Wolfgang Priester: from the big bounce to the $\Lambda$-dominated universe

Wolfgang Priester (1924–2005) was one of Germany’s most versatile and quixotic astrophysicists, reinventing himself successively as a radio astronomer, space physicist and cosmologist, and making a lasting impact on each field. We focus in this personal account on his contributions to cosmology, where he will be most remembered for his association with quasars, his promotion of the idea of a nonsingular “big bounce” at the beginning of the current expansionary phase, and his recognition of the importance of dark energy (Einstein’s cosmological constant Λ) well before this became the standard paradigm in cosmology. In memoriam Wolfgang Priester, 22 April 1924 – 9 July 2005     

Retrospective monitoring of organotin compounds in freshwater fish from 1988 to 2003: results from the German environmental specimen bank

In archived samples from the German environmental specimen bank (ESB) organotin compounds including tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) as well as their potential degradation products were quantified. Muscles of bream (Abramis brama) sampled in the period 1993-2003 from the rivers Rhine, Elbe, Saale, Mulde, Saar, and from Lake Belau (period 1988-2003) were analyzed by gas chromatography/atomic emission detection-coupling after extraction and derivatization. TBT was detected in nearly all samples and a decrease in levels was observed at all sampling sites. At most sites, the reduction seemed to be a result of the ban on the use of TBT-based antifoulants for the application on small boats, which became effective in Germany in 1989. Highest TBT levels were found in fish from the Elbe near Blankenese (470 ng TBT cation per g fresh weight; in 1995) and lowest in bream from Lake Belau (<1 ngg(-1); in 2001 and 2003). Highest TPT levels (253 ngg(-1) in 1993) were also found in bream caught near Blankenese where the occurrence seemed to be correlated to the former use of TPT as co-toxicant in antifoulants. At other sites TPT levels seemed to be correlated to its use as fungicide (e.g. 9 +/- 2 ngg(-1) in bream from Lake Belau in 2001).     

Hepatic antioxidant enzymes and total glutathione of Cyprinus carpio exposed to three disinfectants, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid, for superficial water potabilization

This study was carried out in order to assess the effects of disinfectant-treatment on antioxidant response of Cyprinus carpio L. Therefore, enzymatic activities of glutathione S-transferases, glyoxalase I, glyoxalase II, glutathione peroxidases, glutathione reductase, catalase and total glutathione content of carp liver, exposed to surface water treated with three disinfectants for potabilization, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid were investigated. Specimens of carp were exposed in four experimental tanks supplied with a continuous water flow from Lake Trasimeno (Italy), three of them treated with constant concentration of sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid, for 10 and 20 days, while the control tank was supplied with untreated lake water. Differences in biochemical parameters were observed in specimens following exposure to these disinfectants and mainly, chlorine compounds induced marked biochemical variations of carp liver, compared to those induced by peracetic acid treatment. Our results showed that antioxidant parameters of Cyprinus carpio could be used as biomarkers of oxidative stress when this species is exposed to disinfectants for water potabilization.     

Effect of iron speciation on the photodegradation of Monuron in combined photocatalytic systems with immobilized or suspended TiO2

Photodegradation kinetics of Monuron (3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) in photoreactor with immobilized and suspended TiO₂ photocatalyst were studied. The effect of addition of ferric or ferrous perchlorate was investigated. Whatever the concentration of Fe(III/II) added there is no significant negative effect on the photodegradation rate of pollutants. On the contrary, depending on speciation and concentration of iron salts, slight or marked acceleration of the photodegradation kinetics was observed. This positive influence was more pronounced in the case of TiO₂ suspensions than for TiO₂ layers. Fe(III) was generally more effective than Fe(II).     

Structure and origin of the natural halogenated monoterpene MHC-1 and its concentrations in marine mammals and fish

The halogenated natural product previously named mixed-halogenated compound 1 (MHC-1) was isolated from the red seaweed Plocamium cartilagineum harvested in Helgoland, Germany. A total of 1.9mg of pure MHC-1 was obtained from 1g air-dried seaweed. The (1)H and (13)C NMR data matched those reported for a natural monoterpene isolated from this species. Thus, the structure of MHC-1 was established to be (1R,2S,4R,5R,1'E)-2-bromo-1-bromomethyl-1,4-dichloro-5-(2'-chloroethenyl)-5-methylcyclohexane. Moreover, the isolated monoterpene proved to be identical with the compound previously detected in marine mammals and fish from different locations. In addition we examined two samples of P. cartilagineum from Ireland and from the Antarctic; however MHC-1 was only present at low levels. Not only the concentrations were lower but also the pattern of polybrominated compounds differed from MHC-1. A calibrated solution of MHC-1 was used to determine correct concentrations from samples where previously only estimates existed relative to the gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC/ECD) response of trans-chlordane, which underrated the MHC-1 concentrations by more than factor 2. The highest MHC-1 concentration determined to date in marine mammals is 0.14mgkg(-1) blubber. Significantly higher MHC-1 concentrations were determined in farmed fish with up to 2.2mgkg(-1) lipids. The samples with high concentrations of MHC-1 have in common that they were collected in proximity of the natural habitats of P. cartilagineum.     

