Preliminary evidence of a decline in perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) concentrations in American Red Cross blood donors

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS,C(8)F(17)SO(3)(-)) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA,C(7)F(15)CO(2)(-)) concentrations in American Red Cross blood donors from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota have declined after the 2000-2002 phase-out of perfluorooctanesulfonyl-fluoride (POSF, C(8)F(17)SO(2)F)-based materials by the primary global manufacturer, 3M Company. Forty donor plasma samples, categorized by age and sex, were collected in 2005, and PFOS and PFOA concentrations were compared to 100 (non-paired) donor serum samples collected in 2000 from the same general population that were analyzed at the time using ion-pair extraction methods with tetrahydroperfluorooctanesulfonate as an internal standard. Eleven of the 100 samples originally collected were reanalyzed with present study methods that involved (13)C- labeled PFOA spiked into the donor samples, original samples, control human plasma, and the calibration curve prior to extraction, and was used as a surrogate to monitor extraction efficiency. Quantification was performed by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry methods. Among the 100 serum samples analyzed for PFOS, the geometric mean was 33.1 ng ml(-1) (95% CI 29.8-36.7) in 2000 compared to 15.1 ng ml(-1) (95% CI 13.3-17.1) in 2005 (p<0.0001) for the 40 donor plasma samples. The geometric mean concentration for PFOA was 4.5 ng ml(-1) (95% CI 4.1-5.0) in 2000 compared to 2.2 ng ml(-1) (95% CI 1.9-2.6) in 2005 (p<0.0001). The decrease was consistent across donors' age and sex. To confirm these preliminary findings, additional sub-sets of year 2000 samples will be analyzed, and a much larger biomonitoring study of other locations is planned.     

Sonochemical substrate selectivity and reaction pathway of systematically substituted azo compounds

The sonochemical degradation of the systematically substituted azo compound 2,7-dihydroxy-1-phenylazonaphthaline-3,6-disulfonic acid was investigated using a frequency of 850 kHz and an acoustic input power of 61 W. All derivatives were degraded completely within 6h by the ultrasonic treatment. Trifluoromethyl substituted azo compounds exhibited 2-3-fold higher degradation rates in comparison to the reference hydrogen substituted azo compound (k=0.54 h(-1)). In contrast to enzymatic processes (azoreductase or laccase), the ultrasonic treatment for these ortho-, meta-, and para-substituted azo compound showed 1.5-50-fold higher degradation rates. Additionally the ultrasound treatment was characterized by shorter reaction times. As a result of the detection and identification of specific intermediates using LC-MS a reaction pathway of the sonochemical degradation of the analysed azo compound is proposed indicating the formation of cyclohexadienone and naphthalene quinone derivatives.     

Transport of Sr2+ and SrEDTA2- in partially-saturated and heterogeneous sediments

Strontium-90 has migrated deep into the unsaturated subsurface beneath leaking storage tanks in the Waste Management Areas (WMA) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Reservation. Faster than expected transport of contaminants in the vadose zone is typically attributed to either physical hydrologic processes such as development of preferential flow pathways, or to geochemical processes such as the formation of stable, anionic complexes with organic chelates, e.g., ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The goal of this paper is to determine whether hydrological processes in the Hanford sediments can influence the geochemistry of the system and hence control transport of Sr(2+) and SrEDTA(2-). The study used batch isotherms, saturated packed column experiments, and an unsaturated transport experiment in an undisturbed core. Isotherms and repacked column experiments suggested that the SrEDTA(2-) complex was unstable in the presence of Hanford sediments, resulting in dissociation and transport of Sr(2+) as a divalent cation. A decrease in sorption with increasing solid:solution ratio for Sr(2+) and SrEDTA(2-) suggested mineral dissolution resulted in competition for sorption sites and the formation of stable aqueous complexes. This was confirmed by detection of MgEDTA(2-), MnEDTA(2-), PbEDTA(2-), and unidentified Sr and Ca complexes. Displacement of Sr(2+) through a partially-saturated undisturbed core resulted in less retardation and more irreversible sorption than was observed in the saturated repacked columns, and model results suggested a significant reservoir (49%) of immobile water was present during transport through the heterogeneous layered sediments. The undisturbed core was subsequently disassembled along distinct bedding planes and subjected to sequential extractions. Strontium was unequally distributed between carbonates (49%), ion exchange sites (37%), and the oxide (14%) fraction. An inverse relationship between mass wetness and Sr suggested that sandy sediments of low water content constituted the immobile flow regime. Our results suggested that the sequestration of Sr(2+) in partially-saturated, heterogeneous sediments was most likely due to the formation of immobile water in drier regions having low hydraulic conductivities.     

