LED irradiated photo-Fenton for the removal of estrogenic activity and endocrine disruptors from wastewater treatment plant effluent

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The goal of this work was to evaluate the performance of the LED irradiated photo-Fenton process on the removal of (i) estrogenic activity and (ii)...     

Using pruning residues as mulch: analysis of its adoption and process of diffusion in Southern Spain olive orchards

This paper analyses both the processes of adoption and diffusion of the practice of using the chopped residues of pruning as mulch in the olive orchards of the Southern Spanish province of Granada, one of the major olive-producing areas in the world. Many olive groves in the area are located on steep areas where the risk of soil erosion is high. A majority of farmers have adopted no tillage, as an alternative to traditional tillage, combined with either vegetation soil covers or, more frequently, using the chopped pruning residues as mulch. The data used comes from a survey carried out in 2005 to 215 olive farmers. From farmers' responses we estimate a binomial probit model to identify some socio-economic and institutional factors related to the decision to use the practice of mulching on a regular basis. We also estimate several diffusion models that describe the spatial and temporal spread of mulching among farmers. Our results show that mulching using the pruning residues is adopted by 43% of the surveyed farmers. The diffusion process of this practice has been very intense since the middle nineties, and seems to have been based on the interactions among farmers in the area of study rather than in other external source of information. Some of the relevant identified factors that affect the probability of adoption of this practice are farmer's experience, the level of soil degradation in the farm or the continuity of farming by some relative.     

Adsorption of Methylene Blue on magnesium silicate： Kinetics, equilibria and comparison with other adsorbents

Batch adsorption from aqueous solutions in a slightly basic medium of Methylene Blue, up to 2500 mg/L, onto synthetic magnesium silicate (Florisil) of three particle size ranges (mean diameters of 112, 200 and 425 μm) was compared to the corresponding adsorption onto activated carbon and Amberlite XAD-2. The best fit of the kinetic results was achieved by a pseudo second-order equation. The equilibrium data were found to be well represented by the Langmuir isotherm equation. Amberlite XAD-2, an unspecific adsorbent capable of adsorbing exclusively through a surface effect, exhibited a poor dye uptake, confirming that the adsorption mechanism on Florisil was due to electrostatic attraction and ion exchange. Moreover, the comparison between Florisil and the other adsorbents was performed on the basis of the evaluation of the surface area and pore volume occupied by the adsorbed dye.     

Male behaviors reveal multiple pherotypes within vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera; Pseudococcidae) populations

The vine mealybug (VM) females collected in Israel produce two sex pheromone compounds: lavandulyl senecioate (LS) and (S)-lavandulyl isovalerate (LI). The males display ambiguous behavior to LI: repulsion in the vineyard and attraction of laboratory-reared males. We addressed the question of individual male behavior, i.e., do males respond to both LS and LI, or might they display a distinct response to each of the two pheromone compounds. We compared male pherotype frequencies between wild-caught and laboratory-reared populations. Then, we examined the relationship between pherotype composition and male capture rates in pheromone traps. Finally, we addressed the heredity of the pherotypes. The Israeli VM populations contain nine different male pherotypes, as defined according to the male behavior to pheromone compounds. The studied Portuguese populations included five of the nine pherotypes; none of the Portuguese males were attracted to LI. It seems that the high frequency of males that were attracted to LI is related to dense VM populations. It is hypothesized that selection for the male pherotypes, I males, those that respond to LI, occur under high-density rearing conditions. This may result from shorter development times of males and females that produce more I male pherotypes. The lower relative frequency of trapping of males in LI-baited traps than expected from the percentage determined in a Petri dish arena suggests that males that respond solely to LS (S males) are better fliers. The results also suggest that the pherotype trait is inherited by both sexes of the VM.     

Airborne concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor community environments in Italy

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - COVID-19 pandemic raised a debate regarding the role of airborne transmission. Information regarding virus-laden aerosol concentrations is still...     

