Ammonia emissions from a broiler farm: spatial variability of airborne concentrations in the vicinity and impact on adjacent woodland

Agricultural NH₃ emissions affect air quality and influence the nitrogen cycle. In the subject study, NH₃ emissions from a broiler farm and the resulting atmospheric concentrations in the immediate vicinity during three growing cycles have been quantified. Additionally, vegetation along a transect in an adjacent woodland was analysed. The emissions were as high as 10 kg NH₃ h⁻¹ and the atmospheric concentrations ranged between 33 and 124 μg NH₃ m⁻³ per week in the immediate vicinity. Measurements of the atmospheric concentrations over 7 weeks showed a substantial decline of mean concentrations (based on a 3-week average) from ∼13 to <3 μg NH₃ m⁻³, at 45- and 415-m distance from the farm. Vegetation surveys showed that nitrophilous species flourished when they grew closest to the farm (their occurrence sank proportionately with distance). A clearly visible damage of pine trees was observed within 200 m of the farm; this illustrated the significant impact of NH₃ emissions from agricultural sources on the sensitive ecosystem.     

上海浦东垃圾焚烧发电厂飞灰性质研究

研究了上海浦东新区垃圾焚烧发电厂烟气净化系统飞灰的物理和化学性质 .结果表明 :飞灰为含水率很低的灰色粉末 ,主要由Si,Al,Ca,Na ,K ,Mg ,Fe ,C和S组成 .飞灰中Pb的浸出浓度高于危险废物鉴别标准 ,为危险废物 .矿物组成主要为SiO2 ,Al2 SiO5,Na Cl,KCl,CaAl2 Si2 O8,Zn2 SiO4,CaCO3和CaSO4等 ;溶解盐含量高达 1 7 9%— 2 2 1 % ,酸中和能力约为 3 0meq·g- 1 — 6 0meq·g- 1 ,对环境pH变化的抵抗能力强 .     

Trisomy 20 mosaicism confirmed in a phenotypically normal liveborn

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 20 mosaicism in this case was based on cytogenetic analysis of cultured amniotic fluid cells (23/52 cells were trisomy 20 representing cells from each of four primary cultures). The pregnancy continued to term and the mosaicism was confirmed in the phenotypically normal male neonate by analysis of cultured foreskin fibroblasts (7/49 cells + 20) and placental cells 20/20 cells + 20) whereas the peripheral lymphocytes were cytogenetically normal (20/20 cells were 46,XY). This represents the first confirmation of trisomy 20 mosaicism in a phenotypically normal full-term neonate.     

Environmental exposure to POPs and heavy metals in urban children from Dhaka, Bangladesh

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals are well known environmental pollutants. Even though numerous studies have been carried out to assess human exposures to these compounds, there is still a lack of data on humans from developing countries, especially in underprivileged children. The objective of this study was to assess the exposure to POPs and heavy metals in children from Dhaka, Bangladesh. One specific aim was to investigate whether children working at, or living close to, open waste disposal sites (WDSs) were more heavily exposed than other urban children. In 2008, blood and serum were collected from 73 children aged 7-16 from five neighbourhoods. Some of the children lived and worked at WDSs (N = 31), others lived next to a WDS (N = 17), whereas some children lived far from such sites (N = 25). Blood levels of lead (B-Pb), cadmium (B-Cd), and selenium (B-Se) were determined by ICP-MS for all subjects. The metal levels were high, with B-Pb overall mean 120 μg L(-1) (range 40-220), B-Cd 0.74 μg L(-1) (0.22-4.1), and B-Se 120 μg L(-1) (81-170). There were no marked differences between children from the different neighbourhoods, or between WDS workers and other children. PCB levels were low and with no contrast between neighbourhoods, for CB-153 the overall mean was 7.0 ng g(-1) fat (2.8-51). In contrast, high levels of DDTs were observed in all children, for 4,4'-DDE 1300 ng g(-1) fat (420-4600), and for 4,4'-DDT 326 ng g(-1) fat (44-1400), indicating ongoing exposure. PBDE levels were low, and BDE-209 was quantitated mainly in children working at or living close to WDSs. In conclusion, the high levels of DDTs, lead and cadmium observed in children from Dhaka are of concern. Many children were exposed at levels where health effects have been observed, or at levels without safety margins.     

Organophosphate and phthalate esters in indoor air: a comparison between multi-storey buildings with high and low prevalence of sick building symptoms

An extensive study has been conducted on the prevalence of organophosphorous flame retardants/plasticizers and phthalate ester plasticizers in indoor air. The targeted substances were measured in 45 multi-storey apartment buildings in Stockholm, Sweden. The apartment buildings were classified as high or low risk with regard to the reporting of sick building symptoms (SBS) within the project Healthy Sustainable Houses in Stockholm (3H). Air samples were taken from two to four apartments per building (in total 169 apartments) to facilitate comparison within and between buildings. Association with building characteristics has been examined as well as association with specific sources by combining chemical analysis and exploratory uni- and multivariate data analysis. The study contributes to the overall perspective of levels of organophosphate and phthalate ester in indoor air enabling comparison with other studies. The results indicated little or no difference in the concentrations of the target substances between the two risk classifications of the buildings. The differences between the apartments sampled within (intra) buildings were greater than the differences between (inter) buildings. The concentrations measured in air ranged up to 1200 ng m(-3) for organophosphate esters and up to 11?000 ng m(-3) for phthalate esters. Results in terms of sources were discerned e.g. PVC flooring is a major source of benzylbutyl phthalate in indoor air.     

