Application of diatom biotic indices in the Guadalquivir River Basin, a Mediterranean basin. Which one is the most appropriated?

The diatom community was studied in 110 sites within the Guadalquivir River catchment area, South Spain, in order to test the applicability of diatom biotic indices developed in other European regions to this site and to provide a useful tool for monitoring water quality in the river basin. We identified 399 taxa and calculated five diatomic indices (Specific Polluosensitivity Index (IPS), Biological Diatom Index, Trophic Diatom Index, Index of the European Economic Community, and Diatom-based Eutrophication Pollution Index (EPI-D)). Since the indices analyzed were highly correlated, their results could be compared. The indices that gave the best results were the EPI-D followed by the IPS, the latter being the most widely used index in Iberian catchments. Nevertheless, the EPI-D presented certain advantages: (1) this index correlated the best with the water chemistry in the catchment area; (2) EPI-D is not sensitive to the presence of taxa belonging to the Achnanthidium minutissimum complex frequently present in the Guadalquivir basin. Nevertheless, EPI-D retains its effectiveness and thus constitutes an easier index for application from a taxonomical standpoint. We estimated the general water quality of the entire basin on the basis of EPI-D. According to these results, 55% of the sites had either high or good water quality. The species that better characterized each water quality category in the study area were: A. minutissimum (high and good), Amphora pediculus (moderate), Nitzschia frustulum (poor), and Nitzschia capitellata (bad).     

Analysing the incorporation of sustainability themes into the university curricula: a case study of a Spanish public university

From an international view, several papers have analysed how sustainability themes are integrated into the university curricula. In Spain, few studies to date have examined the extent to which universities are incorporating sustainability themes into their curricula. In view of such considerations, this article examines the extent to which sustainability themes are being incorporated into the curricula of a Spanish public university strongly committed to signing sustainability policies and declarations. In addition, this study analyses the main barriers to the incorporation of sustainability themes into the curricula of this university. To accomplish this task, this article uses different methodological instruments over three phases through a case study approach. The findings of this study suggest how the university examined has many difficulties in incorporating, holistically or separately, sustainability themes in its formal courses despite having so many policies, regulations and a commitment to sustainability.     

Anaerobic biodegradability and methanogenic toxicity of key constituents in copper chemical mechanical planarization effluents of the semiconductor industry

Copper chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) effluents can account for 30-40% of the water discharge in semiconductor manufacturing. CMP effluents contain high concentrations of soluble copper and a complex mixture of organic constituents. The aim of this study is to perform a preliminary assessment of the treatability of CMP effluents in anaerobic sulfidogenic bioreactors inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge by testing individual compounds expected in the CMP effluents. Of all the compounds tested (copper (II), benzotriazoles, polyethylene glycol (M(n) 300), polyethylene glycol (M(n) 860) monooleate, perfluoro-1-octane sulfonate, citric acid, oxalic acid and isopropanol) only copper was found to be inhibitory to methanogenic activity at the concentrations tested. Most of the organic compounds tested were biodegradable with the exception of perfluoro-1-octane sulfonate and benzotriazoles under sulfate reducing conditions and with the exception of the same compounds as well as Triton X-100 under methanogenic conditions. The susceptibility of key components in CMP effluents to anaerobic biodegradation combined with their low microbial inhibition suggest that CMP effluents should be amenable to biological treatment in sulfate reducing bioreactors.     

Associations between metals and the blue mesogleal protein of Cassiopea xamachana

The blue mesogleal pigment of the symbiotic jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana Bigelow, 1882, is composed of two subunits, a larger glycosylated (35 kDa) moiety and a non-glycosylated (30 kDa) variant in lower concentration. In solution, the subunits assemble in large complexes of at least 10⁶ kDa. The pigment, known as Cassio Blue, appears to mitigate excessive solar radiation while allowing the passage of the wavelengths optimal for photosynthesis by the numerous algal symbionts in the mesoglea of the jellyfish. The pigment is an abundant protein comprising about 6% of all animal protein in the whole jellyfish and about 33% of all animal protein in the oral appendages. The protein also contains a diverse array of metals, notably Ag, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Zn, with traces of others. Metal stoichiometry varies among isolates averaging about 1 mol of all metals, taken together, for each mole of the pigment. Given the broad array of metals present, the pigment may also serve another purpose, for example, as a metal reservoir or trap. Few other proteins are associated with such a spectrum of metals. In addition, the amino acid sequences of the pigment tryptic peptides have no reasonable matches in any of the sequence databases. Our findings, taken as a whole, suggest that the Cassio pigment is indeed unusual and is likely a representative of a novel category of proteins, the original member of which is rpulFKz1, a chromoprotein endowed with Frizzled and Kringle domains.     

Degradation of reactive dyes I. A comparative study of ozonation, enzymatic and photochemical processes

The environmental problems associated with textile activities are represented mainly by the extensive use of organic dyes. A great number of these compounds are recalcitrant and shown carcinogenic or mutagenic character. In this work three processes were studied for degradation of an anthraquinone dye (C.I. reactive blue-19). The ozonation process leads to complete decolorization with a very short reaction time; however, effective mineralization of the dye was not observed. The enzymatic process promotes quick decolorization of the dye; nevertheless, maximum decolorization degrees of about 30% are insignificant in relation to the decolorization degree achieved by the other processes. The best results were found for the photocatalytical process. The use of ZnO or TiO2 as photocatalysts, permits total decolorization and mineralization of the dye with reaction times of about 60 min.     

