Mercury volatilization by the most mercury-resistant bacteria from the seawater of Minamata Bay in various physiological conditions

The volatilization of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) and methyl mercuric chloride (CH₃HgCl) by the 45 strains (35 Pseudoalteromonas sp., 2 Vibrio sp., 1 Aeromonas sp., and 7 unclassified) of the most mercury-resistant bacteria from Minamata Bay seawater was examined in various physiological conditions. The bacteria could grow and volatilize HgCl₂ in the liquid medium containing 1-10% NaCl. Two Pseudoalteromonas strains could grow and volatilize HgCl₂ at pH levels ranging from 5.0 to 10.0. The resting cells of 43 strains could volatilize HgCl₂ at concentrations ranging from 30 to 68% after 1-h incubation at 30vv°C. The resting cells of 41 strains could volatilize CH₃HgCl at concentrations ranging from 13 to 88% after 1-h incubation at 30vv°C. Ninety-two percent of mercury was removed from the phosphate buffer containing 0.1 7g/ml by a resting cell of Pseudoalteromonas strain H-4 after 30-min incubation at 30vv°C. We were able to screen the special bacteria, which could volatilize mercury compounds at a high rate in various physiological conditions, for the purpose of developing mercury removal methods using bacteria.     

Disseminating near-real-time hazards information and flood maps in the Philippines through Web-GIS

The Philippines being a locus of tropical cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, is a hotbed of disasters. These natural hazards inflict loss of lives and costly damage to property. Situated in a region where climate and geophysical tempest is common, the Philippines will inevitably suffer from calamities similar to those experienced recently. With continued development and population growth in hazard prone areas, it is expected that damage to infrastructure and human losses would persist and even rise unless appropriate measures are immediately implemented by government. In 2012, the Philippines launched a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation called the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (Project NOAH), specifically for government warning agencies to be able to provide a 6 hr lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods and to use advanced technology to enhance current geo-hazard vulnerability maps. To disseminate such critical information to as wide an audience as possible, a Web-GIS using mashups of freely available source codes and application program interface (APIs) was developed and can be found in the URLs http:// noah.dost.gov.ph and http://noah.up.edu.ph/. This Web-GIS tool is now heavily used by local government units in the Philippines in their disaster prevention and mitigation efforts and can be replicated in countries that have a proactive approach to address the impacts of natural hazards but lack sufficient funds.     

Implementing the evidence for preventing falls among community-dwelling older people: a systematic review

Problem and objective

The translation of the evidence-base for preventing falls among community-dwelling older people into practice has been limited. This study systematically reviewed and synthesised the effectiveness of methods to implement falls prevention programmes with this population.

Methods

Articles published between 1980 and May 2010 that evaluated the effects of an implementation strategy. No design restrictions were imposed. A narrative synthesis was undertaken.

Results

15 studies were identified. Interventions that involved the active training of healthcare professionals improved implementation. The evidence around changing the way people who fall are managed within primary care practices, and, layperson, peer or community delivered models was mixed.

Impact on industry

Translating the evidence-base into practice involves changing the attitudes and behaviours of older people, healthcare professionals and organisations. However, there is a need for further evaluation on how this can be best achieved.     

Diphenylmethane diisocyanate self-polymerization: Thermal hazard evaluation and proof of runaway reaction in gram scale

Thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis mass spectrometry, adiabatic calorimetry, a gram-scale heating test, and infrared spectroscopy were performed to evaluate the thermal hazards of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and prove the occurrence of a runaway reaction. The self-polymerization of MDI was found to occur at about 340 °C under rapid heating conditions. Carbon dioxide was eliminated and heat was generated to allow polymerization. Under adiabatic and closed conditions, the runaway reaction of MDI can begin at least from 220 °C. Besides it is highly probable that the runaway reaction of MDI can begin from a lower temperature in an actual process scale. More heat was generated than in the previous case and the pressure rose rapidly. A closed 2-mm-thick glass vessel exploded because of the runaway reaction of MDI even if the temperature was lower than 300 °C. Therefore, MDI could cause fatal runaway reactions below 300 °C, where MDI had been assumed to self-polymerize by eliminating carbon dioxide previously.     

