Adsorption of chloridazon from aqueous solution on modified kerolite-rich materials

The adsorption of chloridazon (5-amine-4-chloro-2-phenylpyridazin-3(2H)-one) on kerolite samples heated at 110 degrees C (K-110), 200 degrees C (K-200), 400 degrees C (K-400), 600 degrees C (K-600) and acid-treated with H(2)SO(4) solutions of two different concentrations (0.25 and 0.5 M) (K-0.25 and K-0.5, respectively) from pure water at 25 degrees C has been studied by using batch and column experiments. The adsorption experimental data points were fitted to the Freundlich equation in order to calculate the adsorption capacities (K(f)) of the samples; K(f) values ranged from 184.7 mg kg(-1) (K-0.5) up to 2253 mg kg(-1) (K-600). This indicated that the heat treatment given to the kerolite greatly increases its adsorption capacity for the herbicide whereas the acid treatment produces a clear decrease in the amount of chloridazon adsorbed. The removal efficiency (R) was also calculated; R values ranging from 52.8% (K-0.5) up to 88.3% (K-600). Thus, the results showed that the 600 degrees C heat-treated kerolite was more effective in relation to adsorption of chloridazon and it might be reasonably used in removing this herbicide from water.     

Sensitivity analysis of a parameterization of the stomatal component of the DO3SE model for Quercus ilex to estimate ozone fluxes

A sensitivity analysis of a proposed parameterization of the stomatal conductance (g(s)) module of the European ozone deposition model (DO(3)SE) for Quercus ilex was performed. The performance of the model was tested against measured g(s) in the field at three sites in Spain. The best fit of the model was found for those sites, or during those periods, facing no or mild stress conditions, but a worse performance was found under severe drought or temperature stress, mostly occurring at continental sites. The best performance was obtained when both f(phen) and f(SWP) were included. A local parameterization accounting for the lower temperatures recorded in winter and the higher water shortage at the continental sites resulted in a better performance of the model. The overall results indicate that two different parameterizations of the model are needed, one for marine-influenced sites and another one for continental sites.     

In field arsenic removal from natural water by zero-valent iron assisted by solar radiation

An in situ arsenic removal method applicable to highly contaminated water is presented. The method is based in the use of steel wool, lemon juice and solar radiation. The method was evaluated using water from the Camarones River, Atacama Desert in northern Chile, in which the arsenic concentration ranges between 1000 and 1300 μg L⁻¹. Response surface method analysis was used to optimize the amount of zero-valent iron (steel wool) and the citrate concentration (lemon juice) to be used. The optimal conditions when using solar radiation to remove arsenic from natural water from the Camarones river are: 1.3 g L⁻¹ of steel wool and one drop (ca. 0.04 mL) of lemon juice. Under these conditions, removal percentages are higher than 99.5% and the final arsenic concentration is below 10 μg L⁻¹. This highly effective arsenic removal method is easy to use and inexpensive to implement.     

Levels of perfluorochemicals in water samples from Catalonia,Spain: is drinking water a significant contribution to human exposure?

Background, aim, and scope  In recent years, due to a high persistence, biomagnification in food webs, presence in remote regions, and potential toxicity, perfluorochemicals (PFCs) have generated a considerable interest. The present study was aimed to determine the levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and other PFCs in drinking water (tap and bottled) and river water samples from Tarragona Province (Catalonia, Spain). Materials and methods  Municipal drinking (tap) water samples were collected from the four most populated towns in the Tarragona Province, whereas samples of bottled waters were purchased from supermarkets. River water samples were collected from the Ebro (two samples), Cortiella, and Francolí Rivers. After pretreatment, PFC analyses were performed by HPLC-MS. Quantification was done using the internal standard method, with recoveries between 68% and 118%. Results  In tap water, PFOS and PFOA levels ranged between 0.39 and 0.87 ng/L (0.78 and 1.74 pmol/L) and between 0.32 and 6.28 ng/L (0.77 and 15.2 pmol/L), respectively. PFHpA, PFHxS, and PFNA were also other detected PFCs. PFC levels were notably lower in bottled water, where PFOS could not be detected in any sample. Moreover, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFNA, PFOS, PFOSA, and PFDA could be detected in the river water samples. PFOS and PFOA concentrations were between <0.24 and 5.88 ng/L (<0.48 and 11.8 pmol/L) and between <0.22 and 24.9 ng/L (<0.53 and 60.1 pmol/L), respectively. Discussion  Assuming a human water consumption of 2 L per day, the daily intake of PFOS and PFOA by the population of the area under evaluation was calculated (0.78–1.74 and 12.6 ng, respectively). It was found that drinking water might be a source of exposure to PFCs as important as the dietary intake of these pollutants. Conclusions  The contribution of drinking water (tap and bottled) to the human daily intake of various PFCs has been compared for the first time with data from dietary intake of these PFCs. It was noted that in certain cases, drinking water can be a source of exposure to PFCs as important as the dietary intake of these pollutants although the current concentrations were similar or lower than those reported in the literature for surface water samples from a number of regions and countries. Recommendations and perspectives  Further studies should be carried out in order to increase the knowledge of the role of drinking water in human exposure to PFCs.     

Preparation of a porous clay heterostructure and study of its adsorption capacity of phenol and chlorinated phenols from aqueous solutions.

A porous clay heterostructure (PCH) from a Mexican clay was prepared and characterized, and its aqueous phenol and dichlorophenols (DCPs) adsorption capacities were studied using a batch equilibrium technique. The PCH displayed a surface area of 305.5 m2/g, 37.2 A average porous diameter, and a basal space of 23.2 A. The adsorption capacity shown by the PCH for both phenol and DCPs from water (14.5 mg/g for phenol; 48.7 mg/g for 3,4-DCP; and 45.5 mg/g for 2,5-DCP) suggests that the PCH has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics, as a result of the presence of silanol and siloxane groups formed during the pillaring and calcination of the PCH. The values of maximal adsorption capacity for dichlorophenols were higher than those reported for aluminum pillared clays and some inorgano-organo clays and comparable with some ionic exchange resins.     

