A study of the distribution of lead, cadmium and copper between water and kaolin, bentonite and a river sediment

Experiments were carried out to monitor the equilibrium distribution of lead, cadmium and copper between an aqueous phase modelling natural water and a solid phase modelling natural sediment, under varying conditions. The aqueous phase was analysed using ETAAS and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), whereas XRD and FTIR were used to study the solid phase. Sorption isotherms at constant pH were measured. Conditional distribution constants were calculated as functions of the pH, the time of equilibration and the amount of solid material. The results obtained stress the need for standardization of the approaches to the study of water-sediment interactions in order to be able to evaluate and compare the extensive data from field measurements and to predict these interactions.     

Alterations in the rabbit lymphoid tissue after bendiocarb administration

Various pesticides have immuno-suppressive effects, and thus the organisms become responsive to viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases and neoplasm. The aim of the study was to observe the structure of the small intestine (height of enterocytes and crypts), mucosal lymphoid tissue (Payer's patches, lymphocytes in lamina propria) and a lymph node after administration of bendiocarb (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl-methylcarbamate) on days 3, 10, 20, 30 and 60 of the experiment. The height of the observed enterocytes showed an increasing tendency. On days 20, 30 and 60 we also observed an increase in diameter of crypts located in intestinal epithelium. The number of cells in lamina propria mucosae was significantly reduced on days 20 and 30 after administration of bendiocarb. Observations of the lymph node showed that on days 10 and 20 there was a significant increase in relative volume of medulla at the expense of the relative volume of the cortex and a decrease in the number of lymphocytes. However, we recorded an increase in diameter of lymphocytes. The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) belongs to the most common pathogenic parasites in the world and it can cause serious health complications in pregnant and immunodeficient individuals. DNA isolation, standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and visualization in a 2.5 % agarose gel, the presence of DNA T. gondii was detected in no examined rabbit brain samples. Using real time PCR T. gondii DNA was detected and quantified in the three rabbit brain samples (10 %).     

Biomass yield and carbon abatement potential of banana crops (Musa spp.) in Ecuador

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Banana is one of the most important agricultural products of Ecuador. It relies on intensive monoculture cropping systems with a large volume of...     

Evaluation of ozone-nitrogen oxides-volatile organic compound sensitivity of Cincinnati, Ohio

Ambient concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides (NOx), total reactive nitrogen (NOy), nitric acid (HNO3), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were measured during September 2003 at an urban site of Cincinnati, OH. The aim of this study was two-fold: to investigate whether O3 formation in this population exposure-type site is NOx, sensitive or volatile organic compound (VOC) sensitive and to test the practicality of using two combined observational-based methods to identify the sensitivity of O3 formation in midlevel polluted locations. The evaluation of the indicator species: NOy, O3/NOy, O3/HNO3, H2O2/ HNO3, and O3/(estimated NOx reaction products), as well as the combined hypothesis testing analysis of the weekend/weekday (WE/WD) differences of 1-hr and 8-hr average maximum O3 and of the 6:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. average nitric oxide and NOx concentrations, show evidence that Cincinnati is likely VOC sensitive. Average WE 1-hr and 8-hr maximum O3, as well as duration of WE O3 accumulation, were not lower than the corresponding WD levels in spite of the observed significant reduction in NO, emissions on WE, a typical situation in VOC-sensitive locations. The possibility that the seasonal transition from summer to autumn could have influenced the results was also investigated through an exploratory analysis of the afternoon O3 maximum/NOx measured and of the WE/WD differences of peak O3 and morning average NO and NO, concentrations observed at this site from June through September 2003. The results suggest that a VOC-sensitive chemistry regime dominated along the summer season. The findings of this study suggest that additional reductions in regional NO, emissions in Cincinnati, a potential nonattainment area under the 8-hr O3 standard, may cause an increase in local O3. Future strategies to reduce O3 in Southwest Ohio should be further evaluated carefully. The combination of observational-based methods might provide a consistent complementary approach in the identification of the NO,-VOC sensitive characteristics of mid-to-moderate polluted urban areas.     

