Role of the floodplain lakes in the methylmercury distribution and exchanges with the Amazon River, Brazil

Seasonal variability of dissolved and particulate methylmercury(F-MeHg, P-MeHg) concentrations was studied in the waters of the Amazon River and its associated Curuai floodplain during hydrological year 2005–2006, to understand the MeHg exchanges between these aquatic systems. In the oxic white water lakes, with neutral pH, high F-MeHg and P-MeHg concentrations were measured during the rising water stage(0.70 ± 0.37 pmol/L, n = 26) and flood peak(14.19 ± 9.32 pmol/g, n = 7) respectively, when the Amazon River water discharge into the lakes was at its maximum. The lowest mean values were reported during the dry season(0.18 ± 0.07 pmol/L F-MeHg, n = 10 and 1.35 ± 1.24 pmol/g P-MeHg, n = 8), when water and suspended sediments were outflowing from the lakes into the River. In these lakes,the MeHg concentrations were associated to the aluminium and organic carbon/nitrogen changes. In the black water lakes, with acidic pH and reducing conditions, elevated MeHg concentrations were recorded(0.58 ± 0.32 pmol/L F-MeHg, n = 16 and 19.82 ± 15.13 pmol/g PMeHg, n = 6), and correlated with the organic carbon and manganese concentrations. Elevated values of MeHg partition coefficient(4.87 Kd 5.08 log(L/kg) indicate that MeHg is mainly transported associated with the particulate phase. The P-MeHg enrichment detected in all lakes suggests autochthonous MeHg inputs from the sediments into the water column. The MeHg mass balance showed that the Curuai floodplain is not the source of P-MeHg for the Amazon River.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with terminal deletion of chromosome 1 (q41)

Many authors have suggested that individuals affected by a terminal 1q deletion display a phenotypically definable and recognizable syndrome. In all of the 27 cases reported to date, the breakpoints were at band q42 or distally to it. To our knowledge, we report the first case of a terminal 1q41 deletion. Diagnosis was made prenatally by amniocentesis, following ultrasonographic diagnosis of omphalocele, cerebral ventriculomegaly, and increased nuchal fold thickness in a 19-week female fetus. Multiple facial and extremity features were consistent with the proposed distal 1q deletion syndrome; omphalocele, however, has not been reported previously. The absence of liver herniation into the omphalocele sac in this case supports the previously reported association of this finding with chromosomal anomalies.     

Influence of Relative Humidity and Ozone on the Sampling of Volatile Organic Compounds on Carbotrap/Carbosieve Adsorbents

By using a dynamic dilution system, the atmospheric measurement of 11 selected toxics VOCs (ethylene, acetylene, propene, 1-butene, 1,3-butadiene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m+p-xylene) from the list WHO of 1996 and TO-14 method of US EPA by preconcentration by thermal desorption (TD), analysis by gas chromatography (GC), identification and quantification with a flame ionisation detector (FID) was developed and validated in term of metrology, especially the techniques of sampling of these VOCs with adsorbents cartridges "Air Toxics" when used with an "UMEG sampler" equipped in the inlet with a nafion membrane. In particular the influence of climatic conditions (temperature and relative humidity) and the influence of chemical factors like ozone, on the representativity of sampling were studied. Experiments made with various humidities showed that the addition of a nafion membrane in the inlet of the sampling system was required. Without this membrane, losses of compounds were observed for RH >50%. With this membrane, storage for 2 weeks in a refrigerator, as for canisters, did not induce a loss of compounds. No significative decrease of concentrations of the studied VOCs after 14 days storage, which are known to react with ozone, were observed with an ozone concentrations of 55 ppb. One explanation is that nafion membrane, placed in the inlet of the sampler, will neutralize ozone before entering the sampling tubes. This observation is in accordance with literature which states that the sampling of VOCs on Carbotrap cartridges without ozone scrubber induce a loss of compounds.     

Cougar Dispersal Patterns, Metapopulation Dynamics, and Conservation

Abstract: We examined cougar (   Puma concolor ) dispersal, emigration, and immigration in the San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, from 1985 to 1995 to quantify the effects of dispersal on the local population and surrounding subpopulations. We captured, tagged, and radio-collared animals to detect the arrival of new immigrants and dispersal characteristics of progeny. We found that cougars in southern New Mexico exhibited a metapopulation structure in which cougar subpopulations were separated by expanses of noncougar habitat and linked by dispersers. Of 43 progeny (n = 20 males , 23 females ) studied after independence, only 13 females exhibited philopatric behavior. Males dispersed significantly farther than females, were more likely to traverse large expanses of noncougar habitat, and were probably most responsible for nuclear gene flow between habitat patches. We estimated that an average of 8.5 progeny (i.e., cougars born in the study area) successfully emigrated from and 4.3 cougars successfully immigrated to the San Andres Mountains each year. Concurrently, an average of 4.1 progeny were recruited into the San Andres cougar population. Protected cougar subpopulations can contribute to metapopulation persistence by supplying immigrants to surrounding subpopulations that are affected by fragmentation or offtake by humans. Cougar population dynamics and dispersal behavior dictate that cougar management and conservation should be considered on a regional scale.     

