Sulphur mineralization kinetics of cattle manure and green waste compost in soils.

Sulphur mineralization of cattle manure (CM) and green waste compost (GWC) added to six agricultural soils with different chemical properties was monitored over 10 weeks in a laboratory incubation experiment. Although the amount of sulphur was higher in CM than in GWC, the cumulative SO4(2-)-S values in GWC-treated soils were higher than in soil amended with CM. The percentages of mineralized S were always higher in GWC-treated soil (in the range 1.3-8.5%) than in CM-treated soil (in the range 0.9-3.8%). In three of the six soils, particularly for CM, an immobilization of sulphur was observed. Three kinetic models were evaluated for their suitability to describe the mineralization process. The first-order model best described S mineralization for both amended and control soils. The GWC substantially increased the amount of potentially mineralizable S (S0) relative to the controls. In GWC-treated soils, the rates of S mineralization (k) were higher than rates in the controls. The k of CM-amended soils was often lower than the k of control soils. Parameters derived from the model were tested as indices for assessing the relationships between S mineralization and soil characteristics. The S0 was positively correlated to the amount of cumulative SO4(2-)-S and also to the content of organic C, N and S in soil.     

Chorionic villus sampling: An analysis of the obstetric experience of 1000 cases

Chorionic villus sampling was performed between 7 and 12 weeks gestation in 1000 patients, 935 of whom intended to continue after fetal diagnosis. Transcervical and Transabdominal aspiration techniques were used providing a sampling success rate of 99 per cent. Anatomical and clinical contraindications to transcervical aspiration were pointed out, and the complementary role of the transabdominal approach evaluated. In the 615 concluded pregnancies an overall abortion rate of 4.1 per cent was observed. A significant association between fetal loss and number of catheter insertions was demonstrated. Bacterial inoculation by catheter insertion and colonization of uterine cavity was suspected as the cause of chorionamnionitis diagnosed in two cases (0.2 per cent) after CVS. Bleeding was the most frequent early complication (12.0 per cent) following chorionic aspiration, but was not significantly related to pregnancy wastage. Late complications, i.e. premature rupture of membranes (0.8 per cent), preterm delivery (6.3 per cent), perinatal losses (1.2 per cent), placental disorders (1.6 per cent), and congenital defects (2.6 per cent) did not exceed the expected values. Normal intrauterine growth patterns were ultrasonically estimated by cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, while the weight at birth was normally distributed in the range of the general population.     

One-year study of the elemental composition and source apportionment of PM10 aerosols in Florence, Italy

An extensive investigation was carried out for the characterisation of the air particulate composition in Florence. The aim was to determine the aerosol elemental concentrations, as well as to identify pollution sources. For our investigation, the external Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission-Particle-Induced gamma-Ray Emission beam facility of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Van de Graaff accelerator at the Physics Department of the Florence University was used. We report the results of the analysis of a long temporal series (approximately 1 yr) of PM10 particulate samples, collected on Millipore filters on a daily basis in three different sites (characterised by different urban settings). Daily concentrations of more than 20 elements were detected. The long sampling period (approximately 1 yr) allowed a comparison with the air quality recommended values and the identification of seasonal variations. Four main sources (traffic, oil-combustion, soil-dust, and wind transported sea-salt) were extracted with the help of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). An absolute PCA showed traffic to be the major source both in the high traffic site and in the urban background site.     

Development of processes for environmental protection based on self-propagating reactions

The possibility of exploiting self-propagating reactions for environmental protection is discussed in this paper. In particular, results obtained at the laboratory scale and related to the fixation and consolidation of high level radioactive wastes, the recycling of silicon sludge and aluminum dross produced by semiconductor industries and aluminum foundries, the treating and recycling of a highly toxic solid waste from electrolytic zinc plants, and the degradation of chlorinated aromatics, are examined with particular emphasis on the latter case. Specifically, the self-propagating destruction of hexachlorobenzene and 2-(2-4-dichlorophenoxy)-propanoic acid with calcium hydride as reductive substrate is demonstrated. In fact, the heat liberated by the reactions involved is large enough to guarantee the self-sustaining character of the process within a wide range of reactants compositions. Moreover, no residual chlorinated organic compounds were found in the final solid product. Some reactor engineering aspects, as well as other significant future scientific and technological issues, are also addressed in view of large-scale applicability of processes based on self-propagating reactions. To date, the batch reactor technology seems to be more easily applicable, although the use of continuous reactors is not excluded in the next future.     

