Modeling and data assessment of longitudinal salinity in a low-gradient estuarine river

Continuous data of vertical-profile salinity were analyzed for four stations located successively upriver in a macrotidal estuary, the lower St. Johns River (Northeast Florida, USA). The data analysis confirmed well-mixed salinity conditions in the river with at most 1.3 ppt of vertical variability at Dames Point (river km 20), where the main variations of salinity are along the longitudinal axis of the river. Given the well-mixed salinity conditions and dominant horizontal structure of salinity variations in the river, we present and apply a barotropic, two-dimensional modeling approach for hydrodynamic-salinity transport simulation in the lower St. Johns River. When properly forced by offshore surge, high-resolution wind fields and freshwater river inflows, the model replicated the salinity measurements remarkably well, including the separation into tidal and sub-tidal components. The data and model results show that, at times, offshore winds and surge can be more influential on longitudinal salinity variations than local winds over the river. We demonstrate the importance of using proper boundary conditions to force the model relative to the minimal sensitivity of the model to parameter adjustment of horizontal mixing and uncertainty-based perturbation of wind and inflow forcings.     

Ecosystem responses to climate change at a Low Arctic and a High Arctic long-term research site

Long-term measurements of ecological effects of warming are often not statistically significant because of annual variability or signal noise. These are reduced in indicators that filter or reduce the noise around the signal and allow effects of climate warming to emerge. In this way, certain indicators act as medium pass filters integrating the signal over years-to-decades. In the Alaskan Arctic, the 25-year record of warming of air temperature revealed no significant trend, yet environmental and ecological changes prove that warming is affecting the ecosystem. The useful indicators are deep permafrost temperatures, vegetation and shrub biomass, satellite measures of canopy reflectance (NDVI), and chemical measures of soil weathering. In contrast, the 18-year record in the Greenland Arctic revealed an extremely high summer air-warming of 1.3 °C/decade; the cover of some plant species increased while the cover of others decreased. Useful indicators of change are NDVI and the active layer thickness.     

Analysis of short-term ozone and PM2.5 measurements: Characteristics and relationships for air sensor messaging

Air quality sensors are becoming increasingly available to the general public, providing individuals and communities with information on fine-scale, local air quality in increments as short as 1 min. Current health studies do not support linking 1-min exposures to adverse health effects; therefore, the potential health implications of such ambient exposures are unclear. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and Air Quality Index (AQI) on the best science available, which typically uses longer averaging periods (e.g., 8 hr; 24 hr). Another consideration for interpreting sensor data is the variable relationship between pollutant concentrations measured by sensors, which are short-term (1 min to 1 hr), and the longer term averages used in the NAAQS and AQI. In addition, sensors often do not meet federal performance or quality assurance requirements, which introduces uncertainty in the accuracy and interpretation of these readings. This article describes a statistical analysis of data from regulatory monitors and new real-time technology from Village Green benches to inform the interpretation and communication of short-term air sensor data. We investigate the characteristics of this novel data set and the temporal relationships of short-term concentrations to 8-hr average (ozone) and 24-hr average (PM_2.5) concentrations to examine how sensor readings may relate to the NAAQS and AQI categories, and ultimately to inform breakpoints for sensor messages. We consider the empirical distributions of the maximum 8-hr averages (ozone) and 24-hr averages (PM_2.5) given the corresponding short-term concentrations, and provide a probabilistic assessment. The result is a robust, empirical comparison that includes events of interest for air quality exceedances and public health communication. Concentration breakpoints are developed for short-term sensor readings such that, to the extent possible, the related air quality messages that are conveyed to the public are consistent with messages related to the NAAQS and AQI.

Implications: Real-time sensors have the potential to provide important information about fine-scale current air quality and local air quality events. The statistical analysis of short-term regulatory and sensor data, coupled with policy considerations and known health effects experienced over longer averaging times, supports interpretation of such short-term data and efforts to communicate local air quality.     

Biological nitrogen and carbon removal in a gravity flow biomass concentrator reactor for municipal sewage treatment

A novel membrane system, the Biomass Concentrator Reactor (BCR), was evaluated as an alternative technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Because the BCR is equipped with a membrane whose average poresize is 20 μm (18–28 μm), the reactor requires low-pressure differential to operate (gravity). The effectiveness of this system was evaluated for the removal of carbon and nitrogen using two identical BCRs, identified as conventional and hybrid, that were operated in parallel. The conventional reactor was operated under full aerobic conditions (i.e., organic carbon and ammonia oxidation), while the hybrid reactor incorporated an anoxic zone for nitrate reduction as well as an aerobic zone for organic carbon and ammonia oxidation. Both reactors were fed synthetic wastewater at a flow rate of 71 L d^?1, which resulted in a hydraulic retention time of 9 h. In the case of the hybrid reactor, the recycle flow from the aerobic zone to the anoxic zone was twice the feed flow rate. Reactor performance was evaluated under two solids retention times (6 and 15 d). Under these conditions, the BCRs achieved nearly 100% mixed liquor solids separation with a hydraulic head differential of less than 2.5 cm. The COD removal efficiency was over 90%. Essentially complete nitrification was achieved in both systems, and nitrogen removal in the hybrid reactor was close to the expected value (67%).     

