Long-Term Effects on Soil of the Disposal of Olive Mill Waste Waters (OMW)

Disposal of untreated olive mill waste waters (OMW) is a serious environmental problem in many Mediterranean countries. The aim of this work was to assess whether changes in soil properties have occurred due to direct disposal of raw OMW on soil and in evaporation ponds, and to investigate the potential fate and transport of pollutants after olive oil production had ceased. The results clearly showed that uncontrolled OMW disposal is a significant source of pollution to surface soil and waters. Disposal of OMW on soil greatly increased electrical conductivity (EC), available phosphorous (P), exchangeable potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg), organic matter, polyphenols, total and inorganic nitrogen (N), and available micronutrients mainly in surface soil layers. The presence of a high content of clay and carbonates in soil act as barriers and prevent downward transport of pollutants. Residual levels of total carbon (C), polyphenols, total and inorganic N, exchangeable K⁺, available P, iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) were also elevated even 8 years after mill closure. The long term disposal of OMW highlights the need to establish soil quality standards for soil parameters in order to identify soils affected by the disposal of OMW.     

Fate of permethrin in model outdoor ponds

Abstract

In 1979 and 1980, outdoor artificial ponds were treated with ¹⁴C‐pennethrin (labelled at either the cyclopropyl or methylene position) at 0.028 kg/ha (15 ug/L). Uptake of permethrin by duckweed and hydrosoil was monitored by direct combustion, TLC‐autoradiography, HPLC, and liquid scintillation counting. Rapid loss of permethrin from the waiter coincided with the detection of five degradation products in the water at concentrations below 2.0 ug/L. The products were cis‐ and trans‐cyclopropyl acid, phenoxybenzoic acid, and phenoxybenzyl alcohol, and an unknown non‐cleaved product of permethrin. Permethrin was readily sorbed by duckweed but was not persistent. Permethrin residues in the hydrosoil, which was the major sink for permethrin added to the ponds, were persistent and were detected at 420 days post‐treatment. Cis‐permethrin was more persistent in the hydrosoil than the trans‐permethrin. The results indicated that permethrin in water was short‐lived at an application rate of 15 ug/L because of the rapid degradation of permethrin in the water and sorption of permethrin by the hydrosoil and vegetation. However, at one year post‐treatment, permethrin residues were still detected in the hydrosoil at 1.0 ug/kg.     

安全土地填埋技术在我国的应用

沈阳市固体废物处置中心对工业危险废物采用了安全土地填埋技术 ,它的主要特点是安全、工艺简单、可操作性强。能够杜绝危险废物渗析液下渗污染地下水 ,同时又避免了危险废物污染环境卫生。本文主要以沈阳工业危险废物处置填埋场为例 ,介绍安全土地填埋的技术要求、设计要点等     

Enhanced experimental flexibility and control in ecotoxicological mesocosm experiments--a new outdoor and indoor pond and stream system

Scope The German Federal Environmental Agency has put into operation a new modular mesocosm system consisting of eight outdoor and eight indoor ponds and streams in order to investigate fate and effects of chemicals and municipal wastewater in aquatic ecosystems. General design and special characteristics are given to demonstrate the wide range of possibilities for experimental research. - General design. Each of the 16 streams with riffle and pool sections can be varied in length up to 106 m. The streams can be run as circular or flow-through systems at a flow velocity of 0.02 to 0.6 m/s. Physico-chemical standard parameters are measured on-line. The 16 ponds, which can be connected to the stream systems, are equipped with drainage and pore water-sampling devices for simulating processes in the littoral zone including influent and effluent ground water flow. Perspectives Since the highly flexible and controllable construction also allows treating a wide range of hydrological and ecological experiments external institutions are invited to submit proposals.     

Adverse effects of fullerenes (nC60) spiked to sediments on Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta)

Effects of fullerene-spiked sediment on a benthic organism, Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta), were investigated. Survival, growth, reproduction, and feeding rates were measured to assess possible adverse effects of fullerene agglomerates produced by water stirring and then spiked to a natural sediment. L. variegatus were exposed to 10 and 50 mg fullerenes/kg sediment dry mass for 28 d. These concentrations did not impact worm survival or reproduction compared to the control. Feeding activities were slightly decreased for both concentrations indicating fullerenes’ disruptive effect on feeding. Depuration efficiency decreased in the high concentration only. Electron and light microscopy and extraction of the worm fecal pellets revealed fullerene agglomerates in the gut tract but not absorption into gut epithelial cells. Micrographs also indicated that 16% of the epidermal cuticle fibers of the worms were not present in the 50 mg/kg exposures, which may make worms susceptible to other contaminants.     