Effect of water-table fluctuation on dissolution and biodegradation of a multi-component, light nonaqueous-phase liquid

Light nonaqueous-phase liquids (LNAPLs) such as gasoline and diesel fuel are among the most common causes of soil and groundwater contamination. Dissolution and subsequent advective transport of LNAPL components can negatively impact water supplies, while biodegradation is thought to be an important sink for this class of contaminants. We present a laboratory investigation of the effect of a water-table fluctuation on dissolution and biodegradation of a multi-component LNAPL (85% hexadecane, 5% toluene, 5% ethylbenzene, and 5% 2-methylnapthalene on a molar basis) in a pair of similar model aquifers (80 cm x 50 cm x 3 cm), one of which was subjected to a water-table fluctuation. Water-table fluctuation resulted in LNAPL and air entrapment below the water table, an increase in the vertical extent of the LNAPL source zone (by factor 6.7), and an increase in the volume of water passing through the source zone (by factor ~18). Effluent concentrations of dissolved LNAPL components were substantially higher and those of dissolved nitrate lower in the model aquifer where a fluctuation had been induced. Thus, water-table fluctuation led to enhanced biodegradation activity (28.3 mmol of nitrate consumed compared to 16.3 mmol in the model without fluctuation) as well as enhanced dissolution of LNAPL components. Despite the increased biodegradation, fluctuation led to increased elution of dissolved LNAPL components from the system (by factors 10-20). Hence, water-table fluctuations in LNAPL-contaminated aquifers might be expected to result in increased exposure of downgradient receptors to LNAPL components. Accordingly, water-table fluctuations in contaminated aquifers are probably undesirable unless the LNAPL is of minimal solubility or the dissolved-phase plume is not expected to reach a receptor due to distance or the presence of some form of containment.     

Characterization of humic substances of different origin by means of mass spectrometry and neural networks

Mass spectrometry fingerprinting of humic acids extracted from different soils has been carried out using laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF MS). LDI-TOF MS provides characteristic mass spectra fingerprints for the humic acids of different origin. The information given in the fingerprints was evaluated for natural grouping trends in the samples by neural networks computing tools, such as self-organizing feature map (SOFM). This approach is efficient for recognizing patterns in the humic acids samples independently of their characteristic variability; variability characterizing natural products such as humic substances. The use of multi-layer perceptron artificial neural networks gave a successful classification of the samples.     

Long-term dynamics of biomass production, soil chemical properties and plant species composition of alluvial grassland after the cessation of fertilizer application in the Czech Republic

The resilience, the ability of an ecosystem to recover after termination of perturbation, of highly productive Alopecurus grassland was investigated after the cessation of the following long-term fertilizer treatments applied under a two- or three-cut management regime: unfertilized control, PK, N₁₀₀PK, N₂₀₀PK, N₃₀₀PK and N₄₀₀PK. Annual application rates of pure nutrients per hectare were 0–400 kg for N, 40 kg for P and 100 kg for K. The dynamics of biomass production were measured for 16 years and the effect of former fertilizer treatments on soil chemical properties, biomass chemical properties, plant species composition and species richness were investigated 16 years after the last application of fertilizers. It was concluded that 16 years was not long enough to achieve resilience in plant-available soil P and K concentrations, N/P ratios in the plant biomass or plant species composition, but that it was long enough to achieve resilience in species richness. In the case of biomass production the effect of former fertilizer treatments was apparent in 10 of the 16 seasons investigated, indicating that resilience in biomass production must be evaluated using data from more than 1 vegetation season. The results of the study stress the necessity for long-term research because of high year-to-year variability in biomass production as well as long-term after-effects of fertilizer treatments in alluvial grassland.     

Elektrische Leitfähigkeit von organischen Isolatoren,Eis und Proteinen im Zusammenhang mit der Energiewanderung

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