Perspectives and challenges in the future use of plant nutrients in tilled and mixed agricultural systems

Producing an adequate quantity of healthy food without polluting the environment is a serious challenge for future agriculture around the world. The Food 21 research program in Sweden has researched all aspects--economic, environmental, and social--of sustainable farming systems. This paper presents some of the research from that and other relevant international research programs that have focused on better nutrient-use efficiency, especially for nitrogen and phosphorus. It shows that a range of sustainable solutions to nutrient-use efficiency exists, some of which are complex but some very simple. Government policies, including subsidies; research and technology; and public acceptance of farming practices all combine to create these solutions. Participatory approaches to knowledge transfer are needed, in which scientists, policy makers, farmers, advisers, and consumers exchange information and together build sustainable farming systems.     

Vanishing seagrass (Zostera marina, L.) in Swedish coastal waters

Along the Swedish Skagerrak coast eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a dominant phanerogam on shallow soft bottoms. Eelgrass meadows are important biotopes for many crustacean and fish species being either migratory or stationary. During the 1980s, inventories of the shallow coastal areas with eelgrass have been carried out along the Swedish west coast as a basis for coastal zone management. In the present study we revisited 2000 ha of eelgrass meadows in 5 coastal regions along 200 km of the Skagerrak coast. The inventory was made with the same methods (aquascope) as during the 1980s, but increasing the mapping accuracy by using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The results from this study show that the areal extension of Zostera marina has decreased 58% in 10-15 years with great regional variations. The decline was mainly restricted to the shallow parts of the meadow. The causes and ecological consequences are discussed.     

Dioxin and dibenzofuran concentrations in adipose tissue of a general population from Tarragona, Spain

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) levels were determined in adipose tissue of 15 autopsied subjects who at the time of death had lived in the city of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) and surroundings during at least the last 10 years. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 13.37 and 69.37 ng I-TEQ/kg fat, with mean and median values of 30.98 and 26.30 ng I-TEQ/kg fat, respectively. PCDD/F concentrations were higher (p < 0.01) in women (mean value: 44.95 ng I-TEQ/kg fat) than in men (mean value: 24.00 ng I-TEQ/kg fat). Although individuals living in industrial areas showed higher PCDD/F levels than those living Tarragona downtown the difference was not statistically significant. When Principal Component Analysis was applied to the concentrations of PCDD/Fs found in the 15 adipose tissue samples together with those found in 20 blood samples collected in a previous study, a single two-dimensional model was obtained, which would explain 62.9% of the variance in the data. The PCDD/F concentrations in adipose tissue found in the current study are of the same order of magnitude than those reported for most industrialized countries.     

Exposure to anti-cancer drugs during preparation and administration. Investigations of an open and a closed system

Systems for the preparation and administration of drugs are designed to ensure that the drug is not contaminated. They do not necessarily consider the work environment for the medical staff and new techniques are therefore desirable. The aim of this work is to compare a new closed system for the preparation and administration of drugs with the traditional technique with regard to airborne emission and surface spillage of drugs. Platinum, determined using adsorptive voltammetry, was used as the tracer for airborne emission. Air samples were collected during the preparation and administration, and the collected platinum on the filters was determined by adsorptive voltammetry. For determination of spills and leakage onto surfaces the radioisotope 99m-technetium was used as a tracer. The radiation from the isotope was determined on protective gloves and bench covers after preparation and administration. The mean airborne emission was 6 ng m(-3) with the closed system and 15 ng m(-3) with the traditional pump technique. The average surface spillage using the closed technique was 0.005 microL. This is significantly smaller than with the traditional technique, which resulted in an average spillage of 64 microL. Our results also show that the dominant part of the leakage is surface spillage. Inexperienced nurses could also adequately handle the closed system.     