Physico-chemical characterization of grease interceptors with and without biological product addition

Hardened and insoluble fat, oil, and grease (FOG) deposits are the primary cause of sewer line blockages leading to sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). However, there have been very few long-term assessments of the physico-chemical characteristics of full-scale grease interceptors (GIs), the first "line of defense" against FOG buildup in sewer lines. In this study, we assessed the physico-chemical characteristics of two full-scale GIs (at a restaurant and a retirement community kitchen) over a one-year period. Statistically significant differences between bioaugmented and untreated cycles were detected for several chemical and physical properties. The treated cycles had lower BOD and COD at the grease interceptor outlet. While the combined data for all treated cycles did not show lower FOG concentrations in the GI outlet compared to the combined data for all untreated cycles, comparison of specific individual treated and untreated cycles show a positive effect due to the addition of product.     

Inorganic nanoparticles enhance the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the autoxidation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa)

Public concerns over the toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) are growing due to the rapid development of nanotechnology. An important mechanism of nanotoxicity is oxidative stress resulting from reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, the chemical production of ROS by inorganic NPs oxidizing the mammalian phenolic compound, l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) was evaluated using a ROS sensitive dye, 2′,7′-diclorodihydrofluorescin (DCFH). CeO₂, Fe₂O₃ and Fe⁰ NPs enhanced ROS production during the autoxidation of l-dopa by more than four-fold in reactions that were dependent on O₂. This is the first report of chemical ROS production due to interaction of phenolic compounds with NPs. Mn₂O₃ oxidized DCFH in a reaction that did not require O₂ or l-dopa, suggesting a direct redox reaction between the Mn₂O₃ and the dye. CeO₂, Mn₂O₃ and to a lesser extent Fe⁰ formed clear electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signature for hydroxyl radicals when incubated in aerobic aqueous suspensions with spin traps. The results indicate that NPs can generate ROS via chemical reactions with medium components and biomolecules susceptible to oxidation, such as l-dopa. NPs were reactive whereas micron-sized particles were not. The combined assay with l-dopa and DCFH is a method proposed to screen for chemical ROS production by NPs.     

Creating sustainable communities: skills and learning in Ontario’s small urban municipalities

This article presents the pilot study results of a province-wide survey of skills and learning in sustainable community development in Ontario, Canada. The pilot project focuses on the testing of an online survey to examine skills building for creating sustainable communities in Ontario’s small urban municipalities. The survey examined the generic, technical and specialist skills, whether they are skills already acquired and/or required by professionals and practitioners for creating sustainable communities. The survey targeted 74 small urban municipalities and 300 respondents by profession. Building sustainable communities require ‘upskilling’ of the workforce as it poses a challenge to those hoping to make a real progress and development at the local level.     

Eco-efficiency in contaminated land management in Finland – Barriers and development needs

In Finland the number of potentially contaminated sites totals ca. 20?000. The annual costs of remediation are 60–70 million euros. Excavation combined with disposal or off-site treatment is the most common soil remediation method. To define which factors make contaminated land management (CLM) eco-efficient and to study whether eco-efficiency has been considered in CLM decisions we carried out a literature survey, two stakeholder seminars, thematic interviews and a questionnaire study on economic instruments. Generally speaking, eco-efficiency means gaining environmental benefits with fewer resources. To assess its realization in CLM, it is necessary to have a more specific definition. In our study, we arrived at a list of several qualifications for eco-efficiency. It was also shown that eco-efficiency has hardly been a real issue in the selection of remediation techniques or generally, in the decision-making concerning contaminated sites. The existing policy instruments seem to be insufficient to promote eco-efficiency in CLM. Several concrete barriers to eco-efficiency also came up, urgency and lack of money being the most important. The scarcity of the use of in situ remediation methods and the difficulties involved in recycling slightly contaminated or treated soil were considered to be major problems. Insufficient site studies, inadequate or unsuitable methods for risk assessment and cost evaluation, and deficient and mistimed risk communication can also hinder the realization of eco-efficiency. Hence, there is a need to promote the use of more eco-efficient remediation techniques and to develop CLM policy instruments, guidelines, and participatory processes and methods to assess the eco-efficiency of CLM options.     

Microbial degradation of chlorinated dioxins

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) were introduced into the biosphere on a large scale as by-products from the manufacture of chlorinated phenols and the incineration of wastes. Due to their high toxicity they have been the subject of great public and scientific scrutiny. The evidence in the literature suggests that PCDD/F compounds are subject to biodegradation in the environment as part of the natural chlorine cycle. Lower chlorinated dioxins can be degraded by aerobic bacteria from the genera of Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas and Burkholderia. Most studies have evaluated the cometabolism of monochlorinated dioxins with unsubstituted dioxin as the primary substrate. The degradation is usually initiated by unique angular dioxygenases that attack the ring adjacent to the ether oxygen. Chlorinated dioxins can also be attacked cometabolically under aerobic conditions by white-rot fungi that utilize extracellular lignin degrading peroxidases. Recently, bacteria that can grow on monochlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins as a sole source of carbon and energy have also been characterized (Pseudomonas veronii). Higher chlorinated dioxins are known to be reductively dechlorinated in anaerobic sediments. Similar to PCB and chlorinated benzenes, halorespiring bacteria from the genus Dehalococcoides are implicated in the dechlorination reactions. Anaerobic sediments have been shown to convert tetrachloro- to octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins to lower chlorinated dioxins including monochlorinated congeners. Taken as a whole, these findings indicate that biodegradation is likely to contribute to the natural attenuation processes affecting PCDD/F compounds.