A novel framework to classify marginal land for sustainable biomass feedstock production

To achieve food and energy security, sustainable bioenergy has become an important goal for many countries. The use of marginal lands to produce energy crops is one strategy for achieving this goal, but what is marginal land? Current definitions generally focus on a single criterion, primarily agroeconomic profitability. Herein, we present a framework that incorporates multiple criteria including profitability of current land use, soil health indicators (erosion, flooding, drainage, or high slopes), and environmental degradation resulting from contamination of surface water or groundwater resources. We tested this framework for classifying marginal land in the state of Nebraska and estimated the potential for using marginal land to produce biofuel crops. Our results indicate that approximately 1.6 million ha, or 4 million acres, of land (approximately 8% of total land area) could be classified as marginal on the basis of at least two criteria. Second-generation lignocellulosic bioenergy crops such as switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.), miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus), native prairie grasses, and short-rotation woody crops could be grown on this land in redesigned landscapes that meet energy and environmental needs, without significant impacts on food or feed production. Calculating tradeoffs between the economics of redesigned landscapes and current practices at the field scale is the next step for determining functional designs for integrating biofuel feedstock production into current land management practices.     

Effect of organic material on field-scale emissions of 1,3-dichloropropene

Soil fumigation is important for growing many fruits and vegetable crops, but fumigant emissions may contaminate the atmosphere. A large-scale field experiment was initiated to test the hypothesis that adding composted municipal green waste to the soil surface in an agricultural field would reduce atmospheric emissions of the 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) after shank injection at a 133 kg ha(-1) application rate. Three micrometeorological methods were used to obtain fumigant flux density and cumulative emission values. The volatilization rate was measured continuously for 16 d, and the daily peak volatilization rates for the three methods ranged from 12 to 24 μg m(-2) s(-1). The total 1,3-D mass that volatilized to the atmosphere was approximately 14 to 68 kg, or 3 to 8% of the applied active ingredient. This represents an approximately 75 to 90% reduction in the total emissions compared with other recent field, field-plot, and laboratory studies. Significant reductions in the volatilization of 1,3-D may be possible when composted municipal green waste is applied to an agricultural field. This methodology also provides a beneficial use and disposal mechanism for composted vegetative material.     

Human Impacts to River Temperature and Their Effects on Biological Processes: A Quantitative Synthesis1

Hester, Erich T. and Martin W. Doyle, 2011. Human Impacts to River Temperature and Their Effects on Biological Processes: A Quantitative Synthesis. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):571‐587. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00525.x Abstract: Land‐use change and water resources management increasingly impact stream and river temperatures and therefore aquatic organisms. Efforts at thermal mitigation are expected to grow in future decades. Yet the biological consequences of both human thermal impacts and proposed mitigation options are poorly quantified. This study provides such context for river thermal management in two ways. First, we summarize the full spectrum of human thermal impacts to help thermal managers consider the relative magnitudes of all impacts and mitigation options. Second, we synthesize biological sensitivity to river temperature shifts using thermal performance curves, which relate organism‐level biological processes to temperature. This approach supplements the popular use of thermal thresholds by directly estimating the impact of temperature shifts on the rates of key biological processes (e.g., growth). Our results quantify a diverse array of human thermal impacts, revealing that human actions tend to increase more than decrease river temperatures. Our results also provide a practical framework in which to quantify the sensitivity of river organisms to such impacts and related mitigation options. Finally, among the data and studies we synthesized, river organisms appear to be more sensitive to temperature above than below their thermal maxima, and fish are more sensitive to temperature change than invertebrates.     

Reduced-glutathione concentrations in Boleophthalmus pectinirostris tissues exposed to benzo(a)pyrene

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＢｅｉｎｇａｔｙｐｉｃａｌｐｏｌｙｃｙｃｌｉｃａｒｏｍａｔｉｃｈｙｄｒｏｃａｒｂｏｎｓ(ＰＡＨｓ) ,ｂｅｎｚｏ[ａ]ｐｙｒｅｎｅ(ＢａＰ)ｄｅｓｅｒｖｅｓｓｅｒｉｏｕｓｓｔｕｄｙｂｅｃａｕｓｅＰＡＨｓａｒｅｎｏｗｒｅｃｏｇｎｉｚｅｄａｓｍａｊｏｒｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌｐｏｌｌｕｔａｎｔｓ .ＥｘｐｏｓｕｒｅｔｏＰａＨｓｉｓｖｉｒｔｕａｌｌｙｕｎａｖｏｉｄａｂｌｅａｎｄｉｓｓｔｒｏｎｇｌｙｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｅｄｏｆｂｅｉｎｇａｃａｕｓａｔｉｖｅｆａｃｔｏｒｉｎｃｅｒｔａｉｎｔｕｍｏ…     

Prevention of musculoskeletal complaints in nursing: Aims, approach and content of an ergonomic-educational programme

In 1992 a comprehensive health-promotion project was initiated in seven nursing-homes in the Netherlands. This project was designed to implement an ergonomic-educational programme, with the intention of reducing physical workload and to bring about safe working in order to prevent work-related musculoskeletal complaints. After a period of external support, employees of the nursing-homes should be able to proceed with the programme independently. In this paper the content of the programme and its underlying strategies and theories are described. So far, the programme has got off to a good start in all the nursing-homes. Positive effects of the programme could be demonstrated and guidelines and protocols for safe working were introduced. However, it is as yet too early for definitive conclusions to be drawn regarding the aspect of continuity.     

