Preliminary estimation of the rainfall chemical composition evaluated through the scavenging modeling for north-eastern Amazonian region (Amapá state,Brazil)

Numerical modeling of scavenging processes has been compared with data obtained for rainwater and aerosol chemistry at Serra do Navio, in the state of Amapá in the Brazilian Amazon region. Sulfate, nitrate and ammonium concentrations were determined in rainwater samples collected from May 1995 until June 1997. The levels of these same chemicals were also determined in aerosols for the same period and region. Scavenging processes have been evaluated on a rainfall event basis, via numerical modeling, in order to simulate the rainwater concentrations and compare them with the observed data. RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System) was used to simulate cloud structures. A model of below-cloud scavenging was evaluated, as well. The determinations made from the results of the scavenging model are the following: a) aerosol vertical profiles are quite important to rainwater concentrations; b) modeled sulfate in rainwater is a better fit to the observed data values than ammonium and nitrate; c) the obtained sulfate aerosol concentrations samples are similar to ones found in the literature, although the sulfate concentrations in rainwater are much lower than other studies in the literature; d) the in-cloud scavenging process dominates, e) our modeled results, using an input gas vertical profile extracted from the ABLE2B experimental data set, present a smaller ratio between gas and aerosol scavenging than found in other studies in the literature, other studies may have had larger rainfall times, which increase the importance of gas phase scavenging.     

Short-term effects of hydrogen fluoride on Nicotiana tabacum L

Data on the short-term effects of fumigation with hydrogen fluoride (HF) on the response behavior of the Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. St. Karabalar 6265 are being presented. Growth rate, fluoride accumulation in leaves and soils, and degradation in chlorophyll and nicotine contents of the plant species against the variations in two experimental factors, namely the exposure concentration and exposure time parameters, were investigated. Resulting data reveals that the variety selected for this study is not so tolerant to fluoride as generally reported in the literature, if only the individual effects of the pollutant is considered.     

Monitoring the quality of the marine environment

As part of the monitoring program from Instituto Hidrográfico, since 1981 sediment and water samples have been collected from four different estuarine areas located along the continental coast of Portugal. The concentrations of different parameters were measured in the water and sediment samples. After normalization, the concentrations of chromium, mercury, lead and zinc in the sediments from the different areas were compared.     

Monitoring The Turbidity and Surface Temperature Changes and Effects of the 17 August 1999 Earthquake in the İzmİt Gulf,Turkey by the Landsat TM/ETM Data

The temporal turbidity and surface temperature changes and effects of the 17 August 1999 earthquake in the İzmit Gulf, Turkey have been investigated using Landsat TM/ETM data. The gulf is in the Mediterranean–Black Sea transition climatic zone and is partially surrounded by green vegetation cover and degraded and densely urbanized-industrialized areas. Landsat TM/ETM data acquired in 1990–1999 confirms increase in turbidity. Turbidity is always low in the southern part and high in the northern part of the gulf, because the more urbanized and industrialized areas are located in the northern part. The Landsat-7 ETM data acquired in the same year (1999) shows seasonal changes in turbidity. Moreover, the two high turbidity and surface temperature anomalies, one of which is parallel to the 17 August 1999 earthquake surface rupture (east–west) and the other which is in the northwest–southeast direction were mapped from Landsat-5 TM data acquired the day (18.08.1999) following the earthquake in the east end of the gulf. On the basis of turbidity implying the sea bottom movement, it is possible to state that a second rupture in the northwest and southeast direction could have occurred at the sea bottom during the earthquake. The distribution of the seismicity centers and the orientation of the lineaments in the area support this finding.     

Air pollution modelling in Erzurum city

Various techniques have been applied to air pollution modelling. In this study, a model was developed by applying a continuity equation to the air control volume over Erzurum city centre. Model parameters were calculated by regression analysis, using SO2 and particle concentrations taken in 1989-1990 and 1990-1991 winter seasons. Multiple correlation coefficients, R2, for all analyses were of the same order of 97%. According to this model, daily polluting concentrations are not only influenced by daily meterological parameters but also by the values of previous days. The proposed model allows estimation of daily polluting concentrations by means of meteorological data.     

Some requirements of an interactive software tool for life cycle analysis

This paper briefly presents the current practice for carrying out life cycle inventories, and mentions some advantages and drawbacks of a few dedicated software tools that are commercially available. A list is presented of some features that we think should be present in an ‘ideal’ life cycle analysis (LCA) software tool, after the specifications made at Ecobilan for the development of a specific tool for LCA. Some consideration is given to the technical difficulties involved, and the benefits that could be expected from the implementation of such features.     

