Assessment of Temporal and Spatial Variation of Nitrate Removal in Riparian Zones

The aim of this study was to monitor long-term temporal and spatial groundwater NO₃^- removal efficiencies in different riparian zones via a limited number of sampling wells. Groundwater NO₃^- concentrations were measured fortnightly or monthly over a period of two years using transects of ground water sampling wells. Depending on the level of the NO₃^- load (up to 120mgNL^-1 at the input side of the riparian zone a distance of 10 to 30m was needed to remove NO₃^- from the groundwater below 11.3mgNL^-1. Considering all seasons, the mixed vegetation and grass riparian site succeeded to remove groundwater NO₃^- efficiently (92—100% within a distance of 30m. The forested riparian zone removed 72—90% of the total NO₃^- input within a distance of 30m. Evidence emerged that NO₃^- could also be removed actively at depths up to 2m, due to the presence of organically enriched layers of alluvial deposits or roots. Our four dimensional approach (three dimensional space and time), in combination with a limited number of sampling wells, was shown to be a useful monitoring tool to assess the variability of NO₃^- removal in riparian zones.     

Choice of a Denominator for Occupational Injury Rates A Study of the Development of a Swedish Iron-Ore Mine

This study is concerned with the longitudinal representation of injury risk obtained using alternative injury-rate denominators—hours worked and production volume. It investigates injury risks at the underground extraction phase in a Swedish iron-ore mine. Six stages of mining development are defined, and three risk measures are employed: average injury rates (AIRs) by stage, injury rate ratios (IRRs) by stage, and annual injury rates (AnIRs). The two denominators give a quite different representation of injury risk at the early stages of the development of the mine, but tend increasingly to provide a similar picture (similar ratios) at later stages. It is concluded that automated production processes, as opposed to mechanized ones, tend to make hours worked and production volume interchangeable denominators. Choice of appropriate denominator may depend upon whether the individual or the production process is in focus.     

Using Available Information to Assess the Potential Effects of Climate Change on Vegetation in the High Arctic: North Billjefjorden, Central Spitsbergen (Svalbard)

We review the available data that can be used to assess the potential impact of climate change on vegetation, and we use central Spitsbergen, Svalbard, as a model location for the High Arctic. We used two sources of information: recent and short-term historical records, which enable assessment on scales of particular plant communities and the landscape over a period of decades, and palynological and macrofossil analyses, which enable assessment on time scales of hundreds and thousands of years and on the spatial scale of the landscape. Both of these substitutes for standardized monitoring revealed stability of vegetation, which is probably attributable to the harsh conditions and the distance of the area from sources of diaspores of potential new incomers. The only evident recent vegetation changes related to climate change are associated with succession after glacial retreats. By establishing a network of permanent plots, researchers will be able to monitor immigration of new species from diversity 'hot spots' and from an abandoned settlement nearby. This will greatly enhance our ability to understand the effects of climate change on vegetation in the High Arctic.     

Cytogenetic status of human lymphocytes after exposure to low concentrations of p,p'-DDT, and its metabolites (p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD) in vitro

Despite that the use of DDT has been restricted for more than 40 years to malaria affected areas, low doses of this pesticide and its metabolites DDE and DDD can be found in the environment around the world. Although it has been shown that these pollutants induce cell and DNA damage, the mechanisms of their cytogenotoxic activity remains largely unknown. This study looks into their possible genotoxic effects, at doses that can be found in body fluids, on human lymphocytes using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and the comet assay. After exposure for 1, 6, and 24 h compounds p,p′-DDT (0.1 μg mL⁻¹), p,p′-DDE (4.1 μg mL⁻¹), and p,p′-DDD (3.9 μg mL⁻¹) showed increase in DNA damage. The most significant results were observed at exposure period of 24 h where number of micronucleated cells increased from control 2.5 ± 0.71 to 23.5 ± 3.54, 13.5 ± 0.71, and 16.5 ± 6.36 for DDT, DDE, and DDD, respectively. Similar effect was observed using comet test where the percentage of DNA in comets tail increased from control 1.81 ± 0.16 to 17.24 ± 0.55, 11.21 ± 0.56 and 9.28 ± 0.50 for each compound, respectively. At the same time Fpg-comet assay failed to report induction of oxidative DNA damage of these pollutants. Additionally, the type of cell death was determined using diffusion assay and necrosis dominated. Our findings suggest that even at low concentrations, these pesticides could induce cytogenetic damage to human peripheral blood lymphocytes and in that manner have the impact on human health as well.     