Hydrolysis and photolysis of oxytetracycline in aqueous solution

Oxytetracycline ((2Z,4S,4aR,5S,5aR,6S,12aS)-2-(amino-hydroxy-methylidene)-4-dimethylamino-5,6,10,11,12a-pentahydroxy-6-methyl-4,4a,5,5a-tetrahydrotetracene-1,3,12-trione) is a member of tetracycline antibiotics family and is widely administered to farm animals for the purpose of therapeutical treatment and health protection. Increasing attention has been paid to the environmental fate of oxytetracycline and other veterinary antibiotics with the occurrence of these antibiotics in the environment. The hydrolysis and photolysis degradation of oxytetracycline was investigated in this study. Oxytetracycline hydrolysis was found to obey the first-order model and similar rate constant values ranging from 0.094 ± 0.001 to 0.106 ± 0.003 day^{? 1} were obtained at different initial concentration ranging from 10 to 230 μ M. Solution pH and temperature were shown to have remarked effects on oxytetracycline hydrolysis. The hydrolysis in pH neutral solution appeared to be much faster than in both acidic and alkaline solutions. Oxytetracycline half-life decreased from 1.2 × 10² to 0.15 day with the increasing temperature from 4 ± 0.8 to 60 ± 1°C. The presence of Ca^{2 +} made oxytetracycline hydrolytic degradation kinetics deviate from the simple first-order model to the availability-adjusted first-order model and greatly slowed down the hydrolysis. Oxytetracycline photolysis was found to be very fast with a degradation rate constant at 3.61 ± 0.06 day^{? 1}, which is comparable to that of hydrolysis at 60°C. The presence of Ca^{2 +} accelerated oxytetracycline photolysis, implying that oxytetracycline become more vulnerable to sunlight irradiation after chelating with Ca^{2 +}. The photolysis may be the dominant degradation pathway of oxytetracycline in shallow transparent water environment.     

Treatment of odor by a seashell biofilter at a wastewater treatment plant

Biofilters are becoming an increasingly popular treatment device for odors and other volatiles found at wastewater treatment plants. A seashell media based biofilter was installed in April 2011 at Lake Wildwood Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Penn Valley, California. It was sampled seasonally to examine its ability to treat odorous compounds found in the air above the anaerobic equalization basin at the front end of the plant and to examine the properties of the biofilter and its recirculating water system. The odor profile method sensory panels found mainly sulfide odors (rotten eggs and rotten vegetable) and some fecal odors. This proved to be a useful guidance tool for selecting the required types of chemical sampling. The predominant odorous compounds found were hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide. These compounds were effectively removed by the biofilter at greater than 99% removal efficiency therein reducing the chemical concentrations to below their odor thresholds. Aldehydes found in the biofilter were below odor thresholds but served as indicators of biological activity. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with sensory detection showed the presence of dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide as well, but barely above their respective odor thresholds. The neutrality of the pH of the recirculating water was variable depending on conditions in the biofilter, but a local neutral pH was found in the shells themselves. Other measurements of the recirculating water indicated that the majority of the bio-activity takes place in the first stage of the biofilter. All measurements performed suggest that this seashell biofilter is successful at removing odors found at Lake Wildwood. This study is an initial examination into the mechanism of the removal of odorous compounds in a seashell biofilter.

Implications:?This paper presents a thorough examination of a seashell media biofilter, a sustainable treatment technology used to remove reduced sulfide compounds. The durable performance of the seashell biofilter ensures that odors will be adequately controlled, preventing odor nuisance to surrounding residences, which is an emerging problem faced by waste management facilities. The odor profile method technique used in this study can be applied in many situations by waste management facilities and regulatory air management organizations for source tracking in relation to prevention and management of odor complaints, respectively.     

Investigation of the Ultraviolet Photolysis Method for the Determination of Organic Nitrogen in Aerosol Samples

