The in vitro effect of selected essential oils on the growth and mycotoxin production of Aspergillus species

The aim of the present study was to assess the antifungal and anti-toxinogenic activity of 15 essential oils (EOs) against three fungi of the genus Aspergillus (A. parasiticus KMi-227-LR, A. parasiticus KMi-220-LR and A. flavus KMi-202-LR). The minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs) of the tested essential oils and their antifungal activity were determined using the micro-atmosphere method. The original commercial essential oil samples of Jasminum officinale L., Thymus vulgaris L., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merrill &; Perry, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Ocimum basilicum L., Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Salvia officinalis L., Citrus limon (L.) Burm, Origanum vulgare L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Carum carvi L., Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck., Zingiber officinalis Rosc., Mentha piperita L. and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees. (C. verum J.S.Presl.) were produced in Slovakia (Calendula a.s., Nová ?ubovňa, Slovakia). All essential oils exhibited activity against all tested strains of fungi. After 14 days of incubation, A. flavus (KMi-202-LR) showed the highest susceptibility with a growth inhibition percentage (GIP) of 18.70% to C. limon and 5.92% to C. sinensis, while A. parasiticus (KMi-220-LR) exhibited a GIP of 20.56% to J. officinale. The minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs) of EOs with the most significant activity were recorded. The best antifungal activity, using the micro-atmosphere method was found in S. aromaticum with an MID of 62.5 μL L^?1 air, T. vulgaris (MID of 62.5 μL L^?1 air) and O. vulgare (MID of 31.5 μL L^?1 air) against all tested strains. Mycotoxin production of the tested strains was evaluated by the thin layer chromatography (TLC) method. Mycotoxin production of AFB₁ and AFG₁ was inhibited following all treatments with C. carvi, R. officinale and S. officinale, Eucalyptus globulus L. and O. basilicum L. Essential oils exhibited a potential inhibition activity against toxic fungi, although, these affected only the production of AFB₁.     

Water reclamation during drinking water treatments using polyamide nanofiltration membranes on a pilot scale

The aim of this study was to investigate the performances of polyamide nanofiltration membranes during water reclamation. The study was conducted using nanofiltration concentrates obtained from two different nanofiltration drinking water treatment plants placed in the northern part of Serbia (Kikinda and Zrenjanin). Used nanofiltration concentrates contained high concentrations of arsenic (45 and 451 μg/L) and natural organic matter (43.1 and 224.40 mgKMnO₄/L). Performances of polyamide nanofiltration membranes during water reclamation were investigated under various fluxes and transmembrane pressures in order to obtain drinking water from nanofiltration concentrates and, therefore, reduce the amount of produced concentrates and minimize the waste that has to be discharged in the environment. Applied polyamide nanofiltration membranes showed better removal efficiency during water reclamation when the concentrate with higher content of arsenic and natural organic matter was used while the obtained permeates were in accordance with European regulations. This study showed that total concentrate yield can be reduced to ~5 % of the optimum flux value, in both experiments. The obtained result for concentrate yield under the optimum flux presents considerable amount of reclaimed drinking water and valuable reduced quantity of produced wastewater.     

Source apportionment of PM2.5 for supporting control strategies in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area,Mexico

The Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA) in Northeast Mexico has shown high PM_2.5 concentrations since 2003. The data shows that the annual average concentration exceeds from 2 to 3 times the Mexican PM_2.5 annual air quality standard of 12 µg/m³. In a previous work we studied the chemical characterization of PM_2.5 in two sites of the MMA during the winter season. Among the most important components we found ammonium sulfate and nitrate, elemental and organic carbon, and crustal matter. In this work we present the results of a second chemical characterization study performed during the summer time and the application of the chemical mass balance (CMB) model to determine the source apportionment of air pollutants in the region. The chemical analysis results show that the chemical composition of PM_2.5 is similar in both sites and periods of the year. The results of the chemical analysis and the CMB model show that industrial, traffic, and combustion activities in the area are the major sources of primary PM_2.5 and precursor gases of secondary inorganic and organic aerosol (SO₂, NOx, NH₃, and volatile organic compounds [VOCs]). We also found that black carbon and organic carbon are important components of PM_2.5 in the MMA. These results are consistent with the MMA emission inventory that reports as major sources of particles and SO₂ a refinery and fuel combustion, as well as nitrogen oxides and ammonium from transportation and industrial activities in the MMA and ammonium form agricultural activities in the state. The results of this work are important to identify and support effective actions to reduce direct emissions of PM_2.5 and its precursor gases to improve air quality in the MMA. Implications: The Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA) has been classified as the most air-polluted area in Mexico by the World Health Organization (WHO). Effective actions need to be taken to control primary sources of PM_2.5 and its precursors, reducing health risks on the population exposed and their associated costs. The results of this study identify the main sources and their estimated contribution to PM_2.5 mass concentration, providing valuable information to the local environmental authorities to take decisions on PM_2.5 control strategies in the MMA.     

