The velocity of DNAPL fingering in water-saturated porous media: laboratory experiments and a mobile-immobile-zone model.

Dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) are immiscible with water and can give rise to highly fingered fluid distributions when infiltrating through water-saturated porous media. In this paper, a conceptual mobile-immobile-zone (MIZ) model is presented to describe the structure of a DNAPL finger in water-saturated porous media and the velocity of finger propagation. A finger is composed of a finger body and a tip. The finger body has a mobile core and an immobile sheath. All the DNAPL within the tip of a finger is mobile. Lab experiments utilizing image analyses of a DNAPL (PCE) penetrating into water-saturated homogeneous glass beads were carried out in a two-dimensional transparent chamber. The results show that the fingers elongated almost linearly with time. The fingers did not grow laterally after the tip of the finger had passed. The average finger diameters were between 3.9 and 5.4 mm for PCE propagation in water-saturated glass bead porous media with mean particle diameters from 0.32 to 1.36 mm. The estimated mobile core diameters were 51-60% of the average finger diameters.     

Effect of composting on characterization and leaching of copper, manganese, and zinc from swine manure.

This research was conducted to study the influence of composting on the concentrations, water solubility, and phase association of Cu, Mn, and Zn from swine (Sus domesticus) feces. Composting of separated swine manure was performed in two piles for 122 days. The metal concentrations increased rapidly during the first 49 days and leveled off thereafter. All metal concentrations increased approximately 2.7-fold in the final compost due to decomposition of organic matter. A sequential extraction protocol was used to evaluate the humification process and partition metals into water-soluble, exchangeable, organically complexed, organically bound, solid particulate, and residual fractions. Temporal changes in the water-soluble fractions of Cu, Mn, and Zn were reflected by water-soluble organic C concentrations, which rapidly increased to a maximum at Day 18 and declined thereafter. An increase in the humic acid/fulvic acid ratio in Na4P2O7 or NaOH extracts at various stages of composting represented the humification process. During composting, the major portions of Cu, Mn, and Zn were in the organically-bound, solid particulate, and organically complexed fractions, respectively. Metal distributions in different chemical fractions were generally independent of composting age and, thus, independent of respective total metal concentrations in the composts.     

The acute toxicity of agricultural surfactants to the tadpoles of four Australian and two exotic frogs

Nonionic surfactants are frequently incorporated into pesticide formulations, and are therefore a group of chemicals to which amphibians may be exposed in agricultural or urban landscapes. However, little is known about the effects of surfactant exposure in amphibians. Feeding stage tadpoles of Bufo marinus, Xenopus laevis and four species of Australian frogs (Crinia insignifera, Heleioporus eyrei, Limnodynastes dorsalis and Litoria moorei) were exposed to nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) and alcohol alkoxylate in static-renewal acute toxicity tests. All species exhibited nonspecific narcosis following exposure to both these surfactants. The 48-h EC50 values for NPE ranged between 1.1 mg/l (mild narcosis) and 12.1 mg/l (full narcosis). The 48-h EC50 values for alcohol alkoxylate ranged between 5.3 mg/l (mild narcosis) and 25.4 mg/l (full narcosis). Replicate acute toxicity tests with B. narinus exposed to NPE at 30 degrees C over 96 h indicated that the narcotic effects were not particularly time dependant. The mean 24, 48, 72, and 96-h EC50 (mild narcosis) values were 3.6, 3.7, 3.5 and 3.5 mg/l, respectively. The mean 24, 48, 72 and 96-h EC50 (full narcosis) were 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.0, respectively. Acute toxicity tests with B. marinus exposed to NPE at 30 degrees C under conditions of low dissolved oxygen (0.8-2.3 mg/l) produced a two to threefold increase in toxicity.     

A reproducible approach to the reporting of organochlorine compounds in epidemiologic studies

A growing body of research indicates that the most biologically active PCB congeners and organochlorines are not the most abundant components in human and wildlife samples. As researchers attempt measurement on a wider pool of less abundant compounds, they inevitably face quantification problems. To address this problem and enhance comparability across studies, we propose a standardized approach to report organochlorines that is based on a reproducible method to determine the limit of quantification (LQ). Two statistical methods are incorporated into our approach, one by Gibbons termed the Alternative Minimum Level (AML), and one based on determining a region of stable relativestandard deviation in instrument response (RSD). We illustrate our approach using historical samples collected during the 1960s from a cohort of pregnant women enrolled in the Child Health and Development Study. The results are applicable to determining the LQ of any method, and are of utmost importance to environmental scientists conducting trace organic analyses of complex mixtures. Our results demonstrate that: (1) precision as measured by RSD is the most important criterion in determining LQ; (2) the AML routinely isolates a region of constant RSD; and (3) the precision of the instrument detector response as measured with pure standards locates the LQ applicable for real samples - that is, the true limits of quantification reside in the detector, not the matrix effects or analyte recoveries associated with real samples. A corollary of these findings is that bias due to matrix effects and analyte recoveries can be assessed separately from precision and LQdetermination. Previous approaches involved spiking matrix blanks to determine LQ, a problematic strategy for real world, complex matrices. We have now validated the use of pure standards in LQ determination, an approach that is practical and accessible to most analysts.     

