Design and validation of a practical index for trauma assessment

In the past 20 years a variety of indices have been suggested for measuring the severity of trauma, however none of them meets the requirement of being a simple and objective instrument that can be utilized efficiently by lay persons and providers of health services without previous experience in triaging. A new system has been proposed which meets this requirement and which has been validated with 197 injured persons at the emergency ward of the Valle University Hospital in Call, Colombia. The instrument showed a high level of concordance with the conventional triaging method and classifies victims into four categories: critical with recovery unlikely, critical but recoverable, moderately serious, and ambulatory. There is discussion on the reliability of this instrument and it is recommended that it be validated with victims from larger disasters. Regardless, it has the advantage of being specific and free of the subjectivity that characterizes other indices.     

Effect of Cadmium on Microbial Activity and a Ryegrass Crop in Two Semiarid Soils

Soil pollution with Cd is an environmental problem common in the world, and it is necessary to establish what Cd concentrations in soil could be dangerous to its fertility from toxicity effects and the risk of transference of this element to plants and other organisms of the food chain. In this study, we assessed Cd toxicity on soil microorganisms and plants in two semiarid soils (uncultivated and cultivated). Soil ATP content, dehydrogenase activity, and plant growth were measured in the two soils spiked with concentrations ranging from 3 to 8000 mg Cd/kg soil and incubated for 3 h, 20 days, and 60 days. The Cd concentrations that produced 5%; 10%;, and 50%; inhibition of each of the two soil microbiological parameter studied (ecological dose, ED, values) were calculated using two different mathematical models. Also, the effect of Cd concentration on plant growth of ryegrass (Lolium perenne, L.) was studied in the two soils. The Cd ED values calculated for soil dehydrogenase activity and ATP content were higher in the agricultural soils than in the bare soil. For ATP inhibition, higher ED values were calculated than for dehydrogenase activity inhibition. The average yields of ryegrass were reduced from 5.03 to 3.56 g in abandoned soil and from 4.21 to 1.15 g in agricultural soil with increasing concentrations of Cd in the soil. Plant growth was totally inhibited in abandoned and agricultural soils at Cd concentrations above 2000 and 5000 mg/kg soil, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the concentration of Cd in the plants and the total or DTPA-extractable concentrations of Cd in the soil.     

Remediation of chlorinated ethenes,ethanes, and methanes in groundwater using carbon‐ and iron‐based electron donor

Field‐scale pilot tests were performed to evaluate enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) of dissolved chlorinated solvents at a former manufacturing facility located in western North Carolina (the site). Results of the site assessment indicated the presence of two separate chlorinated solvent–contaminated groundwater plumes, located in the northern and southern portions of the site. The key chlorinated solvents found at the site include 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane, trichloroethene, and chloroform. A special form of EHC^® manufactured by Adventus Americas was used as an electron donor at this site. In this case, EHC is a pH‐buffering electron donor containing controlled release carbon and ZV Iron MicroSphere 200, a micronscale zero‐valent iron (ZVI) manufactured by BASF. Approximately 3,000 pounds of EHC were injected in two Geoprobe^® boreholes in the saprolite zone (southern plume), and 3,500 pounds of EHC were injected at two locations in the partially weathered rock (PWR) zone (northern plume) using hydraulic fracturing techniques. Strong reducing conditions were established immediately after the EHC injection in nearby monitoring wells likely due to the reducing effects of ZV Microsphere 200. After approximately 26 months, the key chlorinated VOCs were reduced over 98 percent in one PWR well. Similarly, the key chlorinated solvent concentrations in the saprolite monitoring wells decreased 86 to 99 percent after initial increases in concentrations of the parent chlorinated solvents. The total organic carbon and metabolic acid concentrations indicated that the electron donor lasted over 26 months after injection in the saprolite aquifer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Landfill leachate treatment using a rotating biological contactor and an upward-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactor

This paper describes the feasibility of an aerobic system (rotating biological contactor, RBC) and a biological anaerobic system (upward-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactor) at small scale for the treatment of a landfill leachate. In the first phase of the aerobic system study, a cyclic-batch RBC system was used to select perforated acetate discs among three different acetate disc configurations. These discs were chosen on the basis of high COD removal (65%) and biological stability. In the second phase, the RBC system (using four stages) was operated continuously at different hydraulic retention times (HRT), at different rotational speeds, and with varying organic concentrations of the influent leachate (2500-9000mgL(-1)). Forty percent of the total surface area of each perforated disc was submerged in the leachate. A COD removal of about 52% was obtained at an HRT of 24h and a rotational speed of 6rpm. For the anaerobic system, the reactor was evaluated with a volumetric organic load of 3273g-COD m(-3) day(-1) at an HRT of 54, 44, 39, 24 and 17h. At these conditions, the system reached COD removal efficiencies of 62%, 61%, 59%, 44% and 24%, respectively.     

Genotoxic damage in free-living Algerian mouse (Mus spretus) after the Coto Doñana ecological disaster

The Do?ana National Park (Spain), one of the most important wildlife sites in the West of Europe, was affected (25 April 1998) by the spill of acidic waste rich in toxic metals (mainly zinc, lead, copper, etc.), arsenic and aromatic amines from the Aznalcollar mine accident. Micronuclei test with May Grunwald-Giemsa and with CREST-antikinetocore staining using DAPI as counter-staining were performed on peripheral blood erythrocytes from Algerian mice to evaluate genotoxic damage. Animals were collected in four locations each differently affected by the disaster. Higher frequencies of micronuclei and CREST-positive micronuclei were observed in the sites, which were reached by toxic sludge and contaminated water in comparison with those located within the park. The results obtained applying the two methods indicate that DAPI staining is more sensitive in detecting micronuclei. Genotoxic biomonitoring should be further carried out in the area to control the mutagenetic level in natural populations.     

