Responses of microbial populations in the rhizosphere to deposition of simulated acidic rain onto foliage and/or soil

Air pollutants or some chemicals applied to plant foliage can alter the ecology of the rhizosphere. Experiments were conducted to distinguish among possible foliage-mediated versus soil- or root-mediated effects of acid deposition on microorganism in the rhizosphere. Seedlings of a sorghum x sudangrass hybrid in pots of non-sterile soil-sand mix in a greenhouse were exposed to simulated rain solution adjusted with H2SO4 + HNO3 to pH 4.9, 4.2, 3.5 or 2.8. Solutions were applied as simulated rain to foliage and soil, foliage only (soil covered by plastic, and deionized water applied directly to the soil), or soil only (solution applied directly to the soil). Solutions were applied on 16 days during a 6-week period (1.5 cm deposition in 1 h per application). Plant shoot and root dry weights and population densities of selected types of bacteria, filamentous actinomycetes and fungi in the rhizosphere were quantified after exposures were completed. Deposition of simulated acidic rain onto foliage alone had no effect on plant biomass or microbial population densities in the rhizosphere (colony-forming units per gram of rhizosphere soil). However, plant growth was stimulated and all microbial populations in the rhizosphere increased 3- to 8-fold with increased solution acidity (relative to pH 4.9 solution) when solution penetrated the soil. Statistical analyses indicated that the acid dose-population response relationships for soil-only and foliage-and-soil applications were not different. Thus, no foliage-mediated effect of simulated acidic rain on rhizosphere ecology was detected.     

Training refugees as primary health care workers: Past imperfect, future conditional

Many problems have been encountered in the planning and implementation of health care in refugee camps, and more specifically in the training of refugees as primary health care workers. A review of the published literature and a "survey" of the opinions and experiences of refugee, national and international health personnel regarding training has therefore been undertaken to provide an overview of what has been done and to make recommendations for future work.
The review highlights the need to reallocate resources away from high visibility emergency aid to development activities, such as training, that will create an infrastructure for primary health care and promote self-reliance.     

Identifying the land use and land cover change drivers: methods and case studies of two forest reserves in Northern Benin

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Land use and land cover change (LULCC) is one of the problems that the world has been facing for the last few decades despite political attention....     

长春秋季生物质燃烧对PM2.5中WSOC吸光性的影响

为探究长春秋季生物质燃烧对PM_(2.5)中水溶性有机碳(water-soluble organic carbon,WSOC)吸光性的影响,于2017年10～11月进行PM_(2.5)样品采集,对PM_(2.5)中碳质组分、糖类化合物和WSOC的光吸收特征参数进行分析.研究表明:长春秋季PM_(2.5)中WSOC、有机碳(organic carbon,OC)、元素碳(elemental carbon,EC)的平均浓度分别为(10.12±3.47)、(17.07±5.64)和(1.34±0.75)μg·m~(-3),二次有机碳(secondary organic carbon,SOC)对OC的平均贡献率为38.93%.长春秋季总糖浓度为(1 049.39±958.85)ng·m~(-3),其中作为生物质燃烧示踪剂的脱水糖含量(左旋葡聚糖、半乳聚糖和甘露聚糖)在总糖中占比为91.69%,糖类相关性分析结果显示生物质燃烧源为长春秋季大气中糖类物质的主要贡献源.糖类物质的相关性分析及3种脱水糖的特征比值研究显示,作为长春秋季大气主要污染源的生物质燃烧的类型是硬木和作物残渣的燃烧.长春秋季WSOC的光吸收波长指数(AAE)为5.75±1.06,单位质量吸收效率(MAE)为(1.23±0.28)m~2·g~(-1),表明生物质燃烧对WSOC吸光性具有重要影响.利用生物质燃烧特征源参数量化计算生物质燃烧对WSOC浓度的贡献达58.82%,对总WSOC光吸收的贡献达40.92%.     

