Resilience of epilithic algal assemblages in atmospherically and experimentally acidified boreal lakes

Algal assemblages can be highly responsive to environmental changes in recovering acidified lakes. We compared epilithic algal assemblages in boreal lakes during chemical recovery from atmospheric (Killarney Park, Ontario) and experimental (Lake 302S, Experimental Lakes Area, Ontario) acidification to assess the impact of spatial and temporal scale of severe acidification on taxonomic resilience (i.e. recovery rate). Resilience was measured as the distance traveled by lakes in ordination space during pH recovery based on canonical correspondence analysis. Resilience was relatively negligible in the Killarney lakes, suggesting that eight years of experimental acidification in Lake 302S had less impact on biological recovery than did decades of regional acidification. Increases in dissolved organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon, and calcium best explained temporal variance of epilithic species abundances in the recovering acidified lakes. In Lake 302S, contrasting trajectories of taxonomic resilience and resistance, i.e. displacement from reference conditions following a perturbation, indicated that ecological factors affecting epilithon differed at corresponding pH levels during recovery and acidification. Our findings reveal that modeling of ecosystem recovery from severe acidification must account for the spatial and temporal scale of the perturbation, and biological delay responses that result in differences between recovery and acidification trajectories.     

Economic implications of fine-pore diffuser aging.

Aerobic biological treatment, such as the activated sludge process, is commonly used for municipal wastewater treatment. Fine-pore diffusers have virtually replaced coarse-bubble diffusers in such operations, but most of the plant's energy expenditure is still consumed by aeration. Therefore, the performance of diffusers will critically affect plant economics. This paper analyzes and quantifies the consequences of aging processes on fine-pore diffusers. Datasets from 94 field measurements were analyzed and showed a clear pattern of performance decline with time in operation. Efficiency declines rapidly during the first 24 months of operation when the rate of decline decreases and efficiency stabilizes at a low value. For example, cost analysis scenarios were performed using the measured rate of decline in diffuser performance. The analyses include loss of transfer efficiency and elevated headloss, which both increase operating cost. Cleaning the diffusers within 12 months of operation is generally economically favorable, restores efficiency, and reduces power overhead. Periodic cleaning prolongs the economically viable lifespan for the aeration system.     

Accumulation of trinitrotoluene (TNT) in aquatic organisms: part 1--Bioconcentration and distribution in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Little is currently known regarding the toxicokinetics of TNT in fish. In the present study, the bioconcentration and distribution of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and TNT biotransformation products was investigated in juvenile channel catfish by exposing catfish to 14C-labeled TNT in water. Uptake experiments showed relatively fast rates (k(u)=10.1 ml g(-1) h(-1)) for TNT from the water; however, bioconcentration factors for TNT were low (0.79 ml g(-1)) due to rapid biotransformation and potential elimination of TNT. Accumulation of extractable radioactivity (TNT and all extractable biotransformation products) was much greater (BCF=10.5 ml g(-1)) than that for parent compound. TNT (parent compound) bioconcentrated to the greatest extent in the gills of the fish, while total radioactivity bioconcentrated to the greatest extent in the viscera. Residual portions of the fish that contained muscle and skin had lower concentrations of TNT than the whole fish, indicating that ingestion of fish fillets would result in decreased exposure to human consumers. Although the bioconcentration potential of TNT is very low, future research needs to be conducted to identify the biotransformation products that make up most of the radioactivity in exposed fish and evaluate their potential to promote toxicity.     

Continuous determination of fine particulate matter mass in the Salt Lake City Environmental Monitoring project: a comparison of real-time and conventional TEOM monitor results

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass was determined on a continuous basis at the Salt Lake City Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring for Public Awareness and Community Tracking monitoring site in Salt Lake City, UT, using three different monitoring techniques. Hourly averaged PM2.5 mass data were collected during two sampling periods (summer 2000 and winter 2002) using a real-time total ambient mass sampler (RAMS), sample equilibration system (SES)-tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM), and conventional TEOM monitor. This paper compares the results obtained from the various monitoring systems, which differ in their treatment of semivolatile material (SVM; particle-bound water, semivolatile ammonium nitrate, and semivolatile organic compounds). PM2.5 mass results obtained by the RAMS were consistently higher than those obtained by the SES-TEOM and conventional TEOM monitors because of the RAMS ability to measure semivolatile ammonium nitrate and semivolatile organic material but not particle-bound water. The SES-TEOM monitoring system was able to account for an average of 28% of the SVM, whereas the conventional TEOM monitor loses essentially all of the SVM from the single filter during sampling. Occasional mass readings by the various TEOM monitors that are higher than RAMS results may reflect particle-bound water, which, under some conditions, is measured by the TEOM but not the RAMS.     

Stormwater quality benefits of a porous friction course and its effect on pollutant removal by roadside shoulders.

