Wood pellet fly ash and bottom ash as an effective liming agent and nutrient source for rye grass (Lolium perenne L.) and oats (Avena sativa)

Fly ash (FA) and bottom ash (BA) from a softwood pellet boiler were characterized and evaluated as soil amendments. In a greenhouse study, two plant species (rye grass, Lolium perenne L. and oats, Avena sativa) were grown in three different treatments (1% FA, 1% BA, non-amended control) of a silty loam soil. Total concentrations of plant nutrients Ca, K, Mg, P and Zn in both ashes were elevated compared to conventional wood ash. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Pb, Se and Zn were found to be elevated in the FA relative to BA and the non-amended soil. At 28 d, oat above-ground biomass was found to be significantly greater in soil amended with FA. Potassium and Mo plant tissue concentrations were significantly increased by addition of either ash, and FA significantly increased Zn tissue concentrations. Cadmium and Hg tissue concentrations were elevated in some cases. As soil amendments, either pellet ash is an effective liming agent and nutrient source, but high concentrations of Cd and Zn in FA may preclude its use as an agricultural soil amendment in some jurisdictions. Lower ash application rates than those used in this study (i.e. <1%) may still provide sufficient nutrients and effective neutralization of soil acidity.     

Effectiveness of potassium ferrate (VI) as a green agent in the treatment and disinfection of carwash wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Carwash wastewater treatment with potassium ferrate (VI) (K2FeO4) was optimized by response surface methodology. The optimum conditions for chemical...     

Los Angeles Gasoline Modification: Its Potential as an Air Pollution Control Measure

A joint project of government and industry people who studied the possible effect upon air pollution in Los Angeles of variations in the composition of gasoline sold in Los Angeles is discussed.

No experimental automotive test work was undertaken in this project. However, prototype fuel blends were made and analyzed in order to simulate the effects certain changes would have upon photochemical smog formation.

It is apparent from the results of this study that the potential of reducing smog in Los ngeles by fuel modifications is quite small, even in the year of maximum effect. This potential decreases to a negligible level due to the effectiveness of mechanical control of evaporative losses required in California starting with the 1970 model cars.     

Hormetic effect(s) of tetracyclines as environmental contaminant on Zea mays

Animal wastes from intensive pig farming as fertilizers may expose crops to antimicrobials. Zea mays cultivations were carried out on a virgin field, subjected to dressing with pig slurries contaminated at 15 mg L⁻¹ of Oxy- and 5 mg L⁻¹ of Chlor-tetracycline, and at 8 mg L⁻¹ of Oxy and 3 mg L⁻¹ of Chlor, respectively. Pot cultivation was performed outdoor (Oxy in the range 62.5-1000 ng g⁻¹ dry soil) and plants harvested after 45 days. Tetracyclines analyses on soils and on field plants (roots, stalks, and leaves) did not determine the appreciable presence of tetracyclines. Residues were found in the 45-day pot corn only, in the range of 1-50 ng g⁻¹ for Oxy in roots, accounting for a 5% carry-over rate, on average. Although no detectable residues in plants from on land cultivations, both experimental batches showed the same biphasic growth form corresponding to a dose/response hormetic curve.     

Potential of recycling gamma-irradiated sewage sludge for use as a fertilizer: a study on chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

The effects of gamma-irradiated sludge on the growth and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in pot cultures have been studied. Compared to plants grown only in soil, root length, fresh weight and dry weight of plants grown in soil supplemented with unirradiated sludge were found to be significantly reduced. This inhibition in growth was found to be nullified when plants were grown in soil supplemented with gamma-irradiated sludge, suggesting that gamma radiation induced inactivation of toxic substance(s) in sludge. The protein content of plants grown in soil supplemented with irradiated sludge was also found to be significantly increased compared to those grown with unirradiated or no sludge, after 45 days. There was no significant effect of gamma irradiated sludge on shoot length, total soluble sugars, starch content and yield of chickpea plants. The results obtained suggest that the sludge tested, and obtained from the digester of a conventional domestic sewage treatment plant, is inhibitory to several growth parameters. Gamma irradiation of sewage resulted in removal of this inhibition. This suggests a possibility of beneficial and safe recycling of gamma-irradiated sludge for agricultural uses.     

