Use of different organic wastes in reducing the potential leaching of propanil,isoxaben, cadusafos and pencycuron through the soil

In this study, we examined the effect of four different organic wastes (OW)—composted sheep manure (CSM), spent coffee grounds (SCG), composted pine bark (CPB) and coir (CR)—on the potential groundwater pollution of propanil and isoxaben (herbicides), cadusafos (insecticide) and pencycuron (fungicide) under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, leaching studies were conducted using disturbed soil columns filled with a clay loam soil (Hipercalcic calcisol). The addition of organic matter (OM) drastically reduced the movement of the studied pesticides. The results obtained point to the interest in the use of agro-industrial and composted OW in reducing the groundwater pollution by pesticide drainage.     

Fractionation of heavy metals and distribution of organic carbon in two contaminated soils amended with humic acids

The effects of humic acids (HAs) extracted from two different organic materials on the distribution of heavy metals and on organic-C mineralisation in two contaminated soils were studied in incubation experiments. Humic acids isolated from a mature compost (HAC) and a commercial Spaghnum peat (HAP) were added to an acid soil (pH 3.4; 966 mg kg(-1) Zn and 9,229 mg kg(-1) Pb as main contaminants) and to a calcareous soil (pH 7.7; 2,602 mg kg(-1) Zn and 1,572 mg kg(-1) Pb as main contaminants) at a rate of 1.1g organic-C added per 100g soil. The mineralisation of organic-C was determined by the CO(2) released during the experiment. After 2, 8 and 28 weeks of incubation the heavy metals of the soils were fractionated by a sequential extraction procedure. After 28 weeks of incubation, the mineralisation of the organic-C added was rather low in the soils studied (<8% of TOC in the acid soil; <10% of TOC in the calcareous soil). Both humic acids caused significant Zn and Pb immobilisation (increased proportion of the residual fraction, extractable only with aqua regia) in the acid soil, while Cu and Fe were slightly mobilised (increased concentrations extractable with 0.1M CaCl(2) and/or 0.5M NaOH). In the calcareous soil there were lesser effects, and at the end of the experiment only the fraction mainly related to carbonates (EDTA-extractable) was significantly increased for Zn and decreased for Fe in the humic acids treated samples. However, HA-metal interactions provoked the flocculation of these substances, as suggested by the association of the humic acids with the sand fraction of the soil. These results indicate that humic acid-rich materials can be useful amendments for soil remediation involving stabilisation, although a concomitant slight mobilisation of Zn, Pb and Cu can be provoked in acid soils.     

Sorption of naphthoic acids and quinoline compounds to estuarine sediment

The sorption of 16 ionizable organic compounds (IOCs) to an estuarine sediment was measured in synthetic estuarine water as a function of IOC concentration (1-100 microM) at fixed ionic strength (0.4 M), pH (7.6), and sediment concentration (0.018 g sediment kg(-1) suspension). Of the 16 IOCs, 11 were naphthoic acids and five were quinoline compounds. The linear sorption distribution coefficient (Kd) was used to correlate sorption to IOC physicochemical and molecular characteristics. With respect to naphthoic acid, sorption increased with the addition of ortho-substituent groups and with increasing chain length of the 1-acid group, and the greatest increase occurred with ortho-hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups. With respect to quinoline, sorption decreased with substituent group addition (except for nitro group) and with additional heterocyclic N atoms. For the naphthoic acids, log Kd exhibited a positive correlation with water solubility (log Sw) indicative of sorption primarily to mineral surfaces under the solution chemistry. For the quinoline compounds, log Kd exhibited a negative correlation with log Sw and a positive correlation with n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log K(OW)) indicative of sorption primarily to organic matter. For both compounds, poor or no correlations were established between log Kd and acid dissociation constant (pKa1), and between log Kd and a variety of molecular connectivity indexes. The results from this study demonstrate that the sorption of IOCs differ depending on their backbone structure and may differ between parent compound and ionizable degradation product.     

Modelling the dynamic air-water-sediment coupled fluxes and occurrence of polychlorinated biphenyls in a high altitude lake

The BIODEP model in terms of atmosphere-lake interactions was developed. The model was applied to an oligotrophic, dimictic high altitude lake (Lake Redo, Pyrenees) for a range of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. High altitude lakes, which receive their contaminant inputs uniquely from the atmosphere through long-range atmospheric transport, provide ideal controlled environments for the study of the interactions between atmospheric depositional and water column biogeochemical processes. The BIODEP model was able to predict dissolved water concentrations and PCB accumulation in the lake sediment within a factor of 2. This shows that the BIODEP model captures the essential processes driving the sink of POPs in high altitude lakes and that POP occurrence in the lake is driven by direct atmospheric inputs with limited influence from the watershed. An important seasonal variability in water column concentrations is predicted which should have important implications in sampling strategies. Furthermore, it is shown that diffusive air-water exchange dominated the PCB dynamics in the lake, especially for the less chlorinated biphenyls.     