The 2004 Madrid train bombings: an analysis of pre-hospital management

The terrorist train bombings in Madrid, Spain, on 11 March 2004 triggered a swift and massive medical response. This paper analyses the pre-hospital response to the attacks to gain insight into current trends in disaster management among Madrid's Emergency Medical Services (EMSs). To this end, the existing emergency planning framework is described, the basic structures of the different EMSs are presented, and the attacks are briefly depicted before consideration is given to pre-hospital management. Finally, an explanation of the main underlying misconceptions in emergency planning and management in Madrid is provided to aid understanding of the origins of some of the problems detected during the response. These are attributable mainly to inappropriate planning rather than to mistakes in field-level decision-making. By contrast, many of the successes are attributable to individual initiatives by frontline medics who compensated for the lack of clear command by senior managers by making adaptive and flexible decisions.     

Chromium(VI) resistance and removal by actinomycete strains isolated from sediments

Forty-one isolated actinomycetes were used to study qualitative and semi-quantitative screening of chromium(VI) resistance. Chromate-removing activity was estimated using the Cr(VI) specific colorimetric reagent 1,5-diphenylcarbazide. Twenty percent of the isolates from El Cadillal (EC) and 14% of isolates from a copper filter plant (CFP) were able to grow at 13 mM of Cr(VI). All isolates from sugar cane (SCP) could grow up to Cr(VI) concentration of 17 mM. EC, CFP and SCP strains were able to remove 24%, 30% and more than 40% of Cr(VI), respectively. The highest and lowest Cr(VI) specific removal values were 75.5 mg g(-1) cell by M3 (CFP), and 1.5 mg g(-1) cell by C35 (EC) strains. Eleven Cr(VI) resistant strains were characterized and identified as species of the genera Streptomyces (10) and Amycolatopsis (1). Differences on actinomycete community composition between contaminated and non-contaminated soil were found. This study showed the potential capacity of actinomycetes as tools for Cr(VI) bioremediation.     

Comment on "Analysis of groundwater contamination using concentration-time series recorded during an integral pumping test: Bias introduced by strong concentration gradients within the plume" by Allelign Zeru and Gerhard Schäfer

We consider the results of a recent paper in this journal [Zeru, A. and Sch?fer, G., 2005. Analysis of groundwater contamination using concentration-time series recorded during an integral pumping test: Bias introduced by strong concentration gradients within the plume. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 81 (2005) 106-124], which addresses the field-scale characterisation of contaminant plumes in groundwater. There, it is concluded that contaminant concentration gradients can bias Integral Pumping Test (IPT) interpretations considerably, in particular if IPTs are conducted in advective fronts of contaminant plumes. We discuss implications of this setting and also argue that the longitudinal and transverse dispersivities used in the examples of Zeru and Sch?fer (2005) of up to 30 m and 3 m, respectively, are generally very high for the here relevant capture zone scale (<20 m). However, regardless of both longitudinal and transverse concentration gradients, we further show through a counter-example that IPT results are unbiased as long as the concentration attenuation along the flow direction is linear over the capture zone extent.     

Assessing dimethoate contamination in temperate and tropical climates: potential use of biomarkers in bioassays with two chironomid species

This study was conducted to investigate the potential use of biomarkers in bioassays with chironomids to assess contamination by pesticides in temperate and tropical climates. Two species of midge were studied, the widespread Chironomus riparius and the tropical Kiefferulus calligaster (Kieffer, 1911). Preliminary studies included investigations of the effects of temperature on larval development and the influence of larval age on normal variability of cholinesterase (ChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities and protein content. In the second phase, the influence of two abiotic factors particularly important in tropical conditions (temperature and oxygen concentration) and of the organophosphorous (OP) insecticide dimethoate on biochemical and conventional endpoints was investigated. Results showed that K. calligaster is morphologically and physiologically similar to C. riparius and for both, the time of larval development decreases with the increase of temperature. Moreover, 3rd and 4th instars appeared to be the most suitable for biomarkers determinations. ChE activity seems to be valuable biomarker regarding temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) variations, while some caution should be taken when using GST as an environmental biomarker, since it shows some dependence of these parameters. C. riparius was more sensitive to dimethoate than K. calligaster suggesting that the use of bioassays with the former species in tropical conditions may overestimate the toxicity of OP pesticides to autochthonous species. When testing sub-lethal effects of dimethoate to C. riparius, ChE activity showed to be a very sensitive parameter detecting significant effects at the lowest concentration that caused emergence delay of larvae, suggesting that it is an ecologically relevant parameter.     

Kinetic and adsorption study of acid dye removal using activated carbon

The adsorption of three acid dyes, Acid Red 97, Acid Orange 61 and Acid Brown 425 onto activated carbon was studied for the removal of acid dyes from aqueous solutions at room temperature (25 degrees C). The adsorption of each dye with respect to contact time was then measured to provide information about the adsorption characteristics of activated carbon. The rates of adsorption were found to conform to the pseudo-second-order kinetics with a good correlation. The experimental isotherms obtained, except for Acid Orange 61 studied in mixture, were of the S-type in terms of the classification of Giles and co-workers. The best fit of the adsorption isotherm data was obtained using the Freundlich model. When a comparative study was made of the results obtained with single and mixed dyes, it can be seen that some of them affect others and modify their behavior in the adsorption process. The results indicate that activated carbon could be employed for the removal of dyes from wastewater.