Organic contamination of Italian and Tunisian culinary herbs and spices

Contaminants belonging to various classes, as polychlorobiphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, organophosphorous pesticides, pyrethroid insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, synergists, carbamates, acaricides and insect growth regulators were simultaneously analysed by GC-MS/MS in 118 Italian and Tunisian culinary herbs and spices. The results obtained in Italian samples shown that laurel samples were the most contaminated with the presence of 15 residues on 140, whereas in rosemary (max value of 35?ng/g for cis-chlorfenyvinphos) and oregano (max value of 118.16?ng/g for ethion) some occasional residues can be observed, but always lower than the maximum residue levels; all the others samples shown no contamination. Among Tunisian samples, only rosemary contains a notably high content of pollutants exceeded the EU maximum residue limits (i.e., alachlor and phosalone with level of 359.2 and 43.3?ng/g, respectively), while oregano was determined to be free of contaminant residues. Considering the comparison among the different organic pollutants in Italian and Tunisian spices and herbs evaluated and the differences observed in this study a harmonization of regulation on contaminant residues in herbs and spices for human consumption should be needed, considering their increased use in diet and cooking.     

Presence of carbamazepine,naproxen, and ibuprofen in wastewater from northern Tunisia

We investigated the occurrence of three pharmaceutical residues in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) from northern Tunisia. The selected compounds were carbamazepine, naproxen, and ibuprofen; they are among the most commonly prescribed and widely used pharmaceutical agents worldwide. Samples (200?mL) were pre-concentrated using the solid phase extraction (SPE) enrichment procedure and the analysis of the pharmaceuticals was performed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). The overall procedure provided limits of detection (LOD) lower than 0.5 µg.L^?1and recoveries of 78–97%. For the carbamazepine compound, the mean concentrations were 60.58, 93.19, and 132 µg.L^?1 for the Bizerte, Jendouba, and Tunis WWTPs, respectively. This pharmaceutical was not detected in the Beja WWTPs. Naproxen and ibuprofens were not detected in the Jendouba WWTP but were found in the three other WWTPs with concentrations ranging from 2.94 to 36.17 µg.L^?1 and from 8.02 to 43.22 µg.L^?1, respectively. From the obtained data, it seems that these WWTPs are not able to eliminate this kind of micro-pollutants.     

Who counts,what counts: representation and accountability in water governance in the Upper Comoé sub‐basin,Burkina Faso

This article examines the unfolding of integrated water resource management (IWRM) reforms in southwest Burkina Faso, where water resources are subject to conflicting claims by a diversity of users. We first describe the establishment a local water user committee, showing how choices regarding composition and operations grant varying levels of recognition to different stakeholders. We then discuss the implications for key dimensions of decentralized governance, namely representation and accountability. In particular we focus on: (a) how the interplay of political agendas and policy disconnects shapes the committee's viability and credibility and (b) how tensions between techno‐scientific and local knowledge affect participation and transparency. We argue that in contexts defined by contentious politics and neo‐patrimonial practices, representativeness is better ensured by the direct inclusion of user groups rather than elected officials. Though limited discretionary power, information access, and technical capabilities of committee members inhibit accountability, rural producers uphold their claims through social mobilization and reliance on local knowledge. Recognizing the opportunities offered by the country's recent democratic turn, we formulate recommendations aimed at addressing structural drivers and enabling citizen agency in decentralized water governance. At the same time, further research is needed on local people's understandings of representation and accountability, to ensure that they are involved in institutional design and practices in ways that affirm what they value and what they know.     

The definition of species richness used by species sensitivity distributions approximates observed effects of salinity on stream macroinvertebrates

The risk of chemicals for ecological communities is often forecast with species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) which are used to predict the concentration which will protect p% of species (PC_p value). However, at the PC_p value, species richness in nature would not necessary be p% less than at uncontaminated sites. The definition of species richness inherent to SSDs (contaminant category richness) contrasts with species richness typically measured in most field studies (point richness). We determine, for salinity in eastern Australia, whether these definitions of stream macroinvertebrate species richness are commensurable. There were strong relationships (r² ≥ 0.87) between mean point species, family and Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Plecoptera species richness and their respective contamination category richness. Despite differences in the definition of richness used by SSDs and field biomonitoring, their results in terms of relative species loss from salinity in south-east Australia are similar. We conclude that in our system both definitions are commensurable.     

Degradation and detoxification of acid orange 52 by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas putida</Emphasis> mt-2: a laboratory study

Introduction  

Acid orange 52 (AO52), extensively used in textile industries, was decolorized by Pseudomonas putida mt-2. AO52 azoreduction products such as N,N′-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DMPD) and 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid (4-ABS), were identified in the static degradation mixture. These amines were identified only in media of static incubation, which is consistent with their biotransformation under shaken incubation (aerobic conditions).     