Degrading permafrost river catchments and their impact on Arctic Ocean nearshore processes

Arctic warming is causing ancient perennially frozen ground (permafrost) to thaw, resulting in ground collapse, and reshaping of landscapes. This threatens Arctic peoples'' infrastructure, cultural sites, and land-based natural resources. Terrestrial permafrost thaw and ongoing intensification of hydrological cycles also enhance the amount and alter the type of organic carbon (OC) delivered from land to Arctic nearshore environments. These changes may affect coastal processes, food web dynamics and marine resources on which many traditional ways of life rely. Here, we examine how future projected increases in runoff and permafrost thaw from two permafrost-dominated Siberian watersheds—the Kolyma and Lena, may alter carbon turnover rates and OC distributions through river networks. We demonstrate that the unique composition of terrestrial permafrost-derived OC can cause significant increases to aquatic carbon degradation rates (20 to 60% faster rates with 1% permafrost OC). We compile results on aquatic OC degradation and examine how strengthening Arctic hydrological cycles may increase the connectivity between terrestrial landscapes and receiving nearshore ecosystems, with potential ramifications for coastal carbon budgets and ecosystem structure. To address the future challenges Arctic coastal communities will face, we argue that it will become essential to consider how nearshore ecosystems will respond to changing coastal inputs and identify how these may affect the resiliency and availability of essential food resources.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01666-z.     

Naphthenic acid biodegradation by the unicellular alga Dunaliella tertiolecta

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are a major contributor to toxicity in tailings waste generated from bitumen production in the Athabasca Oil Sands region. While investigations have shown that bacteria can biodegrade NAs and reduce tailings toxicity, the potential of algae to biodegrade NAs and the biochemical mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here, we discovered that the marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta is able to tolerate five model NAs (cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclohexaneacetic acid, cyclohexanepropionic acid, cyclohexanebutyric acid and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphthoic acid) at 300 mg L⁻¹, a level which exceeds that of any single or combination of NAs typically found in tailings ponds. Moreover, we show that D. tertiolecta can metabolize four of the model NAs. Analysis of NA-amended cultures of D. tertiolecta via low resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed us to quantify decreasing NA levels, identify metabolites, and formulate putative mechanisms of biodegradation. Degradation of cyclohexanebutyric acid and cyclohexanepropionic acid proceeded via β-oxidation and resulted in the transient accumulation of cyclohexaneacetic acid and cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, respectively. Cyclohexanecarboxylic acid was metabolized via 1-cyclohexenecarboxylic acid suggesting that further degradation may occur by step-wise β-oxidation. When D. tertiolecta was inoculated in the presence of oil sands tailings water from the Athabasca region, biodegradation of single-ring NAs was observed relative to controls. This result corroborates the trend we observed with the single-ring model NAs.     

联合式催化剂用于低温下一氧化碳和氢的共同消除

采用联合式催化剂新技术,在低温下进行了一氧化碳和氢化同消除的试验,通过实验考察取得了良好的效果。     

化学修饰碳糊电极测定废水中痕量铜

研制了732型阳离子交换树脂碳糊修饰电极,在盐酸－乙二胺体系中,对Cu（Ⅱ）显示出良好的离子交换和选择性,电极具有很好的重现性和较长的使用寿命,可用于废水中痕量铜的测定。     

添加乙醇碳源对驯化菌种降解油制气废水的影响

进行了添加乙醇作为碳源强化油制气废水生物降解的研究,并利用GC／MS分析对油制气废水中芳烃类化合物的降解进行了初步研究。研究表明,共代谢基质乙醇的加入,可使菌种S-2、Y-3、XH-3、M-3对COD、氨氮、可萃取有机物等指标的去除率分别提高17．6％～25．6％、34．9％～42．8％、10．4％～14．2％;但在所采用的时间范围内,酚类化合物的去除率降低;芳烃类化合物的去除率提高15．4％～21．2％。除了维持无共代谢条件下对芳环数≤3的芳烃类化合物的良好降解能力外,对芳环数为4～6的化合物降解能力也有所提高。     

漂浮植物塘协同处理农村分散生活污水研究

通过实验考察了漂浮植物塘对经模拟化粪池简易处理的农村分散生活污水的深度净化效果,结果表明：水葫芦、大薸、聚草塘对上述污水均具有良好的净化效果,水葫芦塘对TP的去除效果最好,大薸塘对TN和NH⁺₄-N的去除效果最好。当水力停留时间为20 d时,3种漂浮植物塘的出水污染物含量可低于GB/T 18921-2002观赏性景观环境用水河道类标准。在南方农村宅沟园河内种植漂浮植物是构建农村实用生活污水收集处理系统、控制农村生活污水对河道污染的一种有效措施。     

