreated vegetable oil (SHB: synthetic hydrocarbon biofuel) fuel. Our results revealed that particulate engine emissions from each type of biodiesel fuel induced genotoxic effects in BEAS-2B and A549 cells, manifested as the increased levels of single-strand breaks, the increased frequencies of micronuclei, or the deregulated expression of genes involved in DNA damage signaling pathways. We also found that none of the tested DEPs showed the induction of oxidative DNA damage and the gamma-H2AX-detectable double-strand breaks. The most pronounced differences concerning the tested particles were observed for the induction of single-strand breaks, with the greatest genotoxicity being associated with the B7-derived DEPs. The differences in other effects between DEPs from the different biodiesel blend percentage and biodiesel feedstock were also observed, but the magnitude of these variations was limited.     

The influence of antibiotics on the anammox process — a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is one of the most promising processes for the treatment of ammonium-rich wastewater. It is more effective,...     

The influence of ceramic-coated piston crown,exhaust gas recirculation,compression ratio and engine load on the performance and emission behavior of kapok oil–diesel blend operated diesel engine in comparison with thermal analysis

In this work, the development and usability of kapok oil in diesel engine was intended. With this purpose, the piston crowns are coated with mullite–lanthanum (ML) ceramic composite at varying compositions in order to reduce the heat rejection during combustion process. The kapok oil is blended with diesel fuel consisting of (20% kapok oil–80% diesel) volumetrically named B fuel. The B and diesel (D) fuels are taken for the engine performance test with different coated piston (ML1, ML2, and ML3) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR—10%, 20%, and 30%), compression ratio (CR—16, 17, and 18) and engine load (50%, 75%, and 100%). Also, the engine performance study on brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), hydrocarbons (HCs), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), smoke opacity, and numerical study using ANSYS software is carried out. When operated with ML2-coated pistons with B fuel, maximum BTE value of 29.2%, minimum BSFC value of 0.224 kg/kW-h, CO emission of 0.2%, and smoke opacity of 39 ppm were observed. The results showed that ML2-coated piston considerably improved the performance of the test engines when compared with ML1 and ML3 coatings. Except for NOx emission, all other pollutant emission values were reduced. The numerical analysis using ANSYS software for ML2-coated pistons showed better retention of in-cylinder chamber temperature.

     

The influence of cloud dynamics upon the redistribution and transformation of atmospheric SO2—a numerical simulation

A set of continuity equations describing the evolution of sulphur dioxide, sulphate and ammonia distributions within rain systems is formulated. By means of a simple bulk parameterization of microphysical and chemical processes, several parameters characteristic of acidic precipitation are investigated within the framework of a steady updraft column. The sensitivity of the results to the parameterization is also examined. The techniques described may be readily adapted to more complicated models.     

The effects of thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis on the collection of charged sub-μm particles by charged droplets

The collection efficiency of charged water droplets of 500 μm diameter for charged particles of 0.2 μm diameter is examined as a function of the nondimensional Coulombic parameter. The present paper provides an experimental technique to determine the contribution of the phoretic forces in particle collection by comparing the collection efficiencies of water droplets to that of oil droplets for which the vapor pressure and the phoretic forces are negligible. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the experimental data and the values predicted by a collection efficiency model considering only Coulombic force, thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis.     

The effect of polystyrene plastics on the toxicity of triphenyltin to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum—influence of plastic particle size

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The effect of polystyrene (PS) particles on the toxicity of triphenyltin (TPT) to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum was investigated. The...     

The influence of a power station on climate—a study of local weather records

Local weather records collected near a 2000 MW power station with eight natural-draught cooling towers have been examined to see if any climatic effects due to the power station could be detected, for the four years of its operation so far.It is concluded that the emissions from the station have not affected the values of total rainfall, hours of bright sunshine, or incidence of morning fog recorded by climatological stations at distances of 4 km (the nearest station) and above from the station.Fogs in the area have been decreasing over recent years, and in a town this is related to the decrease in domestic smoke concentrations. The frequency of fogs in a country district is already low and is not affected by variations in the low smoke concentrations there.     

The estimation of historical CO2 trajectories is indeterminate: Comment on “A new look at atmospheric carbon dioxide”

A paper by Hofmann et al. (2009, this journal) is critiqued. It is shown that their exponential model for characterizing CO₂ trajectories for historical data is not estimated properly. An exponential model is properly estimated and is shown to fit over the entire 51 year period of available data. Further, the entire problem of estimating models for the CO₂ historical data is shown to be ill-posed because alternate model forms fit the data equally well. To illustrate this point the past 51 years of CO₂ data were analyzed using three different time-dependent models that capture the historical pattern of CO₂ increase. All three fit with R² > 0.98, are visually indistinguishable when overlaid, and match each other during the calibration period with R² > 0.999. Projecting the models forward to 2100, the exponential model comes quite close to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) best estimate of 836 ppmv. The other two models project values far below the IPCC low estimates. The problem of characterizing historical CO₂ levels is thus indeterminate, because multiple models fit the data equally well but forecast very different future trajectories.     

The catalytic oxidation of micromolar aqueous sulphur dioxide—I: Oxidation in dilute solutions containing iron (III)

The rate of oxidation of SO₂ by oxygen in “pure” water was found to vary with pH, having a maximum rate at pH 6 where the half life for the reaction was 300 ± 50 min. It is believed that the variable results for the oxidation in “pure” water were due to contamination by trace (about 5 × 10⁻⁸M) Fe(III). It was shown that Fe(III) at 10⁻⁶ M concentration is a true catalyst for SO₂ solution oxidation and that its role can be explained by a free radical chain reaction. Using the rate data obtained in these experiments a calculation of the possible rate of oxidation of SO₂ in fog droplets in the atmosphere is described.     

