Fungicidal Impact on Chickpea–Mesorhizobium Symbiosis

Abstract

The effects of carbendazim, captan, thiram, and mancozeb, on plant vitality, chlorophyll content, N uptake, protein content, nodulation, and seed yield in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) were assessed in a controlled environment. Seeds treated with fungicides at 1 and 1.5 g. a.i./kg seed had no significant adverse effect on plant vigor, seed yield, and N and protein contents. In contrast, fungicides applied at 2 g. a.i./kg of captan, thiram and mancozeb, significantly reduced the measured parameters. In general, the toxicity of fungicides in terms of seed yield increased in the following order: Control = carbendazim > thiram > captan > mancozeb. Total chlorophyll content in foliage declined consistently with fungicides dose rates and application days. Seeds treated with lower rates of fungicides significantly increased nodulation (nodule number per plant and its dry mass) and were compatible with chickpea inoculum used in this study. Although carbendazim at 2 g a.i./kg seed had no phytotoxic effect assessed under greenhouse conditions, it significantly reduced the chlorophyll content, nodulation (60 d) and N content in shoots.     

Feasibility of biochar application on a landfill final cover—a review on balancing ecology and shallow slope stability

Due to the increasing concerns on global warming, scarce land for agriculture, and contamination impacts on human health, biochar application is being considered as one of the possible measures for carbon sequestration, promoting higher crop yield and contamination remediation. Significant amount of researches focusing on these three aspects have been conducted during recent years. Biochar as a soil amendment is effective in promoting plant performance and sustainability, by enhancing nutrient bioavailability, contaminants immobilization, and microbial activities. The features of biochar in changing soil physical and biochemical properties are essential in affecting the sustainability of an ecosystem. Most studies showed positive results and considered biochar application as an effective and promising measure for above-mentioned interests. Bio-engineered man-made filled slope and landfill slope increasingly draw the attention of geologists and geotechnical engineers. With increasing number of filled slopes, sustainability, low maintenance, and stability are the major concerns. Biochar as a soil amendment changes the key factors and parameters in ecology (plant development, soil microbial community, nutrient/contaminant cycling, etc.) and slope engineering (soil weight, internal friction angle and cohesion, etc.). This paper reviews the studies on the production, physical and biochemical properties of biochar and suggests the potential areas requiring study in balancing ecology and man-made filled slope and landfill cover engineering. Biochar-amended soil should be considered as a new type of soil in terms of soil mechanics. Biochar performance depends on soil and biochar type which imposes challenges to generalize the research outcomes. Aging process and ecotoxicity studies of biochar are strongly required.     

Can we predict uranium bioavailability based on soil parameters? Part 1: effect of soil parameters on soil solution uranium concentration

Present study aims to quantify the influence of soil parameters on soil solution uranium concentration for (238)U spiked soils. Eighteen soils collected under pasture were selected such that they covered a wide range for those parameters hypothesised as being potentially important in determining U sorption. Maximum soil solution uranium concentrations were observed at alkaline pH, high inorganic carbon content and low cation exchange capacity, organic matter content, clay content, amorphous Fe and phosphate levels. Except for the significant correlation between the solid-liquid distribution coefficients (K(d), L kg(-1)) and the organic matter content (R(2)=0.70) and amorphous Fe content (R(2)=0.63), there was no single soil parameter significantly explaining the soil solution uranium concentration (which varied 100-fold). Above pH=6, log(K(d)) was linearly related with pH [log(K(d))=-1.18 pH+10.8, R(2)=0.65]. Multiple linear regression analysis did result in improved predictions of the soil solution uranium concentration but the model was complex.     

Comment on “Mortality and Air Pollution: Revisited”

Abstract

Test-to-test variability has been observed by many current testing methods, including the Federal Test Procedure, the IM240 dynamometer test, the idle test common to many Inspection and Maintenance programs, and on-road remote sensing. The variability is attributable to the vehicle, not to the testing procedure. Because the vehicles are the dominant source of variability, the only way such vehicles can be reliably identified is through the use of multiple tests. The emissions variability increases with increasing average emissions, and it appears to be prevalent among the few newer technology vehicles with defective, but untampered, closed-loop emissions control systems (1981 and newer models). In one fleet the variable emitters constitute 2.2% to 4.8% of the vehicles and contribute 8.5% to 22% of the total carbon monoxide emissions. Scheduled I/M programs that fail to ensure repair of these vehicles allow a significant portion of vehicles with excess emissions to escape reduction measures.     