长江经济带突发水污染风险分区研究

长江经济带突发水污染事件频发,对区域人群健康和生态安全造成严峻挑战.环境风险分区是环境风险管理的基础和有效工具.本研究以2015年为基准年,基于环境统计数据、DEM数据、水质监测断面数据和基础地理数据,综合考虑了水系流向、水系级别及水质等因素,以1 km×1 km的网格为基本单元,对长江经济带开展突发水污染风险分区.结果表明:①高风险区面积为3348.9 km~2,占评估区总面积的0.16%;较高风险区面积为26030.7 km~2,占比1.27%;中风险区面积为97971.1 km~2,占比4.79%;低风险区面积为1916838.7 km~2,占比93.77%;②从沿长江干流两岸分布来看,高风险区面积沿长江上游至下游呈逐渐增加趋势,主要集中分布在重庆市中部、湖北省东部、安徽省东部、江苏省中西部、浙江省北部、上海市西部等地;③从沿长江主要支流两岸分布来看,高风险区主要分布在嘉陵江南段、乌江南段、汉水东段、湘江北段、赣江北段等.研究结果可为长江经济带生态环境管理提供科学依据.     

基于LOADEST和数字滤波的水源地基流氮素输出定量方法应用实例

地表直接径流和基流均是流域非点源氮/磷养分输出的重要水文途径.科学认识和定量模拟基流氮/磷养分输出对于准确解析水源地水体非点源污染来源至关重要.基于Load Estimator模型和数字滤波算法,建立了定量水源地基流氮素输出的方法体系.以浙江省珊溪水源地的玉泉溪流域为例,利用玉泉溪2010-01—2013-12期间逐月总氮(TN)水质监测数据和逐日流量数据,展示了该方法的计算过程.结果表明,本文建立的水源地基流氮素输出定量方法结果合理,模拟精度高,决定系数和纳什系数分别为0.83和0.80;玉泉溪流域2010—2013年TN负荷量为141.21～274.68 t·a~(-1),平均208.63 t·a~(-1),年基流TN负荷量为84.39～168.68 t·a~(-1),平均127.69 t·a~(-1);基流对玉泉溪年均TN负荷量贡献率高达60%以上,流域基流养分输出对地表水体的污染应引起足够重视.     

Dynamic nano-Ag colloids cytotoxicity to and accumulation by Escherichia coli: Effects of Fe3+, ionic strength and humic acid

Released Ag ions or/and Ag particles are believed to contribute to the cytotoxicity of Ag nanomaterials, and thus, the cytotoxicity and mechanism of Ag nanomaterials should be dynamic in water due to unfixed Ag particle:Ag⁺ ratios. Our recent research found that the cytotoxicity of PVP-Ag nanoparticles is attributable to Ag particles alone in 3 hr bioassays, and shifts to both Ag particles and released Ag⁺ in 48 hr bioassays. Herein, as a continued study, the cytotoxicity and accumulation of 50 and 100 nm Ag colloids in Escherichia coli were determined dynamically. The cytotoxicity and mechanisms of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic throughout exposure and are derived from both Ag ions and particles. Ag accumulation by E. coli is derived mainly from extracellular Ag particles during the initial 12 hr of exposure, and thereafter mainly from intracellular Ag ions. Fe³⁺ accelerates the oxidative dissolution of nano-Ag colloids, which results in decreasing amounts of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Na⁺ stabilizes nano-Ag colloids, thereby decreasing the bioavailability of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Humic acid (HA) binds Ag⁺ to form Ag⁺-HA, decreasing ion-related toxicity and binding to the E. coli surface, decreasing particle-related toxicity. HA in complex conditions showed a stronger relative contribution to toxicity and accumulation than Na⁺ or Fe³⁺. The results highlighted the cytotoxicity and mechanism of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic and affected by environmental factors, and therefore exposure duration and water chemistry should be seriously considered in environmental and health risk assessments.