Salinity variations in the water resources fed by the Etnean volcanic aquifers (Sicily, Italy): natural vs. anthropogenic causes

In this paper, in an attempt to reveal possible changes connected to natural or anthropogenic causes, the main results of hydrogeochemical monitoring carried out at Mount Etna are evaluated. We report on the salinity contents of the groundwaters that flow in fractured volcanics, which make up the flanks of the volcano. These waters, analyzed for major ion chemistry, were sampled regularly from 1994 to 2004. Basing on nonparametric Sen??s slope estimator, time series of groundwater composition reveal that the salinity of most of the Etnean aquifers increased by 0.5% to 3.5% each year during this period. This change in the water chemistry is clearly referable to the overexploitation of the aquifers. This increasing trend needs to be inverted urgently; otherwise, it will cause a shortage of water in the near future, because the maximum admissible concentration of salinity for drinking water will be exceeded.     

Invasion of Pinus halepensis Mill. following a wildfire in an Argentine grassland nature reserve

The Ernesto Tornquist nature reserve is a relict of native Pampas vegetation in Argentina. Alien trees were introduced to the reserve in the 1950s, mainly to "improve" the natural landscape, resulting in the arrival of a totally new life form. In 1987, a fire affected an area planted with Pinus halepensis resulting in its massive expansion. In 1999, we removed trees from 17 circular plots of 10 m diameter placed systematically within the area that was colonized after the fire. Trunks were cut 20 cm from the ground and growth rings were counted. We studied the age structure of the population in order to reconstruct the colonizing events after the fire. We found that recruitment occurred throughout this period, except in the three years after the disturbance. We suggest that this delay in recruitment might be caused by low seedling survival under water stress conditions due to low rainfall, combined with scarce vegetation cover after fire. This could have been associated with an initial reduction in propagule pressure due to the scarcity of surviving trees in the vicinity and with the fact that fire occurred after the peak of seed release, during an extremely dry summer, probably killing a great number of seeds that were already in the soil. In the following years, recruitment was probably aided by pioneer trees and later by seeds shed from established pines. Alien trees had been allowed to reach maturity due to wildfire prevention and control in the years preceding the fire and the accumulated dry matter resulted in increased fire intensity that reduced the ability of grasses to re-sprout. As a consequence, the invasion window that allowed the expansion of pines remained open for at least 12 years.     

Apple snails and their endosymbionts bioconcentrate heavy metals and uranium from contaminated drinking water

Purpose

The differential ability of apple snail tissues, endosymbionts, and eggs to bioaccumulate several metals (Sb, As, Ba, Br, Zn, Cr, Fe, Hg, Se, and U) was investigated.

Methods

Metal concentrations were determined by neutron activation analysis in several tissues, endosymbionts, and eggs from mature apple snails cultured in either drinking water or reconstituted water (prepared with American Society for Testing and Materials type I water).

Results

The highest bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in the midgut gland were found for Ba, Zn, Se, As, U, Br, and Hg (in decreasing order), while the highest in the kidney were for Ba, Br, and Hg. The foot showed the highest BCFs for Ba, Hg, Br, and Se (in decreasing order). Calcified tissues (uterus, shell) and eggs showed low BCFs, except for Ba. Both C corpuscles and gland tissue showed statistically higher BCFs than K corpuscles for Ba, Fe, U, Br, and Sb. The concentration of most of the studied elements was significantly lower in tissues and endosymbionts obtained from snails cultured in reconstituted water instead of drinking water. Snails cultured in reconstituted water and then exposed or not to Hg, As, and U (at the maximum contaminant level allowed by the US Environmental Protection Agency) also resulted in high levels accumulated in midgut gland, endosymbionts and kidney.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the midgut gland (and the symbionts contained therein), the kidney, and the foot of Pomacea canaliculata may be useful bioindicators of Hg, As and U pollution in freshwater bodies and that the unrestricted use of ampullariid snails as human and animal food must be considered with caution..     

Cosorption of organic chemicals with different properties: their shared and different sorption sites

Complementary sorption of different chemicals was expected and investigating the relationship between the sorption inhibition of primary sorbate (ΔQ(pri)) and sorption of secondary sorbate (Q(sec)) could provide a new angle to understand coadsorption of different chemicals. This study used bisphenol A (BPA) as the primary adsorbate, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) as the competitor, and carbon nanotubes as model adsorbents to study their complementary and competitive adsorption. At low BPA concentrations, the sorption of SMX (Q(sec)) exceeded BPA sorption inhibition (ΔQ(pri)), indicating that these two chemicals complementarily adsorbed on their respectively preferred sorption sites. At high BPA concentrations, higher ΔQ(pri) was observed in comparison to Q(sec), which may be resulted from different packing efficiencies of the adsorbed SMX and BPA. This study emphasized that both competitive and complementary sorption should be discussed in binary sorption system.     

UASB处理畜禽废水的氨化率研究

因畜禽废水除了含有大量的有机物，还含有一定量的氨基酸，因此，研究利用UASB处理畜禽废水，在不同环境条件和工况条件下对氨化率的影响，结果表明：氨化菌适应的pH值范围较宽，在6．5—8．0范围均可以较好的生存，其中以7．0为最佳；温度与氨化率基本成正相关关系，从经济等多种角度考虑，中温阶段38％为最适宜；氨化率随进水浓度的增加而增加；进水有机负荷越大，氨化率越小。     

Growth, photosynthetic and respiratory responses to sub-lethal copper concentrations in Scenedesmus incrassatulus (Chlorophyceae)

In the present paper we investigated the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of Cu²⁺ in the growth and metabolism of Scenedesmus incrassatulus. We found that the effect of Cu²⁺ on growth, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids) and metabolism do not follow the same pattern. Photosynthesis was more sensitive than respiration. The analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence transient shows that the effect of sub-lethal Cu²⁺ concentration in vivo, causes a reduction of the active PSII reaction centers and the primary charge separation, decreasing the quantum yield of PSII, the electron transport rate and the photosynthetic O₂ evolution. The order of sensitivity found was: Growth > photosynthetic pigments content = photosynthetic O₂ evolution > photosynthetic electron transport > respiration. The uncoupled relationship between growth and metabolism is discussed.     