Evaluation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains as probiotic agent with aflatoxin B(1) adsorption ability for use in poultry feedstuffs

In this study the aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) removal capacity, the tolerance to salivary and gastrointestinal conditions, autoaggregation and coaggregation with pathogenic bacteria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from broiler feces, were evaluated. Only four of twelve isolated strains were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae using molecular techniques. The results obtained in AFB(1) binding studies indicated that the amount of AFB(1) removed was both strain and mycotoxin-concentration dependent. Therefore, a theoretical model was applied in order to select the most efficient strain to remove AFB(1) in a wide range of mycotoxin concentration. The results indicated that S. cerevisiae 08 and S. cerevisiae 01 strains were the most efficient microorganisms in the mycotoxin removal. Viability on simulated salivary and gastrointestinal conditions was investigated and S. cerevisiae 08 strain showed the best results, achieving 98% of total survival whereas S. cerevisiae 01 reached only 75%. Autoaggregation and coaggregation assays showed S. cerevisiae 08 as the most appropriate strain, mainly because it was the unique strain able to coaggregate with the four bacterial pathogens assayed. Consequently, S. cerevisiae 08 is the best candidate for future in vivo studies useful to prevent aflatoxicosis. Further quantitative in vitro and in vivo studies are required to evaluate the real impact of yeast-binding activity on the bioavailability of AFB(1) in poultry. However, this study could be useful in selecting efficient strains in terms of AFB(1) binding and provide an important contribution to research into microorganisms with potential probiotic effects on the host.     

Effective uptake of decontaminating agent (citric acid) from aqueous solution by mesoporous and microporous materials: an adsorption process

The presence of citric acid in decontamination waste can cause complexation of the radioactive cations resulting in interferences in their removal by various treatment processes such as chemical precipitation, ion-exchange, etc., which are employed for the removal of radioactivity and may cause potential danger to the environment. Mesoporous Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al=30, 51, 72 and 97) and Si-MCM-41 molecular sieves were synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by XRD, BET (surface area) and FT-IR to evaluate the removal of citric acid through an adsorption process. Adsorption of citric acid over Al-MCM-41 shows the applicability of Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm and follows first order kinetics. The effects of contact time, concentration of citric acid, adsorbents (various Si/Al ratios of Al-MCM-41, Si-MCM-41, Hbeta zeolite and commercial carbon) and pH have been investigated. It has been found that the amount of citric acid adsorbed per unit gram of catalyst followed the order Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al=30)>Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al=51)>activated charcoal>Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al=72)>Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al=97)>Si-MCM-41>Hbeta zeolite.     

Moss (Bryum radiculosum) as a bioindicator of trace metal deposition around an industrialised area in Sardinia (Italy)

The moss Bryum radiculosum (Brid.), a species typical of dry and coastal environments, was used as a bioindicator for the estimation of atmospheric trace metal deposition around the industrial site of Portoscuso (Sardinia, Italy), which includes a lead-zinc smelter, two power plants, and aluminium production factories. For Cd, Pb, Zn, and V the results showed very similar patterns with extremely high values in the immediate surroundings of the industrial area. Copper and Cr showed somewhat different patterns, but still pointing to local pollution sources. The levels of metals at distance of about 13 km from the industrial site were still higher than in background samples. In order to evaluate the suitability of B. radiculosum for monitoring studies, trace metal concentrations in moss were compared with bulk deposition measurements in the same area. Correlation was significant only for Pb, Cd, and Zn. For Cr, Cu, and V the results showed high variability, mainly to be ascribed to soil factors.     

Potential use of composts and vermicomposts as low-cost adsorbents for dye removal: an overlooked application

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The use of composts and vermicomposts as adsorbents is an important topic of study in the field of environmental remediation. These materials are rich...     