Young northern pike,yellow perch and crayfish as bioindicators in a mercury contaminated watercourse

Young-of-the-year and yearling northern pike (Esox lucius), yearling yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and adult crayfish (Orconectes virilis) were collected in the mercury-contaminated Wabigoon/English/Winnipeg River System, Ontario, and analyzed for total mercury. Analysis of mercury concentrations in these organisms produced consistent geographical trends; i.e. mercury concentrations in biota downstream of Dryden > English River system > Winnipeg River system > control sites. In the Wabigoon River system the bioavailability of mercury increases with distance downstream of the historical point source. Mercury concentrations in the biota studied were highly correlated with mercury concentrations in fish species which are of sport and commercial interest. The locations where young fish obtain their bodyburdens are known typically within 100 m. The biota studied compare favourably with the criteria proposed by Phillips (1980) as prerequisites for biological indicators. The wide distribution of young pike, perch and crayfish in North America, Europe and Asia may enhance their appeal as biomonitors.The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. No endorsement should be inferred.     

Spatial analysis and mapping the annual mean concentrations of acidity and major ions in precipitation over the United Kingdom in 1986

The composition of precipitation is being monitored in collectors sited throughout the United Kingdom. In the first year, 1986, hydrogen ion, nitrate, ammonium and non-marine sulphate were measured in samples from 47 sites and annual mean concentrations determined. Spatial analysis based on Regionalized Variable Theory revealed autocorrelation in all four ions and reasonable bounded models were fitted to the sample variogram of all four. These were then used to estimate values of a fine mesh grid by simple kriging, and the estimates were then contoured. The estimation errors were similarly mapped, and both sets of maps are presented. The maps show that concentrations of these ions are greatest in eastern parts of the country, as expected from consideration of European emissions and weather patterns. For the first time estimation errors were also mapped and show how the network could be improved.     

Environmental and biological monitoring of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)

This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of various biological parameters for monitoring of workers exposed to methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). Fifty male workers from a large magnetic videotape factory participated in this study. Personal air samples were collected using 3M organic vapor monitors and analysed for MEK by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detector (FID). 10 mL of urine; blood (1 mL) and exhaled air were also collected at the end of an 8-hour workshift. The headspace GC method was applied for measurement of urinary and blood MEK. MEK in expired air was analysed directly by using a GC/FID.The correlation coefficients (r) between environmental MEK and all other biological parameters measured show significant positive relationships. The r for environmental MEK and urine MEK was 0.84; for blood 0.73 and for breath 0.64. The correlation coefficients between blood and urine was 0.72; blood and breath was 0.88 and urine and breath 0.60. These findings suggest that measurements of unmetabolised MEK in blood, exhaled air and urine can be used for biological monitoring of MEK exposure. Nevertheless, laboratory methodological assessment is in favour of measuring urinary MEK as it is non-invasive and does not have to be analysed immediately after collection.     

The characteristic of in situ stress in outburst area of China

In order to obtain the characteristics of in situ stress field in outburst mining area, using the hollow inclusion (HI) technique to measure the in situ stress of coal and gas outburst mining area. The measurement sites located in northeast, middle and east of china, which include eight mining areas such as Fuxin, Pingdingshan, Hebi and Huainan. Base on the analysis of measurement data from outburst mining area, conclusions could be obtained as follow: (a) major principal stress and minor principal stress is horizontal stress and interim principal stress is vertical stress, and the type of outburst area’s stress field is dynamic stress field; (b) the major principal stress and minor principal stress are higher than other regions and the tectonic stress is outstanding; and (c) the ratio of major principal and vertical stress is decrease with the increase of depth and the type of stress field is likely transfer dynamic to static. Thus, in situ stress plays a key role during the occurring and development of coal and gas outburst, which is an important reason of severe outburst in China.     

Experimental study on the influence mechanism of gas seepage on coal and gas outburst disaster

By using the self-developed triaxial servo-controlled seepage equipment for thermo-fluid-solid coupling of coal containing gas and the self-developed coal and gas outburst simulation test device, experiments to study the influence mechanism of gas seepage on coal and gas outburst disasters. The results show that: (i) gas seepage decreases the strength of coal containing gas and accelerates its failure process; (ii) under the same gas pressure, the confining pressure is larger, the more difficult the gas flows and the greater the intensity of coal containing gas is; (iii) in the process of coal and gas outburst, the greater the vertical ground stress is, the more powerful the outburst will be; (iv) the influence mechanism of gas seepage on coal and gas outburst disasters is as follows: firstly, gas seepage weakens the mechanical properties of coal body, which makes it much easier for coal and gas outburst to occur; secondly, on the same effect of external force, it will be easy to form a high gas pressure zone in the coal body under the difficult condition of gas seepage, and accumulate more gas compression energy, which is the energy source for coal and gas outburst, and it is also the main dynamic source to throw and grind the coal.