Abwasserbehandlung beim kontrollierten Rückbau einer Pflanzenschutzmittelfabrik

During the demolition of an industrial building contaminated with chlorophenols and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (from Boehringer & Sohn in Hamburg-Moorfleet, Germany), several measures must be taken in order to protect the surroundings. Since these compounds are strongly adsorbed by particulate matter, a mist is continuously sprayed over the whole building. The waste water is expected to be highly contaminated and must therefore undergo extensive purification procedures. The primary goal of the existing study is to examine whether or not the present effluent reprocessing unit, a system which is comprised of a charcoal filter, is able to clean the waste water according to legal requirements. Secondly, the main factors that influence the clean up of the effluent were investigated in order to design a suitable precleaning unit for the contaminated water should the present reprocessing unit not fulfill these requirements. By means of the factorial design technique, the effect of three factors (flow velocity of the water, amount of charcoal and the pH-value) on the efficiency of the cleaning process and with regard to chlorophenols was examined. Surprisingly, the pH-value does not have a significant effect on the efficiency. In addition, the results of the experiments show that a precleaning of the effluent is not required.     

Kinetik und Mechanismen beim photochemischen Abbau von Fluorphenolen

The results of a study of the photolytic degradation of mono- and difluorophenols as a function of oxidation agent and temperature are reported. The effects of the position of fluorine are discussed. Fluorinated aromatic compounds have been mineralized to CO₂, fluoride, acetate and formate by irradiation (l=254nm) over various intermediate steps. The degradation of fluorophenols apparently followed first-order kinetics. A proposed degradation pathway for the photolytic oxidation of fluorophenols is presented. A complete mineralization as generally proposed in the literature cannot be supported by our results.     

Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Ökologie der marinen Kieselalge Thalassiosira rotula. II. Der Einfluß des Salzgehaltes

The effects of salinity (8 to 38‰) on the marine plankton diatom Thalassiosira rotula Meunier were investigated with respect to different temperature and light conditions. Two ecological aspects were examined separately: (1) the effect of various salinities, constant over a long period, was studied using well adapted cultures; (2) mixing processes were simulated by transferring cell chains from water of 33.9 or 20‰ S into lower salinities, as well as from 33.9 into 38‰ S. At 12° and 17°C, growth occurred at salinities from 12 to 38‰. In cold water (6°C), T. rotula did not grow below 16‰ S. Generation time was not influenced by salinities within the tolerance range if adapted cultures were grown under optimal illumination (1000 lux, light-dark cycle of 14:10 h; 12°C) or temperature (17°C; 2000 lux, light-dark cycle of 14:10 h). With increasing illumination or decreasing temperature, the other factors remaining constant, maximum growth rates were obtained with a salinity range of 20 to 32‰. Various salinities affected division rates most obviously if cultures were grown under continuous illumination; the optimum for cell division then ranged from 24 to 28‰ S only. Using adapted cultures again, the effect of different salinities on final cell yield is presumably more intense than their influence on generation time. T. rotula responded to sudden salinity changes only if transferred from water of 20‰ S into lower concentrations and from 33.9 into 38‰ S. Particularly at 12 and 38‰ S, growth rate and colony size (cells per chain) were reduced during the first few days. Increase of generation time and decrease of chain size occur coincidentally. The influence of different salinities on the occurrence of T. rotula in the sea is discussed in conjunction with experimental results on other ecological factors, and the present results are compared with the few available data obtained in nature by other authors. Accordingly, in the sea, a salinity range of 20 to 33‰ should prove optimal for T. rotula, 34 to 38‰ S would presumably represent still adequate conditions, while below 20‰ S T. rotula would probably rarely or never occur.     

Eine Apparatur zur kontinuierlichen Respirationsmessung an marinen Organismen

Measurements were made with a Clark electrode in a closed system under conditions of different, regulatable water current velocities. Six simultaneous parallel measurements are possible with only one electrode. The volume of respiration chambers amounts to 80 ml for small animals and 300 ml for larger ones. Technical details of the apparatus and measuring procedures are described. The accuracy amounts to 0.5 μl O₂ for the 80 ml chamber, and 2 μl O₂ for the 300 ml chambers. The apparatus has been successfully used on various marine evertebrates and algae.     

