Morphological and Physiological Damage by Surfactant-Polluted Seaspray on Pinus pinea and Pinus halepensis

This paper reports morphological and physiological damage caused by polluted seaspray to coastal pine forests in Liguria (Northern Italy) and suggests the most reliable parameters for surfactant-pollution biomonitoring. Concentrations of surfactants in surface seawater, seaspray, and that deposited on Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinea needles were determined in samples from five sites. Decline of the pines in the Western part of Liguria was greater than in the East, and was associated with higher surfactant levels deposited on the crowns. Chloride content of needles was higher in damaged pines, even if it did not reach toxic levels. Stomata micromorphologies did not differ between species in the crown parts facing the sea, while differences were significant in the back crown parts that were not directly exposed to polluted sea breezes. Water content and noon water potential indicated interference in water relations of damaged trees. In conclusion, none of the investigated parameters was by itself a comprehensive index of surfactant damage. A simultaneous survey of several parameters is suggested to investigate the impact of surfactants on coastal vegetation. The most useful parameters were: directionality of crown damage, surfactant depositions on the needles, chloride accumulation in the needles, structural injury to epistomatal chambers, needle water content and potential.     

Modeling the flow and leachate transport in the vadose and saturated zones of a municipal landfill

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the groundwater contamination due to the construction and operation of the municipal landfill of Amari, Rethymno, Crete. The groundwater flow and leachate transport in the vadose and saturated zones were studied and simulated, using three different models: the one-dimensional groundwater flow and contaminant transport model for the vadose zone Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM-3), the Geographical Information System (GIS) Argus ONE and the three-dimensional groundwater flow and contaminant transport model Princeton Transport Code (PTC). The simulation time was 30 and 20 years, and the results obtained, according to the models and the existing hydrogeological conditions, were very encouraging and reassuring about the groundwater quality of the broad region.     

Integrating environmental policies into local practices: The politics of agri-environmental and energy policies in Rural Finland

The paper focuses on the interplay between policy implementation and heterogeneous everyday social practices that, we argue, finally determine the success of environmental policies. We compare two empirical case studies to show how the targets of international climate policy and the agri-environmental policy of the EU have been achieved in energy production and agriculture in rural Finland. The focus of our analysis is on the power effects of these policies at the level of local natural resource management practices. Our analysis revealed tensions that arose during the implementation of the policies and showed that the policies modified the local actors' capacities to act. Therefore, we claim that policy practices should be analysed and appreciated as sites for the articulation of conflict and difference, as places of social and cultural contestation.     

Pointing accuracy in children is dependent on age, sex and experience

We investigated the influence of age, sex and familiarity on spatial performance assessed with a pointing task in 84 children: 21 kindergartners, 21 first-graders, 21 fifth-graders and 21 sixth-graders. Spatial performance was assessed in the children's natural environment, their respective school or kindergarten. The children had to indicate the direction of prominent landmarks on the school campus while sitting in their classroom, drawing an arrow on a sheet of paper. Since the children had spent different amounts of time at their respective schools, experience with the environment was regarded as a covariate.Data analysis revealed significant effects for age, sex and experience. Fifth-graders aged around 10 years outperformed the younger children. Sex differences revealed male superiority at all ages. Experience with the environment was also shown to play a vital role. Children who had spent a longer time at the school were able to demonstrate better spatial knowledge by pointing more accurately towards unseen landmarks.     

The role of human capital,motivation and supervisor sponsorship in predicting career success

Based on Turner's (1960) contest‐ and sponsored‐mobility systems, a comprehensive model of the determinants of career success was examined. Human capital and motivational variables represented the contest‐mobility system whereas leader–member exchange and supervisor career mentoring represented the sponsored‐mobility system. Results based on data from 245 supervisor–subordinate dyads indicated limited support for the contest‐mobility system and strong support for the sponsored‐mobility system. Interestingly, the two forms of sponsorship were differentially related to career outcomes. Specifically, leader–member exchange was positively related to salary progression, promotability, and career satisfaction. Career mentoring, however, was only related to promotability. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Divergent Perspectives on Expert Disagreement: Preliminary Evidence from Climate Science,Climate Policy,Astrophysics, and Public Opinion

