Reusing ethyl acetate and aqueous exhausted fractions of dry olive mill residue by saprobe fungi

Some saprobe fungi (Phlebia radiata, Trametes versicolor, Coriolopsis rigida, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Fomes sclerodermus or Pleurotus pulmonarius) were able to bioconvert the ethyl acetate fraction (DEAF) and the corresponding aqueous exhausted fraction (EAF) of dry olive mill residue (DOR), reducing their phytotoxicity on Lepidium sativum seeds. Large amount of hydroxytyrosol together with other eight monomeric phenols were found in the native DEAF fraction, which represents a good source of antioxidants. P. radiata, T. versicolor and F. sclerodermus caused an effective phytotoxicity reduction of EAF in the concentration range of 25-3 gl(-1). In particular, in the range between 12.5 and 3 gl(-1), the EAF samples inoculated with P. radiata and F. sclerodermus surprisingly stimulated the germinability of L. sativum, suggesting their use as a potential biofertilizer. This is the first report which showed the bioconversion of the above fractions in shorter time with respect to the previous findings concerning DOR. The possible implications of laccase in the decrease of DEAF and EAF phytotoxicity was also discussed.     

Use of sulfadimethoxine in intensive calf farming: evaluation of transfer to stable manure and soil

After prophylactic treatment of 50 calves with 62mgkg(-1)day(-1) of sulfadimethoxine (SDM) for five days, the levels of the drug over time were followed in feces, bedding and stable manure, and then in the soil of a manured field and surrounding drainage courses. Analysis were done by HPLC after applying to the different matrices a quick and simple extraction procedure. The half-life of the drug in bedding was very short (24h). In stable manure the degradation rate of the drug slowed down and the calculated half-life was 64 days, with 390microgkg(-1) of SDM still detectable after three months maturation. However, in a five months matured stable manure obtained from other groups of calves subjected to the same prophylactic treatment, levels of SDM were <50muicrokg(-1) (LOD of the analytical method). After field fertilization with this manure, no traces of SDM were found in soil (LOD 10microgkg(-1)) or in the water (LOD 2microgl(-1)) from the surrounding drainage courses. Using the internationally recognised DAPHTOXKIT-Ftrade mark, a SDM toxicity test toward Daphnia magna was performed in the range 10-100mgl(-1). The test gave negative results both after 24 and 48h, confirming that microcrustaceans are less sensitive than other models to the toxicity of antibacterials. However, based on data from other authors, concerning algal toxicity and microbial inhibition, and on the analytical results from the current field study, the calculated worst-case EC50/PEC ratio for SDM both in freshwater and in soil was still >1000.     

Non-destructive pollution exposure assessment in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus): IV. Hair versus soil analysis in exposure and risk assessment of organochlorine compounds

Few ecotoxicological studies on mammals use non-destructive methodologies, despite the growing ethical concern over the use of destructive sampling methods. In the present study we assessed exposure of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), by investigating concentrations of these compounds in soils and hedgehog hair from seven study sites around the urban area of Antwerp, Belgium. No relationships were observed between organochlorine compound concentrations in soils and hair from the different study areas. Furthermore, the individual variation of contamination levels in hair within study sites was high, especially for HCHs and HCB, and hair and soil had different relative profiles for PCBs, DDTs and HCHs. Our results show that concentrations of organochlorine compounds in soils alone are not predictive of the risk of these pollutants to hedgehogs and that tissue analyses are preferred to soil analyses in exposure and risk assessment studies.     

Distribution and ecotoxicity of chlorotriazines in the Scheldt Estuary (B-Nl)

As part of the Endis-Risks project, the current study describes the occurrence of the chlorotriazine pesticides atrazine, simazine and terbutylazine in water, sediment and suspended matter in the Scheldt estuary (B-Nl) from 2002 to 2005 (3 samplings a year, 8 sampling points). Atrazine was found at the highest concentrations, varying from 10 to 736 ng/l in water and from 5 up to 10 ng/g in suspended matter. Simazine and terbutylazine were detected at lower concentrations. Traces of the targeted pesticides were also detected in sediments, but these were below the limit of quantification. As part of an ecotoxicological assessment, we studied the potential effect of atrazine on molting of Neomysis integer (Crustacea:Mysidacea), a resident invertebrate of the Scheldt Estuary and a proposed test organism for the evaluation of endocrine disruption. Following chronic exposure ( approximately 3 weeks), atrazine did not significantly affect mysid molting at environmentally relevant concentrations (up to 1 microg/l).     

