2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) photodegradation on WO3-TiO2-SBA-15 nanostructured composite

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A current environmental problem is the uncontrolled use of various pesticides that are harmful to the environment and public health. The herbicide...     

Review: recent advances in biogas purifying technologies

Biomethane production through biogas upgrading is a promising renewable energy for some industries which could be part of the equilibrium needed with fossil fuels consumption to achieve a sustainable society. This paper presents a comprehensive list of biogas upgrading technologies focused on carbon dioxide removal as well as recent advances reported by researcher with wide expertise in this topic. Additionally, an extensive costs–performance comparison among the technologies studied is discussed. Among the different alternatives, chemical scrubbing stood out to achieve high biomethane purities while cryogenic technologies proved to be effective against methane losses. Regarding the different costs, water scrubbing and membrane separation seem to be the most affordable techniques.     

Trophic segregation between sexes in the Black Skimmer revealed through the analysis of stable isotopes

The degree of individual or gender variation when exploiting food resources is an important aspect in the study of foraging ecology within a population. Previous information on non-breeding skimmers obtained through conventional methodologies suggested sex-related differences in prey species. In this study, stable isotope techniques were used to investigate the intraspecific segregation in diet and foraging habits of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger intercedens) at Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (37°40′S, 57°22′W), Argentina. These results were compared with contemporary data on the trophic composition obtained by conventional methodologies. Blood samples were taken from birds captured with mist-nets during their non-breeding season. The isotopic signatures of skimmers showed a diet mainly composed of marine prey with some degree of estuarine fish intake. When comparing diet between sexes, males showed enrichment in ¹⁵N compared to females, while no differences were observed in ¹³C. The use of mixing models revealed differences in the relative composition of prey in the diet of male and female skimmers. This study highlights stable isotope analysis as a valuable tool to test inter-individual differences and sexual segregation in trophic ecology of Black Skimmers as compared to conventional methodologies. The results show a trophic segregation in the Black Skimmer during the non-breeding season that can be explained by differences in prey species and larger prey sizes of male skimmers. Our findings have significant implications for conservation since any environmental change occurring at wintering areas might have profound effects on several avian life-history traits, and could be different for males and females due to trophic segregation.     

Exploring Chemical Variables in Ligustrum lucidum Ait. F. Tricolor (Rehd.) Rehd. in Relation to Air Pollutants and Environmental Conditions

Ligustrum lucidum Ait. f. tricolor (Rehd.) Rehd. in relation to atmospheric pollutants in Córdoba city, Argentina. The study area receives regional pollutants and was categorized taking into account traffic level, industrial density, type of industry, location of the sample point in relation to the street corner, treeless condition, and topographic level. Dried weight/fresh weight ratio (DW/FW) and specific leaf area (SLA) were calculated, and concentrations of chlorophylls, carotenoids, total sulfur, soluble proteins, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydroperoxy conjugated dienes (HPCD) were determined in leaf samples. Sulfur content correlates positively with traffic density and SLA correlates negatively with some combinations of the categorical variables; MDA correlates positively with topographic level and total protein concentration correlates negatively with treeless condition. On the basis of our results, traffic, location of trees, type of industry, situation of a tree with respect to others, and topographic level are the environmental variables to bear in mind when selecting analogous sampling points in a passive monitoring program. An approximation to predict tree injury may be obtained by measuring DW/FW ratio, proteins, pigments, HPCD, and MDA as they are responsible for the major variability of data.     

Assessment of environmental changes in the Orinoco River delta

Major anthropogenic driven changes in the hydrologic and sedimentation patterns of the Orinoco River have had an impact on environmental conditions in the delta. The abrupt water flow reduction from 3,600 to 200 m³ s^–1 in one of its major distributaries resulting from dam construction forced its transformation from a fresh-water body into a tidal channel with an increase in salinity level (as far as 100 km upstream) and with well-mixed water at the mouth and estuarine connection to the Paria Gulf. Three different sectors along this distributary can be identified (indicated by the Na/Cl ratio in the water). As a result, noticeable changes have occurred in the mangrove community which moved about 60 km further upstream. The changes have also promoted the formation of new islands of sediment progradation at the mouth of this distributary, where successional colonization and species replacement by different species of grasses and mangroves take place. Electronic Publication     

Drought effects on the Iranian economy: a computable general equilibrium approach

Environment, Development and Sustainability - In the last two decades, recurring drought becomes a challenge for Iran’s economy, which is located in a drought-prone area, and it has been...     

东南亚生物质燃烧输送影响我国西南气溶胶辐射特性研究

利用2013年地基CE-318太阳光度计观测数据,结合中分辨率成像光谱仪（MODIS）遥感产品和HYSPLIT后向轨迹分析,研究了一次东南亚生物质燃烧污染长距离输送至中国西南昆明站点过程（2013年4月5~8日）中,气溶胶光学特性和辐射特性的变化及其可能来源.结果表明,此次污染过程期间,我国西南地区生物质燃烧活动较少,而中南半岛地区生物质燃烧活动显著.4月5~7日,昆明站点气溶胶光学厚度（AOD）升高,消光波长指数（EAE）和吸收波长指数（AAE）均增大.此外,依据EAE和AAE分类方法,5~6日昆明站点以城市工业气溶胶为主,7~8日以生物质燃烧气溶胶为主,其细模态峰值半径（0.11μm）小于5~6日（0.15μm）,7日细模态粒子体积浓度峰值（约为0.16μm³/μm²）是5日的2倍.气溶胶直接辐射强迫（ARF）日变化结果表明4月7日气溶胶对地表的降温效应达到最大,对大气的加热作用最强.气溶胶直接辐射强迫效率值（ARFE）的变化表明生物质燃烧气溶胶对大气顶的降温作用减弱.MODIS遥感以及HYSPLIT模式后向轨迹表明,此次昆明站点生物质燃烧气溶胶主要来源于东南亚地区（主要是印度北部、印缅北部和不丹地区）.