Remediation of PCB‐Contaminated Soil Using Extraction and Destruction: Bench‐Scale Test

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a persistent environmental issue worldwide. This study summarizes the results obtained from a bench‐scale test of remediating PCB‐impacted soil. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of extracting the PCB Aroclor 1260 from soil, transferring it to a liquid matrix, and then treating the PCB‐containing liquid using an Activated Metal Treatment System, a technology developed by NASA based on zero valent magnesium (ZVMg). The soil was from a former electrical plant area impacted by PCBs. The initial concentration of untreated soil contained an average of 4.7 ± 0.15 mg/kg of Aroclor 1260. The results showed that the mass transfer phenomena is possible using ethanol as a liquid matrix, reaching transfer results up to 93 percent. The ZVMg enabled the destruction of the Aroclor 1260, which reached 20 percent without any buildup of undesirable by‐products, such as less chlorinated PCBs.  ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Somatic Coliphage Profiles of Produce and Environmental Samples from Farms in Northern México

Somatic coliphages were quantified in 459 produce and environmental samples from 11 farms in Northern Mexico to compare amounts of somatic coliphages among different types of fresh produce and environmental samples across the production steps on farms. Rinsates from cantaloupe melons, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, and the hands of workers, soil, and water were collected during 2011–2012 at four successive steps on each farm, from the field before harvest through the packing facility, and assayed by FastPhage MPN Quanti-tray method. Cantaloupe farm samples contained more coliphages than jalapeño or tomato (p range <0.01–0.03). Across production steps, jalapeños had higher coliphage percentages before harvest than during packing (p = 0.03), while tomatoes had higher coliphage concentrations at packing than all preceding production steps (p range <0.01–0.02). These findings support the use of targeted produce-specific interventions at multiple points in the process of growing and packing produce to reduce the risk of enteric virus contamination and improve food safety during fruit and vegetable production.     

The influence of prey distribution on the foraging strategy of the lizard Oligosoma grande (Reptilia: Scincidae)

The grand skink, Oligosoma grande, is a diurnal rock-dwelling lizard from the tussock grasslands of Central Otago, New Zealand, whose diet includes a variety of arthropods and fruit. We conducted a field experiment to examine the influence of prey distribution on foraging behavior and spacing patterns. On sites where prey distribution was unaltered (control sites), males and females differed in diet and foraging behavior. Most male feeding attempts were directed at large strong-flying insects, and males used a saltatory search pattern that involved relatively infrequent moves of long duration. Females spent more effort catching small weak-flying insects and visiting fruiting plants. Their search behavior involved frequent moves of short duration. The placement of meat-bait on experimental sites led to a redistribution of large flies without influencing other prey types. Experimental females switched foraging strategy by adopting a search pattern of relatively infrequent moves of long duration, increasing the frequency of attempts to capture large prey, and reducing the importance of fruit in their diet. The experimental manipulation appeared to influence space use. On control sites, both sexes had comparably sized home ranges. On experimental sites, male home ranges were significantly larger than female home ranges. Received: 3 November 1997 / Accepted after revision: 13 December 1998     

Measurements of selected PCBs in open urban ambient air of Madrid (Spain)

The focus of this study was to characterize the concentration levels of selected PCBs and compare them to compiled data in order to contribute to the international database. The sampling site is located in the outskirts of Madrid and can be considered an open urban area. 32 samples of air were taken from February 1998 to June 1998 by using a high volume air sampler. Glass fiber filters and polyurethane foam (PUF) were used to collect the paniculate and gas phase material, respectively. PUF plugs were Soxhlet extracted and filters were ultrasonically extracted by using pesticide-grade hexane and dichloromethane, respectively. The cleanup procedure was carried out on a florisil column with hexane and hexane/dichloromethane as elution solvents. GC/MS in a selected ion monitoring mode was used for quantification and 29 selected PCBs congeners were analyzed.     

When leaders are forced to stay: The indirect effects of leaders' reluctant staying on subordinates' performance

Leaders who desire to leave the current organization are sometimes forced to stay. The leadership behaviors of these leaders are underexplored in the current literature. Building on proximal withdrawal states theory, this study examines two pathways through which leaders' reluctant staying mindset (i.e., desire but are unable to quit) relates to their subordinates' task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). One pathway proposes increased laissez-faire leadership behaviors due to leaders' lower intrinsic motivation; the second pathway proposes increased delegation behaviors due to leaders' higher extrinsic motivation. Using three-wave data collected from 100 leaders and 313 subordinates, we found that leaders' reluctant staying was indirectly and negatively associated with subordinates' task performance and OCB through leaders' lower perceptions of task significance and higher laissez-faire leadership behaviors. At the same time, leaders' reluctant staying increased their bottom-line mentality and delegation behaviors, but the indirect effects on subordinates' performance outcomes were not significant. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory, practices, and future research regarding how to manage leaders who stay reluctantly in the organization.     

Falls prevention through community intervention – A Swedish example

In order to control and reduce fall-related injuries, particularly among women over the age of 55, a safety management and falls prevention campaign was structured and implemented during 2006–2007 in the small industrial town of Södertälje, Sweden. A local campaign was launched to recruit falls prevention agents, to inform key target groups in the local community, and to educate older people about fall risks. A survey showed that the campaign had a greater impact among professionals with a special relation to fall risk than among the general population. Medical records were used in the evaluation of the outcomes. The results show that between 2005 and 2007 there was a drop of fractures related to falls in the council: an overall drop of 16.7% in the population; among men 55 or older a drop of 12%, among women 55 or older a drop of 15%, among home-dwelling women 55 or older a drop of 5.7% and among women in special accommodation a drop of 44.4%. Expressed in terms of years lost to disability (YLD), the overall drop in hip fractures treated at the local hospital between 2005 and 2007 was 48%. A comparison with National medical records for the same period shows the drop for the intervention area to be much larger than that for Sweden as a whole, although the effect was not statistically significant. The study demonstrates the advantages of a broad, community-based approach to injury prevention.     

Sulphurous air pollutants and exposure events of workers in thermal-mineral springs: a case study of Contursi Terme (Salerno,Italy)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Thermo-mineral springs are widely spread over the volcanic areas of Salerno, a city in southern Italy. Although the water of thermal structures...