Untersuchungen zur Umweltchemie,Kontaminationserkundung und -bewertung

Leachate and groundwater have been investigated at a site contaminated with ammunition residues. The presence of nitroaromatic compounds and their degradation products was investigated by GC-MS-screening methods. Nitro-, amino-nitro-, and amino-aromatic substances of the ?TNT type“ were analyzed along with polar substances such as 3,5-dinitro-o-cresol and 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol. Investigation of these primary metabolites is important for risk assessment and for determining clean-up measures     

Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen polycyclischer Moschus-Duftstoffe in verschiedenen Umweltkompartimenten

In addition to the three compounds discussed in our first communication (UWSF 6/4, 183–189, 1994) this paper mentions another four substances from the group of the polycyclic musk flavors analysed in a number of detergents and cosmetics, in surface waters, in waste waters from municipal sewage treatment plants and in fish. These four substances are: 6-acetyl-1,1,2,3,3,5-hexamethylindane (AHMI, known for instance under the trade name Phantolide^®), 6,7-dihydro-1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-4 (5H)-indanone (DPMI, known for instance under the trade name Cashmeran^®), 7-acetyl-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-6-ethyltetraline (ATTN, known for instance under the trade name Versalide^®) and 5-acetyl-1,1,2,6-tetramethyl-3-isopropylindane (ATII, known for instance under the trade name Traseolide^®). The results of these analyses show that except for ATTN, the manufacture of which was discontinued some ten years ago, these substances are considered to have an ubiquitous distribution in surface waters. This pollution evidently comes from the use of these flavors in various detergents and cosmetics, from where they enter surface waters via the waste waters from municipal sewage treatment plants. Choosing the Ruhr river as an example, the authors demonstrate that the pollution level is constant and that — due to their lipophilic nature — the compounds accumulate in fish leading to concentrations which markedly exceed those known, e.g., for nitromusk flavors in environmental samples. Two of the main contaminants are HHCB and AHTN, which have the highest concentrations both in the detergents analyzed and in environmental samples.     

Sicherheitsdatenblätter — Eine Anleitung zum sicheren Umgang?

The European Union Guideline 2001/58/EG (safety data sheet guideline) states that the safety data sheet shall enable professional users to take the necessary measures for the protection of health and safety at the workplace as well as of the environment. According to this guideline, the employer should be in the position to determine whether hazardous chemical agents do exist at the workplace, and to assesses the risk to health and safety of workers arising from their use. Can the employer actually rely on the safety data sheet? Have the present data sheets really instructed how to safely handle and manage dangerous compounds? Are the numerously arising occupational illnesses by dangerous substances just a consequence of a careless handling? This question is also important in the discussion on REACH, the new European Chemicals Policy. This paper reveals the strengths and the weaknesses as well as the potential of manufacturer information.     

Die Bedeutung von Lebensmitteln tierischer Herkunft für die Mykotoxinaufnahme beim Menschen

