Ammonia emission from grassland and livestock production systems in the UK

Emissions of ammonia were measured from livestock excreta and fertilisers applied to grass swards, from grazed paddocks, from decomposing grass herbage and from an animal house containing dairy cows. Emissions from urine, dung, slurry and fertilisers were determined using a system of wind tunnels with each tunnel covering an area of 1 m(2). Emissions from grazed swards were determined using a micrometeorological mass balance method. From the results of these measurements, together with other published information, an inventory for ammonia emissions has been calculated for grassland and livestock production systems over the UK as a whole. It is estimated that emissions from grassland and cattle and sheep production amount to about 230 kt NH(3)-N annually, while emissions from pig and poultry production amount to about 40 kt and 80 kt NH(3)-N, respectively.     

Distribution of fission products in dust samples from the region of Thessaloniki, Greece, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident

The distribution of the fission products (95)Zr, (95)Nb, (103)Ru, (106)Ru (determined through (106)Rh), (125)Sb, (129m)Te, (134)Cs, (137)Cs, (140)Ba, (140)La, (141)Ce and (144)Ce has been determined in dust samples from the region of Thessaloniki, Greece, after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. The samples studied also included (110m)Ag, not belonging to the products of (235)U fission. Samples showing higher concentrations of radionuclides also show a higher content in clay minerals, whereas samples having low concentrations of radionuclides usually contain large amounts of quartz and feldspars. Desorption and leaching experiments using solutions of chlorides of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium (0.5 N), as well as distilled and tap water, were also performed. Sodium and potassium chloride solutions were found to be efficient in desorbing and/or leaching of caesium and ruthenium isotopes to an extent of about 30%.     

Dissolved organic matter fractions formed during composting of winery and distillery residues: evaluation of the process by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix

The aim of the present paper is to assess the maturity degree reached by different samples of several mixtures from winery and distillery residues composted using the Rutgers composting system, by means of excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. The composts were sampled once a week for about 200d. EEM spectra indicate the presence of different fluorophores. The fluorescence intensities of these peaks show trends related to the maturity of the composting samples selected. The "contour density" of EEM maps is strongly modified through time. We have used the quantitative method of fluorescence regional integration (FRI). The EEMs were delineated into five excitation-emission regions. The degree of compost maturity could be correlated with the percentage of the volumetric integration under the EEM within each region. Further refinement of these techniques should provide a relatively rapid method for assessing the suitability of the compost to soil application.     

The influence of gill and liver metabolism on the predicted bioconcentration of three pharmaceuticals in fish

The potential for xenobiotic compounds to bioconcentrate is typically expressed through the bioconcentration factor (BCF), which has gained increased regulatory significance over the past decade. Due to the expense of in vivo bioconcentration studies and the growing regulatory need to assess bioconcentration potential, BCF is often calculated via single-compartment models, using K(OW) as the primary input. Recent efforts to refine BCF models have focused on physiological factors, including the ability of the organism to eliminate the compound through metabolic transformation. This study looks at the ability of in vitro biotransformation assays using S9 fractions to provide an indication of metabolic potential. Given the importance of the fish gill and liver in metabolic transformation, the metabolic loss of ibuprofen, norethindrone and propranolol was measured using rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) gill and liver S9 fractions. Metabolic transformation rates (k(M)) were calculated and integrated into a refined BCF model. A significant difference was noted between BCF solely based on K(OW) and BCF including k(M). These studies indicate that the inclusion of k(M) in BCF models can bring predicted bioconcentration estimates closer to in vivo values.     