Climate change,multiple stressors and human vulnerability: a systematic review

We systematically reviewed current climate change literature in order to examine how multiple processes that affect human vulnerability have been studied. Of the 125 reviewed articles, 79 % were published after 2009. There are numerous concepts that point out to stressors other than climate change that were used in reviewed studies. These different concepts were used interchangeably, and they illustrate processes that act on different scales. Most widely used concepts included non-climatic (40 % of the articles), multiple stressors (38 %) and other factors (37 %). About 75 % of the studies either acknowledged or carefully analyzed the social and environmental context in which vulnerability is experienced. One-third of the studies recognized climate change-related stressors as the most important, one-third argued that stressors other than climate are more important, and the rest of the studies did not analyze the relative importance of the different processes. Interactions between different stressors were mentioned in 76 % and analyzed explicitly in 28 % of the articles. Our review shows that there are studies that analyze the social context of vulnerability within climate change-related literature and this literature is rapidly expanding. Reviewed studies point out that there are multiple interacting stressors, whose interlinkages need to be carefully analyzed and targeted by policies, which integrate adaptation to climate change and other stressors. In conclusion, we suggest that future studies should include analytical frameworks that reflect dissimilarities between different types of stressors, methodological triangulation to identify key stressors and analysis of interactions between multiple stressors across different scales.     

Utilizing international networks for accelerating research and learning in transformational sustainability science

A promising approach for addressing sustainability problems is to recognize the unique conditions of a particular place, such as problem features and solution capabilities, and adopt and adapt solutions developed at other places around the world. Therefore, research and teaching in international networks becomes critical, as it allows for accelerating learning by sharing problem understandings, successful solutions, and important contextual considerations. This article identifies eight distinct types of research and teaching collaborations in international networks that can support such accelerated learning. The four research types are, with increasing intensity of collaboration: (1) solution adoption; (2) solution consultation; (3) joint research on different problems; and (4) joint research on similar problems. The four teaching types are, with increasing intensity of collaboration: (1) adopted course; (2) course with visiting faculty; (3) joint course with traveling faculty; and (4) joint course with traveling students. The typology is illustrated by extending existing research and teaching projects on urban sustainability in the International Network of Programs in Sustainability, with partner universities from Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. The article concludes with challenges and strategies for extending individual projects into collaborations in international networks.     

微波消解-流动注射分光光度法测定总氮和总磷

以碱性过硫酸钾溶液为消解液,采用微波消解-流动注射分光光度法测定水中总氮和总磷。在碱性过硫酸钾溶液中氢氧化钠质量浓度为9.6g/L、微波功率为320W、消解管长度为16m的条件下,总氮和总磷的检出限分别为0.040m g/L和0.020mg/L,线性范围分别为0.040～3.500mg/L和0.020～2.500mg/L,相对标准偏差分别为1.6%和1.0%。微波消解-流动注射分光光度法应用于河水、湖水、化工废水等实际水样中总氮和总磷的测定,加标回收率分别为95.7%～98.1%和97.2%～102.2%。     

两种表面活性剂对剩余污泥产酸影响的比较研究

在批式反应器中研究了常温下2种(两性和阳离子)表面活性剂对剩余污泥产酸的影响,结果表明,2种表面活性剂均能较大幅度地提高剩余污泥生产有机酸的产量.在污泥发酵的第4天,0.1g·g-1(表面活性剂与污泥干重比,下同)的两性和阳离子表面活性剂可分别使剩余污泥生产有机酸的浓度达到226.4和861.4 mg·L-1(以COD计,下同),而空白试验中生成的有机酸浓度仅为3.2 mg·L-1.同时,剩余污泥的有机酸产量随表面活性剂加入量的增加而增加.当表面活性剂的加入量低于0.2 g·g-1时,用两性表面活性剂处理的剩余污泥中有机酸浓度仅为用阳离子表面活性剂处理的剩余污泥中有机酸浓度的50%;当表面活性剂的加入量增至0.3 g·g-1时,两者的有机酸最大产量接近.此外,表面活性剂的种类和加入量对有机酸的组成分布也有一定的影响.     

直链烷基苯磺酸盐促进剩余污泥产生短链脂肪酸的研究

采用批试试验的方法研究了十二烷基苯磺酸钠(C12-LAS)对剩余污泥在厌氧发酵过程中产生的短链脂肪酸(SCFAs)的影响.结果表明,C12-LAS的投加极大地提高了剩余污泥厌氧发酵过程中的SCFAs产量.当C12-LAS加入量低于0.1g·g-1时,SCFAs产量随着C12-LAS加入量的增加而增加,然而,当C12-LAS加入量高于0.1g·g-1时,SCFAs产量反而有所降低.从污泥产酸量以及经济成本考虑,C12-LAS的最佳投加量为0.02g·g-1,此时剩余污泥的SCFAs最大产量出现在第6天.进一步的研究表明,C12-LAS不仅促使大量的碳水化合物和蛋白质脱离污泥颗粒并溶解到液相中,而且抑制了产甲烷菌的活性.尽管剩余污泥经历着酸化过程,但由于其释放出大量的NH4 -N,污泥在整个厌氧发酵过程中的pH值逐渐升高.     

Ti/Cu交联累托石光催化氧化处理硝基苯废水研究

以钛酸丁酯为钛源,掺杂铜(CuCl2)制备交联剂.制得柱状Ti/Cu交联累托石,结合其吸附特性并通过其在光催化氧化条件下处理含硝基苯有机废水.在pH=9,交联累托石用量为30 g/L,一根20 W紫外灯光辐照2 h的处理条件下,硝基苯由73.81 mg/L降至3.17 mg/L,去除率达到95.71%,优于GB-8978-1996三级标准,用其处理含硝基苯工业废水,COD去除率为83.73%,由4800 mg/L降至530.4 mg/L,硝基苯去除率达92.3l%,由10.32 mg/L降至0.79 mg/L,小于GB-8978-1996-级标准.     

Analysis of emergency situations at municipal solid waste landfills

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This work focuses on the issue of emergency prevention in the operation of municipal solid waste landfills. In this work, an emergency is...