This project has two main objectives; the first is to documents the effect of a porous friction course overlay on the quality of highway stormwater runoff, and the second is to assess pollutant removal of a vegetated area along the side of a road from both conventional and porous pavements. The quantity and quality of stormwater runoff from a four-lane divided highway in the Austin, Texas, area was monitored before and after the installation of a porous friction course (PFC). Observed concentrations of suspended solids and pollutants associated with particulate material were much lower in the runoff from the PFC compared with runoff from the conventional asphalt surface. The vegetated highway shoulder reduced the concentrations of many stormwater constituents from the conventional asphalt surface; however, the concentrations of these constituents in runoff produced by the PFC were so low that the vegetated area produced no further reduction in concentration.     

Risk to breeding success of waterbirds by contaminants in Hong Kong: evidence from trace elements in eggs

Concentrations of 17 trace elements (As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Sb, Cs, Tl, Pb, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg) were determined in eggs of little egrets (Egretta garzetta), black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and bridled terns (Sterna anaethetus) from northwestern and northeastern coastal areas of Hong Kong. Results indicated significant differences among the three species. Eggs of little egrets and black-crowned night herons appeared to be good bioindicators for monitoring selected elements (As, Pb, Zn Cr, Cu, and V) due to consistent correlations between metal concentrations in eggs and those in coastal marine sediments. Based on limited toxicological information, the predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) of Hg and Se in the bird eggs were estimated as 0.5 to 1.8 and 0.90 to 1.45 mug g(-1), dry wt., respectively. Hazard quotients (HQs) indicated that Hg and Se might pose some risk to certain waterbirds in Hong Kong.     

Interphase mass transfer during chemical oxidation of TCE DNAPL in an aqueous system

The chemical oxidation of trichloroethene dense non-aqueous phase liquid by permanganate was studied in an aqueous system using micro-reaction/extraction vessels in a novel approach. Experiments were conducted at ambient temperature ( approximately 20 degrees C) under static and mixed conditions to evaluate the rate of TCE(DNAPL) dissolution as a function of permanganate concentration. Chemical oxidation by permanganate was shown to increase the rate of TCE(DNAPL) dissolution under static conditions and decrease the rate of dissolution under mixed conditions. The apparent inconsistency in results appears to result from the local deposition of a film at the DNAPL interface composed of manganese oxide solids as discovered through visual observation with the aid of a Goniometer. Data from interfacial deposition experiments suggest that the film formed rapidly and reached maturation within approximately 2 h with little or no growth occurring thereafter. A conceptual model of the reaction and mass transfer processes occurring at the DNAPL interface was proposed based on the experimental results.     

Pesticide pollution remains severe after cleanup of a stockpile of obsolete pesticides at Vikuge, Tanzania

High levels of DDT residues and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were found in soil, well water, and surface water around a collapsed pesticide storage shed at Vikuge Farm, Tanzania. Residues of DDT and HCHs were found at three soil depths down to 50 cm. Surface soil samples contained up to 28% total DDT and 6% total HCH residues. Water samples had concentrations of up to 30 microg L(-1) of organochlorine pesticides. Other compounds detected were aldrin, azinphos-methyl, carbosulfan, gamma-chlordane, chlorprofam, heptachlor, hexazinone, metamitron, metazachlor, pendimethalin, and thiabendazole. Although the visible remains of pesticides have been removed, the remaining soil is itself hazardous waste and poses a risk to the environment and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. These findings show the necessity to follow up the environmental situation at former storage sites of obsolete stocks of pesticides, and that the environmental problems are not necessarily solved by removing the visible remains.     

An object-oriented software for fate and exposure assessments

The model system CemoS¹ (Chemical Exposure Model System) was developed for the exposure prediction of hazardous chemicals released to the environment. Eight different models were implemented involving chemicals fate simulation in air, water, soil and plants after continuous or single emissions from point and diffuse sources. Scenario studies are supported by a substance and an environmental data base. All input data are checked on their plausibility. Substance and environmental process estimation functions facilitate generic model calculations. CemoS is implemented in a modular structure using object-oriented programming. e-mail: cemos@aphrodite.mathematik.uni-osnabrueck.de     

Partitioning of dioxins and dibenzofurans: Whole blood, blood plasma and adipose tissue

It has become relatively common to estimate human dioxin body burden and to document dioxin exposures by measuring dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners in adipose tissue, whole blood or blood plasma, and reporting these values on a lipid basis. It has not been determined whether these three types of specimens contain identical dioxin and dibenzofuran levels. This paper compares paired plasma and adipose tissue and paired whole blood and adipose tissue in analyses from two groups of patients. The first group consists of twenty U.S. veterans with paired plasma and adipose specimens. The second group consists of four German adults with whole blood compared to adipose tissue. Forty-eight analyses were performed. The results suggest that for some higher chlorinated compounds, such as OCDD, plasma lipid values may be higher than adipose lipid values, but whole blood lipid values for the higher as well as lower chlorinated PCDD/Fs may be relatively similar. On the other hand, the values for the lower chlorinated PCDD/Fs, such as TCDD, are similar in blood plasma, adipose tissue and whole blood. Total PCDD/F dioxin “toxic equivalents” are similar within each of the two series reported here, using the current “International Dioxin Toxic Equivalent” system.