Effects of small-scale habitat fragmentation on predator–prey interactions in a temperate sea grass system

During the last decades, fragmentation has become an important issue in ecological research. Habitat fragmentation operates on spatial scales ranging over several magnitudes from patches to landscapes. We focus on small-scale fragmentation effects relevant to animal foraging decision making that could ultimately generate distribution patterns. In a controlled experimental environment, we tested small-scale fragmentation effects in artificial sea grass on the feeding behaviour of juvenile cod (Gadus morhua). Moreover, we examined the influence of fragmentation on the distribution of one of the juvenile cod’s main prey resources, the grass shrimp (Palaemon elegans), in association with three levels of risk provided by cod (no cod, cod chemical cues and actively foraging cod). Time spent by cod within sea grass was lower in fragmented landscapes, but total shrimp consumption was not affected. Shrimp utilised vegetation to a greater extent in fragmented treatments in combination with active predation. We suggest that shrimp choose between sand and vegetation habitats to minimize risk of predation according to cod habitat-specific foraging capacities, while cod aim to maximize prey-dependent foraging rates, generating a habitat-choice game between predator and prey. Moreover, aggregating behaviour in grass shrimp was only found in treatments with active predation. Hence, we argue that both aggregation and vegetation use are anti-predator defence strategies applied by shrimp. We therefore stress the importance of considering small-scale behavioural mechanisms when evaluating consequences from habitat fragmentation on trophic processes in coastal environments.     

Unlocked disinfection by-product formation potential upon exposure of swimming pool water to additional stimulants

• Swimming pool water was studied for DBPs upon exposure to additional stimulants. • DBP formation could be induced by residual chlorine and extended incubation. • Urine led to a massive formation of chloroform with additional stimulants. • Reactions between chlorine and anthropogenic organics were slow and long-lasting. • Urine control and air ventilation should be on the priority list for pool management. Anthropogenic organics are known to be responsible for the formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) in swimming pool water (SPW). The research explored an important scenario of SPW with no additional anthropogenic organic input. With stimulations by residual chlorine or additional chlorine and extended incubation, the formation of DBPs, especially chloroform, was significantly induced. Similar observations were found by investigating synthetic SPW made with sweat and urine. The presence of urine led to a massive formation of chloroform, as noted by an approximate 19-fold increase after 165-day incubation with a shock chlorine dose. The research suggests that consistent residual chlorine and long water retention as two typical features of SPW could unlock the DBP formation potential of anthropogenic organics. Thus, limiting the introduction of anthropogenic organics may not have an immediate effect on reducing DBP levels, because their reactions with chlorine can be slow and long-lasting. Pool management should prioritize on control of urine and improving air ventilation. This work is useful to deepen understandings about DBP formation in SPW and provide implications for pool management and prospective legislation.     

Integration of natural behavior in housing systems

This paper deals with how the natural behavior of animals kept for production can be integrated when planning new housing systems or making changes to existing housing systems. Natural behavior can be defined as the repertoire of different behaviors animals show when kept in environments where they can carry out behaviors created in the evolutionary process. Motivation and innate behaviors are important aspects of natural behavior, and hindering them may lead to abnormal behavior and stress. One should first get a basic knowledge about the species-specific behavior in the wild or a seminatural environment. Thereafter, key stimuli and key features for normal behavior should be worked out, where after a reduction in space, development of a pen, scientific testing, modification, and finally testing the function in a larger scale should be carried out. Examples of housing of calves during the milk period and housing of sows around farrowing are given.     

Organochlorines in deep-sea fish from the Nordfjord

Hepatic levels of OCs (Organochlorines) were analysed in deep-sea fish from the Nordfjord in Norway. Levels of PCBs in the present study exceed background levels in fish from Norwegian water by a factor of 1.5 to 50, and DDTs by one to two orders of magnitude. DDTs in fish from the Nordfjord have previously been attributed to DDT use in fruit orchards. The present levels of DDTs show that the decline usually found in biota in Scandinavia since the 1970s is not found in the deep-sea fish in Nordfjord. There is no known local PCB source that can explain the elevated levels in the present study. This indicates that the fjord efficiently accumulates atmospheric contaminants. Chlordanes and HCB were less important, and HCHs were not detected.     

Distribution of DDT residues in fish from the Songkhla Lake, Thailand

Since the early 1950s DDT has been extensively used in Thailand as a malaria repellent and as an agricultural pesticide, but was finally banned in 1994. In this study concentrations of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD in 113 fish of four species (Scatophagus argus, Protosus canius, Channa striata and Zonichthys nigrofasciata) are reported from the large, brackish Songkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand. The mean sigma DDT concentrations at different locations in the analysed fish species ranged from 33 to 170 ng/g lipid wt. (0.086-7.7 ng/g fresh wt.). This is well below the recommended maximum residue levels in aquatic animals used for human consumption (5000 ng/g fresh wt.) in Thailand. The comparatively low residue levels could be due to the high temperature and solar radiation in the region, which may result in a high volatilising and degradation rate of DDT. Also, the high productivity of the lake could result in a dilution effect, when DDT is distributed in a large amount of organic matter, followed by a high biological degradation of the substance.