A gas-phase biosensor for environmental monitoring of formic acid: laboratory and field validation

In order to encourage more exposure measurements to be performed, a formic acid gas-phase biosensor has been developed for this purpose. In the present paper, an enzyme based biosensor has been validated with respect to analyte selectivity and on-site use. To ensure that the sampler developed measures the compound of interest the biosensor was exposed to three near structural homologues to formic acid, i.e. acetic acid, methanol and formaldehyde. These vapours were generated with and without formic acid and the only compound that was found to have an effect on the performance of the biosensor, albeit a small one, was acetic acid. The field test was performed in a factory using formic acid-containing glue for glulam products. In parallel to the measurements with the biosensor a well defined reference method was used for sampling and analysing formic acid. It was found that the biosensor worked satisfactorily in this environment when used in a stationary position. It was also shown that the biosensor could determine formic acid vapour concentrations down to 0.03 mg m(-3).     

14C content in vegetation in the vicinities of Brazilian nuclear power reactors

(14)C specific activities were measured in grass samples collected around Brazilian nuclear power reactors. The specific activity values varied between 227 and 299 Bq/kg C. Except for two samples which showed (14)C specific activities 22% above background values, half of the samples showed background specific activities, and the other half had a (14)C excess of 1-18%. The highest specific activities were found close to the nuclear power plants and along the main wind directions (NE and NNE). The activity values were found to decrease with increasing distance from the reactors. The unexpectedly high (14)C excess values found in two samples were related to the local topography, which favors (14)C accumulation and limits the dispersion of the plume. The results indicate a clear (14)C anthropogenic signal within 5 km around the nuclear power plants which is most prominent along northeastwards, the prevailing wind direction.     

考虑脉动风下弓网离线影响的高速铁路接触网可靠性分析*

为分析西北大风区高速铁路接触网可靠性,提出将脉动风引起的弓网离线因素融合到接触网系统可靠性分析中,采用谐波叠加法模拟脉动风风速时程,利用高斯分布统计脉动风分布概率,通过GO-FLOW法构建接触网系统可靠性模型,运用MATLAB对融合弓网离线故障率接触网系统可靠性进行仿真,并与已有研究成果进行对比。结果表明:脉动风对弓网受流产生一定影响,融合弓网离线因素后,接触网系统可靠度明显下降。研究结果可为接触网可靠性研究提供新的思路。     

覆盖作物及耕作方法对土壤丝状真菌生物量的影响

以日本国立大学法人茨城大学农学部田间科学教育研究中心附属农场为研究对象,在不同季节(2004年5月、10月和2005年5月、10月)对农田采取旋耕、梨耕和免耕处理,并在每一耕作处理区分别种植黑麦(Secale cereale L .)、毛野豌豆(Vicia villosa Roth)和杂草(休闲处理对照区),来研究覆盖作物及耕作方法对土壤中真菌生物量的影响效果.结果表明,在免耕处理区,覆盖黑麦、毛野豌豆和杂草的土壤表层(0～10 cm)中,其真菌的牛物量均分别高于相应覆盖物的深层土壤(10～30 cm)中真菌的生物量,并且覆盖黑麦的土壤表层中真菌的生物量比覆盖毛野豌豆的高很多,在2004年5月和10月测得的土壤表层中,覆盖黑麦的真菌生物量分别是覆盖毛野豌豆的1.2和1.8倍,在2005年5月和10月,分别是1.6和1.2倍.对旋耕和梨耕处理区,在不同深度的土层和覆盖物的条件下,真菌生物量均没有明显变化.从上述结果,不同的耕作方式和覆盖不同的作物都会影响土壤中真菌的生物量,并且,免耕和覆盖黑麦相结合,对土壤表层中的真菌生物量影响最为显著.另外,在不同的土壤层之间,表层中的真菌生物量要高于深层土壤.     

等离子体烟气脱硫脱硝工业试验装置

介绍等离子体烟气脱硫脱硝技术原理及发展现状,等离子体烟气脱硫硝工业试验装置的工艺流程、技术参数及了调节系统、加速器辐照处理系统、脉冲电晕放电处理系统等。