Detection of Escherichia coli in a cattle manure composting process by selective cultivation and colony polymerase chain reaction

Livestock manure is suitable for use as a composting material. However, various intestinal microbes, such as Escherichia coli, are significant components of such manures. Thus, it is desirable that the level of intestinal microbes, and particularly opportunistic pathogens, in compost is inspected and counted regularly. The sensitivity and specificity of detection of E. coli in compost have been improved by selective cultivation followed by colony polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the ECO primer. Indeed, the sensitivity of this method is higher than that of DNA extraction from compost and PCR. In this study, changes in numbers of E. coli present in a field-scale composting process over time was assessed using selective cultivation and colony PCR. Numbers of ECO-positive colonies after 24 h decreased, with a concomitant rise in compost temperature. ECO-positive colonies were not detected from 33 to 48 h. However, ECO-positive colony numbers increased beginning on day 4 and continuing until day 42. Thus, it seems likely that the high temperatures reached during the composting process did not affect E. coli numbers in the final compost. Additionally, selective cultivation followed by colony PCR using specific primers is an appropriate method of determining levels of cultivable pathogens in composted materials.     

Penetration of soil dust through woven and nonwoven fabrics

Abstract

Several types of fabrics were laboratory‐tested for their effectiveness in worker protection to pesticide‐laden dust encountered in the agricultural environment. Of the applied <100 mesh dust, penetrations through knitted jersey and woven fabrics were greater than 87% and less than 5.8%, respectively. Treatment of woven fabrics with fluorocarbon polymers curtailed penetration by greater than 60%. Nonwoven fabrics allowed less than 0.5% dust penetration. Parathion mixed with 100‐mesh sieved dust resulted in increasing “ppm”; levels with decreasing particle size; extent of parathion conversion to paraoxon was independent of particle size for the sandy loam dust used.     

Global pollution monitoring of butyltin compounds using skipjack tuna as a bioindicator

Butyltin compounds (BTs) including mono- (MBT), di- (DBT), tri-butyltin (TBT) and total tin (sigmaSn), were determined in the liver of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) collected from Asian offshore waters (off-Japan, the Japan Sea, off-Taiwan, the East China Sea, the South China Sea, off-Philippines, off-Indonesia, the Bay of Bengal), off-Seychelles, off-Brazil and open seas (the North Pacific). BTs were detected in all the skipjack tuna collected, suggesting widespread contamination of BTs even in offshore waters and open seas on a global scale. Considering specific accumulation, Sex-, body length- differences and migration of skipjack tuna did not seem to affect BT concentrations, indicating rapid reflection of the pollution levels in seawater where and when they were collected. Skipjack tuna is a suitable bioindicator for monitoring the global distribution of BTs in offshore waters and open seas. High concentrations of BTs were observed in skipjack tuna from offshore waters around Japan, a highly developed and industrialized region (up to 400 ng/g wet weight). Moreover skipjack tuna collected from offshore waters around Asian developing countries also revealed the levels comparable to those in Japan (up to 270 ng/g wet weight) which may be due to the recent improvement in economic status in Asian developing countries. High percentages (almost 90%) of BTs in total tin (sigmaSn: sum of inorganic tin+organic tin) were found in the liver of skipjack tuna from offshore waters around Asian developing countries. This finding suggests that the anthropogenic BTs represent the major source of Sn accumulation in skipjack tuna from these regions.     

Levels and body distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in freshwater fishes from the Yangtze River, China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) were determined in muscle, liver and eggs of freshwater fishes from the lower reach of the Yangtze River, China. The present study is the first to report HBCD concentrations in the environment of China. The concentrations of PBDEs and HBCDs in muscle of freshwater fishes from the Yangtze River ranged from 18 to 1100ng/g and 12 to 330ng/g lipid weight (wt.), respectively. When compared with other regions of the world, the contamination of PBDEs in biota could be regarded as moderate, whereas contamination of HBCDs in biota was relatively high. The PBDE congener profiles in fishes of the present study were markedly different from those observed in freshwater and marine fishes from other regions of the world. In the present study, BDE-15, BDE-28 and BDE-47 were the predominant congeners in the fishes. This particular congener profile in fishes from the Yangtze River revealed that a specific commercial PBDE formulation (probably made in China) might have been used in the Yangtze River Delta region.     

