Study of sorptive properties of trap systems for selective enrichment of volatile organic compounds from tobacco smoke samples

There is a dearth of data on the consumer product concentrations of iron, lead, and nickel for accurate comparison to be made. The levels of these elements were determined in 85 samples of six different classes of personal care products commonly used in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of the analysis showed that the range of the mean concentrations of Fe was 0.485–1.108 ppm, Pb ND–0.163 ppm, and Ni ND-0.160 ppm. The analytical data have demonstrated that the selected consumer products are possible sources of iron, lead, and nickel exposure. Users can be exposed to these metals directly through dermal contact or inhalation. The regulations relating to cosmetic products give no limit values for heavy metals in cosmetic products, hence, it was difficult to establish if the values obtained in this study are safe or not. Prolonged use of soaps, creams, and detergent containing these elements may pose threat to human health and the environment. This could be responsible for various skin diseases such as allergic skin, follicular and pigmentary disorders, which are common among the users (exposed groups) of these products in Nigeria. A body of evidence has presented a rare example of systemic allergic dermatitis caused by topical application of a mercury-containing cosmetic to the upper lip of a 32-year-old Turkish patient.     

How effective are River Basin Management Plans in reaching the nutrient load reduction targets?

Riverine nutrient loads are among the major causes of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. This study applied the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in three catchments flowing to the Baltic Sea, namely Vantaanjoki (Finland), Fyrisån (Sweden), and Słupia (Poland), to simulate the effectiveness of nutrient control measures included in the EU’s Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). Moreover, we identified similar, coastal, middle-sized catchments to which conclusions from this study could be applicable. The first modelling scenario based on extrapolation of the existing trends affected the modelled nutrient loads by less than 5%. In the second scenario, measures included in RBMPs showed variable effectiveness, ranging from negligible for Słupia to 28% total P load reduction in Vantaanjoki. Adding spatially targeted measures to RBMPs (third scenario) would considerably improve their effectiveness in all three catchments for both total N and P, suggesting a need to adopt targeting more widely in the Baltic Sea countries.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01393-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Bioremediation of chlorinated pesticide–contaminated soil using anaerobic sludges and surfactant addition

Methanogenic granular sludge and wastewater fermented sludge were used as inocula for batch tests of anaerobic bioremediation of chlorinated pesticide contaminated soil. Results obtained for both types of biomass were similar: 80 to over 90% of γ -hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane (methoxychlor) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) removed in 4–6 weeks. Residual fractions of these pesticides persisted till the end of the 16-week experiment. DDT was degraded through 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD). Accumulation of this product corresponded stoichiometrically only to 34–53% of removed DDT, supposedly due to its further transformations, finally resulting in formation of detected 4,4′-dichlorobenzophenone (DBP). Addition of 0.5 mM Tween 80 nonionic surfactant resulted in about a twofold decrease of γ -HCH and methoxychlor residual concentrations, as well as considerably lower DDD accumulation (7–29%) and higher DBP production. However, 1.25 mM dose of this surfactant applied together with granular sludge brought DDD levels back to that observed for treatments with the sludge alone, also impairing DBP formation.     

Investigations into the transport and pathways of scallop larvae--the use of numerical models for managing fish stocks

The scallop fisheries off the southeast coast of Ireland have historically been considered a valuable resource for coastal communities, and hence their management is important. The scallop fishing grounds consist of a number of scallop beds dispersed throughout the St George's Channel and the southern Irish Sea. The boundaries between stocks and the interconnection in populations of adult scallops, through larval transport, is generally unknown. Until the time of this research, the stocks of scallop in this region had not been assessed. A research project was undertaken to develop novel, spatially explicit and multi-disciplinary approaches to the assessment of the scallop fisheries in the region. The project supported research in three related areas under the broad objective of developing stock assessment protocols and methods in order to promote sustainable management of these fisheries. One of these areas was the development and application of numerical models. The objectives of this modelling research were: (a) to reconstruct the physical environment of the study area; (b) investigate how this environment affects the demographics and nature of scallop; and (c) determine migration-transport pathways of the scallop larvae. From these investigations, light is shed on how the spatial variability in certain parameters of the natural environment determine habitats and the scallop populations. Also, the investigations now enable determinations to be made on the interconnectivities of 'disparate' scallop beds and where larvae are, in general, likely to be found. Thus, through the use of complex computer models, important clues are deduced that enable us to now understand key behavioural components of scallop larvae and their transport pathways. The analysis of these clues is assisting the development of protocols for managing the fish stock in a sustainable manner.     

Effective bioremoval of Fe(III) ions using paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) pomace generated in the food industry

In these studies, removal of Fe(III) ions by biosorption processes from aqueous solutions was carried out using paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) pomace generated during processing in the food industry. The biosorbent material was characterized using several analytical methods, including particle size distribution, XRD, SEM–EDS, electrokinetic zeta potential, surface area analysis (BET, BJH), thermogravimetry, morphology (SEM), spectrophotometry FT-IR. Several factors, such as biosorbent dosage, initial concentration, contact time and initial pH were analyzed to show an effect on the bioremoval process, efficiency and adsorption capacity. As a result, the maximum adsorption efficiency and capacity were determined to be 99.1% and 7.92 mg/g, respectively. Based on the kinetics analysis, the bioremoval process is better described by the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second order equation model. In conclusion, the achieved research results suggest that paprika biomass can be an effective material for efficiently removing iron(III) from wastewater and improving water quality. These studies on the recovery of iron metal from the environment fit in the latest trends in the concept of the global circular economy.

     

Analysis of ecotoxic influence of waste from the biomass gasification process

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The purpose of this research was evaluation of the effect of soil contamination with waste coming from biomass gasification on chosen indicators of...     

Ephemeral injuries, regeneration frequencies, and intensity of the injury-producing process

Organisms may suffer sublethal injuries that lead to the loss of body parts and that leave either permanent or ephemeral scars, and these can be used to understand some aspects of the injury-producing processes, such as predation. It has been shown theoretically that for injuries that leave detectable scars throughout life, proportion of injured individuals in a population reflects the probability of fatal incidents rather than the intensity of the injury-producing process itself (Schoener in Ecology 60:1110–1115, 1979). When injuries are ephemeral and leave no detectable signature, it is shown here that frequencies of injury are a function of the intensity of the injury-producing process. Moreover, if the probability of fatality from the injury-producing process is low, as would be the case for partial or cropping predation, regeneration frequencies can be used to infer the intensity of the injury-producing process if the rate of regeneration is known.     

On experimental setup in bioelectromagnetics

Bioeffects created by electromagnetic field (EMF) are the subject of intensive studies. This paper critically considers estimations of exposure to EMF in bioelectromagnetic experiments. Results of calculations presented herein show the significant role of the presence of conducting bodies (the exposure system) near an object under test on EMF energy absorption as well as mutual interactions between simultaneously exposed objects. Our aims herein are twofold: firstly to find a way to refer measurement results to free-space conditions in order to enable comparison of results obtained in different laboratories, and secondly to show that EMF energy absorption in any exposed object is different and that this difference is a function of the size of the exposure system, the number of exposed objects, and the particular properties (i.e., the electromagnetic structure) of the objects. In the authors’ opinion the existence of interactions caused by the presence of the exposure system and other exposed objects is a reason why remarkable differences are observed between experiments performed even under supposedly identical conditions. The presented considerations and conclusion suggest wider participation of physicists and engineers in bioelectromagnetic experiments in order to ensure the correctness of metrological aspects of these experiments.