Attempt to adsorb N-nitrosamines in solution by use of zeolites

The strong adsorption of zeolite for N-nitrosamines in solution was first revealed by use of adsorption, and temperature programmed surface reaction (TPSR) techniques. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) as well as N-nitrosohexamethyleneimine (NHMI) can be adsorbed on zeolite Y, ZSM-5 and A in the solution of methylene chloride or water, which will be helpful for removal of the N-nitrosamines pollution in environmental protection. The equilibrium data were fitted to Freundlich-type isotherms, but the adsorption capacity of zeolites mainly depended on their pore size, surface area and acid-basic properties. Molecular size of adsorbate and solute-solvent interaction also strongly affected the adsorption of N-nitrosamines on zeolite in solution. The extraordinary adsorption properties of NaA zeolite for N-nitrosamines in aqueous solution is first reported and discussed.     

Liquid chromatography study of pyrene degradation by two micromycetes in a freshwater sediment.

Pyrene biodegradation in a freshwater sediment without fungi supply, or inoculated with two sediment micromycetes, Mucor racemosus var. sphaerosporus and Phialophora alba was studied after 0, 5, 13, 28, 60 and 90 days. The influence of glucose addition was estimated, and a liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous quantitative determination of residual anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene in the sediment was developed. Samples with PAHs were extracted in Soxhlet with ethyl acetate, and LC analysis was performed on a 5 microm Supelcosil column (150 x 4.6 mm I.D.) with gradient elution (2 ml min(-1)) of acetonitrile-water and UV detection at 254 nm. Recoveries of anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene were 90.3%+/-1.1%, 93.2%+/-0.9% and 90.42%+/-1.9%, respectively, without interference. The native sediment microorganisms (with or without glucose added) have shown 35% pyrene degradation and sediment with glucose inoculated by the strains revealed 40%.     

Genotoxicity in adult residents in mineral coal region—a cross-sectional study

The present study assessed the DNA damage in environmentally exposed volunteers living in seven municipalities in an industrial coal region, through the use of the comet assay with blood cells and the micronucleus test with buccal cells. Blood and buccal smears were collected from 320 male volunteers living in seven cities inserted in a coal region. They were ages of 18 and 50 years and also completed a questionnaire intended to identify factors associated with DNA damage through a Poisson regression analysis. The comet assay detected significant differences in DNA damage in volunteers from different municipalities, and neighboring cities (Pedras Altas, Aceguá, and Hulha Negra) had a higher level of DNA damage in relation to control city. Some of the risk factors associated with identified DNA lesions included residence time and life habits. On the other hand, the micronucleus test did not identify differences between the cities studied, but the regression analysis identified risk factors such as age and life habits (consumption of mate tea and low carbohydrates diet). We conclude that there are differences in the DNA damage of volunteers from different cities of the carboniferous region, but the presence of micronuclei in the oral mucosa does not differ between the same cities. Furthermore, we alert that some related factors may increase the risk of genotoxicity, such as residence location and time, and living and food habits. Finally, we suggest the need for continuous biomonitoring of the population, as well as for investing in health promotion in these vulnerable populations.

     

Occurrence and distribution of six selected endocrine disrupting compounds in surface- and groundwaters of the Romagna area (North Italy)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are a wide group of contaminants of emerging concern known to be harmful for organisms. The aim of the study was...     

Sediments as a sink for UV filters and benzotriazoles: the case study of Upper Iguaçu watershed,Curitiba (Brazil)

Ingredients in home and personal care products, including UV filters and benzotriazoles, are high production volume chemicals extensively used in our daily life, despite several studies revealed their potential eco-toxicity and endocrine-disrupting capacity. Due to some features, such as high lipophilicity, low degradability, and persistence of many of these compounds, sediments can be considered a sink for them in the aquatic environment. In the present study, nine organic UV filters and three benzotriazoles were investigated for the first time in sediments from four urban rivers in Brazil. The contaminants were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results revealed that octocrylene (OC), etylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone, BP3), and benzotriazole (BZT) were the predominant compounds adsorbed on the sediments, with concentrations ranging from 5.6 to 322.2 ng g⁻¹ dry weight. The results reported in this work constitute the first data on the accumulation of polar benzotriazoles and lipophilic organic UV filters in sediments from Brazil.