Seasonal variation in the atmospheric deposition of inorganic constituents and canopy interactions in a Japanese cedar forest

The seasonal changes in throughfall (TF) and stemflow (SF) chemistry and the canopy interactions of K+ and N compounds were studied in a Japanese cedar forest near the Sea of Japan. The fluxes of most ions, including non-sea-salt SO4(2-), from TF, SF, and rainfall showed distinct seasonal trends, increasing from autumn to winter, owing to the seasonal west wind, while the fluxes of NH4+ and K+ ions from TF+SF might have a large effect of canopy interactions. The contact angle (CA) of water droplets on leaves decreased with leaf aging, suggesting that surface wettability increases with leaf age. The K+ concentration in TF was negatively correlated with the CA of 1-year-old leaves, while the NH4+ concentration was positively correlated with the CA. The net fluxes of NH4+ and NO3(-) from TF were positively correlated with the CA. The increase in wettability may accelerate leaching of K+ or uptake of NH4+.     

Adsorptive reduction of water hardness by a highly porous and regenerative geopolymer fabricated from coal fly ash waste with low-temperature calcination

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this research paper, potassium-activated geopolymer cubes (GeoC) fabricated from waste coal fly ash with low-temperature calcination were...     

Atmospheric NO2 and CO concentration in Lima,Peru

The atmospheric concentration of NO2 in Lima, Peru was measured through 1 year using passive samplers. The concentration was stable and evident seasonal change was not observed. Also, the distribution of NO2 concentration in entire Lima was monitored twice in different seasons. The average NO2 concentrations at 33 and 27 sites of these monitoring were 17.1 and 15.3 ppb, respectively. NO2 distribution was high in the downtown area and decreased gradually with distance from there. The wind that almost always blew from the ocean had a great influence on it. High NO2 level and the change of CO concentration suggest that the residential area in the northeast side forms a topological channel among hills to blow out the pollutants from the downtown area.     

Determination of dissolved oxygen limitation in aerobic biofilm reactors

The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) strongly influences the performance of aerobic biofilm reactors because organic oxidation is limited by the availability of oxygen. However, it is not necessary to maintain a high DO level in the reactors in order to overcome this limitation. Excessive aeration wastes energy. Therefore, the determination of the onset of DO limitation against organic substrate removal in aerobic biofilm reactors is important for their effective operation. This study is aimed at developing an expression to determine the onset of DO limitation and hence to control the aeration system. The expression developed is as follows: , where S_b and C_b are the bulk concentrations of organic substrate and DO, respectively; D_ws and D_wc are the diffusion coefficients of organic substrate and oxygen in the reactors respectively; and R_b is an overall ratio of oxygen consumption to organic substrate removal in the reactors. The latter is the key parameter in the equation, and is determined by the characteristics of the substrate, biofilm, and reactor. In order to measure the value of R_b, the authors have developed a micro-biofilm reactor. The value of R_b was determined to be 0.13 (mg O₂ mg⁻¹ COD_cr) for glucose removal with this reactor. The equation has, subsequently, been verified with data from batch and continuous experiments.     

Negatively-charged air conditions and responses of the human psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune network

BACKGROUND: Against increasing environmental adverse effects on human health such as those associated with water and ground pollution, as well as out- and indoor air conditions, trials were conducted to support and promote human health by improving the indoor air atmosphere. This study was performed to estimate the effect of negatively-charged air conditions on human biological markers related to the psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune (PNEI) network. OBJECTIVES: After construction of negatively-charged experimental rooms (NCRs), healthy volunteers were admitted to these rooms and control rooms (CTRs) and various biological responses were analyzed. METHODS: NCRs were constructed using a fine charcoal coating and applying an electric voltage (72 V) between the backside of walls and the ground. Various biological markers were monitored that related to general conditions, autonomic nervous systems, stress markers, immunological parameters and blood flow. RESULTS: Regarding the indoor environment, only negatively-charged air resulted in the difference between the CTR and NCR groups. The well-controlled experimental model-room to examine the biological effects of negatively-charged air was therefore established. Among the various parameters, IL-2, IL-4, the mean RR interval of the heart rate, and blood viscosity differed significantly between the CTR and NCR groups. In addition, the following formula was used to detect NCR-biological responses: Biological Response Value (BRV)=0.498+0.0005 [salivary cortisol]+0.072 [IL-2]+0.003 [HRM-SD]-0.013 [blood viscosity]-0.009 [blood sugar]+0.017 [pulse rate]. CONCLUSIONS: Negatively-charged air conditions activated the immune system slightly, smoothened blood flow and stabilized the autonomic nervous system. Although this is the first report to analyze negatively-charged air conditions on human biological responses, the long-term effects should be analyzed for the general use of these artificial atmospheres.