Occurrence and ecological hazard assessment of selected veterinary medicines in livestock wastewater treatment plants

The occurrence of some veterinary medicines in the livestock wastewater plants (WWTPs) was investigated. This investigation represented the occurrence of veterinary medicines to treat in the livestock WWTPs or be discharged into the water system in Korea since the sampling sites were widely distributed across the nation and samples were collected from the 11 livestock WWTPs. Nine antibiotics, two analgesics, and two disinfectants occurred in the livestock wastewater plants (WWTPs). From 11 livestock WWTP influents, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, acetylsalicylic acid, and disinfectants frequently occurred with the high concentrations. Meanwhile, sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin-H₂O, and trimethoprim did not occur during sampling periods. The values for log Kow of each chemical showed a high correlation with the number of hydrogen bonding acceptors and were important parameters to estimate and understand the biodegradability and toxicity of a compound in the environment. The biodegradability of each compound was proportional to the hydrophilicity of each compound and the toxicity was proportional to the number of hydrogen bonding acceptors of each compound. The expected introductory concentration (EIC), predicted exposure concentration (PEC), and hazard quotient showed that the livestock WWTP effluents were hazardous to ecosystems.     

Determinants of homeowners' attitudes to the installation of high-voltage overhead transmission lines

This article deals comprehensively with factors which influence attitudes to the placement of high-voltage overhead transmission lines (HVOTLs). It employs an analytical schema which links the initial stimulus of the power lines' proposal in an area to Background and Socio-economic independent variables and a set of mediating variables. From a survey of 600 residents in three different domiciliary settings in Queensland, Australia, results indicate an absence of positive attitudes and, at best, neutral ones to HVOTL placement. By multinomial logistic regression, the study probes the grounds behind negativity and extreme negativity, uncovering direct links between these attitudes and certain of the variables included in the analytical schema.     

Optimization of pressure gauge locations for water distribution systems using entropy theory

It is essential to select the optimal pressure gauge location for effective management and maintenance of water distribution systems. This study proposes an objective and quantified standard for selecting the optimal pressure gauge location by defining the pressure change at other nodes as a result of demand change at a specific node using entropy theory. Two cases are considered in terms of demand change: that in which demand at all nodes shows peak load by using a peak factor and that comprising the demand change of the normal distribution whose average is the base demand. The actual pressure change pattern is determined by using the emitter function of EPANET to reflect the pressure that changes practically at each node. The optimal pressure gauge location is determined by prioritizing the node that processes the largest amount of information it gives to (giving entropy) and receives from (receiving entropy) the whole system according to the entropy standard. The suggested model is applied to one virtual and one real pipe network, and the optimal pressure gauge location combination is calculated by implementing the sensitivity analysis based on the study results. These analysis results support the following two conclusions. Firstly, the installation priority of the pressure gauge in water distribution networks can be determined with a more objective standard through the entropy theory. Secondly, the model can be used as an efficient decision-making guide for gauge installation in water distribution systems.     

Growth dynamics of the seagrass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halophila nipponica</Emphasis>, recently discovered in temperate coastal waters of the Korean peninsula

Seagrass species in the genus Halophila are usually distributed in tropical or subtropical areas, but a Halophila species identified as H. nipponica was first observed in temperate coastal regions of Korea in 2007. Since this species mainly occurs in warm temperate regions influenced by warm currents, we hypothesized that H. nipponica may exhibit different growth patterns from those of other temperate seagrass species in Korea, instead showing similar growth dynamics to tropical/subtropical species. The growth and morphology of H. nipponica in relation to coincident measurements of environmental factors were investigated from July 2008 to September 2009 to examine the growth dynamics of this species. Water temperature at the study site ranged from 9.7°C in January to 25.1°C in August. Shoot density, biomass, and productivity exhibited significant seasonal variation, increasing during summer and decreasing during winter. Productivity was severely restricted to nearly ceasing at water temperatures less than 15°C, and winter minimum growth lasted until May. The optimal temperature for H. nipponica growth was approximately 25°C, which was the maximum water temperature at the study site, and no growth reduction in high summer water temperature was observed. Thus, H. nipponica on the temperate coast of Korea exhibited a distinctly different growth pattern from those of temperate seagrass species in Korea, which have shown great reductions in growth at water temperatures higher than 20°C. Higher below- to above-ground ratio and leaf burial into sediments with shorter leaf petioles during winter might be overwintering strategies in this species. The growth patterns of H. nipponica at the study site imply that this species still possess the tropical characteristics of the genus Halophila.     