Comment on “Assessment of Crop Loss from Ozone”

Abstract

A mathematical model is proposed for assessing health risk rates of fluctuating concentrations. Each time-averaged concentration may be regarded as a dose that, when applied to the dose-response curve, produces a risk of an adverse effect. A theoretical derivation shows that the dose-response pattern is a cumulative lognormal curve because of the diversity of the individuals in the exposed population. Similarly, the concentration pattern is a log-normal distribution because of the diversity of emission sources and dispersive processes. The health risk is produced by the overlapping of the right tail of the concentration distribution and the left tail of the dose-response curve. The evaluation of the joint probability in this region has been performed by numerical integration by computer in terms of two generalized parameters. One represents the geometric standard deviation of the concentration distribution relative to that of the dose-response curve, and the other represents the distance between the geometric mean concentration and the concentration producing an adverse response in 50% of the exposed population. These results are presented graphically and in tabular form. If the two parameters of the dose-response curve are known, the health risk of the concentration pattern may be calculated conveniently for any geometric mean and geometric standard deviation values.     

Recommendations on chemicals management policy and legislation in the framework of the Egyptian–German twinning project on hazardous substances and waste management

The sustainable management of chemicals and their associated wastes—especially legacy stockpiles—is always challenging. Developing countries face particular difficulties as they often have insufficient treatment and disposal capacity, have limited resources and many lack an appropriate and effective regulatory framework. This paper describes the objectives and the approach of the Egyptian–German Twinning Project under the European Neighbourhood Policy to improve the strategy of managing hazardous substances in the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) between November 2008 and May 2011. It also provides an introduction to the Republic of Egypt’s legal and administrative system regarding chemical controls. Subsequently, options for a new chemical management strategy consistent with the recommendations of the United Nations Chemicals Conventions are proposed. The Egyptian legal and administrative system is discussed in relation to the United Nations’ recommendations and current European Union legislation for the sound management of chemicals. We also discuss a strategy for the EEAA to use the existing Egyptian legal system to implement the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, the Stockholm Convention and other proposed regulatory frameworks. The analysis, the results, and the recommendations presented may be useful for other developing countries in a comparable position to Egypt aspiring to update their legislation and administration to the international standards of sound management of chemicals.     

Photocatalytic decomposition on nano-TiO₂: destruction of chloroaromatic compounds

Photocatalysis is applied increasingly in addressing and solving environmental and energy-related problems. Especially the TiO₂-derived catalysts attract attention because of their catalytic efficiency, wide range of applications, ease in use, and low cost (it costs about 150 Yuan a kilogram in China). This review first describes the principles of photocatalytic destruction by semiconductors and then focuses on degradation rates and reaction mechanisms in a variety of photocatalytic uses of modified TiO₂. Finally, these concepts are illustrated by selected examples relating to the photocatalytic degradation of organic persistent pollutants, such as polychlorinated benzenes (PCBz), biphenyls (PCB) and dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). And some approaches towards industrial application are analyzed.     

EPA’s Perspective on Risks from Residential Radon Exposure

Indoor radon has been judged to be the most serious environmental carcinogen which the EPA must address for the general public. The optimal strategy for dealing with this problem depends on the magnitude of the risk, how the risk is distributed within the population, as well as the effectiveness and costs of mitigation measures. Based on current exposure and risk estimates, radon exposure in single-family houses may be a causal factor in roughly 20,000 lung cancer fatalities per year. Most of these projected fatalities are attributable to exposures in houses with average or moderately elevated radon levels (below 10 pCi/L). Hence to appreciably reduce radon-induced lung cancers, remediation efforts must include houses not highly elevated in radon. From either an individual risk or a cost-benefit standpoint, reduction of a few pCi/L per home appears to be justified. The optimal strategy for dealing with the indoor radon problem depends on the magnitude of the risk per unit exposure, the distribution of exposures in houses, and the effectiveness and costs of mitigation. EPA’s current views with respect to these factors and the associated uncertainties are discussed.     

Effect of Substrate Henry’s Constant on Biofilter Performance

Abstract

Butanol, ether, toluene, and hexane, which have Henry's constants ranging from 0.0005 to 53, were used to investigate the effects of substrate solubility or availability on the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in trickle-bed biofilters. Results from this study suggest that, although removal of a VOC generally increases with a decrease in its Henry's constant, an optimal Henry's constant range for biofiltration may exist. For the treatment of VOCs with high Henry's constant values, such as hexane and toluene, the transfer of VOCs between the vapor and liquid phases or between the vapor phase and the biofilm is a rate-determining step. However, oxygen (O₂) transfer may become a rate-limiting step in treating VOCs with low Henry's constants, such as butanol, especially at high organic loadings. The results demonstrated that in a gas-phase aerobic biofilter, nitrate can serve both as a growth-controlling nutrient and as an electron acceptor in a biofilm for the respiration of VOCs with low Henry's constants. Microbial communities within the biofilters were examined using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to provide a more complete picture of the effect of O₂ limitation and denitrification on biofilter performance.     

