Analysis of emergency situations at municipal solid waste landfills

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This work focuses on the issue of emergency prevention in the operation of municipal solid waste landfills. In this work, an emergency is...     

Passive air sampler as a tool for long-term air pollution monitoring: Part 2. Air genotoxic potency screening assessment

The capability of passive air sampling to be employed in the evaluation of direct genotoxicity of ambient air samples was assessed. Genotoxic effects of the total extracts from the polyurethane foam filters exposed for 28 days during a regional passive air sampling campaign were investigated. Twenty sampling sites were selected in Brno city on the area of approximately 20x20 km in October and November 2004. Brno is the second largest city of the Czech Republic, highly industrialized with approximately 370,000 of permanent inhabitants. The levels of PAHs, PCBs, and chlorinated pesticides were determined in all samples. Fraction of each extract was also assayed in the bacterial genotoxicity test using Escherichia coli sulA::lacZ. Complete dose-response relationships of the air extracts were determined. The statistical analysis showed significant correlation between observed biological effects and PAHs concentrations in samples.     

Leaching of metals from fly ashes in the presence of complexing agents

The leachability of some metals (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ti, Zn) from fly ashes was studied in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and naturally occurring complexing agents-humic acids (HAs). Secondary complex-forming equilibria taking place in the leachates increase significantly the leached amounts of most metals. Kinetic experiments showed that almost the whole "available" amounts of metals are leached from fly ash within a time period of several hours (mostly within 20 h), with exceptions of matrix constituents (typically aluminium), which are released more slowly.     

The role of sulphur in cadmium(II) ions detoxification demonstrated in in vitro model: Dionaea muscipula Ell.

Fertilization by phosphorus and also nitrogen fertilizers are the main source of cadmium soil contamination. Cadmium is relatively easily taken up by plants and then consequently enters their food chain. We investigated whether the cultivation medium with or without sulphates supplement affects the synthesis of protective low molecular mass thiols such as cysteine, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione and phytochelatins (PC2) in Dionaea muscipula treated with cadmium(II) ions at 0, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 μM for 6 weeks. The plants cultivated in the presence of sulphates showed higher cadmium tolerance due to faster growth and lesser number of necrosis hallmarks. Further, we utilized liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for determination of the thiols in plant tissues. In the case of the plants cultivated on media supplemented with sulphates for 6 weeks the average PC2 level was 2,830 ng/g of fresh weight (FW). However, the plants cultivated on media without the presence of sulphates on average contained 1,160 ng PC2/g FW. Results obtained showed the positive effect of sulphur supplementation in cadmium detoxification processes in plants. In addition to thiol content, we also determined level of majority secondary metabolite of Venus flytrap, naphthoquinone plumbagin. Generally, the presence of sulphates in the media enhanced the protective mechanism and did not affect directly the synthesis of secondary metabolite plumbagin.     

Sexual conflict,sexual selection and sperm competition in the spawning decisions of bitterling, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodeus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">sericeus</Emphasis>

Sexual selection may operate through either direct selection on preference genes or indirect genetic benefits. However, in many species both direct and indirect selection may operate and can influence female mate and oviposition choice. Adaptations by males for sperm competition can also affect female mate and oviposition choice and can lead to sexual conflict. We investigated the role of direct and indirect benefits and male adaptation to sperm competition for female oviposition decisions in the bitterling, Rhodeus sericeus, a freshwater fish that spawns on the gills of living unionid mussels. Field experiments showed that females chose mussels for spawning on the basis of the number of embryos already in mussels and the body size and/or extent of red coloration of the eyes of territorial males. There was also a significant interaction between these direct and indirect benefits of oviposition choice. Territorial male bitterling avoided leading females to mussels into which rivals had already released sperm. Males also increased their rate of sperm release into mussels in response to sperm release by sneaking males. We discuss the possibility that sexual conflict in oviposition choice occurs in this species.     

Decolorization of synthetic dyes using a copper complex with glucaric acid

Selected azo, acridine, triphenyl methane, anthraquinone and thiazine-based dyes were decolorized using a catalytic system consisting of Cu(II)/glucaric acid/H(2)O(2). More than 90% decolorization was obtained with 100 ppm Acridine Orange, Azure B, Chicago Sky Blue, Crystal Violet, Methyl Orange, Poly B-411, Reactive Black 5, Reactive Blue 2, and Remazol Brilliant Blue R within 24 h. Seventy to eighty percent decolorization was achieved within the first 6 h. The decolorizaton was not affected by pH. The involvement of hydroxyl radicals produced in the system in the decolorization of the dye molecules was confirmed by electron spin resonance study.     

Recovery from acidification in central Europe--observed and predicted changes of soil and streamwater chemistry in the Lysina catchment,Czech Republic

The geochemical model MAGIC was applied to estimate streamwater and soil chemistry between 1851 and 2030 at the Lysina catchment, an acid-sensitive granitic catchment covered by planted Norway spruce monoculture in the western Czech Republic. The total deposition of sulfur to the catchment was 164 meq m(-2) in 1991, but had declined to 52 meq m(-2) by 2000. Although SO2 emissions in the region declined by 90% compared to the 1980s, acidification recovery was small within the period 1990-2000. Stream pH increased only slightly (from 3.92 to 4.07), although SO4 concentration declined sharply from 568 microeq l(-1) (1990) to 232 microeq l(-1) (2000). Organic acids played an important role in streamwater buffering. According to the MAGIC prediction using deposition measured in 1999-2000, streamwater pH will increase to 4.3 and soil base saturation will increase to 6.2% by 2030 (from 5.7% in 2002). Pre-industrial pH was estimated to be 5.5 and soil base saturation 24.7%. The loss of base cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K) was caused predominantly by atmospheric acidity, but intensive forestry was responsible for approximately one third of the net base cation loss via accumulation in harvested biomass. Severely damaged sites, under continued pressure from forestry, will not return to a good environmental status in the near future (if ever) when the acid deposition input is only partially reduced.     

Persistent organochlorine contaminants in human tissues of the Czech and Slovak populations

The persistence of lipophilic organochlorine substances leads to their incorporation into the food chain and subsequent uptake by humans. Due to their use in the past, Czech and Slovak countries belong to the countries with a relatively high body burden of organochlorines. Levels of PCBs in human tissues based on the congener‐specific analysis are reported in this paper. Samples were analysed for the most abundant PCB congeners. Prevalent persistent organochlorine pesticides and their isomers/metabolites have also been included. The present study is focused on following areas: i) distribution of analysed substances in the various human tissue samples from selected regions of the Czech and Slovak Republic and ii) comparison with the results from other foreign and local studies.