Pesticides and groundwater quality protection

A simple approach for ranking the leaching of pesticides from surface soil is presented and tentatively calibrated with field data from an agricultural area. The approach is based on the calculation of a leaching index indicating the proportion of active ingredient, with respect to the quantity applied, leaching from a soil model in a given time interval (one year). In the selected area, 85 wells tapping an unconfined aquifer were sampled for groundwater pesticide residue analysis, in order to explore the index region between leachers and nonleachers.     

Limited scope for reproductive senescence in wild populations of a short-lived fish

Senescence in wild populations was long considered negligible but current evidence suggests that it is widespread in natural populations of mammals and birds, affecting the survival and reproductive output of older individuals. In contrast, little is known about reproductive senescence in species with asymptotic growth that can keep increasing their reproductive output as they grow older and larger. Using a cross-sectional study, we tested age-related decline in fecundity and relative allocation to reproduction in five wild populations of an annual killifish, Nothobranchius furzeri (Cyprinodontiformes). We did not detect any decline in absolute female egg production over their short lifespan in the wild. Relative fecundity (egg production controlled for female body mass) tended to decrease with age. This effect was driven primarily by a single population that survived 17 weeks, almost twice as long as the median persistence of the other four study populations. There was no decrease in relative ovary mass while in males, relative testes mass actually increased with age. Intra-population variation in relative ovary mass increased in older females suggesting heterogeneity in individual trajectories of female reproductive allocation. Overall, we demonstrate that annual killifish do not experience significant age-related decline in reproductive functions during their very short lifespan in the wild despite the marked deterioration of gonad tissue detected in captivity.     

Development and pre-validation of a testosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for predicting the sex ratio of immature loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) recovered along the western coast of the central Adriatic Sea

Plasma testosterone levels were evaluated, by validating and using a commercially available testosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as an indicator of the sex of immature loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) recovered along the western coast of the central Adriatic Sea between November 2011 and February 2012. Testosterone levels were measured in blood samples collected from 28 immature turtles kept in short-term maintenance at the Fondazione Cetacea Rescue Centre (Italy). Overall, plasma testosterone ranged between 229.3 and 2628.6 pg ml^?1, suggesting that the EIA procedure is effective for determining androgen titers in immature loggerhead sea turtles. Analysis of the obtained data indicates an unbiased sex ratio supporting previous studies of juvenile loggerhead turtle sex ratios in the Mediterranean Sea. The present work can be considered a starting point for augmenting knowledge on the dynamics of juvenile loggerhead aggregations increasingly found in the northern-central Adriatic Sea and for promoting local management for conservation actions.     

Quantitative assessment of post‐disaster housing recovery: a case study of Punta Gorda,Florida, after Hurricane Charley

Quantitative assessment of post‐disaster housing recovery is critical to enhancing understanding of the process and improving the decisions that shape it. Nevertheless, few comprehensive empirical evaluations of post‐disaster housing recovery have been conducted, and no standard measurement methods exist. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of housing recovery in Punta Gorda, Florida, United States, following Hurricane Charley of August 2004, including an overview of the phases of housing recovery, progression of recovery over time, alternative trajectories of recovery, differential recovery, incorporation of mitigation, and effect on property sales. The assessment is grounded in a conceptual framework that considers the recovery of both people and place, and that emphasises recovery as a process, not as an endpoint. Several data sources are integrated into the assessment—including building permits, remotely sensed imagery, and property appraiser data—and their strengths and limitations are discussed with a view to developing a standardised method for measuring and monitoring housing recovery.