Heavy metals from the River Adayar,India: infiltration into the adjacent groundwater aquifer

In the Adayar riverbed and its estuary 5 undisturbed sediment cores were drilled using a petrol-driven hammer. Cores of a depth of 4-5 m were sampled in 0.5 m steps. The distribution of heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in the top layers of fluvial and estuarine sediments indicates recent anthropogenic input: Revealing that the river acts as a sink for drainage from the residential and industrial zones. In this study, the mobilization of heavy metals into greater depths and their probable effects on the groundwater body are discussed. The high concentration of heavy metals and the influent character of the river Adayar allow the mobilization of metal ions and their transport into the deeper layers of the sediment. A changing environment due to effects such as saltwater intrusion and monsoon floods is the driving force for this phenomenon.     

Immissionsbelastungen im Umfeld des Flughafens München

Zusammenfassung  Die Immissionsbelastung im ?stlichen Umland des neuen Münchner Flughafens wurde im Zeitraum von 1992 bis 1995 mit Hilfe einer Reihe unterschiedlicher Messmethoden untersucht. Für die wirkungsbezogene Erfassung von Umwelteinflüssen wurden Bioindikatoren zur Bestimmung der PAK-Belastung und zur Quantifizierung der Photooxidantienbelastung eingesetzt. Darüber hinaus wurde der PAK-Gehalt des Oberbodens bestimmt. Die aktuelle Luftbelastungssituation wurde w?hrend photochemisch aktiver Wetterlagen im Sommer im Rahmen von 7 Intensivmesskampagnen untersucht. Die Bodenbelastung mit PAK liegt im Bereich der für l?ndliche Regionen typischen Hintergrundwerte mit den h?chsten Konzentrationen in der N?he stark befahrener Stra?en und weist keinen zeitlichen Trend auf. Auch der aktuelle PAK-Eintrag liegt an allen Standorten in einem für l?ndliche Regionen in Bayern typischen Bereich. Als Hauptemittent wird im Sommer der Kfz-Verkehr identifiziert, w?hrend die deutlich erh?hte Belastung im Winter auf den Hausbrand zurückgeführt werden kann. Die Photooxidantien-belastung zeigt im Flughafenumland keine ausgepr?gten Unterschiede, sie ist an den durch Stra?enverkehr beeinflussten Standorten jedoch am geringsten. Die Konzentrationen leicht flüchtiger Kohlenwasserstoffe sind an einer verkehrsreichen Stra?enkreuzung in Erding deutlich h?her als im l?ndlichen Flughafenumland. Sie zeigen ausgepr?gte Tagesg?nge, die u.a. auf den luftchemischen Abbau zurückzuführen sind. Die Hydroperoxide als sekund?re Luftschadstoffe weisen einen gegens?tzlichen Verlauf auf, der dem des Ozons mit nachmitt?glichem Maximum ?hnelt. Online-First: 23. August 2000     

Einsatz eines Sensors zurOnline-Bestimmung der mikrobiellen Aktivit?t

Zusammenfassung  Mit einem Bioaktivit?tssensor kann die Aktivit?t der Mikroorganismen im Belebtschlamm gemessen werden. Das Signal des Sensors reagiert empfindlich auf eine Ver?nderung des Substratangebots und das Auftreten von toxischen Stoffen. Mit dem Bioaktivit?tssensor ist es damit einerseits m?glich,online die Belebungsstufe hinsichtlich ihrer mikrobiellen Aktivit?t zu kontrollieren und andererseits die zuflie?enden Abw?sser bezüglich ihres toxischen Potentials zu überwachen.      

Ozone fumigation (twice ambient) reduces leaf infestation following natural and artificial inoculation by the endophytic fungus Apiognomonia errabunda of adult European beech trees

In 2006, a controlled infection study was performed in the ‘Kranzberger Forst’ to address the following questions: (1) Will massive artificial inoculation with Apiognomonia errabunda override the previously observed inhibitory effect of chronic ozone? (2) Can biochemical or molecular markers be detected to account for the action of ozone? To this end six adult beech trees were chosen, three ozone fumigated (2× ozone) and three control trees (ambient = 1× ozone). Spore-sprayed branches of sun and shade crown positions of each of the trees, and uninoculated control branches, were enclosed in 100-L plastic bags for one night to facilitate infection initiation. Samples were taken within a five-week period after inoculation. A. errabunda infestation levels quantified by real-time PCR increased in leaves that were not fumigated with additional ozone. Cell wall components and ACC (ethylene precursor 1-amino cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) increased upon ozone fumigation and may in part lead to the repression of fungal infection.     