基于PMF-PCA/APCS与PERI的菏泽油用牡丹种植区表层土壤重金属潜在来源识别及生态风险评估

研究特色农产品产区土壤重金属来源及其潜在风险,对科学管理、安全利用土壤和作物资源具有重要意义.以菏泽油用牡丹种植区为研究对象,采集并测定了254件表层土壤样品As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb和Zn等8种重金属的含量.采用多元统计法分析了重金属的含量特征及相关性,利用地累积指数（I_geo）、正定矩阵因子分解法（PMF）和主成分分析/绝对主成分分数法（PCA/APCS）相结合的手段解析了表层土壤中重金属的来源,借助潜在生态风险指数（PERI）对该8种重金属的生态风险进行了评估.结果表明,土壤中除Cd元素的平均值高于菏泽市背景值1.44倍之外,其余7种重金属的平均含量均与菏泽市土壤元素背景值基本一致;经相关分析和聚类分析,土壤中Pb、Hg和Cd元素受后期人为活动的干扰影响较大;研究区8种重金属的来源为自然源、农业化肥源、工业燃煤源和生活交通源,贡献率分别为81.31%、15.45%、2.74%和0.50%;研究区84.25%的点位处于轻微生态风险,而中度风险和强风险点位占比分别为14.96%和0.79%,其中Cd和Hg是研究区生态风险主导元素.     

"深圳-巴彦浩特"地理样带土地利用与水旱灾害研究

在建立1990-2000年“深圳-巴彦浩特“地理样带水旱灾害数据库的基础上,结合样带1995、2000年两期的土地利用数据,分析了样带水旱灾害的区域差异,及其与样带土地利用时空格局的关系.结果表明,样带水旱灾害呈现较强的南北差异,北方以旱灾为主,南方以水灾为主;土地利用结构对样带水旱灾害有较强的影响,土地利用类型复杂的县市有较高的水旱灾害发生率,而土地利用类型单一的县市则受水旱灾害影响较小.水灾主要出现在样带南部多种土地利用类型混杂的县市,特别是城镇建设用地比例较高的地区,水灾相对更为频繁;旱灾在缺乏灌溉水源且以耕地和草地为主要土地利用类型的区域发生频率较高.     

Effect of Cross-Linking Waste Protein with Diepoxides on its Biodegradation under Anaerobic Conditions

Biodegradability testing was performed in an aqueous environment under anaerobic conditions after inoculation with digested sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant. In cross-linking with 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane in limits 0.8–9.1% weight, biodegradability degree decreased from 76.8 to 62.2%; when 1,2:7,8 diepoxyoctane in quantities 1.1–13.2% weight was used, biodegradability degree dropped more prominently – from 72.3 to 22.8%. There is obviously a direct connection between growing cross-link degree (assessed by so-called fixation index) and decreasing readiness to biodegradation, apparently owing to build-up of a network forming an obstacle to access of micro-organisms and enzymes.     

卷烟厂通风空调系统中聚积物燃烧特性研究

选取某烟厂车间通风空调系统,分别对风管内表面及设备部件表面附着的聚积物进行实测与分析.通过对所采集样品的C、H、N、S等的元素分析、工业分析、自然状态下的着火点参数以及灰熔融性参数等的实验分析,得到了烟厂建筑的通风空调系统中聚积物的燃烧特性,为工业建筑火灾的预测评价及防排烟设计提供了参考.     

Chemical egg defense in Photuris firefly “femmes fatales”

Summary. Female Photuris fireflies contain defensive chemicals of two types. They sequester steroidal pyrones (lucibufagins) from male fireflies of the genus Photinus that they eat, and themselves produce the defensive betaine N-methylquinolinium 2-carboxylate. Chemical analyses of Photuris eggs showed that females that fed on Photinus males endow their eggs with both lucibufagin and the betaine, while those that did not feed on Photinus lay eggs that contain betaine, but virtually no lucibufagin. Photuris females collected in the field during the Photinus flight season laid eggs that invariably contained betaine, but lucibufagin only at times. Predation experiments showed that Photuris eggs are essentially unacceptable to larvae of a coccinellid beetle (Harmonia axyridis) and an ant (Leptothorax longispinosus), but moderately acceptable to an earwig (Forficula auricularia). When applied experimentally to palatable insect eggs, lucibufagin proved deterrent to these three predators, while the betaine proved deterrent to the ant and coccinellid larva only. Both types of defensive compound decreased egg predation in the field. By endowing their eggs with both exogenous and endogenous chemicals, Photuris females are essentially “maximizing their options”– when feeding on Photinus, their eggs are doubly protected, but they are not entirely defenseless when the females are unable to procure lucibufagin. Received 12 August 1999; accepted 27 August 1999     

On the elemental composition of the Mediterranean euhalophyte Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve (Chenopodiaceae) from saline habitats in Spain (Huelva,Toledo and Zamora)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A complete survey is presented on the inorganic composition of the euhalophyte annual succulent species Salicornia patula (Chenopodiaceae), including...