Use of additives to enhance the removal of phenols from water treated with horseradish and hydrogen peroxide

Use of additives, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), selected surfactants, chitosan gel, or activated carbon, has been shown to enhance enzymatic treatment of water polluted with organic compounds. In this study, additives were used to facilitate the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from water using minced horseradish (Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertn. et al.) as a carrier of peroxidase activity. The specific objectives of the study were to (i) enhance the pollutant removal activity of minced horseradish by the addition of PEG and other additives (e.g., Tween 20, Triton X-100, and rhamnolipid); (ii) eliminate colored reaction products by the addition of chitosan; and (iii) eliminate color by amending treated water with activated carbon. The disappearance of 2,4-DCP in horseradish-treated water samples amended with PEG or various surfactants (75-90%) was greatly increased over that observed in nonamended samples (29%). The effect of PEG depended on its average molecular weight. As indicated by visible spectrophotometry, enclosing horseradish pieces between two sealed chitosan films completely eliminated colored reaction products; however, the decolorization was accompanied by a reduction in 2,4-DCP removal (from 95 to 60%). On the other hand, commercially available activated carbon completely removed colored reaction products from the treated water without reducing the removal efficiency. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the use of additives may considerably improve the quality of wastewater treated by plant materials.     

Assessment of the pollution and ecological risk of lead and cadmium in soils

The aim of the study was to assess the content, distribution, soil binding capacity, and ecological risk of cadmium and lead in the soils of Malopolska (South Poland). The investigation of 320 soil samples from differently used land (grassland, arable land, forest, wasteland) revealed a very high variation in the metal content in the soils. The pollution of soils with cadmium and lead is moderate. Generally, a point source of lead and cadmium pollution was noted in the study area. The highest content of cadmium and lead was found in the northwestern part of the area—the industrial zones (mining and metallurgical activity). These findings are confirmed by the arrangement of semivariogram surfaces and bivariate Moran’s correlation coefficients. Among the different types of land use, forest soils had by far the highest mean content of bioavailable forms of both metals. The results showed a higher soil binding capacity for lead than for cadmium. However, for both metals, extremely high (class 5) accumulation capacities were dominant. Based on the results, the investigated soils had a low (Pb) and moderate (Cd) ecological risk on living components. Soil properties, such as organic C, pH, sand, silt, and clay content, correlated with the content of total and bioavailable forms of metals in the soils. The correlations, despite being statistically significant, were characterized by very low values of correlation coefficient (r?=?0.12–0.20, at p?≤?0.05). Therefore, the obtained data do not allow to define any conclusions as to the relationships between these soil properties. However, it must be highlighted that there was a very strong positive correlation between the total content of cadmium and lead and their bioavailable forms in the soils.     

QSPR for prediction of subcooled vapor pressures (log PL) of polychlorinated trans-azobenzenes

In this study the values of subcooled vapor pressures (log P_L) were estimated for 209 trans chloroazobenzenes (Ct-ABs) that fill some gaps in analytical and experimental data on these compounds. There are 209 chloro derivatives of trans azobenzenes that are relatively stable and more environmentally relevant than 209 chloro cis congeners. The calculations models were based on the Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) scheme using the semi-empirical method (PM6) in molecular package (MOPAC) software and density functional theory (DFT) method using B3LYP functional and 6-311++G** basis set) in Gaussian 03 software method and the artificial neural networks (ANNs) prediction. The values of log P_L predicted by models used varied between ?3.94 to ?2.66 for Mono-; ?4.85 to ?2.97 for Di-; ?5.18 to ?3.17 for Tri-; ?6.02 to ?3.77 for Tetra-; ?6.64 to ?4.64 for Penta-; ?7.36 to ?4.76 for Hexa-; ?7.54 to ?5.79 for Hepta-; ?7.75 to ?6.64 for Octa-; ?7.89 to ?7.44 for Nona-Ct-Abs; and ?8.09 and ?8.13 for Deca-Ct-AB. Based on these values Ct-ABs can be grouped localized among relatively low (log P_L ?4 to ?2) and low (log P_L < ?4) mobile Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Both the calculation methods employed were characterized by similar prediction ability of subcooled vapor pressure values of Ct-ABs, while those of PM6 are much more efficient due to a cheaper hardware used and around 300-fold less time spent on calculations.     