两性高分子污泥脱水剂P(AM-DAC-AMPS)的表征与应用

采用三元自由基水溶液聚合法,以丙烯酰胺(AM)、丙烯酰氧乙基三甲基氯化铵(DAC)、2-丙烯酰胺基-2-甲基丙磺酸(AMPS)为原料,经过复合引发制备了两性高分子脱水剂P(AM-DAC-AMPS),简称为PADA).采用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、透射电镜(TEM)对结构进行了表征,结果证明聚合物为三元共聚物,并具有良好的直链结构.经过PA-DA、CPAM调理后的污泥最佳比阻(r)分别为1.58×109s2/g和1.8×109s2/g,离心后含水率分别为77.4％和78.1％;污泥沉降速度分别为0.3 mL/min和0.25 mL/min;污泥滤液中,多糖去除率分别为70.3％和40.7％,蛋白质去除率分别为31.5％和17.5％;表明PADA比CPAM具有更好的脱水性能.并且通过SEM观察,发现PADA的调理增强了污泥絮体的密实性.     

Assessing joint toxicity of chemicals in Enchytraeus albidus (Enchytraeidae) and Porcellionides pruinosus (Isopoda) using avoidance behaviour as an endpoint

Contamination problems are often characterized by complex mixtures of chemicals. There are two conceptual models usually used to evaluate patterns of mixture toxicity: Concentration Addition (CA) and Independent Action (IA). Deviations from these models as synergism, antagonism and dose dependency also occur. In the present study, single and mixture toxicity of atrazine, dimethoate, lindane, zinc and cadmium were tested in Porcellionides pruinosus and Enchytraeus albidus, using avoidance as test parameter. For both species patterns of antagonism were found when exposed to dimethoate and atrazine, synergism for lindane and dimethoate exposures (with the exception of lower doses in the isopod case study) and concentration addition for cadmium and zinc occurred, while the exposure to cadmium and dimethoate showed dissimilar patterns.This study highlights the importance of dose dependencies when testing chemical mixtures and that avoidance tests can also be used to asses the effects of mixture toxicity.     

Suitability of Crangonyx pseudogracilis (Crustacea: Amphipoda) as an Early Warning Indicator in the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor (9 pp)

Background Biological monitors are increasingly important in 'Biological Early Warning Systems' (BEWS) for monitoring water quality. This study examines the freshwater amphipod Crangonyx pseudogracilis as a potential new indicator species when used in the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor (MFB). The MFB is an online continuous biomonitor which uses impedance conversion to record behavioural responses of vertebrates and invertebrates. Methods Four experiments were undertaken to establish: (1) if the electrical field generated by the MFB affected the organisms' behaviour, (2) if defined behaviours and their response to a gradient of ammonium chloride could be detected by the MFB, (3) if there was variation in the behaviour of C. pseudogracilis over a diel cycle, and (4) if behaviour changed significantly in response to a pulse of ammonium chloride. Results and Discussion Results showed no significant effect of the MFB's current on behaviour of C. pseudogracilis. Four behaviours; swimming, walking, grooming and inactivity, were observed and identified in the MFB. In the MFB, each behaviour changed significantly in response to an increasing gradient of ammonium chloride exposure. The MFB also detected increases in nocturnal activity by C. pseudogracilis. The MFB also detected a significant increase in activity after a pulse of ammonium chloride. Conclusion The range of behaviours exhibited by Crangonyx pseudogracilis, together with its ease of culture, suggest future potential of this species as an indicator species for the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor. Recommendations and Perspective . Further testing is required over a range of toxicants and concentration gradients to establish threshold responses and the full compliment of behaviours that could be useful in online biomonitoring.     

还原剂添加的矿物聚合物对Cr(Ⅵ)的解毒/固化

在对现有Cr(Ⅵ)污染控制方法分析的基础上,提出用还原剂添加的矿物聚合物对Cr(Ⅵ)进行解毒/固化的研究思路。以煤矸石为原料,以水玻璃和NaOH为碱性激发剂,合成矿物聚合物;以FeCl2·4H2O为还原剂,用还原剂添加的矿物聚合物对Cr(Ⅵ)进行解毒/固化实验,并采用XRD、TEM/EDS、XPS对固化体进行检测。当添加的Fe(Ⅱ)与Cr(Ⅵ)的摩尔比≥3:1时,矿物聚合物中总铬的浸出浓度小于1 mg/L,铬固化率大于99%。还原剂添加的矿物聚合物对Cr(Ⅵ)最大固化量为0.8%。在合成过程中,Fe(Ⅱ)和Cr(Ⅵ)添加的矿物聚合物发生了氧化还原反应,Fe(Ⅱ)被氧化成了Fe(Ⅲ),Cr(Ⅵ)被还原成了Cr(Ⅲ),随后Fe(Ⅲ)和Cr(Ⅲ)同时被矿物聚合物中的—OAl(-)(OH)3吸引,并固化在非晶质结构中。     