Stabilization of lead and copper contaminated firing range soil using calcined oyster shells and fly ash

A stabilization/solidification treatment scheme was devised to stabilize Pb and Cu contaminated soil from a firing range using renewable waste resources as additives, namely waste oyster shells (WOS) and fly ash (FA). The WOS, serving as the primary stabilizing agent, was pre-treated at a high temperature to activate quicklime from calcite. Class C FA was used as a secondary additive along with the calcined oyster shells (COS). The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by means of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the 0.1 M HCl extraction tests following a curing period of 28 days. The combined treatment with 10 wt% COS and 5 wt% FA cause a significant reduction in Pb (>98 %) and Cu (>96 %) leachability which was indicated by the results from both extraction tests (TCLP and 0.1 M HCl). Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) analyses are used to investigate the mechanism responsible for Pb and Cu stabilization. SEM–EDX results indicate that effective Pb and Cu immobilization using the combined COS–FA treatment is most probably associated with ettringite and pozzolanic reaction products. The treatment results suggest that the combined COS–FA treatment is a cost effective method for the stabilization of firing range soil.     

Aging estimation of reactor pressure vessel in the field using magnetic properties

Many researchers have been interested in the nondestructive measurement methods for estimating components damage in order to assure the safe service of steel structures. It is recognized that the evaluating techniques based on magnetic measurement can offer a great potential because of high susceptibility to the change of several metallurgical factors. Magnetic property such as coercive force was measured. The coercive force at room temperature monotonously increased with the increase of frequency. The correlation between the magnetic properties of used material and that of un-used material was studied. The coercive force gradient at room temperature increased with the increase of aging. Hence the estimating method using magnetic properties allows one to evaluate the extent of material aging for reactor pressure vessel.     

Size-selective sampling of particulates using a physiologic sampling pump

Recent laboratory research indicates physiologic sampling of gas and vapor may provide more representative estimates of personal exposures than traditional methods. Modifications to the physiologic sampling pump (PSP) used in that research are described which extend its usefulness to size-selective sampling of particulates. PSPs used in previous research varied motor speed to keep sampling proportional to the subject's inhalation. This caused airflow and particle velocities through the collection device to continually change making those pumps unsuitable for sampling particulates. The modified implementation of the PSP pulls a constant airflow into and through a cyclone, then uses valves to either direct the airflow through, or divert the airflow around, the sampling filter. By using physiologic inputs to regulate the fraction of each second that air flows through the sampling filter, samples may be collected in proportion to inhalation rate. To evaluate the performance of a functional prototype 5 different sizes of monodisperse aerosols of ammonium fluorescein were generated by a vibrating orifice aerosol generator and introduced into a calm air chamber. To simulate different inhalation rates the valves of the PSP were energized using 9 different duty cycles. Efficiency curves are presented and compared to a standard respirable convention by bias mapping. The performance of the modified cyclone used in the PSP sampling head compared favorably with a commercially available cyclone of the same model, operating at a constant airflow (± 10% over almost all the size distributions of concern). The new method makes physiologic sampling of the respirable fraction of particulates feasible.     

Effects of activated carbon types and service life on removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals: amitrol, nonylphenol, and bisphenol-A

Removal performances of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) such as amitrol, nonylphenol, and bisphenol-A were evaluated in this study using granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption. This study found that GAC adsorption was effective in removal of EDCs with high K_ow value. Nonylphenol and bisphenol-A were effectively adsorbed onto all carbons (including the used carbons) tested in this study. As indicated by K_ow value, nonylphenol was more effectively adsorbed than bisphenol-A. The coal-based carbon was found more effective than other carbons in the adsorption of nonylphenol and bisphenol-A due to its larger pore volume. The adsorption capacity reduced with the operation year, and the extent of the reduction was different depending upon the carbon type and the operation year. Amitrol was effectively removed by biological degradation, but was poorly adsorbed. Since the microbes residing at the used carbons already accustomed to amitrol, the used carbons removed amitrol better than the virgin carbons. Although the coal-based carbon showed the best removal performance of amitrol, GAC adsorption could not be recommended for amitrol removal because considerable portion of incoming amitrol (9–87%) passed through GAC adsorption column. According to this study, pore volume mainly influenced the adsorption capacity, but the surface charge was also important due to electrical interaction. The adsorption parameters for nonylphenol and bisphenol-A provided by this study could be valuable when GAC adsorption was considered to handle an accidental spill of nonylphenol and bisphenol-A.