Potential of fly ash for neutralisation of acid mine drainage

Lignite (PK), bituminous (FI) and biomass (SE) fly ashes (FAs) were mineralogically and geochemically characterised, and their element leachability was studied with batch leaching tests. The potential for acid neutralisation (ANP) was quantified by their buffering capacity, reflecting their potential for neutralisation of acid mine drainage. Quartz was the common mineral in FAs detected by XRD with iron oxide, anhydrite, and magnesioferrite in PK, mullite and lime in FI, and calcite and anorthite in SE. All the FAs had high contents of major elements such as Fe, Si, Al and Ca. The Ca content in SE was six and eight times higher compared to PK and FI, respectively. Sulphur content in PK and SE was one magnitude higher than FI. Iron concentrations were higher in PK. The trace element concentrations varied between the FAs. SE had the highest ANP (corresponding to 275 kg CaCO₃?tonne^?1) which was 15 and 10 times higher than PK and FI, respectively. The concentrations of Ca²⁺, SO₄ ^2?, Na⁺ and Cl^? in the leachates were much higher compared to other elements from all FA samples. Iron, Cu and Hg were not detected in any of the FA leachates because of their mild to strong alkaline nature with pH ranging from 9 to 13. Potassium leached in much higher quantity from SE than from the other ashes. Arsenic, Mn and Ni leached from PK only, while Co and Pb from SE only. The concentrations of Zn were higher in the leachates from SE. The FAs used in this study have strong potential for the neutralisation of AMD due to their alkaline nature. However, on the other hand, FAs must be further investigated, with scaled-up experiments before full-scale application, because they might leach pronounced concentrations of elements of concern with decreasing pH while neutralising AMD.     

Multi-criteria evaluation technique for SFI site identification of NORMS and oil industry waste disposal – Possibilities in Kuwait

Waste generation and accumulating quantities of oil field waste are a matter of environmental concern. This study proposes the Slurry Fracture Injection (SFI) technique as an alternative waste disposal method. The slurried solids injection waste disposal method is environmentally secure and permanent, leaving no future liabilities that must be risk-evaluated or priced. An entire waste stream comprising ground solids and waste water can be injected into deep and hydraulically secure target strata with no contamination of potable water-bearing formations or formations outside the target zone that may contain resources (gas and oil). The slurry injection method can be used to clean and reclaim landfills, oil pits and granular waste dumps. This article proposes a two-tier screening method for evaluating the feasibility of this technique and the identification of suitable target zones. A stringent environmental and process control monitoring program should complement the planning and operational period to ensure environmental protection, waste containment, and regulatory HSE compliance.     

A New Approach to Plant Diversity Assessment Combining HPLC Data, Simplex Mixture Design and Discriminant Analysis

The quantitative assessment of plant diversity and its monitoring with time represent a key environmental issue for management and conservation of natural resources. Assessment of plant diversity could be based on chemical analyses of secondary metabolites (e.g. flavonoids, terpenoids), because of the substantial quantitative and qualitative between-individual variability in such compounds. At a geographical scale, the plant populations become widely dispersed, and their monitoring from numerous routine individual analyses could become restricting. To overcome such constraint, this study develops a multivariate calibration model giving the relative frequency of a particular taxon from a simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of a plant mixture. The model was built from a complete set of mixtures combining different taxons, according to an experimental design (Scheffé’s matrix). For each mixture, a reference HPLC pattern was simulated by averaging the individual HPLC profiles of the constitutive taxons. The calibration models, based on Bayesian discriminant analysis (BDA), gave statistical relationships between the contributions of each taxon in mixtures and reference HPLC patterns of these mixtures. Finally, these models were validated on new mixtures by using outside plants. This new biodiversity survey approach is illustrated on four chemical taxons (four chemotypes) of Astragalus caprinus (Fabaceae). The more differentiated the taxon, the better predicted its contributions (in mixtures) were by BDA calibration model. This new approach could be very useful for a global routine survey of plant diversity.     

Elemental mobility in sulfidic mine tailings reclaimed with paper mill by-products as sealing materials

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sealing layers made of two alkaline paper mill by-products, fly ash and green liquor dregs, were placed on top of 50-year-old sulfide-containing...     

The social and scientific values that shape national climate scenarios: a comparison of the Netherlands,Switzerland and the UK

This paper seeks to understand why climate information is produced differently from country to country. To do this, we critically examined and compared the social and scientific values that shaped the production of three national climate scenarios in the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK. A comparative analysis of documentary materials and expert interviews linked to the climate scenarios was performed. Our findings reveal a new typology of use-inspired research in climate science for decision-making: (i) innovators, where the advancement of science is the main objective; (ii) consolidators, where knowledge exchanges and networks are prioritised; and (iii) collaborators, where the needs of users are put first and foremost. These different values over what constitutes ‘good’ science for decision-making are mirrored in the way users were involved in the production process: (i) elicitation, where scientists have privileged decision-making power; (ii) representation, where multiple organisations mediate on behalf of individual users; and (iii) participation, where a multitude of users interact with scientists in an equal partnership. These differences help explain why climate knowledge gains its credibility and legitimacy differently even when the information itself might not be judged as salient and usable. If the push to deliberately co-produce climate knowledge is not sensitive to the national civic epistemology at play in each country, scientist–user interactions may fail to deliver more ‘usable’ climate information.

     

Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere of southern Luxembourg using XAD-2 resin-based passive samplers

XAD-2 resin-based passive samplers (PAS) with dimensions adapted to 100 mL accelerated solvent extraction cells were used to study the temporal and spatial variations of 17 PAHs on five sites in the atmosphere of southern Luxembourg. This new design allowed extracting the PAS without emptying the resin from the shelter. PAH analyses were done with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. PAS were deployed for 1 year with varying sampling periodicities, and 16 PAHs were detected with concentrations ranging from 1 ng/PAS for chrysene to 9,727 ng/PAS for naphthalene. The PAS were found adapted to the monitoring of temporal and spatial variations for lightweight PAHs (up to four aromatic rings) though not for heavy PAHs with five aromatic rings or more, as these compounds are preferably in the particle phase of the atmosphere and the amount of these PAHs trapped on the PAS will be too low.