Rapid enzyme immunoassays for the detection of carbaryl and methoprene in grains

In order for grain handlers and traders to reliably estimate residues of grain protectants in the field, antibody-based rapid tests were developed for carbaryl (1-naphthyl methylcarbamate) and methoprene [isopropyl (E,E)-(RS)-11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate]. To complement the rapid analysis, a simple and rapid extraction technique was developed. In these tests, a pesticide-containing methanol extract of the grain sample and an enzyme-labeled component are added to precoated strips. After a brief incubation, the strips are washed and a substrate/chromogen for the enzyme is added. The color developed is stopped by acidification and the results are read either by eye or in a portable field photometer. The overall test time is under 20 minutes. For carbaryl, the test had a limit of detection of 4.5 ppb (1.1 ppm in grain), while the methoprene test had a limit of detection of 4 ppb (1 ppm in grain) based on the lower datum point, which is 15% inhibition, in the standard curves. Both assays can be used as a screening test for carbaryl and methoprene in animal feed grains.     

Photodegradation of organic pollutants on the spruce needle wax surface under laboratory conditions

The photochemistry of selected organic compounds, including common pollutants, on the paraffin (as a model matrix) and spruce wax surfaces was studied under laboratory conditions. Two model transformations were evaluated: (1) intramolecular rearrangements of valerophenone and 2-nitrobenzaldehyde, and (2) hydrogen abstraction between an excited benzophenone and the hydrocarbon paraffin/wax chains. The steric or polar influence of the solid matrix on conformational and translational motion, its optical properties, hydrogen abstraction probabilities, and consequences of the guest-molecule segregation are discussed in this work. Furthermore, the photochemical reactivity of some common anthropogenic pollutants, such as chlorinated biphenyls (4-chlorobiphenyl, 2,4-dichlorobiphenyl, and 4,4'-dichlorobiphenyl), 4-chlorophenol, and DDT, was evaluated. The surface of spruce wax is presented as probable reaction medium for photochemical transformations. Although the matrix presents certain restrictions for bimolecular reactions, common photodegradations should be generally feasible in nature. In addition, paraffin was found to be a suitable model matrix for the studies of possible photochemical transformations that can occur on natural plant surfaces.     

Chlorpyrifos degradation in Turkish soil

Degradation of chlorpyrifos was evaluated in laboratory studies. Surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (40-60 cm) clay loam soils from a pesticide-untreated field were incubated in biometer flasks for 97 days at 25 degrees C. The treatment was 2 micrograms g-1 [2,6-pyridinyl-14C] chlorpyrifos, with 74 kBq radioactivity per 100 g soil flask. Evolved 14CO2 was monitored in KOH traps throughout the experiment. Periodically, soil subsamples were also methanol-extracted [ambient shaking, then supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)], then analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. Total 14C and unextractable soil-bound 14C residues were determined by combustion. From the surface and subsurface soils, 41 and 43% of the applied radiocarbon was evolved as 14CO2 during 3 months incubation. The time required for 50% loss of the parent insecticide in surface and subsurface soils was about 10 days. By 97 days, chlorpyrifos residues and their relative concentration (in surface/subsurface) as % of applied 14C were: 14CO2 (40.6/42.6), chlorpyrifos (13.1/12.4), soil-bound residues (11.7/11.4), and 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (TCP) (3.8/4.8). Chlorpyrifos was largely extracted by simple shaking with methanol, whereas TCP was mainly removed only by SFE. The short persistence of chlorpyrifos probably relates to the high soil pH (7.9-8.1).     

The influence of climate and soil properties on calcium nutrition and vitality of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.)

As a part of a broader research into the nutrition of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), the variation of calcium concentrations was investigated in needles and soil in two subsequent, climatologically diverse years. Statistically significant differences between plots were determined in Ca concentrations in soils. Concentrations of Ca in needles were statistically different regarding plot, defoliation class, sampling date within the same year and also between years. Fir trees on acid-rock based soils had lower, often inadequate concentrations of Ca in needles; the opposite was true for trees growing on Ca-rich soils. Trees of lower vitality generally exhibited poor Ca nutrition. Drought in the second year of research caused poor absorption of Ca on all plots and in all defoliation classes, but the combined influence of climate and soil properties affected especially trees of low vitality on acid-rock based soils.     

Caribbean mangroves and seagrass beds as daytime feeding habitats for juvenile French grunts, Haemulon flavolineatum

Caribbean seagrass beds are important feeding habitats for so-called nocturnally active zoobenthivorous fish, but the extent to which these fishes use mangroves and seagrass beds as feeding habitats during daytime remains unclear. We hypothesised three feeding strategies: (1) fishes feed opportunistically in mangroves or seagrass beds throughout the day and feed predominantly in seagrass beds during night-time; (2) fishes start feeding in mangroves or seagrass beds during daytime just prior to nocturnal feeding in seagrass beds; (3) after nocturnal feeding in seagrass beds, fishes complete feeding in mangroves or seagrass beds during the morning. We studied the effect of habitat type, fish size, social mode and time of day on resting and feeding behaviour of large juvenile (5–10 cm) and sub-adult (10–15 cm) Haemulon flavolineatum in mangroves and seagrass beds during daytime. Sub-adults occurred in mangroves only, spent most time on resting, and showed rare opportunistic feeding events (concordant with strategy 1), regardless of their social mode (solitary or schooling). In contrast, large juveniles were present in both habitat types and solitary fishes mainly foraged, while schooling fishes mainly rested. Exceptions were small juveniles (±5 cm) in seagrass beds which foraged intensively while schooling. Large juveniles showed more feeding activity in seagrass beds than in mangroves. In both habitat types, they showed benthic feeding, whereas pelagic feeding was observed almost exclusively in the seagrass beds. In both habitat types, their feeding activity was highest during 8:00–10:30 hours (concordant with strategy 3), and for seagrass fishes, it was also high during 17:30–18:30 hours (concordant with strategy 2). The study shows that both mangroves and seagrass beds provide daytime feeding habitats for some life-stages of H. flavolineatum, which is generally considered a nocturnal feeder.     

