Transportation and fate of cationic surfactant in river water

The degradation, sorption, transportation and material balance of cationic surfactants discharged from domestic waste into river water was studied. Ion-pair solid-phase extraction behavior showed that the sorption of cationic surfactants as an ion-pair with anionic surfactant onto river sediment was so strong that little cationic surfactant was found in the bulk water. Cationic surfactant was found in river sediment at more than 500 times higher concentration than that in the bulk water. The degradation of the cationic surfactant was very slow in river water and much slower in the sediment. A material balance of cationic surfactant was estimated for a river running through Toyama City by measuring the flow rate and the concentration of cationic surfactant in the water at several points. It was found that more than 30% of cationic surfactant introduced to the river was lost during the river running through ca. 3 km in 3 h. This reduction probably comes from a quick transfer of the cationic surfactant from river water to sediment and water weed by means of adsorption or precipitation with suspending solids.     

Removal of Linear and Branched p-Alkylphenols from Aqueous Solution by Combined Use of melB Tyrosinase and Chitosan Beads

In this study, melB tyrosinase was applied for enzymatic removal of linear and branched p-alkylphenols from aqueous solutions. First, systematic studies were carried out to estimate the effects of the process parameters such as the temperature, pH value, and enzyme dose on quinone conversion of p-cresol as a model phenol compound. A variety of p-alkylphenols were removed from aqueous solutions through the tyrosinase-catalyzed quinone conversion and subsequent nonenzymatic adsorption of quinone derivatives on chitosan beads at pH 6.0 and 30 °C under the optimum conditions determined for p-cresol. The % removal values of 98–100 were obtained for p-n-alkylphenols. Branched p-alkylphenols with a weak estrogenic activity containing 4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-pentylphenol, which underwent no quinone conversion by commercially available mushroom tyrosinase in the absence of H₂O₂, were also effectively removed by further increasing either the melB tyrosinase concentration or the amount of added chitosan beads. The present technique is much effective in the fact that a series of reactions rapidly progress under mild conditions and the chitosan beads can be readily separated from the reaction medium after the enzymatic treatment.     

Designing a purification process for chromium-, copper- and arsenic-contaminated wood

The disposal of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood is becoming a serious problem in many countries due to increasing levels of contamination by the hazardous elements, chromium, copper and arsenic. The present experiment was conducted as a preliminary step toward one-step solvent extraction of CCA-treated wood. Because chromium, copper and arsenic have different chemical characteristics, it is best to consider them separately prior to designing a one-step extraction process. As a basis, various two-step extraction processes were first designed and tested experimentally to determine feasibility. Among these combinations, the treatment combining oxalic acid as the 1st step and a sodium oxalate solution under acidic conditions (pH 3.2) as the 2nd step was found to be an effective way of extracting CCA elements from treated wood. Extraction efficiency reached 100% for arsenic and chromium and 95.8% for copper after a 3-h sodium oxalate treatment, following a 1-h pre-extraction process with oxalic acid. On the other hand, the same combination under alkaline conditions (pH 11.2) during the 2nd step was ineffective for copper removal, indicating that pH plays an important role in complexation with sodium oxalate solution. The present results suggest that the extraction of CCA elements using a combination of oxalic acid and acidic sodium oxalate solution is a promising basis for application to a one-step extraction method.     

Behavior of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate discharged from domestic waste water into aquatic environment

The behavior of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) discharged from domestic waste water into river water, sediment and submerged aquatic vegetation was investigated. The concentrations of DEHP were found to be between 8-25 microg L(-1) in river water, 1,000-2,000 microg kg(-1) in sediment and less than 20-2,000 microg kg(-1) in submerged aquatic vegetation. The experiments performed in laboratory were on the biodegradation of DEHP in water and sediment, and also adsorption equilibrium of DEHP between water and sediment. The results obtained from the investigations made it clear that the high enrichment of DEHP from water to sediment was caused from not only its high adsorptive potential but also slow degradation in sediment.     

Model of Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) energetics predicts distribution on Honshu, Japan.

Understanding what determines a species' range is a central objective in ecology and evolutionary biology. It has important applications for predicting species distributions and how they might respond to environmental perturbations. This paper describes a mechanistic approach to predict past and present distribution of the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) on Honshu, Japan. We applied state-of-the-art microclimate and animal biophysical/behavioral models coupled with climate and vegetation data to estimate the distribution of potential range expansion under protection. We tested the model results against detailed empirical distribution data from the Ministry of the Environment for a five-prefecture area in central Honshu. We also applied the models to time-series land use/cover maps to investigate the historical transitions in habitat suitability during 1947-1999 in the Arai-Keinan region. This is the first time to our knowledge that mechanistic models have successfully predicted the landscape scale distribution of a mammal species in the absence of other animal species interactions, such as predators. In this case, animal energetics/behavior-plant interactions seem to be critical. Forest cover appears to be important in summer and winter for suitable serow habitats. The energetics model results indicate that the serow can overheat in some open environments in midday hours in summer. In winter, simulation results suggested that forest cover provides effective refuge to avoid increased metabolic demands of cold temperatures and strong winds. The model simulations suggested that land use/cover changes documented during 1947-1999 resulted in increased suitable serow habitat due to expanding forest cover from agricultural marginalization and ecological succession. The models provide a unique tool for estimating species' range expansion under protection or for selecting suitable reintroduction sites.     