Major and trace elements of selected pedons in the USA

Few studies of soil geochemistry over large geographic areas exist, especially studies encompassing data from major pedogenic horizons that evaluate both native concentrations of elements and anthropogenically contaminated soils. In this study, pedons (n = 486) were analyzed for trace (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and major (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Si, Ti, Zr) elements, as well as other soil properties. The objectives were to (i) determine the concentration range of selected elements in a variety of U.S. soils with and without known anthropogenic additions, (ii) illustrate the association of elemental source and content by assessing trace elemental content for several selected pedons, and (iii) evaluate relationships among and between elements and other soil properties. Trace element concentrations in the non-anthropogenic dataset (NAD) were in the order Mn > (Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu) > (Pb, Co) > (Cd, Hg), with greatest mean total concentrations for the Andisol order. Geometric means by horizon indicate that trace elements are concentrated in surface and/or B horizons over C horizons. Median values for trace elements are significantly higher in surface horizons of the anthropogenic dataset (AD) over the NAD. Total Al, Fe, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic C, pH, and clay exhibit significant correlations (0.56, 0.74, 0.50, 0.31, 0.16, and 0.30, respectively) with total trace element concentrations of all horizons of the NAD. Manganese shows the best inter-element correlation (0.33) with these associated total concentrations. Total Fe has one of the strongest relationships, explaining 55 and 30% of the variation in total trace element concentrations for all horizons in the NAD and AD, respectively.     

THE VULNERABILITY OF WETLANDS TO CLIMATE CHANGE: A HYDROLOGIC LANDSCAPE PERSPECTIVE1

ABSTRACT: The vulnerability of wetlands to changes in climate depends on their position within hydrologic landscapes. Hydrologic landscapes are defined by the flow characteristics of ground water and surface water and by the interaction of atmospheric water, surface water, and ground water for any given locality or region. Six general hydrologic landscapes are defined; mountainous, plateau and high plain, broad basins of interior drainage, riverine, flat coastal, and hummocky glacial and dune. Assessment of these landscapes indicate that the vulnerability of all wetlands to climate change fall between two extremes: those dependent primarily on precipitation for their water supply are highly vulnerable, and those dependent primarily on discharge from regional ground water flow systems are the least vulnerable, because of the great buffering capacity of large ground water flow systems to climate change.     

Reverse logistics in the Brazilian construction industry

In Brazil most Construction and Demolition Waste (C&D waste) is not recycled. This situation is expected to change significantly, since new federal regulations oblige municipalities to create and implement sustainable C&D waste management plans which assign an important role to recycling activities. The recycling organizational network and its flows and components are fundamental to C&D waste recycling feasibility. Organizational networks, flows and components involve reverse logistics. The aim of this work is to introduce the concepts of reverse logistics and reverse distribution channel networks and to study the Brazilian C&D waste case.     

Influence of ozone stress on growth processes, yields and grain quality characteristics among soybean cultivars

Field studies were conducted at USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, in 1984 and 1985 using open-top chambers to acquire information on the responses of 12 soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cultivars to O3 stress and to examine the interactions between maturity groups and O3 stress. Cultivars representing Groups III, IV, and V were exposed for approximately 3 months to charcoal-filtered air (CF) and nonfiltered air plus 40 nl litre(-1) O3 (NF + O3). Ozone was added 6 h d(-1), 5 d week(-1) for 13 weeks. The CF effectively reduced the accumulative oxidant exposure (AOX) to less than 1.0 microl litre(-1) h and the NF + O3 treatment approximately doubled the ambient AOX (16.7 microl litre(-1) h) to about 30 microl litre(-1) h. The AOX estimates the total O3 exposure above 30 nl litre(-1) during an entire growing season. Plant growth rates and relative growth rates were reduced by 17.0 and 14.4%, respectively, when averaged over cultivars. Based on growth rates, the Group III cultivars were the most affected by O3 stress. Averaged over cultivars, leaf expansion rates, leaf conductance, and transpiration rates were lower in the NF + O3 treatment compared to the CF control; however, wide variation was found with the stomatal results from field observations. Combined over years and cultivars, grain yield was reduced by an average of 12.5% by O3 stress with 3 of 12 cultivars showing significant reductions. Grain protein content was increased by 0.7% by O3 stress, but cultivar differences were equal to the differences caused by the O3 treatments. Grain oil content was unchanged by the O3 treatments. Group IV cultivars showed the greatest decrease in grain yield due to O3 stress. Multiple regression analyses were calculated using the difference between the CF and NF + O3 treatment as a measure of O3 stress. Significant positive relationships were found among net assimilation rates, plant growth rates, relative growth rates, and leaf expansion rates, which suggest that growth analysis characteristics would be useful in addition to yield in air pollution tolerance improvement studies with soybeans.