Policy and Practice Certainty for Effective Uptake of Diffuse Pollution Practices in A Light-Touch Regulated Country

Environmental Management - Although the link between agriculture and diffuse water pollution has been understood for decades, there is still a need to implement effective measures to address this...     

The ability of Helianthus annuus L. and Brassica juncea to uptake and translocate natural uranium and 226Ra under different milieu conditions

Seedlings of Helianthus annuus L. (HA) and Brassica juncea (BJ) were used to test the effect of the pH, the presence of phosphates, and the addition of ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or citrate on the uptake and the translocation of uranium isotopes ((238)U, (235)U, and (234)U) and (226)Ra. The results indicated that the presence of phosphates generally reduces the uptake and transfer of uranium from the roots to the shoots of HA. In the case of BJ, while phosphate enhanced the retention of uranium by roots, the translocation was poorer. Likewise, for (226)Ra, the best translocation was in the absence of phosphates for both species. The addition of citrate increased the translocation of uranium for both species, but had no clear effect on the transfer of (226)Ra. The effect of EDTA was much more moderate both for uranium and for (226)Ra, and for both plant species. Only noticeable was a slightly better uptake of (226)Ra by BJ at neutral pH, although the translocation was lower.     

An indicative method for determination of the most hazardous changes in slopes of the subsidence basins in underground coal mining area in Ostrava (Czech Republic)

Considering growing population and decreasing mineral resource reserves, the issue of undermining has been and shall remain very topical. This study aims to identify the mutual connections between mined out panels of a deposit and the final manifestations on the ground surface related to deep black coal mining. On the grounds of the identified connections, the study describes a method to simplify a common evaluation of undermined areas according to building site categories. Within the study, a demarcation of the areas was conducted in two localities in Czech Republic influenced by the effects of undermining in the Upper-Silesian Basin. In the allotment of the CSM Mine, an area unsuitable for founding structures was defined from the centre of the worked out workings to the distance of 175 m from the panel's edge, for which the corresponding break angle is 78.3°. Similarly, in the allotment of the Paskov Mine, an area unsuitable for founding structures was determined to the distance of 500 m from the panel's edge, for which the corresponding break angle is 50.2°. This demarcation may be implemented prior to deposit mining being aware of several physical-mechanical parameters of rocks in the deposit's overburden. Having mined out a particular section of a deposit, it is recommended to verify the values of break angle using the method described herein. The study may be applied as a relatively fast and effective method to evaluate future land use for planning.     

Studies on degradation of glyphosate by several oxidative chemical processes: Ozonation,photolysis and heterogeneous photocatalysis

Several different Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) including ozonation at pH 6.5 and 10, photolysis and heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO₂ as semiconductor and dissolved oxygen as electron acceptor were applied to study the degradation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine) in water. The degree of glyphosate degradation, the reactions kinetic and the formation of the major metabolite, aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA), were evaluated. Ozonation at pH 10 resulted in the maximum mineralization of glyphosate. It was observed that under the experimental conditions used in this study the degradation of glyphosate followed the first-order kinetics. The half-life obtained for glyphosate degradation in the O₃/pH 10 process was 1.8 minutes.     

Waste prevention for sustainable resource and waste management

Although the 2Rs (reduce and reuse) are considered high-priority approaches, there has not been enough quantitative research on effective 2R management. The purpose of this paper is to provide information obtained through the International Workshop in Kyoto, Japan, on 11–13 November 2015, which included invited experts and researchers in several countries who were in charge of 3R policies, and an additional review of 245 previous studies. It was found that, regarding policy development, the decoupling between environmental pressures and economy growth was recognized as an essential step towards a sustainable society. 3R and resource management policies, including waste prevention, will play a crucial role. Approaches using material/substance flow analyses have become sophisticated enough to describe the fate of resources and/or hazardous substances based on human activity and the environment, including the final sink. Life-cycle assessment has also been developed to evaluate waste prevention activities. Regarding target products for waste prevention, food loss is one of the waste fractions with the highest priority because its countermeasures have significant upstream and downstream effects. Persistent organic pollutants and hazardous compounds should also be taken into account in the situation where recycling activities are globally widespread for the promotion of a material-cycling society.