Accounting Carbon Storage in Decaying Root Systems of Harvested Forests

Decaying root systems of harvested trees can be a significant component of belowground carbon storage, especially in intensively managed forests where harvest occurs repeatedly in relatively short rotations. Based on destructive sampling of root systems of harvested loblolly pine trees, we estimated that root systems contained about 32% (17.2 Mg ha⁻¹) at the time of harvest, and about 13% (6.1 Mg ha⁻¹) of the soil organic carbon 10 years later. Based on the published roundwood output data, we estimated belowground biomass at the time of harvest for loblolly-shortleaf pine forests harvested between 1995 and 2005 in South Carolina. We then calculated C that remained in the decomposing root systems in 2005 using the decay function developed for loblolly pine. Our calculations indicate that the amount of C stored in decaying roots of loblolly-shortleaf pine forests harvested between 1995 and 2005 in South Carolina was 7.1 Tg. Using a simple extrapolation method, we estimated 331.8 Tg C stored in the decomposing roots due to timber harvest from 1995 to 2005 in the conterminous USA. To fully account for the C stored in the decomposing roots of the US forests, future studies need (1) to quantify decay rates of coarse roots for major tree species in different regions, and (2) to develop a methodology that can determine C stock in decomposing roots resulting from natural mortality.     

Carbon source/sink function of a subtropical, eutrophic lake determined from an overall mass balance and a gas exchange and carbon burial balance

Although studies on carbon burial in lake sediments have shown that lakes are disproportionately important carbon sinks, many studies on gaseous carbon exchange across the water-air interface have demonstrated that lakes are supersaturated with CO(2) and CH(4) causing a net release of CO(2) and CH(4) to the atmosphere. In order to more accurately estimate the net carbon source/sink function of lake ecosystems, a more comprehensive carbon budget is needed, especially for gaseous carbon exchange across the water-air interface. Using two methods, overall mass balance and gas exchange and carbon burial balance, we assessed the carbon source/sink function of Lake Donghu, a subtropical, eutrophic lake, from April 2003 to March 2004. With the overall mass balance calculations, total carbon input was 14 905 t, total carbon output was 4950 t, and net carbon budget was +9955 t, suggesting that Lake Donghu was a great carbon sink. For the gas exchange and carbon burial balance, gaseous carbon (CO(2) and CH(4)) emission across the water-air interface totaled 752 t while carbon burial in the lake sediment was 9477 t. The ratio of carbon emission into the atmosphere to carbon burial into the sediment was only 0.08. This low ratio indicates that Lake Donghu is a great carbon sink. Results showed good agreement between the two methods with both showing Lake Donghu to be a great carbon sink. This results from the high primary production of Lake Donghu, substantive allochthonous carbon inputs and intensive anthropogenic activity. Gaseous carbon emission accounted for about 15% of the total carbon output, indicating that the total output would be underestimated without including gaseous carbon exchange.     

Changes in Tundra Pond Limnology: Re-sampling Alaskan Ponds After 40 Years

The arctic tundra ponds at the International Biological Program (IBP) site in Barrow, AK, were studied extensively in the 1970s; however, very little aquatic research has been conducted there for over three decades. Due to the rapid climate changes already occurring in northern Alaska, identifying any changes in the ponds’ structure and function over the past 30–40 years can help identify any potential climate-related impacts. Current research on the IBP ponds has revealed significant changes in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of these ponds over time. These changes include increased water temperatures, increased water column nutrient concentrations, the presence of at least one new chironomid species, and increased macrophyte cover. However, we have also observed significant annual variation in many measured variables and caution that this variation must be taken into account when attempting to make statements about longer-term change. The Barrow IBP tundra ponds represent one of the very few locations in the Arctic where long-term data are available on freshwater ecosystem structure and function. Continued monitoring and protection of these invaluable sites is required to help understand the implications of climate change on freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic.     

二氧化碳储存技术的研究现状和展望

为了减少因温室效应造成的危害,必须大量减少CO2的人为排放.将化石燃料燃烧产生的CO2进行储存(尤其是地下储存)能够长期、有效地阻止大气中CO2浓度的增加.通过对CO2储存技术研究现状的介绍,对中国今后开展CO2地下储存技术提出了建议和研究方向.     