Mycotoxins are a heterogeneous group of secondary fungal metabolites. Their formation in food and feedstuffs is influenced by many factors, including humidity, temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, type of substrate or presence of competitive microflora. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimated in 1985 that approximately 25% of the world’s grain supply is contaminated with mycotoxins. There are more than 300 known mycotoxins; however, due to their occurrence and concentrations in food, and their toxic potential, only few of these are relevant with regard to consumer protection. These include the aflatoxins, ochratoxins and trichothecenes like deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisins. In Germany, only aflatoxins in food and feedstuffs are subjected to legal regulations. Beside the negative effects of mycotoxins on health and performance of farm animals, it is of importance to consider to what extent mycotoxins might be carried over into edible tissues like meat, milk and eggs when fed to farm animals. The present review shows that the carry over of mycotoxins into edible tissues is relatively low and is dependent on the specific mycotoxin and animal species. For example, due to the microbial decomposition of mycotoxins in the rumen, the carry over of mycotoxins into edible tissues of ruminants is considerably lower compared to monogastric species (pigs, chickens). Furthermore, after a short withdrawal period of 4 to 14 days combined with the feeding of non-contaminated diets, most of the mycotoxins, aside from ochratoxin A, are no longer detectable in any edible tissue. Ochratoxin A has a high binding affinity to specific blood proteins and is reabsorbed in the kidney; these mechanisms delay its elimination and increase the withdrawal period to at least 4 weeks. However, aside from the concentration of these substances in food, the daily intake of contaminated food is important for the risk analysis of mycotoxins to humans. In a recent study, it has been shown that more than 50% of the daily intake of ochratoxin A is derived from cereals and cereal products, and 30% from red wine, coffee and beer. Mear products from pigs and chickens only account for 4% of the total intake, while products from ruminants are considered to be negligible. These results indicate that mycotoxin-contaminated edible tissue, as compared to plant products, only plays a minor role with respect to consumer protection.     

Quantitative Untersuchungen zur Ökologie der Gastrotrichen in Gezeiten-Sandstrand der Insel Sylt

Quantitative investigations were made on the distribution of 21 species of Gastrotricha Macrodasyoidea and 2 species of Chaetonotoidea in 10 different tidal beach areas of the island Sylt (North Sea). Most species live in the upper few centimeters of sandy flats near the low tide level. We counted up to 989 Gastrotricha in 50 cm³ of sediment. This group comprises up to 24% of the total interstitial fauna in about 25 samples. The beach slopes are inhabited by different species which are much less abundant (up to 165 animals per 50 cm³ sediment, and up to 7% of the total interstitial fauna). Each species inhabits a distinct zone of the sand flat or the beach slope. These zones run parallel to the water line and follow one another in a characteristic succession from the sublittoral to the supralittoral. It is assumed that several factors, controlled by exposure — e.g. variations of temperature and salinity as well as oxygen avilability — are responsible for the distribution patterns observed.     

Vergleichende ökologisch-physiologische Untersuchungen zur zellulären Kälteresistenz mariner Evertebraten

Cellular freezing and chilling resistances of different marine bivalve species have been measured comparatively, using isolated pieces of gill tissues. The species-specific resistance values correspond to the ecological behaviour and the geographical distribution of the species. Among marine animals from subarctic and boreal regions, cellular freezing resistance is significantly higher in species living, during the whole year, in the upper littoral than in bottom dwellers or sublittoral forms. Tissues of tropical littoral bivalves are very sensitive to freezing. Similar responses are obtained in deepwater species of the temperate zone. Studies on geographically separated populations of species from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean demonstrate small differences in cellular freezing resistance; no genetically fixed distinctions could be recognized. Among species within the same littoral habitat, those suffering from mass mortalities in extremely severe winters also exhibit comparatively lower cellular chilling and freezing resistances. In littoral bivalves from normal sea water, considerable seasonal variations of cellular freezing resistance occur; such variations are very small in specimens from brackisk waters. Maximum freezing resistance results from adaptation to low temperature combined with high salivity. The adaptation time required for reaching the final level of resistance depends on temperature and salinity. Also, the considerable increases in cellular freezing resistance caused by exposure to air, or to oxygen-deficient water, or by different organic compounds, are modified by temperature and salinity conditions during pretreatment. The subtropical-tropical species Chione cancellata, exhibits “meaningful” adaptation of cellular chilling resistance when the adaptation temperature is changed from 10° to 23.5°C; however, no comprehensible change in cellular freezing resistance occurs at the same time. Increased calcium contents of the external medium affect cellular chilling and freezing resistances of marine bivalves differently. Quick effluxes of aldolase (from cytoplasm) and of acid phosphatase (from lysosomes) after freezing and thawing of isolated gills indicate damage to membranes before cellular injuries are recognized by microscopical observations. Partial inactivation of acid phosphatase by exposure to freezing and thawing is only found after “death” of the tissue.