What is needed to improve tropical conservation? Appropriate education, training, and encouragement

Currently, there is a need for a better multidisciplinary education system for tropical conservation, as well as a need for more people from developing countries to receive such improved education and training. If this combination is achieved, universities in both developed and developing nations will likely produce graduates who are better prepared for jobs involving non-academic tropical conservation initiatives and, simultaneously produce graduates who may be better accepted as conservationists in tropical destinations.     

Experimental investigation of hydrogen–air deflagrations and detonations in semi-confined flat layers

This paper presents results of an experimental investigation on the deflagration and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in an obstructed (blockage ratio BR = 50%), semi-confined flat layer filled with uniform hydrogen–air mixtures. The effect of mixture reactivity depending on flat layer thickness and its width is studied to evaluate the critical conditions for sonic flame propagation and the possibility for detonation onset. The experiments were performed in a transparent, rectangular channel with a length of 2.5 m. The flat layer thickness was varied from 0.06 to 0.24 m and the experiments were performed for different channel widths of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m. The experimental results show flame velocity vs. hydrogen concentration for different thicknesses and widths of the semi-confined flat layer. Three different flame propagation regimes were observed: slow subsonic flame (M << 1), sonic deflagration (M ～ 1) and detonation (M >> 1). It is shown that flame acceleration (FA) to sonic speed is independent of the width of the flat layer. The critical expansion ratio for effective flame acceleration to sonic speed was found to be linearly dependent on the reciprocal layer thickness.     

Monitoring of carbon monoxide in residences with bulk wood pellet storage in the Northeast United States

The interest in biomass fuel is continuing to expand globally and in the northeastern United States as wood pellets are becoming a primary source of fuel for residential and small commercial systems. Wood pellets for boilers are often stored in basement storage rooms or large bag-type containers. Due to the enclosed nature of these storage areas, the atmosphere may exhibit increased levels of carbon monoxide. Serious accidents in Europe have been reported over the last decade in which high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) have been found in or near bulk pellet storage containers. The aim of this study was to characterize the CO concentrations in areas with indoor storage of bulk wood pellets. Data was obtained over approximately 7 months (December 2013 to June 2014) at 25 sites in New Hampshire and Massachusetts: 16 homes using wood pellet boilers with indoor pellet storage containers greater than or equal to 3 ton capacity; 4 homes with wood pellet heating systems with outdoor pellet storage; 4 homes using other heating fuels; and a university laboratory site. CO monitors were set up in homes to collect concentrations of CO in the immediate vicinity of wood pellet storage containers, and data were then compared to those of homes using fossil fuel systems. The homes monitored in this study provided a diverse set of housing stock spanning two and a half centuries of construction, with homes built from 1774 to 2013, representing a range of air exchange rates. The CO concentration data from each home was averaged hourly and then compared to a threshold of 9 ppm. While concentrations of CO were generally low for the homes studied, the need to properly design storage locations for pellets is and will remain a necessary component of wood pellet heating systems to minimize the risk of CO exposure.

Implications: This paper is an assessment of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure from bulk wood pellet storage in homes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Understanding the CO concentrations in homes allows for better designs for storage bins and ventilation for storage areas. Hence, uniform policies for stored wood pellets in homes, schools, and businesses can be framed to ensure occupant safety. Currently in New York State rebates for the installation of wood pellet boilers are only provided if the bulk pellet storage is outside of the home, yet states such as New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine currently do not have these restrictions.     

Release of persistent organic contaminants from carcasses of Lake Ontario Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

About 20,000 Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from Lake Ontario enter the Credit River, Ontario, Canada every fall to spawn and die. In this study, samples of muscle and eggs collected from female Chinook salmon entering the Credit River contained total PCBs, DDT compounds and other organochlorine (OC) compounds at mug/kg concentrations. Semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed at a reference site above the spawning grounds and at two downstream sites at intervals over a 14-month period that spanned two spawning runs. There was an increase in the concentrations of total PCBs, total DDT and other classes of OCs in the SPMDs deployed at the two downstream sites during and after both spawning runs; indicating that the decay of salmon releases contaminants into the river. Based upon the concentrations of contaminants in the salmon tissues, approximately 75 g of total PCBs and 35 g of total DDT compounds would be transported annually into the Credit River from this source.     

Biodegradation during contaminant transport in porous media: 4. Impact of microbial lag and bacterial cell growth

Miscible-displacement experiments were conducted to examine the impact of microbial lag and bacterial cell growth on the transport of salicylate, a model hydrocarbon compound. The impacts of these processes were examined separately, as well as jointly, to determine their relative effects on biodegradation dynamics. For each experiment, a column was packed with porous medium that was first inoculated with bacteria that contained the NAH plasmid encoding genes for the degradation of naphthalene and salicylate, and then subjected to a step input of salicylate solution. The transport behavior of salicylate was non-steady for all cases examined, and was clearly influenced by a delay (lag) in the onset of biodegradation. This microbial lag, which was consistent with the results of batch experiments, is attributed to the induction and synthesis of the enzymes required for biodegradation of salicylate. The effect of microbial lag on salicylate transport was eliminated by exposing the column to two successive pulses of salicylate, thereby allowing the cells to acclimate to the carbon source during the first pulse. Elimination of microbial lag effects allowed the impact of bacterial growth on salicylate transport to be quantified, which was accomplished by determining a cell mass balance. Conversely, the impact of microbial lag was further investigated by performing a similar double-pulse experiment under no-growth conditions. Significant cell elution was observed and quantified for all conditions/systems. The results of these experiments allowed us to differentiate the effects associated with microbial lag and growth, two coupled processes whose impacts on the biodegradation and transport of contaminants can be difficult to distinguish.     

Magnetic properties of biogenic selenium nanomaterials

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Bioreduction of selenium oxyanions to elemental selenium is ubiquitous; elucidating the properties of this biogenic elemental selenium (BioSe) is thus...     

Decision support methods for the environmental assessment of contamination at mining sites

Polluting mine accidents and widespread environmental contamination associated with historic mining in Europe and elsewhere has triggered the improvement of related environmental legislation and of the environmental assessment and management methods for the mining industry. Mining has some unique features such as natural background pollution associated with natural mineral deposits, industrial activities and contamination located in the three-dimensional sub-surface space, the problem of long-term remediation after mine closure, problem of secondary contaminated areas around mine sites and abandoned mines in historic regions like Europe. These mining-specific problems require special tools to address the complexity of the environmental problems of mining-related contamination. The objective of this paper is to review and evaluate some of the decision support methods that have been developed and applied to mining contamination. In this paper, only those methods that are both efficient decision support tools and provide a ‘holistic’ approach to the complex problem as well are considered. These tools are (1) landscape ecology, (2) industrial ecology, (3) landscape geochemistry, (4) geo-environmental models, (5) environmental impact assessment, (6) environmental risk assessment, (7) material flow analysis and (8) life cycle assessment. This unique inter-disciplinary study should enable both the researcher and the practitioner to obtain broad view on the state-of-the-art of decision support methods for the environmental assessment of contamination at mine sites. Documented examples and abundant references are also provided.