Abstract

The research objective was to adapt the ultraviolet (UV)photolysis method to determine dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in aqueous extracts of aerosol samples. DON was assumed to be the difference in total concentration of inorganic nitrogen forms before and after sample irradiation. Using a 2² factorial design the authors found that the optimal conversion of urea, amino acids (alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, and serine), and methylamine for a reactor temperature of 44 °C occurred at pH 2.0 with a 24-hr irradiance period at concentrations < µM of organic nitrogen. Different decomposition mechanisms were evident: the photolysis of amino acids and methylamine released mainly ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), but urea released a near equimolar ratio of NH₄ ⁺ and nitrate (NO₃ ^?). The method was applied to measure DON in the extracts of aerosol samples from Tampa, FL, over a 32-day sampling period. Average dissolved inorganic (DIN) and DON concentrations in the particulate matter fraction PM₁₀ were 78.1 ± 29.2 nmol-Nm^?3and 8.3 ± 4.9 nmol-Nm^?3, respectively. The ratio between DON and total dissolved nitrogen ([TDN] = DIN + DON) was 10.1 ± 5.7%, and the majority of the DON (79.1 ± 18.2%) was found in the fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) fraction. The average concentrations of DIN and DON in the PM_2.5 fraction were 54.4 ± 25.6 nmol-Nm^?3 and 6.5 ± 4.4 nmol-Nm^?3, respectively.     

Responses of Hyalella azteca and phytoplankton to a simulated agricultural runoff event in a managed backwater wetland

We assessed the aqueous toxicity mitigation capacity of a hydrologically managed floodplain wetland following a synthetic runoff event amended with a mixture of sediments, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and pesticides (atrazine, S-metolachlor, and permethrin) using 48-h Hyalella azteca survival and phytoplankton pigment, chlorophyll a. The runoff event simulated a 1 h, 1.27 cm rainfall event from a 16 ha agricultural field. Water (1 L) was collected every 30 min within the first 4 h, every 4 h until 48 h, and on days 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-amendment at distances of 0, 10, 40, 300 and 500 m from the amendment point for chlorophyll a, suspended sediment, nutrient, and pesticide analyses. H. azteca 48-h laboratory survival was assessed in water collected at each site at 0, 4, 24, 48 h, 5 d and 7 d. Greatest sediment, nutrient, and pesticide concentrations occurred within 3 h of amendment at 0 m, 10 m, 40 m, and 300 m downstream. Sediments and nutrients showed little variation at 500 m whereas pesticides peaked within 48 h but at <15% of upstream peak concentrations. After 28 d, all mixture components were near or below pre-amendment concentrations. H. azteca survival significantly decreased within 48 h of amendment up to 300 m in association with permethrin concentrations. Chlorophyll a decreased within the first 24 h of amendment up to 40 m primarily in conjunction with herbicide concentrations. Variations in chlorophyll a at 300 and 500 m were associated with nutrients. Managed floodplain wetlands can rapidly and effectively trap and process agricultural runoff during moderate rainfall events, mitigating impacts to aquatic invertebrates and algae in receiving aquatic systems.     

Cost‐Effective Sediment Dredge Disposal Options for Small Craft Harbors in Canada

Sediment dredge disposal options were reviewed to improve cost‐effectiveness and environmental safety for dredging of coastal sediments at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Small Craft Harbours (DFO‐SCH) program in Canada. Historically, contaminated dredge sediments exceeding federal guidelines were disposed of in nearby landfills. Recent federal regulatory changes in sediment quality guidelines adopted by provincial regulators in Canada has resulted in updates to guidelines for disposal of contaminated solids in landfills. Updates now require specific and general disposal options for contaminated dredge material destined for land‐based disposal, resulting in more expensive disposal in containment cells (if contaminated sediments exceed federal guidelines). However, as part of this study, a leachate testing method was applied to contaminated sediments to simulate migration of potential contaminants in groundwater. Using this approach, leachate quality was compared to federal freshwater criteria and drinking water quality guidelines for compliance with new regulations. Leachate testing performed on the highest sediment contaminant concentrations triggered less than 2 percent potable water exceedances, meaning that most dredge spoils could be disposed of in privately owned or provincially operated landfill sites, providing less expensive disposal options compared to containment cell disposal. Current dredge disposal practices were reviewed at 35 harbor sites across Nova Scotia and their limitations identified in a gap analysis. Improved site management was developed following this review and consultation with interested marine stakeholders. New disposal options and chemical analyses were proposed, along with improvements to cost efficiencies for management of dredged marine sediments in Atlantic Canada. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The effect of certain intrinsic and extrinsic variables on the acute toxicity of selected organophosphorus insecticides to the mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus

Abstract

The acute toxicity of two organophosphorus (OP) insecticides, azinphosmethyl and acephate, was evaluated in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus. In addition, the effects of certain intrinsic (sex) and extrinsic (salinity and multiple toxicant interraction) variables on the toxic response were also investigated. Azinphosmethyl was by far the most toxic of the two OP insecticides with a 96h LC50 ～ 100,000 x lower than that for acephate. Slight sex differences were observed in the sensitivity of mummichogs to each of the OP insecticides with male fish being marginally more sensitive. Significant effects of low salinity stress were observed only with acephate exposure and, in this case, low salinity appeared to be slightly protective. In general, all of the insecticide mixtures (azinphosmethyl/endosulfan, azinphosmethyl/fenvalerate and acephate/fenvalerate) tested exhibited simple additive toxicity.