Assessment of Aquifer Vulnerability in an Agricultural Area in Spain Using the DRASTIC Model

The assessment of aquifer vulnerability is a very important task, especially in agricultural areas because the quality and availability of groundwater affects both the sustainability of agriculture and the quality of life. In this study, an integrated approach is considered, with the use of the generic and agricultural DRASTIC models as well as a geographic information system (GIS), to assess groundwater vulnerability in the agricultural area of Barrax, in the province of Albacete, in Spain. Seven parameters—depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone media, and hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer (DRASTIC)—have been considered as weighted layers to enable an accurate groundwater risk mapping. The results of the generic DRASTIC model indicated very low vulnerability to contamination for Barrax groundwater due to limited urban and industrial development in the wider area. However, agricultural activities impose pressure to groundwater resources and the results of the agricultural DRASTIC model show that 6.86% of the study area is characterized by very high, 2.29% by high, 47.28% by medium, 38.28% by low, and the remaining 5.29% by no vulnerability to groundwater contamination. The distribution of nitrate concentration in groundwater in the area under study is quite well correlated with the agricultural DRASTIC vulnerability index. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to acknowledge statistical uncertainty in the estimation of each parameter used, to assess its impact, and thus to identify the most critical parameters that require further investigation. Depth to water and impact of vadose zone are the parameters that had the most noticeable impact on the generic DRASTIC vulnerability index followed by the soil media and topography. In contrast, the agricultural DRASTIC method is more sensitive to the removal of the depth to water parameter followed by the topography and the soil media parameters.     

Towards a climate change adaptation strategy for coffee communities and ecosystems in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Mexico

The mountain chain of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in southern Mexico is globally significant for its biodiversity and is one of the most important coffee production areas of Mexico. It provides water for several municipalities and its biosphere reserves are important tourist attractions. Much of the forest cover outside the core protected areas is in fact coffee grown under traditional forest shade. Unless this (agro)forest cover can be sustained, the biodiversity of the Sierra Madre and the environmental services it provides are at risk. We analyzed the threats to livelihoods and environment from climate change through crop suitability modeling based on downscaled climate scenarios for the period 2040 to 2069 (referred to as 2050s) and developed adaptation options through an expert workshop. Significant areas of forest and occasionally coffee are destroyed every year by wildfires, and this problem is bound to increase in a hotter and drier future climate. Widespread landslides and inundations, including on coffee farms, have recently been caused by hurricanes whose intensity is predicted to increase. A hotter climate with more irregular rainfall will be less favorable to the production of quality coffee and lower profitability may compel farmers to abandon shade coffee and expand other land uses of less biodiversity value, probably at the expense of forest. A comprehensive strategy to sustain the biodiversity, ecosystem services and livelihoods of the Sierra Madre in the face of climate change should include the promotion of biodiversity friendly coffee growing and processing practices including complex shade which can offer some hurricane protection and product diversification; payments for forest conservation and restoration from existing government programs complemented by private initiatives; diversification of income sources to mitigate risks associated with unstable environmental conditions and coffee markets; integrated fire management; development of markets that reward sustainable land use practices and forest conservation; crop insurance programs that are accessible to smallholders; and the strengthening of local capacity for adaptive resource management.     

离子色谱法测定PM_(2.5)中硫酸根离子含量不确定度评议

准确测定大气颗粒物中水溶性组份对分析污染物来源及身体健康具有重要意义。本文采用离子色谱法测定PM2.5中硫酸根离子含量,并对测定的不确定度进行分析。分析过程不确定度来源是样品重复性测量引入不确定度,样品测量准确性引入不确定度和标准曲线的不确定度。应用不确定度评定理论,计算硫酸根离子的合成不确定度。结果表明,滤膜中硫酸根离子本底浓度高低与剪裁滤膜环节是不确定度的主要来源。为了提高分析的准确性,建议使用本底低的滤膜,并取整张滤膜进行分析。     

离子色谱法同时测定土壤中可溶性Na^、K^＋、Mg^2＋、Ca^2＋

应用离子色谱法（IC）同时测定土壤中可溶性Na^、K^＋、Mg^2＋、Ca^2＋。以CS12A阳离子交换柱分离,稀硫酸为淋洗液,电导检测器检测,对土壤中的Na^、K^＋、Mg^2＋、Ca^2＋进行同时测定。方法具有较宽的线性范围和较高的灵敏度。在0～40mg／L内呈良好的线性关系,土壤中Na^、K^＋、Mg^2＋、Ca...     

Oxidative properties of ambient PM2.5 and elemental composition: Heterogeneous associations in 19 European cities

We assessed the extent to which constituents of PM_2.5 (transition metals, sodium, chloride) contribute to the ability to generate hydroxyl radicals (OH) in vitro in PM_2.5 sampled at 20 locations in 19 European centres participating in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. PM_2.5 samples (n = 716) were collected on filters over one year and the oxidative activity of particle suspensions obtained from these filters was then assessed by measuring their ability to generate OH in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Associations between OH formation and the studied PM constituents were heterogeneous. The total explained variance ranged from 85% in Norwich to only 6% in Albacete. Among the 20 centres, 15 showed positive correlations between one or more of the measured transition metals (copper, iron, manganese, lead, vanadium and titanium) and OH formation. In 9 of 20 centres OH formation was negatively associated with chloride, and in 3 centres with sodium. Across 19 European cities, elements which explained the largest variations in OH formation were chloride, iron and sodium.