Biomonitoring of airborne mercury with perennial ryegrass cultures

A biomonitoring network with grass cultures was established near a chlor-alkali plant and the mercury concentration in the cultures were compared with the average atmospheric total gaseous mercury (TGM). Biomonitoring techniques based on different exposure periods were carried out. When comparing the mercury concentration in the grass cultures, both the average atmospheric TGM concentration during exposure and the exposure time determined to a large extent the accumulation rate of TGM. The maximum tolerable level of mercury in grass (approximately equal to 110 microg kg(-1) DM) corresponds with an average TGM concentration of 11 ng m(-3) for 28 days exposure. The background concentrations in grass were on an average 15 microg kg(-1) DM and the effect detection limit (EDL) was 30 microg kg(-1) DM. This value corresponds with an average TGM concentration of 3.2 and 4.2 ng m(-3) for 28 and 14 days exposure, respectively, which is in turn the biological detection limit (BDL) of ambient TGM. Exposures for 7 days were less appropriate for biomonitoring.     

Development and validation of a terrestrial biotic ligand model predicting the effect of cobalt on root growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

A Biotic Ligand Model was developed predicting the effect of cobalt on root growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare) in nutrient solutions. The extent to which Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+) ions and pH independently affect cobalt toxicity to barley was studied. With increasing activities of Mg(2+), and to a lesser extent also K(+), the 4-d EC50(Co2+) increased linearly, while Ca(2+), Na(+) and H(+) activities did not affect Co(2+) toxicity. Stability constants for the binding of Co(2+), Mg(2+) and K(+) to the biotic ligand were obtained: logK(CoBL)=5.14, logK(MgBL)=3.86 and logK(KBL)=2.50. Limited validation of the model with one standard artificial soil and one standard field soil showed that the 4-d EC50(Co2+) could only be predicted within a factor of four from the observed values, indicating further refinement of the BLM is needed.     

Element fluxes through European forest ecosystems and their relationships with stand and site characteristics

This paper describes a European wide assessment of element budgets, using available data on deposition, meteorology and soil solution chemistry at 121 Intensive Monitoring plots. Input fluxes from the atmosphere were derived from fortnightly or monthly measurements of bulk deposition and throughfall, corrected for canopy uptake. Element outputs from the forest ecosystem were derived by multiplying fortnightly or monthly measurements of the soil solution composition at the bottom of the root zone with simulated unsaturated soil water fluxes. Despite the uncertainties in the calculated budgets, the results indicate that: (i) SO4 is still the dominant source of actual soil acidification despite the generally lower input of S than N, due to the different behaviour of S (near tracer) and N (strong retention); (ii) base cation removal due to man-induced soil acidification is limited; and (iii) Al release is high in areas with high S inputs and low base status.     

Proposal for standardized prenatal ultrasound assessment of the fetus with congenital diaphragmatic hernia by the European reference network on rare inherited and congenital anomalies (ERNICA)

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a rare disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Antenatal ultrasound screening identifies more than 70% of cases, providing the opportunity for in utero referral to a tertiary care center for expert assessment and perinatal management. Additional genetic and morphologic assessment may be used to rule out associated anomalies. In isolated cases, the outcome may be predicted prenatally by medical imaging. The combination of lung size and liver herniation is a widely accepted method to stratify fetuses into groups with an increasing degree of pulmonary hypoplasia and corresponding mortality rates. Ultrasound measurement of the observed to expected lung-to-head ratio (o/e LHR) is most widely used. The o/e LHR is an independent predictor of survival and short-term morbidity. Finally, evaluation of stomach position has recently been introduced as an indirect method to estimate severity of the disease in left-sided defects, as it has been shown to correlate with the proportion of intrathoracic liver. Herein, we propose a protocol for the standardized ultrasound assessment of fetuses with isolated CDH and individualized prediction of neonatal outcome.