Biodegradation of anthracene in the roots and growth substrate of poplar cuttings

Following their exposure to anthracene, the roots of Populus nigra L. Loenen showed traces of 9 substances classed as products of biodegradation. The main substances detected were phthalic acid and 9,10-anthraquinone, followed by hydroxyanthracene and methoxyanthracene and five other compounds which could not be identified. Due to the relatively low concentration of degradation products found in the roots, further degradation to lower molecular compounds are discussed. The presence of 9,10-anthraquinone as the main product of the degradation of anthracene was also evident in the control tests with unplanted sandy substrate, although the content was higher in the planted series of tests. As a non-sterile approach was chosen, it may be assumed that a microbial degradation for 9,10-anthraquinone took place in the control series. However, it is difficult to differentiate clearly between a microbial degradation of anthracene in the substrate and metabolization in the roots due in part to the absence of specific degradation products in the various reaction areas.     

Long‐term variability of a stochastic forced pelagic ecosystem model

The long‐term natural variability of a pelagic ecosystem model is investigated using a simple numerical model which consists of six state variables: two nutrients, two phytoplankton species, detritus and benthos. For the investigation of natural variability the model is forced with first and second order autoregressive processes and noise. The interannual variability of the system with respect to phytoplankton mortality is investigated in different runs which are integrated over 300 years.     

Spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR emission inventories

CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories are frequently used input data for air quality models with a domain situated in Europe. In CORINAIR emission inventories, sources are broken down over 11 major source categories. This paper presents spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories for input of air pollutants and particulate matter to grid or polygon based air quality model domains inside Europe. The basis for the disaggregation model was the CLC2000 land cover data to which statistical weights were added. Weights were population census data for residential emissions, employment statistics for agricultural and industrial area emissions, livestock statistics for ammonia emissions and annual aircraft movements for emissions realized by air transport. Additional road and off-road network information was used to disaggregate emissions realized by traffic. A comparison of top down produced emission estimates with spatially resolved national emission data for The Netherlands and the United Kingdom gave confidence in the present spatial surrogates as a tool for the top down production of atmospheric emission maps. Explained variance at a spatial resolution of 5 km was >70% for CO, NMVOC and NO_x, >60% for PM10 and almost 50% for SO₂.     

Absorption of odourous substances using selective gas-liquid separation processes

Absorption is one of the most widely used techniques for treating odourous waste gases. An improvement of the effectiveness of gas scrubbers can be achieved by using adapted washing liquids. A screening test is proposed as a low cost tool for testing washing liquids on industrial waste gases. The odour index is used to identify the main cause of the specific smell and to simplify the analysis of absorptive performances of washing liquids. The method is verified by experiments at a chocolate factory and a fat and oil refinery.     

Extinction, recolonization, and dispersal through time in a planktonic crustacean

Dormant propagule banks are important reservoirs of biological and genetic diversity of local communities and populations and provide buffering mechanisms against extinction. Although dormant stages of various plant and animal species are known to remain viable for decades and even centuries, little is known about the effective influence of recolonization from such old sources on the genetic continuity of intermittent populations under natural conditions. Using recent and old dormant eggs recovered from a dated lake sediment core in Kenya, we traced the genetic composition of a local population of the planktonic crustacean Daphnia barbata through a sequence of extinction and recolonization events. This was combined with a phylogeographic and population-genetic survey of regional populations. Four successive populations, fully separated in time, inhabited Lake Naivasha from ca. 1330 to 1570 AD, from ca. 1610 to 1720 AD, from ca. 1840 to 1940 AD, and from 1995 to the present (2001 AD). Our results strongly indicate genetic continuity between the 1840-1940 and 1995-2001 populations, which are separated in time by at least 50 years, and close genetic relatedness of them both to the 1330-1580 population. A software tool (Colonize) was developed to find the most likely source population of the refounded 1995-2001 population and to test the number of colonists involved in the recolonization event. The results confirmed that the 1995-2001 population most probably developed out of a limited number of surviving local dormant eggs from the previous population, rather than out of individuals from regional (central and southern Kenya) or more distant (Ethiopia, Zimbabwe) populations that may have immigrated to Lake Naivasha through passive dispersal. These results emphasize the importance of prolonged dormancy for the natural long-term dynamics of crustacean zooplankton in fluctuating environments and suggest an important role of old local dormant egg banks in aquatic habitat restoration.     

Umweltmonitoring von Herbiziden in aquatischen Systemen

Herbicides of the chlorinated phenoxyalkanoic acid group like 2,4-D, 2,4-DP and MCPP, belong to the most commonly used pesticides. This is also true for the Land Brandenburg. Therefore, this substance group was integrated in the current state monitoring programme for ground and surface water quality. Starting in 2001, the analysis was carried out complying with DIN 38407-20 by gas chromatography and mass spectrometric detection after enrichment with solid phase extraction and following derivatization with diazomethane-forming methyl esters. Quantifying 2,4-D considering selected ions in a surface water sample from the river Oder, a remarkable peak pattern was observed. A second peak with identical spectrum was found about 0.7 minutes earlier than the 2,4-D calibrated peak. Its intensity suggested a concentration 10–20 fold higher than the 2,4-D level. This unknown peak was identified as 2,6-D which is a structure isomer of the herbicide 2,4-D. This substance has not been described in literature or chemical substance databases known to us yet. Structure isomers have been found in other samples too. We suppose that the chlorinated phenoxyalkanoic acids chlorinated in the 6-position of the phenyl ring are formed as a technical by-product and show a higher persistance than the commonly known agents.     

Evaluation of factors influencing soluble microbial product in submerged MBR through hybrid ASM model

In this study, a mathematical model was established to predict the formation of the soluble microbial product (SMP) in a submerged membrane bioreactor. The developed model was calibrated under the reference condition. Simulation results were in good agreement with the measured results under the reference condition. The calibrated model was then used in the scenario studies to evaluate the effect of three chosen operating parameters: hydraulic retention time (HRT), dissolved oxygen concentration, and sludge retention time (SRT). Simulation results revealed that the SMP dominated the soluble organic substances in the supernatant. The scenario studies also revealed that the HRT can be decreased to 1 h without deteriorating the effluent quality; dissolved oxygen concentration in the reactor can be kept at 2–3 mg/L to maintain the effluent quality, reduce the content of SMP, and minimize operating costs; the optimal SRT can be controlled to 10–15 d to achieve complete nitrification process, less membrane fouling potential, and acceptable organic removal efficiency.