Trendanalysen mit Mann-Kendall-Test und Theil-Schätzer

Goal and Scope

An extension for trend analysis with Mann Kendall test and Theil estimator is presented which enables the weighting of data by weight factors.

Methods

It is shown in which way the weighting can effect the outcome of a trend analysis. Weighting is done in relation to the different sample sizes of the data points. A value or an observation derived from many specimens will be considered more reliable than a value derived from only a few specimens and will thus get a higher weighting factor.

Results

When weighting is applied, this will effect the Theil estimator rather than the Mann Kendall test. As a result the regression line is tilted towards those points with higher weights.

Outlook

Future must show whether the extensions presented here and in part 1 prove to be practical for the trend analysis in environmental monitoring or not.     

Trendanalysen mit Mann-Kendall-Test und Theil-Schätzer

Goal and Scope

The influence of the measurement uncertainty on the outcomes of statistical evaluations is shown.

Methods

Examplarily using data from the Environmental Specimen Bank the influence of measurement uncertainties on results of trned analyses (Mann Kendall test and Theil estimator) was tested. Both, the simple and the double measurement uncertainty were tested, as well as the standard deviation of repeated measurements.

Results

Considering measurement uncertainty means that not points but intervals are used. A value y_j is then considered larger [smaller] than y_i if applies: y_j-u(y_j>y_i+u(y_i) [y_j+u(y_j)<y_i-u(y_j)], where u(y_j) and u(y_i) are measurement uncertainties of y_j and y_i. Mann Kendall test of trend will react more conservatively (in sense of the maintenance of null hypothesis: no trend), when measurement uncertainties are considered. Thus, the resulting trend statements will be safer.

Outlook

For future application a decision is neccessary about the kind of the measurement uncertainty to be used (none, simple, double, standard deviation). Part 2 will deal with weighting of the data.     

Removal of arsenic (V) from aqueous medium using manganese oxide coated lignocellulose/silica adsorbents

Arsenic (V) adsorption on manganese oxide coated rice wastes was investigated in this study. The modified adsorbents were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and pH measurements to determine the point of zero charge. Batch adsorption equilibrium experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH, contact time, and initial concentration on arsenic removal efficiency. The adsorption capacity of rice waste was significantly improved after modification with permanganate. The Langmuir isotherm model fitted the equilibrium data better than the Freundlich model which confirms surface homogeneity of the adsorbent. Maxima adsorption capacities are determined as 10 and 12 mg/g at pH 3 for manganese oxide coated rice husk and straw, respectively. The adsorption energy indicates that the adsorption process may be dominated by chemisorption. Pseudo-second-order rate equation described the kinetics sorption of arsenic with good correlation coefficients, better than a pseudo-first-order equation. Manganese oxide coated rice husk and straw appear to be promising low cost adsorbents for removing arsenic from water.     

Populations in small, ephemeral habitat patches may drive dynamics in a Daphnia magna metapopulation

Migration is the key process to understand the dynamics and persistence of a metapopulation. Many metapopulation models assume a positive correlation between habitat patch size or stability and the number of emigrants. However, few empirical data exist, and habitat patch size and habitat stability may affect dispersal differently than they affect local persistence. Here, we studied the production of the migration stage (i.e., resting eggs called ephippia) of the cladoceran Daphnia magna in a metapopulation consisting of 530 rock pool habitat patches over 25 years. Earlier, the functioning of this metapopulation was explained with a Levins-type metapopulation model or with a mainland-island metapopulation model, based on local extinction and colonization data or time series data, respectively. We used pool volume, hydroperiod length, and number of desiccation events to calculate per-pool production of ephippia (i.e., migration stages). We estimated that populations in small and ephemeral habitat patches produced more than half of the 250 000 to 1 million ephippia that were produced in the metapopulation as a whole per year between 1982 and 2006. Furthermore, these small populations contributed approximately 90% of the ephippia exposed during desiccation events, while the contribution of the long-lived populations in large pools was minimal. We term this an "inverse mainland-island" type metapopulation and propose that populations in small, ephemeral habitat patches may also be the driving force for metapopulation dynamics in other systems.