RecoPhos: Full-scale fertilizer production from sewage sludge ash

The substitution potential of sewage sludge for German primary phosphate imports has been estimated as 40%. Yet, a marketable option for the full scale recovery has been lacking. This study focuses on a full-scale process for the manufacture of a P-fertilizer from sewage sludge ash (SSA) adapted from the production of Triple Superphosphate. Given (i) conformity of the input with phosphate ores mined from sedimentary deposits, (ii) comparability of the product with a commercially available P-fertilizer regarding contaminant levels, P-fractionation and yield effects, and (iii) compliance of the output with the German Fertilizer Ordinance the RecoPhos P 38 fertilizer was discharged from the waste legislation regime. The fertilizer is currently being produced at a rate of 1000 tonnes per month and sold at a competitive price.     

Floods and Other Possible Adverse Environmental Effects of Meadowland Area Decline in Former West Germany

6   ha, or 6% of the country's total area. The environmental implications of this large-scale conversion have so far received little attention; the present study examined some of these implications. A review of research on soil physical and chemical aspects of the conversion of permanent grassland into arable land reveals that such a large-scale conversion may have considerable effects upon the environment. For example, due to the mineralization of soil organic matter a release of NO₃ and CO₂ into the environment can be expected on the order of 10 t N and 100 t C per hectare. Environmentally equally severe, if not worse, is the increased amount of surface runoff that can be expected from converted grassland soils in arable land during winter because of surface sealing and soil compaction. This increased surface runoff, in combination with the runoff from other farmland, may be one of the reasons for the growing frequency of floods along major German rivers in recent years. In view of the lasting adverse environmental effects of permanent grassland conversion and the subsidized agricultural surpluses in Germany today, we conclude that a reconversion of arable land into permanent grassland may be beneficial both environmentally and economically.     

Developing spatially stratified N(2)O emission factors for Europe

We investigate the possibility to replace the – so-called – Tier 1 IPCC approach to estimate soil N₂O emissions with stratified emissions factors that take into account both N-input and the spatial variability of the environmental conditions within the countries of the European Union, using the DNDC-Europe model. Spatial variability in model simulations is high and corresponds to the variability reported in literature for field data. Our results indicate that (a) much of the observed variability in N₂O fluxes reflects the response of soils to external conditions, (b) it is likely that national inventories tend to overestimate the uncertainties in their estimated direct N₂O emissions from arable soils; (c) on average over Europe, the fertilizer-induced emissions (FIE) coincide with the IPCC factors, but they display large spatial variations. Therefore, at scales of individual countries or smaller, a stratified approach considering fertilizer type, soil characteristics and climatic parameters is preferable.     

The visual system of male scale insects

Animal eyes generally fall into two categories: (1) their photoreceptive array is convex, as is typical for camera eyes, including the human eye, or (2) their photoreceptive array is concave, as is typical for the compound eye of insects. There are a few rare examples of the latter eye type having secondarily evolved into the former one. When viewed in a phylogenetic framework, the head morphology of a variety of male scale insects suggests that this group could be one such example. In the Margarodidae (Hemiptera, Coccoidea), males have been described as having compound eyes, while males of some more derived groups only have two single-chamber eyes on each side of the head. Those eyes are situated in the place occupied by the compound eye of other insects. Since male scale insects tend to be rare, little is known about how their visual systems are organized, and what anatomical traits are associated with this evolutionary transition. In adult male Margarodidae, one single-chamber eye (stemmateran ocellus) is present in addition to a compound eye-like region. Our histological investigation reveals that the stemmateran ocellus has an extended retina which is formed by concrete clusters of receptor cells that connect to its own first-order neuropil. In addition, we find that the ommatidia of the compound eyes also share several anatomical characteristics with simple camera eyes. These include shallow units with extended retinas, each of which is connected by its own small nerve to the lamina. These anatomical changes suggest that the margarodid compound eye represents a transitional form to the giant unicornal eyes that have been described in more derived species.     

Chemistry, mineralogy and radioactivity in posidonia oceanica meadows from North-Western Sicily

This paper presents measurements of major, minor, metal trace elements and radionuclides in sediments and in Posidonia oceanica samples from north-western Sicily (Italy). The mineralogical and chemical composition of sediments were determined by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence techniques, respectively. A flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in P. oceanica samples and in sediments. Specific activities of selected radionuclides have been determined by high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Standard statistical analysis was used to assess correlations between different elements and different sample types.     

Sectoral marginal abatement cost curves: implications for mitigation pledges and air pollution co-benefits for Annex I countries

Using the GAINS (Greenhouse Gas–Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies) model, we derived Annex I marginal abatement cost curves for the years 2020 and 2030 for three World Energy Outlook baseline scenarios (2007–2009) of the International Energy Agency. These cost curves are presented by country, by greenhouse gas and by sector. They are available for further inter-country comparisons in the GAINS Mitigation Efforts Calculator—a free online tool. We illustrate the influence of the baseline scenario on the shape of mitigation cost curves, and identify key low cost options as well as no-regret priority investment areas for the years 2010–2030. Finally, we show the co-effect of GHG mitigation on the emissions of local air pollutants and argue that these co-benefits offer strong local incentives for mitigation.