Potential ability of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to phytomanage an urban brownfield soil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The ability of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Badischer Geudertheimer) for phytomanaging and remediating soil ecological functions at a...     

Effects of tetrabromobisphenol A as an emerging pollutant on wheat (Triticum aestivum) at biochemical levels

Biochemical responses of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to the stress of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) as an emerging pollutant were examined. The results indicated that reduction of the chlorophyll (CHL) content in wheat leaves could be observed. However, the changes in the CHL content with the increasing TBBPA concentration from 50 to 5000 mg kg(-1) were insignificant (p>0.05). Increased malondialdehyde levels were detected in wheat leaves after both 7-d and 12-d exposures. The changes in the activity of superoxide dismutases (SOD), peroxidases (POD) and catalases (CAT) in wheat leaves irregularly fluctuated with time as the TBBPA concentration increased. However, significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activity of POD and CAT treated with 500 and 5000 mg kg(-1) TBBPA could be observed. Our data also showed that the plant has the capacity to tolerate the oxidative stress, but the capacity would be lost with prolonged exposure and increasing TBBPA concentration. There were no dose-response effects in the changes between the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD and CAT) and the concentration of TBBPA. The decrease in the activity of POD and CAT could be considered as good biomarkers of serious stress by TBBPA in soil environment.     

EVO(乳化油)-Mg(OH)2双功能缓释剂强化修复三氯乙烯污染地下水

氯代烃污染地下水在外加有机质(电子供体)进行强化还原脱氯时,存在有机质消耗快、pH持续降低等影响脱氯效率的问题。利用乳化油(EVO)与胶体氢氧化镁复配的方法,制备了一种兼具电子供体缓释性和OH-缓释性的双功能缓释剂EVO-Mg(OH)2;成功制备了不同EVO∶Mg(OH)2配比的EVO-Mg(OH)2试剂,并对其稳定性、分散性及粒径分布进行了研究;向模拟砂柱中注入不同体积的EVO-Mg(OH)2,考察试剂的迁移性能以及试剂注入对三氯乙烯(TCE)迁移的影响;开展了EVO-Mg(OH)2强化TCE还原脱氯摇瓶实验,考察了该试剂对脱氯效果的影响。结果表明：不同EVO∶Mg(OH)2配比的试剂稳定性及分散性良好,粒径无明显差异;EVO-Mg(OH)2可以有效地在多孔介质中迁移并实现部分滞留;注入量对EVO-Mg(OH)2的迁移性有一定的影响;EVO-Mg(OH)2可以促进TCE溶解和迁移从而减小EVO-Mg(OH)2和TCE之间的传质阻力;EVO-Mg(OH)2能够实现电子供体及OH-的双重缓释,有效促进脱氯微生物的生长,提高TCE的降解速率(k=0.128 d-1),同时抑制pH的降低(pH=7.5)。     

Evaluation of caged freshwater mussels as an alternative method for environmental effects monitoring (EEM) studies

On three occasions between 1998 and 2000, freshwater mussels were collected by divers in Lake Memphremagog during the spring and transplanted to various locations in the St-Fran?ois River (Quebec, Canada). Mussel growth was monitored by comparing total weight and length at the beginning and end of the exposure period. In 1998, mussels were caged for 60 days at 10 stations, including locations receiving treated effluents from three pulp and paper mills. Overall, there was an apparent trend of increased mussel growth from upstream to downstream along the river. However, mussels caged downstream from the effluent discharge of a bleached kraft pulp and paper mill grew more slowly than those caged immediately upstream in the river. In 1999 and 2000, we further investigated the situation in the vicinity of this bleached kraft mill. The measurements again indicated that growth of mussels in the effluent plume from this mill was reduced in comparison to sites upstream. Overall, in terms of growth, the caged mussels responded both positively and negatively to different environmental conditions. Compared with other monitoring approaches used at these sites during the same period, the caged mussel experiment results were consistent with the trends observed with the benthic invertebrate survey but not with the trends observed for fish.     