Simulation of the influence of industrial wastewater on a municipal sewage treatment plant—a case study

Purpose  

Industrial wastewater flow caused operational difficulties in the wastewater treatment plant in Debrecen, Hungary. Bioaugmentation was successfully applied to maintain effluent quality in the periods when wastewater of high starch content was accepted, but, at the end of 2008, the nitrification capacity of the plant decreased considerably due to improperly pre-treated pharmaceutical wastewater.     

An experimental assessment on the influence of high fuel injection pressure with ternary fuel (diesel–mahua methyl ester–pentanol) on performance,combustion, and emission characteristics of common rail direct injection diesel engine

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Optimization of fuel injection strategies can maximize the utilization of ternary fuel by addressing the issues concerning fuel consumption, engine...     

Solution by dilution?—A review on the pollution status of the Yangtze River

The Yangtze River has been a source of life and prosperity for the Chinese people for centuries and is a habitat for a remarkable variety of aquatic species. But the river suffers from huge amounts of urban sewage, agricultural effluents, and industrial wastewater as well as ship navigation wastes along its course. With respect to the vast amounts of water and sediments discharged by the Yangtze River, it is reasonable to ask whether the pollution problem may be solved by simple dilution. This article reviews the past two decades of published research on organic pollutants in the Yangtze River and several adjacent water bodies connected to the main stream, according to a holistic approach. Organic pollutant levels and potential effects of water and sediments on wildlife and humans, measured in vitro, in vivo, and in situ, were critically reviewed. The contamination with organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and others, of water and sediment along the river was described. Especially Wuhan section and the Yangtze Estuary exhibited stronger pollution than other sections. Bioassays, displaying predominantly the endpoints mutagenicity and endocrine disruption, applied at sediments, drinking water, and surface water indicated a potential health risk in several areas. Aquatic organisms exhibited detectable concentrations of toxic compounds like PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and PFCs. Genotoxic effects could also be assessed in situ in fish. To summarize, it can be stated that dilution reduces the ecotoxicological risk in the Yangtze River, but does not eliminate it. Keeping in mind an approximately 14 times greater water discharge compared to the major European river Rhine, the absolute pollution mass transfer of the Yangtze River is of severe concern for the environmental quality of its estuary and the East China Sea. Based on the review, further research needs have been identified.     

Uncertainty requirements of the European Union’s Industrial Emissions Directive for monitoring sulfur dioxide emissions: Implications from a blind comparison of sulfate measurements by accredited laboratories

When annual average PM_2.5 (fine particulate matter sized 2.5 microns and less) data for 2005 became available in April 2006 and the 3-yr average PM_2.5 concentration in an area just north of the Houston Ship Channel reached 15.0 µg/m³, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) initiated daily collection of quartz fiber as well as Teflon PM_2.5 filter samples for chemical speciation analysis. The purpose of the chemical speciation analysis was to use the speciation data, together with meteorological data and hourly TEOM (tapered element oscillating microbalance) PM_2.5 mass data, to identify the causes of the high PM_2.5 concentrations affecting the monitoring site and the neighborhood. The ultimate purpose was to target emission reduction efforts to sources contributing to the high measured PM_2.5 concentrations. After a year of data collection, it was recognized that a specific source, unpaved driveways and loading areas along the Ship Channel and dirt tracked onto Clinton Drive, the main artery running east-west north of the Ship Channel, were the primary cause for the Clinton Drive site's measuring PM_2.5 concentrations significantly higher than other sites in Houston. The source characterization and remediation steps that have led to sustained reduced concentrations are described in this paper.

Implications: With PM_2.5 exceedances it can be essential to have or develop chemical speciation data as part of the process of identifying the source types causing exceedances of an annual standard. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis proved to be a powerful tool that identified the two locally emitted species contributing to exceedances, which did not occur at other sites in the region. They were calcium sulfate (gypsum), an industrial by-product, and soil minerals. Other data analysis approaches were necessary to distinguish North African dust events, which PMF failed to identify.     

The use of vegetation,bees, and snails as important tools for the biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution—a review

The continuous discharge of diverse chemical products in the environment is nowadays of great concern to the whole world as some of them persist in the environment leading to serious diseases. Several sampling techniques have been used for the characterization of this chemical pollution, although biomonitoring using natural samplers has recently become the technique of choice in this field due to its efficiency, specificity, and low cost. In fact, several living organisms known as biomonitors could accumulate the well-known persistent environmental pollutants allowing their monitoring in the environment. In this work, a review on environmental biomonitoring is presented. The main sampling techniques used for monitoring environmental pollutants are first reported, followed by an overview on well-known natural species used as passive samplers and known as biomonitors. These species include conifer needles, lichen, mosses, bees and their byproducts, and snails, and were widely used in recent research as reliable monitors for environmental pollution.

     

The use of Br/Pb ratios in atmospheric particles to discriminate between vehicular and industrial lead aerosol sources in the vicinity of a lead works—II. Ellesmere port,Cheshire

Lead and bromide in atmospheric particles were measured at two sites in the vicinity of a tetraalkyllead manufacturing plant. The Br results were used to estimate the relative proportions of vehicular and non-vehicular (presumably industrially-derived) particulate lead present in the atmosphere. The non-vehicular component was very variable over the 2-month study period, overall contributing about a quarter of the observed Pb. The relative proportions were found to be in good agreement with estimates of ground-level concentrations of Pb originating from the lead works stack derived from a Gaussian plume dispersion model.