The impact of natural disasters on China’s macroeconomy

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study attempts to construct an econometric model using China’s natural disaster losses and macro-industry development data from 1980 to...     

Impact of China’s environmental decentralization on carbon emissions from energy consumption: an empirical study based on the dynamic spatial econometric model

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Facing the growing problem of carbon emission pollution, the scientific and reasonable division of environmental management power between governments...     

The impact of urbanization and consumption patterns on China’s black carbon emissions based on input–output analysis and structural decomposition analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Urbanization in China has dramatically increased from 39.10 in 2002 to 58.52% in 2017. Studies have discussed the impacts of urbanization and its...     

Investigation of influence of tungsten mine wastes on the elemental composition of some alpine and subalpine plants on Mount Uludağ, Bursa,Turkey

In this study, the effect of mine work wastes on elemental composition (N, P, Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) of some alpine and subalpine plant species and in soils were investigated in the surroundings of the Etibank Wolfram Mine Work in Uludag mountain. Soils and plant parts belonging to Thymus praecox Opiz., Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench, Plantago holosteum Scop and Festuca punctoria Sm species collected from three directions around Wolfram Mine Work were used for our investigations. All samples were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) for Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu. The significant differences among sample sites were in terms of pH, % CaCO3, % C, % N and % P contents of soil. The changes of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu contents in soil were determined to be due to mining activity. Of the four species examined, an important change was determined in concentrations of Mg, Mn, Fe and Zn although P. holosteum and F. punctoria were different in above- and below-ground parts, showing that plant element content is specific to species.     

Climate change impact assessment on Northeast China’s grain production

The international community is paying more attention to climate change because a consensus has been reached that climate change has an adverse effect not only on the environment but also on agriculture. Therefore, in this study, present and future climate datasets (obtained from general circulation models) including atmospheric carbon concentration were used to assess the impact of climate change on grain production for an important base of China (Northeast). An empirical model has been developed using climate and other additional variables (effective irrigation area, fertilizer, and labor force) to assess the effect of climate change on grain production. The results revealed that maximum temperature is a key climate determinant in grain production of the study area. Atmospheric carbon concentration showed a significant impact on grain outputs in most of the cases. During the analysis, it was observed that precipitation displayed a declining trend while an effective irrigation area showed positive non-significant contribution to grain production. Analysis based on different representative concentration pathways exhibited that maximum temperature may contribute negatively to grain production in the future. Overall, the analysis showed that climate change has a significant contribution to grain production. In conclusion, the implications for future research and policymakers have been addressed. Particularly, the importance of considering regional differences in adaptation planning in agricultural regions was also considered.

     

Short‐Term Effects of Hydrogen Fluoride on Nicotiana tabacum L

Data on the short‐term effects of fumigation with hydrogen fluoride (HF) on the response behavior of the Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. St. Karabalar 6265 are being presented. Growth rate, fluoride accumulation in leaves and soils, and degradation in chlorophyll and nicotine contents of the plant species against the variations in two experimental factors, namely the exposure concentration and exposure time parameters, were investigated. Resulting data reveals that the variety selected for this study is not so tolerant to fluoride as generally reported in the literature, if only the individual effects of the pollutant is considered.     

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,...     

Operationalising a social–ecological system perspective on the Arctic Ocean

We propose a framework to support management that builds on a social–ecological system perspective on the Arctic Ocean. We illustrate the framework’s application for two policy-relevant scenarios of climate-driven change, picturing a shift in zooplankton composition and alternatively a crab invasion. We analyse archetypical system dynamics between the socio-economic, the natural, and the governance systems in these scenarios. Our holistic approach can help managers identify looming problems arising from complex system interactions and prioritise among problems and solutions, even when available data are limited.     

Toxic effects of deltamethrin and λ-cyhalothrin on Xenopus laevis tadpoles

This study evaluates the toxic effects of deltamethrin and λ-cyhalothrin on Xenopus laevis tadpoles after 168 h of exposure. The LC₅₀ of deltamethrin and λ-cyhalothrin at 168 h was calculated as the μg of active ingredient per liter (μg AI/L). According to these values, the LC₅₀ was 6.26 and 3.94 μg AI/L for deltamethrin and λ-cyhalothrin, respectively. Several enzymes were studied for early signs of intoxication following exposure to the pesticides for 24 h. Glutathione-S-transferase,carboxylesterase, and lactate dehydrogenase were inhibited by λ-cyhalothrin, and both pesticides inhibited acid phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase. In contrast, acetylcholinesterase was activated by deltamethrin. The results suggest that X. laevis is sensitive to the pyrethroids that were tested, and the enzyme responses suggest that they are potential biomarkers for evaluating the toxic effect of pyrethroids on amphibians in environmental conditions.