Pickling of chanterelle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cantharellus cibarius</Emphasis> mushrooms highly reduce cadmium contamination

Mushrooms are considered as potential bio-remediation agents in soil polluted with heavy metals, while many species which efficiently accumulate them in flesh are edible. Question is if there is any possible culinary use of edible mushrooms with high heavy metal contents? This study aimed to investigate and discuss a fate of cadmium (Cd) in common household-treated fruitbodies of common chanterelle Cantharellus cibarius. The samples of Cantharellus cibarius Fr. were collected from five spatially distanced sites in Poland in 2011–2012. We examined from 267 to 358 fruiting bodies per collection, and in total 1565 fruiting bodies were used. Cadmium in fungal materials from all treatments and processes (mushrooms dried, deep frozen, blanched and pickled) was determined using validated methods by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with dynamic reaction cell. Blanching of fresh chanterelles caused decrease of Cd by around 11 ± 7 to 36 ± 7%, while blanching of deep-frozen mushrooms by around 40 ± 6%. A rate of Cd decrease in chanterelles was similar when the fruiting bodies were blanched for 5 or 15 min and when used was potable or deionized water. Pickling of blanched chanterelles with a diluted vinegar marinade had a pronounced effect on further removal of Cd. Blanched chanterelles when pickled lost an extra 37–71% of Cd. Total leaching rate of Cd from fresh or deep-frozen fruitbodies of chanterelle when blanched and further pickled was between 77 ± 7 and 91 ± 4%. Blanching and pickling highly decreased content of Cd in C. cibarius.     

Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s real-time dispersion model snap (Severe Nuclear Accident Program): Runs for ETEX and ATMES II experiments with different meteorological input

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute (DNMI) has developed and implemented for operational use a real-time dispersion model Severe Nuclear Accident Program (SNAP) with capability for predicting concentrations and depositions of the radioactive debris from large accidental releases. SNAP has been closely linked to DNMI’s operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models.How good are these predictions? Participation in ETEX has partly answered this question. DNMI used SNAP with LAM50S giving meteorological input for these real-time dispersion calculations. LAM50S Limited Area Model with 50 km grid squareswas DNMI’s operational NWP model in 1994 when ETEX took place.In this article we report on how SNAP performed in the first of the ETEX releases in near-real-time mode, using LAM50S—and in hindcast mode for ATMES II, using “ECMWF 1995: ETEX Data set (ATMES II)”as meteorological input data. These two input data sets came from NWP models with quite different characteristics but with similar resolution in time and space.The results from these dispersion simulations matched closely. Deviations early in the simulation period shrank to insignificant differences later on. Since both input data sets were based on “weather analysis” and had similar resolution in space and time, SNAP described the dispersion of the released material very similar in these two simulations.     

Geotrupine beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) as bio-monitors of man-made radioactivity

Adults of the geotrupine beetle Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Coleoptera, Geotrupidae), a common European forest insect species, were used in the role of bio-monitors for mainly man-made radionuclides in a forest environment. Activities of 137Cs, 40K, 238Pu, (239+240)Pu, 90Sr and 241Am were studied. Samples originated from four areas in Poland, two from the north-east and two from the south of the country. The north-eastern areas were previously recognized as the places where hot particle fallout from Chernobyl took place. Results confirmed the differences in the activities between north-eastern and southern locations. Significant correlations were found between activities of 40K and 137Cs, and between activities of plutonium and americium isotopes. An additional study of the concentration of radionuclides within the bodies of beetles showed a general pattern of distribution of radioisotopes in the insect body.