Retreat of Halophytes in the Czech Republic: Agricultural, Mining, and Urbanization Effects

As a result of expanding human pressures, the heterogeneity of aformerly diverse landscape has been reduced and the richness ofanimal and plant species has decreased. Some particular standtypes and their species are especially connected withimpoverishment caused by mans activities. Halophyte DentatedMelilot (Melilotus dentata, Fabaceae) is one of suchspecies, which is vanishing apparently as a result of intensiveagriculture, surface mining, and urbanization.The data on its distribution were compiled from herbariumspecimens, literature, and the authors own field observations.The distribution was mapped separately for four periods: up to1900, 1901–1945, 1946–1975, and after 1975.The trend in reduction of localities was documented. At the sametime, their environmental quality was changing as well.Basically, the salt marshes in their original areal extent andtheir former species richness have disappeared. Currentlocalities of M. dentata include poor fragments of the saltmarshes mentioned above and secondary stands, e.g. ruderal placesinside villages, strips along drainage ditches, paths, railwaylines, fields, etc.     

The influence of temperature and hydration on the sorption properties of bentonite

The effects of exposure to synthetic groundwater at elevated temperature gradients on the sorption properties of bentonite were investigated using the Mock-Up-Cz experiment. This experiment simulated the vertical placement of a container of radioactive waste according to the Swedish KBS-3 system for a period of more than 3 years. The mineralogical composition, as well as its chemical and physico-chemical properties, including the uptake of (99)TcO(4)(-) and (134)Cs(+), was used to evaluate the chemical changes caused by the long-term exposure of bentonite buffer to thermal and hydration gradients. It was found that the bentonite material was predominantly stable. No more than 2% of the montmorillonite was transformed due to thermal and moisture gradients. It was concluded that the new-formed mineral phases have no significant influence on the ion exchange and sorption properties of bulk bentonite samples.     

Effect of high influent sulfate on anaerobic wastewater treatment.

A laboratory-scale study was conducted using a completely mixed reactor with a constant influent-total-organic carbon (TOC) of 3750 mg/L to evaluate the effect of increasing influent-sulfate levels on anaerobic-treatment performance. The sulfate levels were increased stepwise from 333 to 666, 1000, 1333 and 1666 mg S/L. The results showed that an elevation of influent sulfate actually increased the TOC removal efficiency as long as the produced sulfide level did not induce toxicity. At 1333 mg S/L influent sulfate, the produced dissolved sulfide was 613 mg S/L (free sulfide = 228 mg S/L), which started to impose toxicity to the methane-producing bacteria (MPB). It was also found that the percent electron flow to the sulfate-reducing pathway increased with the increasing influent sulfate, but the direction toward the methanogenesis was correspondingly reduced. Nevertheless, under the experimental conditions tested, the majority of the influent organics was still degraded through the methanogenic pathway. Through this study, an oxidation-reduction-potential (ORP)-based oxygenation process was developed for online oxidation of sulfide in recirculating biogas. With controlled oxygen injection to raise the reactor's ORP by 25 mV, the residual sulfide in the reactor was almost totally eliminated. In case of over oxygenation, any excess oxygen was quickly consumed by the facultative organisms in the reactor, thereby imposing no toxicity to the MPB.     

Distribution pattern of ambient cadmium in wetland ponds distributed along an industrial complex

Water and sediment samples collected from 18 wetland ponds within and outside industrial areas were examined for cadmium concentration and water quality parameters during the period of January to July 1996. The Cd contents in gill, liver, mantle and shell of freshwater mussel (Lamellidens marginalis) as well as leaves and roots of water hyacinth Eichhornia those occurred in these ponds were also estimated. Cd concentration ranged from 0.006 to 0.7025 mg/l in water and from 7 to 77 microg/gdw in sediments of all the ponds investigated. The amount of Cd occurring in water and sediment was much higher in concentrations in the ponds located in Captain Bheri and Mudiali farm close to industrial areas, compared to remaining ponds located outside the industrial belt. Lamellidens marginalis procured from Mudiali and Captain Bheri ponds showed regardless of size, tissue and season of collection significantly higher Cd concentration than did those from other ponds. Likewise, tissue Cd in Eichhornia collected from Mudiali pond was as high as 125-152 microg/gdw in root and 21-63 microg/gdw in leaves compared to 40-108 microg/gdw in root and 9-43 microg/gdw in leaves in the remaining ponds. Seasonal variability of Cd was clear-cut; the concentration was relatively higher in water and sediment in all ponds during summer than during monsoon season or winter. Size-wise, smaller groups showed the highest concentrations of Cd in all tissues of Lamellidens compared with medium and large size groups. Concentration factor for all tissues of Lamellidens regardless of size and season, was inversely proportional with the ambient Cd concentrations. Concentration factor estimated for all tissues in all ponds and all seasons was in the order: liver>gill>shell>mantle. As all ponds located outside the industrial belt showed Cd concentrations ranging from 0.006 to 0.049 mg/l, it is suggested that these wetlands do not pose serious risk to the environment.     