Evaluation of the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A and some of its oxidation products using a micro-scale algal growth inhibition test

A micro-scale algal growth inhibition (μ-AGI) test using a common micro-plate based fluorometric detection was used to demonstrate the effects of humic substances (HSs) on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its oxidative decomposition products 2,5-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (2,5-DBBQ), 2,5-dibromohydroquinone (2,5-DBHQ), 2,6-dibromobenzoquinone (2,6-DBBQ), and 2,6-dibromophenol (2,6-DBP) to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The EC₅₀ values were: EC_50(TBBPA) = 7 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,5-DBHQ) = 7 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,5-DBBQ) = 19 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,6-DBP) = 49 mg L^?1, and EC_50(2,6-DBBQ) = 13 mg L^?1. The toxicity of the chemicals was slightly lower in the presence of HA. The toxicity of TBBPA decomposed by a biomimetic catalytic system consisting of iron (III) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (p-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (Fe(III)-TPPS) and KHSO₅ was also evaluated using P. subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.     

Determination of redox potential of sulfidic groundwater in unconsolidated sediments by long-term continuous in situ potentiometric measurements

This study was undertaken to investigate the redox potential (Eh) of sulfidic groundwater in unconsolidated sediments. The Eh was determined by long-term (several days to several weeks) continuous in situ potentiometric measurements using a platinum (Pt) electrode. The Eh values measured in two monitoring campaigns were ?259 and ?202 mV, respectively. Chemical analysis of groundwater showed that the redox species in the groundwater were sulfide (S^2???) and iron, respectively. The saturation indices calculated from the chemical analysis results indicated that FeS_(am) and mainly mackinawite were close to equilibrium in the analyzed waters. Comparison of the measured Eh values with those calculated using different redox couples revealed that the Eh values measured in the first monitoring campaign were nearly equal to those calculated using HS^???/SO $_{4}{^{2-}}$ , S^2???/SO $_{4}{^{2-}}$ , FeS $_{(\text{am})}$ /SO $_{4}{^{2-}}$ , and mackinawite/SO $_{4}{^{2-}}$ redox couples; on the other hand, the Eh values measured in the second monitoring campaign were almost consistent with those measured using the FeS₂/SO $_{4}{^{2-}}$ redox couple. The good fit between the measured Eh values and the theoretical calculated Eh values suggests that the sulfur system is related to the Eh value of sulfidic groundwater in unconsolidated sediments.     

Distribution and temporal changes of lead in the surface seawater in the western Pacific and adjacent seas derived from coral skeletons

We determined Pb contents together with Pb isotopic compositions in coral skeletons (Porites spp.) collected from the western Pacific and adjacent seas to examine distribution of Pb in sea surfaces. Temporal records of Pb were also investigated using coral skeletons from Hainan and Ogasawara Island, located in China and Japan, respectively. The spatial distribution of Pb showed a clear dilution pattern of Pb from Asian continent to the open ocean. Also the similar trend was found in the Java Sea from Jakarta to the offshore. In addition to the spatial distribution, Pb contents in Ogasawara coral have gradually increased during last 108 years. It may be attributed to Pb emission mainly from industrial activities in Asian countries. Hainan coral, which provided 10 years record of Pb, showed a remarkable decline around 1997 probably due to the partial introduction of unleaded gasoline in China.     

Emissions of particulate matter and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from agricultural diesel engine fueled with degummed, deacidified mixed crude palm oil blends

Mixed crude palm oil(MCPO),the mixture of palm fiber oil and palm kernel oil,has become of great interest as a renewable energy source.It can be easily extracted from whole dried palm fruits.In the present work,the degummed,deacidified MCPO was blended in petroleum diesel at portions of 30% and 40% by volume and then tested in agricultural diesel engines for long term usage.The particulates from the exhaust of the engines were collected every 500 hr using a four-stage cascade air sampler.The 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameters for the first three stages were 10,2.5 and 1μm,while the last stage collected all particles smaller than 1μm.Sixteen particle bounded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) were analyzed using a high performance liquid chromatography.The results indicated that the size distribution of particulate matter was in the accumulation mode and the pattern of total PAHs associated with fine-particles(< 1μm) showed a dominance of larger molecular weight PAHs(4-6 aromatic rings),especially pyrene.The mass median diameter,PM and total PAH concentrations decreased when increasing the palm oil content,but increased when the running hours of the engine were increased.In addition,Commercial petroleum diesel(PB0) gave the highest value of carcinogenic potency equivalent(BaP eq) for all particle size ranges.As the palm oil was increased,the BaP eq decreased gradually.Therefore the degummed-deacidified MCPO blends are recommended for diesel substitute.