Allelopathy,a chance for sustainable weed management

The exploitation of crop allelopathy against weeds may be useful to reduce issues related to the use of herbicides. Several crops, such as alfalfa, barley, black mustard, buckwheat, rice, sorghum, sunflower and wheat, demonstrate strong weed suppression ability, either by exuding allelochemical compounds from living plant parts or from decomposing residues. As well as the positive effect on weed reduction, the introduction in agronomic rotations of allelopathic crops, their use as a mulch to smother crops or as a green manure may also be helpful in reduction of other agricultural problems, such as environmental pollution, use of unsafe products and human health concerns, through a reduction in chemical inputs. Knowledge of allelopathic properties of crops may also be advantageous in mitigation of soil sickness. Moreover, information on weed allelopathy may be profitable in preventing serious crop damage if the weed biomass is buried in the soil, and a crop susceptible to allellochemicals is planned for the following year. The use of allelopathic traits from crops or cultivars with important weed inhibition qualities, together with common weed control strategies, can play an important role in the establishment of sustainable agriculture.     

Technical and economic evaluation of biogas capture and treatment for the Piedras Blancas landfill in Córdoba,Argentina

Landfill gas (LFG) management is one of the most important tasks for landfill operation and closure because of its impact in potential global warming. The aim of this work is to present a case history evaluating an LFG capture and treatment system for the present landfill facility in Córdoba, Argentina. The results may be relevant for many developing countries around the world where landfill gas is not being properly managed. The LFG generation is evaluated by modeling gas production applying the zero-order model, Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]), Scholl Canyon model, and triangular model. Variability in waste properties, weather, and landfill management conditions are analyzed in order to evaluate the feasibility of implementing different treatment systems. The results show the advantages of capturing and treating LFG in order to reduce the emissions of gases responsible for global warming and to determine the revenue rate needed for the project’s financial requirements. This particular project reduces by half the emission of equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) compared with the situation where there is no gas treatment. In addition, the study highlights the need for a change in the electricity prices if it is to be economically feasible to implement the project in the current Argentinean electrical market.

Implications: Methane has 21 times more greenhouse gas potential than carbon dioxide. Because of that, it is of great importance to adequately manage biogas emissions from landfills. In addition, it is environmentally convenient to use this product as an alternative energy source, since it prevents methane emissions while preventing fossil fuel consumption, minimizing carbon dioxide emissions. Performed analysis indicated that biogas capturing and energy generation implies 3 times less equivalent carbon dioxide emissions; however, a change in the Argentinean electrical market fees are required to guarantee the financial feasibility of the project.     

Achieving sustainability goals for urban coasts in the US Northeast: research needs and challenges

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and other recent extreme events, urban coastal communities in the northeast region of the United States are beginning or stepping up efforts to integrate climate adaptation and resilience into long-term coastal planning. Natural and nature-based shoreline strategies have emerged as essential components of coastal resilience and are frequently cited by practitioners, scientists, and the public for the wide range of ecosystem services they can provide. However, there is limited quantitative information associating particular urban shoreline design strategies with specific levels of ecosystem service provision, and research on this issue is not always aligned with decision context and decision-maker needs. Engagement between the research community, local government officials and sustainability practitioners, and the non-profit and private sectors can help bridge these gaps. A workshop to bring together these groups discussed research gaps and challenges in integrating ecosystem services into urban sustainability planning in the urban northeast corridor. Many themes surfaced repeatedly throughout workshop deliberations, including the challenges associated with ecosystem service valuation, the transferability of research and case studies within and outside the region, and the opportunity for urban coastal areas to be a focal point for education and outreach efforts related to ecosystem services.     

Plant cell death and cellular alterations induced by ozone: key studies in Mediterranean conditions

An account of histo-cytological and ultrastructural studies on ozone effect on crop and forest species in Italy is given, with emphasis on induced cell death and the underlying mechanisms. Cell death phenomena possibly due to ambient O₃ were recorded in crop and forest species. In contrast, visible O₃ effects on Mediterranean vegetation are often unclear. Microscopy is thus suggested as an effective tool to validate and evaluate O₃ injury to Mediterranean vegetation. A DAB-Evans blue staining was proposed to validate O₃ symptoms at the microscopic level and for a pre-visual diagnosis of O₃ injury. The method has been positively tested in some of the most important crop species, such as wheat, tomato, bean and onion and, with some restriction, in forest species, and it also allows one to gain some very useful insights into the mechanisms at the base of O₃ sensitivity or tolerance.