Savviness of prey to introduced predators

The prey naivety hypothesis posits that prey are vulnerable to introduced predators because many generations in slow gradual coevolution are needed for appropriate avoidance responses to develop. It predicts that prey will be more responsive to native than introduced predators and less responsive to introduced predators that differ substantially from native predators and from those newly established. To test these predictions, we conducted a global meta-analysis of studies that measured the wariness responses of small mammals to the scent of sympatric mammalian mesopredators. We identified 26 studies that met our selection criteria. These studies comprised 134 experiments reporting on the responses of 36 small mammal species to the scent of six introduced mesopredators and 12 native mesopredators. For each introduced mesopredator, we measured their phylogenetic and functional distance to local native mesopredators and the number of years sympatric with their prey. We used predator and prey body mass as a measure of predation risk. Globally, small mammals were similarly wary of the scent of native and introduced mesopredators; phylogenetic and functional distance between introduced mesopredators and closest native mesopredators had no effect on wariness; and wariness was unrelated to the number of prey generations, or years, since first contact with introduced mesopredators. Small mammal wariness was associated with predator-prey body mass ratio, regardless of the nativity. The one thing animals do not seem to recognize is whether their predators are native.     

How renewable energy and service growth influence environmental quality: Evidence from a sustainable development perspective

The present study inspects the relationships between the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, real GDP, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, as well as the service growth for top ten countries (TTC) in service activities. The empirical modeling used in the study involves the procedures of cointegration and tests of Granger causality to inspect the dynamic interaction between the variables during the period from 1980 to 2018. The results of the present study suggest that the variables are cross-sectionally dependent. In addition, the variables appear to be cointegrated based on several tests. The long-run outcomes revealed an inversed U-shaped form between emissions-GDP proving the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve assumption. The fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic OLS estimates show that the non-renewable energy and economic growth contribute to the increase of CO₂ emissions, while service value-added leads to decrease emissions. Furthermore, the renewable energy coefficient comes through as negative but insignificant for the selected panel. The TTC in service should stimulate the usage of renewable energy in various service events for following the path of sustainable development. Devising the investment plans associated with the use of renewable energies is quite essential for the advancement of the service sector leading to mitigating emissions portion.     

Effects of drawdown scenario on retrogressive lateral erosion in a reservoir

The drawdown of reservoirs behind dams is an important management strategy (e.g., for removal of aging infrastructure, flushing of sediment), and an opportunity to study erosional processes. A numerical model was developed to examine retrogressive bank erosion across reservoir drawdown scenarios and to evaluate factors controlling the rate, volume, and mechanisms of lateral erosion. Modeled processes included dynamic drawdown of groundwater, sequential slope failures via limit equilibrium analysis, and retrogression considering stress interaction between failing blocks. Field measurements were coupled with Staged, Slow, and Rapid drawdown scenarios. Results highlight the importance of including retrogression as an avenue for lateral erosion, as sequential block failures were found to occur in all scenarios except Slow drawdown. This result indicates that bank stability models without some means of characterizing the evolution of slope failure during drawdown are likely underestimating bank failure rates and volumes. In contrast, dynamic groundwater was not found to be a dominant control for any drawdown scenario. Model results also demonstrate that the drawdown increment is a first-order control on slope instability via the development of drained or undrained conditions. A majority of failures occurred under undrained conditions. To maximize slope stability, using slow drawdown to activate internal friction under drained conditions is essential. The design of the drawdown rate created a tradeoff between the amount of impact created and when the impact is produced. The study also articulated the need for coupling models and field observations for rapidly changing systems.     

高原地区机场自然环境谱编制研究

目的 编制高原地区机场自然环境谱。方法 通过分析装备典型失效案例,结合高原地区环境特征,得出高原地区影响飞机日历寿命的主要气象环境因素和化学环境因素,并进行为期1 a的实时监测和数据采集,最终编制机场自然环境谱。结果 高原地区两地机场气温较低(10.4℃),且昼夜温差大(28.2℃),低相对湿度低(61%),气压低(654hPa),太阳辐射强(8689.5MJ/m²),空气中沙尘较少,降水非常少,且雨水pH值接近中性,温度、太阳辐射、降雨等一般夏季较高、冬春季较低。同时,编制了高原两地机场的温度谱、湿度谱、温度–相对湿度谱、降水谱和综合环境谱等。结论 量化了高原地区机场的外场环境,对指导装备的高原环境适应性考核验证和腐蚀防护设计具有重要意义。