The effect of consumption of pork enriched by organic selenium on selenium status and lipid profile in blood serum of consumers

Abstract

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of consumption of selenium-enriched pork on selected health indicators of probands. The intake of feed mixture with increased organic selenium at the dose of 0.3?mg.kg^?1 probably increases selenium concentration in MSM (musculus semimembranosus). In the pork enriched with organic selenium, the concentration was higher by 1.045?±?0.10?mg.kg^?1 compared with the control group 0.701?±?0.05?mg.kg^?1 at significance P?<?0.001. Sixteen participants in the experiment were represented by 8 men at the average age of 41.5?±?11.9?years and 8 women at the average age of 41.4?±?7.9?years. All the probands consumed meat enriched with selenium three times a week during one month. By consumption of the enriched pork, there was an increase of the selenium concentration in blood serum of probands traced with selenium increase from 73.19?±?15.68?μg.L^?1 to 73.73?±?15.13?μg.L^?1 (P?>?0.05). From the results we can see that consumption of enriched pork with selenium was significantly manifested in lowering of total cholesterol levels, which was associated with LDL cholesterol lowering (P?<?0.05). Differences among the HDL cholesterol and triglycerides samples were not significant.     

Trisomy 8 mosaicism in chorionic villus sampling: Case report and counselling issues

We report an unusual case involving chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and trisomy 8 mosaicism. CVS showed a normal direct preparation while the culture showed mosaicism for trisomy 8. Subsequent amniocentesis revealed only normal chromosomes. A peripheral blood culture after birth revealed low-level trisomy 8 mosaicism. The patient appeared phenotypically and developmentally normal at 30 months of age. We conclude that prenatal counselling for similar cases needs to include the rare but real possibility that chromosome mosaicism detected prenatally may be found postnatally with largely unknown consequences. Secondly, low-level chromosomal mosaicism may be more common than previously recognized. Thirdly, very low-level trisomy 8 mosaicism may be compatible with a normal phenotype but long-term follow-up is required. And lastly, the use of fetal blood sampling is questionable in these cases because the phenotype may not be accurately predicted. Further studies of such cases are needed to address these important and unanswered issues, including the potential implication of mosaicism on academic performance and cognitive functioning.     

Spectroscopic studies and biological evaluation of some transition metal complexes of a novel Schiff base ligands derived from 5-arylazo-salicyladehyde and o-amino phenol

Synthesis and characterization of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) Schiff bases complexes resulted from the condensation of salicylaldehyde derivatives with o-amino phenol were discussed using elemental analysis (carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen), molar conductance, magnetic measurements, mass spectra, and electronic spectra. The essential bands of infrared, ¹HNMR, and UV-Vis spectra as well as thermogravimetric analysis corresponding to the active groups within the three ligands and their complexes were interpreted. The dehydration and decomposition processes of the [Cu(H₂L₁)(H₂O)](OAc)₂, [Ni(H₂L₁)(H₂O)]SO₄ · H₂O, [Zn(H₂L₁)(H₂O)]SO₄ · H₂O, [Cu(H₂L₂)(H₂O)](OAc)₂, [Ni(H₂L₂)(H₂O)]SO₄ · H₂O, [Zn(H₂L₂)(H₂O)]SO₄ · 2H₂O, [Cu(H₂L₃)(H₂O)](OAc)₂ · H₂O, [Ni(H₂L₃)(H₂O)]SO₄ · 2H₂O, [Zn(H₂L₃)(H₂O)]SO₄ complexes were studied thermodynamically using the integral method applying the Coats–Redfern and Horowitz–Metzger equations and the thermodynamic parameters were calculated. It was found from the elemental analysis and the thermal studies, that the ligand behaves as tridentate ligand forming chelates with 1 : 1 (metal : ligand) stoichiometrically. The molar conductance measurements of the complexes in dimethyl sulfoxide solvent indicate that the complexes have an electrolytic nature. The biological activities of the three ligands in comparison with metal(II) complexes were studied against different Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.     

Shoreline changes in response to sea level rise along Digha Coast,Eastern India: an analytical approach of remote sensing,GIS and statistical techniques

Shoreline is one of the rapidly changing linear features of the coastal zone which is dynamic in nature. The issue of shoreline changes due to sea level rise over the next century has increasingly become a major social, economic and environmental concern to a large number of countries along the coast, where it poses a serious problem to the environment and human settlements. As a consequence, some coastal scientists have advocated analyzing and predicting coastal changes on a more local scale. The present study demonstrates the potential of remote sensing, geospatial and statistical techniques for monitoring the shoreline changes and sea level rise along Digha coast, the eastern India. In the present study, multi-resolution and multi temporal satellite images of Landsat have been utilized to demarcate shoreline positions during 1972, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010. The statistical techniques, linear regression, end-point rate and regression coefficient (R²) have been used to find out the shoreline change rates and sea level change during the periods of 1972–2010. Monthly and annual mean sea level data for three nearby station viz., Haldia, Paradip and Gangra from 1972 to 2006 have been used to this study. Finally, an attempt has been made to find out interactive relationship between the sea level rise and shoreline change of the study area. The results of the present study show that combined use of satellite imagery, sea level data and statistical methods can be a reliable method in correlating shoreline changes with sea level rise.     

The assessment of the soil–plant-animal transport of the risk elements at the locations affected by brown coal mining

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The North Bohemian Brown Coal Basin (Czech Republic) is suggested as a source of significant pollution in the surrounding environment with various...