Degradation of the herbicide dichlobenil and its metabolite BAM in soils and subsurface sediments

The worldwide used herbicide dichlobenil (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile) has resulted in widespread presence of its metabolite 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM) in surface water and groundwater. To evaluate the potential for natural attenuation of this BAM pollution in groundwater, we studied the degradation of BAM and dichlobenil in 16 samples of clayey till, unconsolidated sand and limestone, including sediments from both oxidized and reduced conditions. The degradation of dichlobenil occurred primarily in the upper few meters below surface, although dichlobenil was strongly sorbed to these sediments. However, the degradation of dichlobenil to BAM could not be correlated to either sorption, water chemistry, composition of soils or sediments. Degradation of dichlobenil to BAM was limited (<2% degraded) in the deeper unsaturated zones, and no degradation was observed in aquifer sediments. This illustrates, that dichlobenil transported to aquifers does not contribute to the BAM-contamination in aquifers. A small, but significant degradation of BAM was observed in the upper part of the unsaturated zones in sandy sediments, but no degradation was observed in the clayey till sediment or in the deeper unsaturated zones. The insignificant degradation of BAM in aquifer systems shows that BAM pollution detected in aquifers will appear for a long time; and consequently the potential for natural attenuation of BAM in aquifer systems is limited.     

Laboratory and field evaluation of crystallized DOW 704 oil on the performance of the Well Impactor Ninety-Six fFine particulate matter fractionator

Subsequent to the 1997 promulgation of the Federal Reference Method (FRM) for monitoring fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in ambient air, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received reports that the DOW 704 diffusion oil used in the method's Well Impactor Ninety-Six (WINS) fractionator would occasionally crystallize during field use, particularly under wintertime conditions. Although the frequency of occurrence on a nationwide basis was low, uncertainties existed as to whether crystallization of the DOW 704 oil may adversely affect a sampling event's data quality. In response to these concerns, EPA and the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection jointly conducted a series of specialized tests to determine whether crystallized oil adversely affected the performance of the WINS fractionator. In the laboratory, an experimental setup used dry ice to artificially induce crystallization of the diffusion oil under controlled conditions. Using primary polystyrene latex calibration aerosols, standard size-selective performance tests of the WINS fractionator showed that neither the position nor the shape of the WINS particle size fractionation curve was substantially influenced by the crystallization of the DOW 704 oil. No large particle bounce from the crystallized impaction surface was observed. During wintertime field tests, crystallization of the DOW 704 oil did not adversely affect measured PM2.5 concentrations. Regression of measurements with crystallized DOW 704 versus liquid dioctyl sebacate (DOS) oil produced slope, intercept, and R2 values of 0.98, 0.1, and 0.997 microg/m3, respectively. Additional field tests validated the use of DOS as an effective impaction substrate. As a result of these laboratory and field tests, DOS oil has been approved by EPA as a substitute for DOW 704 oil. Since the field deployment of DOS oil in 2001, users of this alternative oil have not reported any operational problems associated with its use in the PM2.5 FRM. Limited field evaluation of the BGI very sharp cut cyclone indicates that it provides a viable alternative to the WINS fractionator.     

Synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in municipal wastewater treatment.

Biologically derived polyesters known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent a potentially "sustainable" replacement to fossil-fuel-based thermoplastics. However, current commercial practices that produce PHA with pure microbial cultures grown on renewable, but refined, feedstocks (i.e., glucose) under sterile conditions do not represent a sustainable commodity. Here, we report on PHA production with a mixed microbial consortium indigenous to an activated sludge process on carbon present in municipal wastewaters. Reactors operated under anaerobic/aerobic and aerobic-only mode and fed primary solids fermenter liquor maintained a mixed microbial consortium capable of synthesizing PHA at 10 to 25% (w/w), while reducing soluble COD by approximately 62 to 71%. More critically, an aerobic batch reactor seeded from the anaerobic/aerobic reactor and fed fermenter liquor achieved approximately 53% PHA (w/w). Results presented suggest that environmentally benign production of biodegradable polymers is feasible. We further used PHA-rich biomass to produce a natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite that can be used to offset advanced wastewater treatment costs.     