Total mercury loadings in sediment from gold mining and conservation areas in Guyana

The Low Carbon Development Strategy proposed in June 2009 by the government of Guyana in response to the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries program has triggered evaluation of forest-related activities, thereby acting as a catalyst for improvements in Guyana's small- to medium-scale gold mining industry. This has also shed light on areas committed to conservation, something that has also been handled by Non Governmental Organizations. This paper compares water quality and mercury concentrations in sediment from four main areas in Guyana, two that are heavily mined for gold using mercury amalgamation methods (Arakaka and Mahdia) and two that are considered conservation areas (Iwokrama and Konashen). Fifty-three sediment and soil mercury loadings ranged from 29 to 1,200 ng/g and averaged 215 ± 187 ng/g for all sites with similar averages in conservation and mining areas. Sediment loadings are within the range seen in French Guiana and Suriname, but conservation area samples had higher loadings than the corresponding uncontaminated baselines. Type of ore and location in the mining process seemed to influence mercury loadings. Mercury sediment loadings were slightly positively correlated with pH (correlation coefficient = 0.2; p value < 0.001) whereas no significant correlations were found with dissolved oxygen or turbidity.     

Chemical and biological evaluation of a reaction mixture of R-(+)-limonene/ozone: Formation of strong airway irritants

The airway irritation of a reaction mixture of R-(+)-limonene and ozone was evaluated by a mouse bioassay in which sensory irritation, bronchoconstriction and pulmonary irritation were measured. Significant sensory irritation (33% reduction of mean respiratory rate) was observed by dynamic exposure of the mice, during 30 min, to a ca. 16 s old reaction mixture of ozone and limonene. The initial concentrations were nominally 4 ppm O₃ and 48 ppm limonene. After reaction, the residual O₃ was <0.03 ppm. Conventional analytical chemical methods were used to measure the formation of readily identified and stable products. Besides the expected products, 1-methyl-4-acetylcyclohexene (AMCH), 3-isopropenyl-6-oxoheptanal (IPOH), formaldehyde and formic acid, autooxidation products of limonene and a series of compounds (i.e., acetone, acrolein and acetic acid), which may or may not be artefacts, were identified. Addition of the sensory irritation effects of the residual reactants and all the identified compounds could not explain the observed sensory irritation effect. This suggests that one or more strong airway irritants were formed. Since limonene is common in the indoor air, and ozone is infiltrated from outdoors and/or produced indoors (e.g., by photocopiers), such oxidation reactions may be relevant for indoor air quality.     

Barriers and Opportunities for Integrating Social Science into Natural Resource Management: Lessons from National Estuarine Research Reserves

The need for cross-disciplinary scientific inquiries that facilitate improved natural resource management outcomes through increased understanding of both the biophysical and human dimensions of management issues has been widely recognized. Despite this broad recognition, a number of obstacles and barriers still sometimes challenge the successful implementation of cross-disciplinary approaches. Improving understanding of these challenges and barriers will help address them and thereby foster appropriate and effective utilization of cross-disciplinary approaches to solve natural resource management challenges. This research uses a case study analysis of the United States National Estuarine Research Reserve System to improve understanding of the critical factors that influence practitioners’ decisions related to incorporating social science into their natural resource management work. The case study research is analyzed and evaluated within a Theory of Planned Behavior framework to (1) determine and describe the factors that predict practitioners’ intent to incorporate social science into their natural resource related activities and (2) recommend potential strategies for encouraging and enabling cross-disciplinary approaches to natural resource management. The results indicate that National Estuarine Research Reserve practitioners’ decisions related to incorporating social science are primarily influenced by (1) confidence in their own capability to incorporate social science into their work and (2) beliefs about whether the outcomes of incorporating social science into their work would be valuable or beneficial.