Evaluation of Fenton and ozone-based advanced oxidation processes as mature landfill leachate pre-treatments

Fenton treatment (Fe²⁺/H₂O₂) and different ozone-based Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) (O₃, O₃/OH⁻ and O₃/H₂O₂) were evaluated as pre-treatment of a mature landfill leachate, in order to improve the biodegradability of its recalcitrant organic matter for subsequent biological treatment. With a two-fold diluted leachate, at optimised experimental conditions (initial pH 3, H₂O₂ to Fe²⁺ molar ratio of 3, Fe²⁺ dosage of 4 mmol L⁻¹, and reaction time of 40 min) Fenton treatment removed about 46% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and increased the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) to COD ratio (BOD₅/COD) from 0.01 to 0.15. The highest removal efficiency and biodegradability was achieved by ozone at higher pH values, solely or combined with H₂O₂. These results confirm the enhanced production of hydroxyl radical under such conditions. After the application for 60 min of ozone at 5.6 g O₃ h⁻¹, initial pH 7, and 400 mg L⁻¹ of hydrogen peroxide, COD removal efficiency was 72% and BOD₅/COD increased from 0.01 to 0.24. An estimation of the operating costs of the AOPs processes investigated revealed that Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ was the most economical system (8.2 € m⁻³ g⁻¹ of COD removed) to treat the landfill leachate. This economic study, however, should be treated with caution since it does not consider the initial investment, prices at plant scale, maintenance and labour costs.     

Solar photocatalysis as strategy for on-site reclamation of agro-wastewater polluted with pesticide residues on farms using a modular facility

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - One of the consequences of phytosanitary treatments applied to crops is the generation of a great volume of agro-wastewater having pesticide residues....     

Presence of diclofenac,estradiol, and ethinylestradiol in Manzanares River (Spain) and their toxicity to zebrafish embryo development

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Diclofenac (DCF), 17-β-estradiol (E2), and 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) are emerging pollutants included in the first watch list agreed by...     

Syndromic congenital diaphragmatic hernia: Current incidence and outcome. Analysis from the congenital diaphragmatic hernia study group registry

Background

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, CDH, associated with known or clinically suspected syndromes, and the postnatal outcomes from a large database for CDH.

Methods

Data from the multicenter, multinational database on infants with CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Study Group Registry) born from 1996 to 2020 were analyzed. Patients with known or suspected syndromes were grouped and outcome data were analyzed and compared to those without syndromic features.

Results

A total of 12,553 patients were entered in the registry during the study period, and 421 had reported known syndromes, representing 3.4% of all CDH cases in the registry. A total of 50 different associated syndromes were reported. In addition to those with clinically suspected genetic conditions, a total rate of genetic syndromes with CDH was 8.2%. The overall survival to discharge for syndromic CDH was 34% and for non-syndromic CDH was 76.7%. The most common were syndromes Fryns syndrome (19.7% of all syndromes, 17% survival), trisomy 18 or Edward syndrome (17.5%, 9% survival), trisomy 21 or Down syndrome (9%, 47% survival), trisomy 13 or Patau syndrome (6.7%, 14% survival), Cornelia de Lange syndrome (6.4% of all syndromes, 22% survival) and Pallister-Killian syndrome (5.5% of all syndromes, 39.1% survival). In addition, 379 cases had reported chromosomal anomalies and 233 cases had clinically suspected syndromes, based on two more dysmorphic features or malformations in addition to CDH, but without molecular diagnosis. The syndromic CDH group had lower birth weight and gestational age at birth and increased incidence of bilateral CDH (2.9%) and rates of non-repair (53%). The length of hospital stay was longer, and larger number of patients needed O₂ at 30 days. Extracorporeal life support was used only in 15% of the cases. Those who underwent surgical repair had survival to discharge rates of 73%.

Conclusion

Syndromic CDH is rare and only 3.4% of the reported cases of CDH have a known syndrome or association, but, if including patients with two dysmorphic features malformations, in addition to CDH, altogether as many as 8.2% have a diagnosed or suspected genetic condition. These children have with lower survival rates. Given higher rates of non-repair and decreased extracorporeal life support use, along with a high early mortality, decision-making regarding goals of care clearly influences outcomes. Survival varies depending on the genetic cause. Early genetic diagnosis is important and may influence the decision-making.     

Effect of hybridization with genome exclusion on extinction risk

Human‐induced habitat changes may lead to the breakdown of reproductive barriers between distantly related species. This phenomenon may result in fertile first‐generation hybrids (F₁) that exclude the genome of one parental species during gametogenesis, thus disabling introgression. The species extinction risk associated with hybridization with genome exclusion is largely underappreciated because the phenomenon produces only F₁ hybrid phenotype, leading to the misconception that hybrids are sterile and potentially of minor conservation concern. We used a simulation model that integrates the main genetic, demographic, and ecological processes to examine the dynamics of hybridization with genome exclusion. We showed that this mode of hybridization may lead to extremely rapid extinction when the process of genome exclusion is unbalanced between the interbreeding species and when the hybridization rate is not negligible. The coexistence of parental species was possible in some cases of asymmetrical genome exclusion, but show this equilibrium was highly vulnerable to environmental variation. Expanding the exclusive habitat of the species at risk allowed its persistence. Our results highlight the extent of possible extinction risk due to hybridization with genome exclusion and suggest habitat management as a promising conservation strategy. In anticipation of serious threats to biodiversity due to hybridization with genome exclusion, we recommend a detailed assessment of the reproductive status of hybrids in conservation programs. We suggest such assessments include the inspection of genetic content in hybrid gametes.