Devising Local Sustainable Development Indicators: from technical issues to bureaucratic stakes. The Greater Lyons experience

The paper will draw on the experience of Greater Lyons (France) in the development and implementation of air quality indicators in the framework of an environmental monitoring body, created in 1992. The analysis shows a patent discrepancy between the strength of the political support enjoyed by the monitoring body at its creation and its gradual confinement within the administrative structure of Greater Lyons. In fact, developing and using indicators raises not only technical issues but also political and bureaucratic stakes. The experience provides food for thought as regards the emergence of sustainable development issues within large and complex structures such as that of Greater Lyons. The paper points out that if indicators are hybrid objects, monitoring bodies, which are supposed to devise and promote them, are hybrid as well: their management, in terms of aims, means and position within the administrative body, is at least as important as their so-called 'technical' function.     

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Laccase Catalyzed Poly(Catechol)

Enzymatic polymerization of catechol was conducted batch-wise using laccase enzyme produced by the culture Trametes versicolor (ATCC 200801). The polymerization reaction was carried out in 1:1 (v/v) aqueous-acetone solution, buffered at pH 5.0 with sodium acetate (50 mM) in a sealed, temperature-controlled reactor at 25°C. The molecular weight of the produced polymer was determined with GPC. FT-IR, DSC, and TGA were employed to investigate the structure and thermal behavior of synthesized poly(catechol). It was found that catechol units were linked together with ether bonds and thermal stability of the catechol increased in the poly(catechol) polymeric structure effectively. The number average molecular weight of poly(catechol) was found as 813 ± 3 Da with a very narrow polydispersity value of 1.17 showing selective polymerization of catechol by the enzyme.     

Comparison of periphytic biofilm and filter-feeding bivalve metal bioaccumulation (Cd and Zn) to monitor hydrosystem restoration after industrial remediation: a year of biomonitoring

Despite a significant decrease in the metallic waste emissions from an industrial site and a remediation process initiated in 2007, the Riou-Mort watershed (southwest France) still exhibits high Cd and Zn concentrations. Metal wastes have long been proven to significantly disturb aquatic communities. In this study, bioaccumulation capacities and responses to the chemical improvement of the hydrosystem were assessed for a year along the contamination gradient through the comparison of two biological models: Corbicula fluminea and periphytic biofilms, both considered as good bioindicators. Bioaccumulation results confirmed the persistence of water contamination in Corbicula fluminea and biofilms with, respectively, maximum Cd concentrations reaching 80.6 and 861.2 μg gDW(-1), and Zn concentrations 2.0 and 21.3 mg gDW(-1). Biofilms exhibited bioaccumulation in close correlation with water contamination, while Corbicula fluminea presented Cd bioaccumulation clearly regulated by water temperature and metal concentrations, affecting the ventilatory activity, as revealed by condition indices measurements. Also, a linear regression using Cd bioaccumulation and temperature () showed that below approximately 6 °C Corbicula fluminea did not appear to accumulate metals. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were higher in biofilms in comparison with Corbicula fluminea and showed the great accumulation capacity of suspended particulate matter in biofilms. However, bioaccumulation capacities are known to be influenced by many factors other than metal concentrations, such as temperature, water oxygenation or plankton and nutrient concentrations. Thus, this study demonstrates the power of a combined assessment using both Corbicula fluminea and biofilms as bioindicators to give a more integrated view of water quality assessment. Finally, when comparing our results with previous studies, the start of hydrosystem restoration could be shown by decreasing bioaccumulation in organisms.     

Colloidal mobilization from soil and transport of uranium in (sub)-surface waters

An analytical methodology was developed to characterize the colloidal distribution of trace elements of interest in environmental waters sampled in a same site and enables the different colloidal distributions from waters to be compared. The purpose was to provide consistent information related to the origin and nature of colloids responsible for the transport of trace element(s). The work was motivated by the observed enhanced mobility of uranium in soil. The colloidal size continuum was investigated by a multi-technique approach involving asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), multi angle light scattering (MALS), and atomic mass spectrometry (ICPMS). To take into consideration the size and shape variability specific to each sample, the size distributions were established from the gyration radii measured from MALS, also considering the size information from standard nanospheres fractionated by AF4. A new parameter called “shape index” was proposed. It expresses the difference in hydrodynamic behavior between analytes and spherical particles taken as reference. Under AF4 diffusion conditions, it can be considered as an evaluator of the deviation from the sphericity of the fractionated analytes. AF4-UV-MALS-ICPMS enabled the dimensional and chemical characteristics of the colloidal size continuum to be obtained. As a “proof of concept”, the developed methodology was applied at a field scale, in a reference study site. In order to have a “dynamic understanding”, the investigation was based on the joint characterization of colloids from surface waters and soil leachates from static and dynamic processes. In the water samples of the study site, the continuum of gyration radius ranged from a few nanometers up to 200 nm. Colloids containing iron, aluminum, and organic carbon were involved in the uranium transport in the soil column and surface waters. The colloidal uranium concentration in the surface water increased from the upstream location (approximately 13 ng (U) L^?1) to the downstream location (approximately 60 ng (U) L^?1).