The impact of natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbons on the tropospheric budget of carbon monoxide

A method to quantify the relative contributions of surface sources and photochemical production of atmospheric carbon monoxide has been implemented in a three-dimensional chemical-transport model. The impact of biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons has been calculated. The oxidation of isoprene contributes to about 10% of the global tropospheric burden of carbon monoxide, with a maximum contribution over southern America and Africa. Oxidation of methane and terpenes contribute to 28 and 2%, respectively, of the tropospheric burden of CO. The oxidation of the other hydrocarbons, which include ethane, propane, ethylene, propylene and the surrogate hydrocarbon representing other hydrocarbons results in 12% of the CO tropospheric burden, among which 69% results from the oxidation of hydrocarbons of biologic origin. The overall global CO yield from the oxidation of isoprene is estimated to be 23% on a carbon basis. Comparisons between model results and the few available observations of isoprene, terpenes and their oxidation products show that there is no evidence that the current global isoprene emissions proposed in the IGAC/GEIA emissions data base are substantially overestimated, as suggested by previous studies.     

碳高温还原解毒铬渣中CaCrO4的反应热力学研究

通过热力学分析与计算,确立了采用高温固相还原法,利用冶金废渣M作为还原剂,高温解毒铬渣中CaCrO4的还原反应.对比分析了C、CO对酸溶性CaCrO4与水溶性NazCrO4还原反应的吉布斯自由能和平衡常数变化,探讨了温度、压力对铬渣中CaCrO4还原反应的影响,升高温度、减小体系压力对CaCrO4的高温还原有利.     

Surfactive stabilization of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersions with dissolved humic substances

Soil humic substances (HS) stabilize carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions, a mechanism we hypothesized arose from the surfactive nature of HS. Experiments dispersing multi-walled CNT in solutions of dissolved Aldrich humic acid (HA) or water-extractable Catlin soil HS demonstrated enhanced stability at 150 and 300 mg L⁻¹ added Aldrich HA and Catlin HS, respectively, corresponding with decreased CNT mean particle diameter (MPD) and polydispersivity (PD) of 250 nm and 0.3 for Aldrich HA and 450 nm and 0.35 for Catlin HS. Analogous trends in MPD and PD were observed with addition of the surfactants Brij 35, Triton X-405, and SDS, corresponding to surfactant sorption maximum. NEXAFS characterization showed that Aldrich HA contained highly surfactive domains while Catlin soil possessed a mostly carbohydrate-based structure. This work demonstrates that the chemical structure of humic materials in natural waters is directly linked to their surfactive ability to disperse CNT released into the environment.     

Turning the Tide: How Blue Carbon and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) Might Help Save Mangrove Forests

In this review paper, we aim to describe the potential for, and the key challenges to, applying PES projects to mangroves. By adopting a “carbocentric approach,” we show that mangrove forests are strong candidates for PES projects. They are particularly well suited to the generation of carbon credits because of their unrivaled potential as carbon sinks, their resistance and resilience to natural hazards, and their extensive provision of Ecosystem Services other than carbon sequestration, primarily nursery areas for fish, water purification and coastal protection, to the benefit of local communities as well as to the global population. The voluntary carbon market provides opportunities for the development of appropriate protocols and good practice case studies for mangroves at a small scale, and these may influence larger compliance schemes in the future. Mangrove habitats are mostly located in developing countries on communally or state-owned land. This means that issues of national and local governance, land ownership and management, and environmental justice are the main challenges that require careful planning at the early stages of mangrove PES projects to ensure successful outcomes and equitable benefit sharing within local communities.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0530-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Single walled carbon nanotube reactivity and cytotoxicity following extended aqueous exposure

Globally carbon nanoparticles are increasingly utilized, yet it is not known if these nanoparticles pose a threat to the environment or human health. This investigation examined ‘as-prepared’, and acid cleaned carbon nanoparticle physicochemical characteristics (by FTIR, TEM, FESEM, UV-VIS and X-ray microanalysis), and whether these characteristics changed following 2.5-7 yr exposure to pH neutral saline or fresh water. To determine if these aqueous aged nanotubes were cytotoxic, these nanotubes were incubated with human epithelial monolayers and analyzed for cell viability (vital staining) and ultrastructural nanoparticle binding/localization (TEM, FESEM). The presence of Ni and Y catalyst, was less damaging to cells than CNT lattice surface oxidation. Extended fresh water storage of oxidized CNTs did not reduce surface reactive groups, nor lessen cell membrane destruction or cell death. However storing oxidized CNTs in saline or NOM significantly reduced CNT-induced cell membrane damage and increased cell survival to control levels.