Ozonation of refractory chemicals in leachate with hydrogen peroxide

Nearly 97% of organic chemicals in Hong Kong leachate could be effectively removed by the UASB( upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) process followed by the fenton coagulation. The COD of leachate was lowered from an average of 12900 mg/L to 1440 mg/L after the UASB treatment, and was further lowered to 394 mg/L after the fenton coagulation. The remaining refractory residues could be further removed by ozonation with the addition of H2Oz. The ozonation for the supernatant of the fenton coagulation was most effective at pH 7-8, with the addition of 300 mg/L of H202, and 30 min of reaction. The final effluent contained only 85 mg/L of COD and 10 mg/L of BOD5. On the other hand, direct ozonation of UASB effluent lowered the COD to 905 mg/L and BOD5 to 103 mg/L. Ozonation improved the biodegradability of the organic residues, and also converted oart of oruanic-N in the leachate into NH3-N and NO3^- -N.     

Local and Indigenous management of climate change risks to archaeological sites

Hundreds of thousands of significant archaeological and cultural heritage sites (cultural sites) along the coasts of every continent are threatened by sea level rise, and many will be destroyed. This wealth of artefacts and monuments testifies to human history, cosmology and identity. While cultural sites are especially important to local and Indigenous communities, a stall in coordinated global action means adaptation at a local scale is often unsupported. In response, this paper produces a practical climate change risk analysis methodology designed for independent, community-scale management of cultural sites. It builds on existing methods that prioritise sites most at risk from climate impacts, proposing a field survey that integrates an assessment of the relative cultural value of sites with assessment of exposure and sensitivity to climate impacts. The field survey also stands as a monitoring program and complements an assessment of organisational adaptive capacity. The preliminary field survey was tested by Indigenous land managers in remote northern Australia at midden and rock art sites threatened by sea level rise, extreme flood events and a range of non-climactic hazards. A participatory action research methodology—incorporating planning workshops, semi-structured interviews and participant observations—gave rise to significant modifications to the preliminary field survey as well as management prioritisation of 120 sites. The field survey is anticipated to have global application, particularly among marginalised and remote Indigenous communities. Well-planned and informed participation, with community control, monitoring and well-informed actions, will contribute significantly to coordinated global and regional adaptation strategies.     

Undercounting of large trucks in federal and state crash databases: Extent of problem and how to improve accuracy of truck classifications

Objective: Prior research suggested that single-unit trucks are undercounted when using vehicle body codes in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). This study explored the extent of the misclassification and undercounting problem for crashes in FARS and state crash databases.

Methods: Truck misclassifications for fatal crashes were explored by comparing the Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents (TIFA) database with FARS. TIFA used vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and survey information to classify large trucks. This study used VINs to improve the accuracy of large truck classifications in state crash databases from 5 states (Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Utah).

Results: The vehicle body type codes resulted in a 19% undercount of single-unit trucks in FARS and a 23% undercount of single-unit trucks in state databases. Tractor-trailers were misclassified less often. Misclassifications occurred most frequently among single-unit trucks in the weight classes of 10,001–14,000 pounds.

Conclusions: The amount of misclassification of large trucks is large enough to potentially affect federal and state decisions on traffic safety. Using information from VINs results in more complete and accurate counts of large trucks involved in crashes. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended actions to improve federal and state crash data.     

Cancer incidence in people with residential exposure to a municipal waste incinerator: An ecological study in Modena (Italy), 1991–2005

We conducted a retrospective ecological study to assess cancer incidence during the period 1991–2005 in proximity of a municipal waste incinerator (MWI) in Modena (Italy). We identified three bands of increasing distance from the MWI, up to a radius of 5 km and used the residence as surrogate marker of the exposure. Residential history for Modena’s population was reconstructed and residents were associated to the most appropriate census unit. Age-standardized incidence ratios (ASR) and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were estimated for all cancers and selected sites. Variations in cancer incidence were investigated using space and space–time scan statistic. Deprivation index was taken into account as potential confounding factor. During the 15-year study period, 16,443 new cases of cancer were diagnosed among residents in Modena. The space–time clustering test identified three significant clusters but their shapes were not associable to the MWI exposition. The purely spatial analysis not showed statistically significant clusters. The SIR computed for all cancers and selected sites did not show any excess of risk in the area closest to the plant. Higher SIR for leukaemia was found in the second band from MWI (2–3.5 km) for females (SIR, age and DI adjusted: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.01–1.79) and for both sexes (SIR, age and DI adjusted: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.03–1.57), but not a spatial trend was observed, thus excluding a possible link with MWI. In conclusion, bearing in mind the intrinsic limits of the study, the results suggest that there is no detectable increase of cancer risk for people living in proximity to the Modena MWI.