Challenges in quantifying biosphere-atmosphere exchange of nitrogen species

Recent research in nitrogen exchange with the atmosphere has separated research communities according to N form. The integrated perspective needed to quantify the net effect of N on greenhouse-gas balance is being addressed by the NitroEurope Integrated Project (NEU). Recent advances have depended on improved methodologies, while ongoing challenges include gas-aerosol interactions, organic nitrogen and N(2) fluxes. The NEU strategy applies a 3-tier Flux Network together with a Manipulation Network of global-change experiments, linked by common protocols to facilitate model application. Substantial progress has been made in modelling N fluxes, especially for N(2)O, NO and bi-directional NH(3) exchange. Landscape analysis represents an emerging challenge to address the spatial interactions between farms, fields, ecosystems, catchments and air dispersion/deposition. European up-scaling of N fluxes is highly uncertain and a key priority is for better data on agricultural practices. Finally, attention is needed to develop N flux verification procedures to assess compliance with international protocols.     

Bioindication of volatile elements emission by the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (North Patagonia) volcanic event in 2011

The emission of volatile pollutants from the volcanic eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex (North Patagonia Andean Range) that started in June 4th, 2011, was investigated by bioindication means with the epyphytic fruticose lichen Usnea sp. The elemental composition of pooled samples made up with 10 lichen thalli were analysed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Eleven sampling sites were selected within the impacted region at different distance from the volcanic source. Five sites were selected as they were already sampled in a previous study prior to the eruption. Two other new sampling sites were selected from outside the impacted zone to provide non-impacted baseline sites.The elements associated with the lichen incorporation of particulate matter (PM) of geological origin were identified by linear correlation with a geochemical tracer (Sm concentrations). The elements associated with PM uptake were Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Sb, Sc, Se, Ta, Tb, Th, U, and Yb. Arsenic and Cs concentrations showed contributions exceeding the PM fraction in sites near the volcanic centre, also higher than the baseline concentrations, which could be associated with permanent emissions from the geothermal system of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex. The lichen concentrations of Ba, Ca, Co, Hg, K, Rb, Sr, and Zn were not associated with the PM, not showing higher concentrations in the sites nearby the volcanic source or respect to the baseline values either. Therefore, there is no indication of the emission of volatile forms of these elements in the lichen records. The lichen records only identified Br volatile emissions associated with the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex eruption in 2011.     

太原城区PM2.5中多环芳烃、硝基多环芳烃的污染特征、来源解析和健康风险评价

以2013—2014年期间太原城区大气细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))为研究对象,定量分析了其中多环芳烃和硝基多环芳烃的浓度.结果显示,太原城区PM_(2.5)中16种多环芳烃和12种硝基多环芳烃的浓度分别为13.8~547和0.70~4.33 ng·m~(-3),硝基多环芳烃浓度低于多环芳烃浓度1~2个数量级.太原城区PM_(2.5)中多环芳烃最高值出现在冬季,最低值出现在夏季,冬季污染物浓度平均值高于夏季20倍,主要是由于北方采暖期间取暖用煤量的增加使得多环芳烃排放量大幅提高;与之不同的是,硝基多环芳烃浓度季节变化并不显著,冬季浓度均值与夏季差异小于5倍(除9-硝基蒽),反映出硝基多环芳烃生成主要与机动车尾气排放有关,其排放不受季节控制,这与实际情况是吻合的.此外,基于因子分析和化合物比值结果发现,太原城区大气PM_(2.5)中9-硝基蒽有来自周边地区木材燃烧的贡献.健康风险评价结果表明,必须对多环芳烃排放进行有效控制来降低人群在冬季大气中的暴露风险;对于硝基多环芳烃,其健康风险更要引起足够的重视.     

超声波预处理对牛粪与玉米秸秆混合厌氧发酵特性的影响

为了探索超声波预处理提高厌氧发酵产气量的机理、优化超声波预处理工艺及分析超声波预处理的能量效益,利用因子分析法和通径分析研究不同发酵阶段各环境因子对发酵过程的影响,以及发酵初始环境与甲烷产量之间的关系.同时,用响应面优化法优化超声波预处理工艺,并且分析了超声波预处理的能量效益.结果表明,在40 k Hz和0.20 k W下,适宜的超声波预处理能显著提高厌氧发酵总产气量(p0.05),牛粪预处理17.68 min后与玉米秸秆预处理19.94 min混合发酵,甲烷产量最高为177.20 L·kg-1(以TS计),显著高于CK(未经预处理组,p0.05),其能量效益也最高,为1835.14 k J·kg-1(以TS计).超声波预处理通过改变发酵初始环境之间的相互关系和发酵过程环境的主要影响因素来使发酵系统更加稳定从而提高产气量.超声波预处理是一种能量输入的预处理方式,产气量高于CK处理组,但其能量效益不一定大于零.因此,在优化超声波预处理条件时必须对其能量效益进行分析.研究结果能为超声波预处理条件的优化方式提供理论依据.