We report the results of an exploratory study that examines the judgments of climate scientists, climate policy experts, astrophysicists, and non-experts (N?=?3367) about the factors that contribute to the creation and persistence of disagreement within climate science and astrophysics and about how one should respond to expert disagreement. We found that, as compared to non-experts, climate experts believe that within climate science (i) there is less disagreement about climate change, (ii) methodological factors play less of a role in generating disagreements, (iii) fewer personal or institutional biases influence climate research, and (iv) there is more agreement about which methods should be used to examine relevant phenomena we also observed that the uniquely American political context predicted experts’ judgments about some of these factors. We also found that, in regard to disagreements concerning cosmic ray physics, and commensurate with the greater inherent uncertainty and data lacunae in their field, astrophysicists working on cosmic rays were generally more willing to acknowledge expert disagreement, more open to the idea that a set of data can have multiple valid interpretations, and generally less quick to dismiss someone articulating a non-standard view as non-expert, than climate scientists were in regard to climate science.     

Assessing the alteration of physicochemical characteristics in composted organic waste in a prototype decentralized composting facility

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This article presents the pilot experience of an integrated biowaste management system developed in Tinos island, Greece, which promoted source...     

Antimicrobial Activity of Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Derivatives Introduced into Polycaprolactone

The research was aimed at determining the abundance of biofilm formation by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus on the surface of polycaprolactone (PCL) with polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) derivatives and effect of the derivatives on extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and intracellular dehydrogenases. Biofilm abundance was determined by spectrophotometry, using crystal violet staining. Hydrolytic enzymes after contact with the film were determined with the use of non-specific substrate—fluorscein diacetate. The effect of PHMG derivatives on dehydrogenases activity was assessed using the test, where triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) is reduced to triphenylformazan (TF). The PCL containing PHMG granular polyethylene wax and salt of sulfanilic acid (0.6–1% wt.) strongest inhibited biofilm formation. PHMG derivatives introduced into PCL were found to slightly affect hydrolases activity in both E. coli and S. aureus at a concentration of 0.2 and 0.6%. It was also found that dehydrogenases activity was inhibited by PCL films containing PHMG derivatives. PCL containing 1% of PHMG sulfanilate strongest inhibited hydrolases activity, whereas PCL modified with 1% of PHMG granular polyethylene wax showed the highest inhibitory effect on the activity of both enzymes. W-PCL and A-PCL composites (at concentration of 0.6%) have optimal combination of antibiofilm activity and biodegradability.     

Degradability Characterization of EPDM/IIR Blends by γ-irradiation

In this paper the modifications induced in butyl rubbers (pristine, chlorinated and brominated sorts) by γ-irradiation are investigated by swelling, chemiluminescence and FT-IR. The susceptibility of butyl rubbers for the generation of radicals orders their stabilities in the following sequence: IIR?>?IIR—Cl?>?IIR—Br. The incorporation of butyl rubbers into ethylene-propylene terpolymer matrix brings about increased densities of radicals initiating modifications in the oxidation state in respect with recombination, which are intensified as the processing dose increases. Based on the variation of carbonyl and hydroxyl indices the favorable route for the recycling EPDM based formulations would be suggested in this study. The chemiluminescence spectra proving the formation of peroxyl radicals at about 100?°C prove their availability as reclaiming solutions. IIR—Br is the recommendable butyl rubber for the recovery procedure by association with EPDM. The suitability of IIRs for recycling purposes is analyzed by the variation in their crosslink densities, free volumes and swelling degrees. The crosslinking behavior of stabilized EPDM/IIR blends that runs to the improvement of durability is depicted by Charlesby–Pinner representation, which involves the different simultaneous contribution of scission and crosslinking processes.     

Soils impacted by PAHs: Would the stabilized organic matter be a green tool for the immobilization of these noxious compounds?

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of stabilized organic matter (vermicompost) and tropical soils in the sorption of naphthalene, anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene. The results obtained for the three compounds were extrapolated for the priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollutants according to Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). To evaluate the sorption process, high performance liquid chromatography was employed and the data was fitted by Freundlich isotherms. The results suggest that the sorption effect generally increases with the number of benzene rings of the PAHs, and that the persistence of PAHs in the environment is possibly related to the number of benzene rings in the PAH molecule. In addition, the pH of the vermicompost can strongly affect the adsorption process in this matrix.