Refinery evaluation of optical imaging to locate fugitive emissions

Fugitive emissions account for approximately 50% of total hydrocarbon emissions from process plants. Federal and state regulations aiming at controlling these emissions require refineries and petrochemical plants in the United States to implement a Leak Detection and Repair Program (LDAR). The current regulatory work practice, U.S. Environment Protection Agency Method 21, requires designated components to be monitored individually at regular intervals. The annual costs of these LDAR programs in a typical refinery can exceed US$1,000,000. Previous studies have shown that a majority of controllable fugitive emissions come from a very small fraction of components. The Smart LDAR program aims to find cost-effective methods to monitor and reduce emissions from these large leakers. Optical gas imaging has been identified as one such technology that can help achieve this objective. This paper discusses a refinery evaluation of an instrument based on backscatter absorption gas imaging technology. This portable camera allows an operator to scan components more quickly and image gas leaks in real time. During the evaluation, the instrument was able to identify leaking components that were the source of 97% of the total mass emissions from leaks detected. More than 27,000 components were monitored. This was achieved in far less time than it would have taken using Method 21. In addition, the instrument was able to find leaks from components that are not required to be monitored by the current LDAR regulations. The technology principles and the parameters that affect instrument performance are also discussed in the paper.     

Modeling Acidification Recovery on Threatened Ecosystems: Application to the Evaluation of the Gothenburg Protocol in France

To evaluate the acid deposition reduction negotiated for 2010 within the UNECE LRTAP Gothenburg Protocol, sulphur and nitrogen deposition time-series (1880–2100) were compared to critical loads of acidity on five French ecosystems: Massif Central basalt (site 1) and granite (2); Paris Bassin tertiary sands (3); Vosges mountains sandstone (4) and Landes eolian sands (5). The SAFE model was used to estimate the response of soil solution pH and ratio to the deposition scenario. Among the five sites, critical loads were exceeded in the past at sites 3, 4 and 5. Sites 3 and 4 were still expected to exceed in 2010, the Protocol year. Further reduction of atmospheric deposition, mainly nitrogen, would be needed to achieve recovery on these ecosystems. At sites 3, 4 and 5, the delay between the critical load exceedance and the violation of the critical chemical criterion was estimated to be 10 to 30 years in the top soil and 50 to 90 years in the deeper soil. At site 5, a recovery was expected in the top soil in 2010 with a time lag of 10 years. Unexpectedly, soil pH continued to decrease after 1980 in the deeper soil at sites 2 and 5. This time lag indicated that acidification moved down the soil profile as a consequence of slow base cation depletion by ion exchange. This delayed response of the soil solution was the result of the combination of weathering rates and vegetation uptake but also of the relative ratio between base cation deposition and acid compounds.     

Closed cycle construction: an integrated process for the separation and reuse of C&D waste

In The Netherlands, construction and demolition (C&D) waste is already to a large extent being reused, especially the stony fraction, which is crushed and reused as a road base material. In order to increase the percentage of reuse of the total C&D waste flow to even higher levels, a new concept has been developed. In this concept, called 'Closed Cycle Construction', the processed materials are being reused at a higher quality level and the quantity of waste that has to be disposed of is minimised. For concrete and masonry, the new concept implies that the material cycle will be completely closed, and the original constituents (clay bricks, gravel, sand, cement stone) are recovered in thermal processes. The mixed C&D waste streams are separated and decontaminated. For this purpose several dry separation techniques are being developed. The quality of the stony fraction is improved so much, that this fraction can be reused as an aggregate in concrete. The new concept has several benefits from a sustainability point of view, namely less energy consumption, less carbon dioxide emission, less waste production and less land use (for excavation and disposal sites). One of the most remarkable benefits of the new concept is that the thermal process steps are fuelled with the combustible fraction of the C&D waste itself. Economically the new process is more or less comparable with the current way of processing C&D waste. On the basis of the positive results of a feasibility study, currently a pilot and demonstration project is being carried out. The aim is to optimise the different process steps of the Closed Cycle Construction process on a laboratory scale, and then to verify them on a large scale. The results of the project are promising, so far.     

Management options and effects on a marine ecosystem: assessing the future of the Baltic

We are using the coupled models in a decision support system, Nest, to evaluate the response of the marine ecosystem to changes in external loads through various management options. The models address all the seven major marine basins and the entire drainage basin of the Baltic Sea. A series of future scenarios have been developed, in close collaboration with the Helsinki Commission, to see the possible effects of improved wastewater treatment and manure handling, phosphorus-free detergents, and less intensive land use and live stocks. Improved wastewater treatment and the use of phosphorus-free detergents in the entire region would drastically decrease phosphorus loads and improve the marine environment, particularly the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms. However, the Baltic Sea will remain eutrophic, and to reduce other effects, a substantial reduction of nitrogen emissions must be implemented. This can only be obtained in these scenarios by drastically changing land use. In a final scenario, we have turned 50% of all agricultural lands into grasslands, together with efficient wastewater treatments and a ban of phosphorus in detergents. This scenario will substantially reduce primary production and the extension of hypoxic bottoms, increase water transparency in the most eutrophied basins, and virtually eliminate extensive cyanobacterial blooms.