Inhibition of BPA degradation by serum as a hydroxyl radical scavenger and an Fe trapping agent in Fenton process

Identification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that contribute to bisphenol-A (BPA) degradation and monitoring of BPA at various concentrations in human serum under Fenton reaction conditions were carried out using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). BPA recovery decreased with increasing Fe concentration and time, both with a Fenton reaction using Fe(II), and with a Fenton-like reaction using Fe(III). In these reactions, BPA dose-dependently decreased the intensity of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO)-*OH, up to 1 microg/ml BPA, and no change in DMPO-O(2)(?-) intensity was observed. The decrease in BPA recovery was inhibited strongly by addition of serum under Fenton-like reaction conditions, and there was a negative correlation between turbidity and BPA recovery. To clarify the mechanism by which serum inhibits BPA degradation, the relationship between BPA recovery and sample turbidity, and characteristics of the precipitates were investigated using spectrophotometry and X-ray analysis. The precipitate formed in the serum-containing sample consisted of C, S, O, P and Fe. BPA degradation was also inhibited under Fenton-like reaction conditions in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and a precipitate consisting of O, P, and Fe appeared. Precipitates also appeared in authentic albumin and gamma-globulin when sulfate was added with Fenton reagents. After precipitate removal, both Fe and protein concentrations in the supernatant of the protein solutions with sulfate decreased with increasing Fe addition. We demonstrate here that hydroxyl radical generation from Fenton or Fenton-like reactions can degrade BPA, and that serum strongly inhibits BPA degradation, not only by competing with BPA for hydroxyl radicals, but also by trapping Fe with oxidative components present in the serum.     

Validation of an ecosystem modelling approach as a tool for ecological effect assessments

In ecotoxicology, derivation of a "safe" environmental concentration is usually achieved by the use of extrapolation factors or by statistical extrapolation from a set of single species toxicity data. These approaches ignore ecological interactions between species in the field. An ecology-based alternative to this pragmatic approach can be ecosystem modelling, which can account for ecological interactions. However, it is largely unexplored how well the predictions of these models quantitatively agree with large-scale experimental studies. Therefore, we evaluated the capacity of a flexible ecosystem model to predict population and ecosystem-level no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) of 7 organic toxicants. These NOECs were compared with population and ecosystem-NOECs observed in 11 micro- and mesocosm studies. For each of the latter studies, the model was customized to account for the specific ecological interactions within these systems and combined with appropriate single-species toxicity data from literature. Population-NOEC predictions were accurate, or at least protective, for 60, and 85% of all considered model populations, respectively. For all 11 studies, a protective ecosystem-NOEC could be derived, being accurate in 7 cases, and conservative in 4 cases. In general, it can be stated that this type of models can serve as an ecology-based alternative to current extrapolation techniques in EEAs and water quality standard setting.     

Evaluation of exposure level of N-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG 7142), an anxiogenic agent in humans

beta-Carboline-3-carboxylic acid methylamide (FG 7142), an anxiogenic agent, has been detected in human urine. The urinary excretion level of FG 7142 in non-smokers was found to be 0.503 +/- 0.25 ng per day (mean +/- S.D., n=10), while that in smokers was found to be 2.418 +/- 0.384 ng per day (n=10). This suggests that humans are exposed to FG 7142 and that smokers are exposed to higher levels of FG 7142 than non-smokers. Considering the previous findings that FG 7142 is present in cigarette smoke, indoor and outdoor air and smoke condensate of tree leaves, humans may be exposed to FG 7142 via the airways and lungs, although we cannot exclude the possibility of exposure via foodstuffs. Results of animal experiments suggest that FG 7142 which enters the bloodstream is excreted into the urine via the kidneys within 24 h in an unchanged form. Therefore, monitoring the level of FG 7142 in urine may be useful for monitoring the exposure level of FG 7142.