Turbidimetric determination of chloride in different types of water using a single sequential injection analysis system

A sequential injection analysis system for the turbidimetric determination of chloride in different types of water is proposed. The determination is based on the reaction of chloride with silver ions and the subsequent measurement of the turbidity caused by silver chloride precipitation. In this method, the use of toxic reagents, such as mercury thiocyanate, commonly employed in most spectrophotometric techniques for chloride determination, is avoided. The main feature of the developed system is the use of a single configuration to carry out the determination over a wide concentration range (2-400 mg L(-1)) by changing only the aspirated sample volume. This characteristic allows the determination of chloride in ground, surface and wastewaters using the same manifold. In addition, a considerable saving of precipitating reagent is achieved due to non-continuous consumption. The results obtained with the developed system were statistically indistinguishable from those of the potentiometric titration reference method. Relative standard deviations for ten consecutive injections were lower than 3.7%, with a sampling frequency of between 55 and 57 determinations per hour.     

Inorganic chemical composition of native trees of the Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest with its exuberant vegetation of high level of biodiversity is classified as one hotspot of the world. Chemical composition of leaves from native trees and underlying soils was evaluated by INAA. The predominant species Euterpe edulis, Bathysa meridionalis, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Marlierea tomentosa, Gomidesia flagellaris, and Gomidesia spectabilis belonging to the diverse plant families were studied. Euterpe edulis, the most abundant understory specie, presented the lowest element concentrations except for Zn. Some variation in chemical composition was noted, however, the chemical specificity of tree species can be more predominant than the soil variability for the obtained leaf concentrations. Factor values obtained through the Monte-Carlo assisted factor analysis were used for species discrimination. The results indicate that chemical investigation of native trees is a quite promising tool for biodiversity studies in the Atlantic Forest.     

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCDD/Fs and PCBs) in food from farms close to foot and mouth disease animal pyres

To control the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which occurred in the UK in early 2001, a large number of farm animals were slaughtered. Where it was not possible to render or landfill the carcasses, they were destroyed by burning on open pyres, with wood, coal and other materials. Uncontrolled combustion such as this is known to produce small quantities of dioxins and an investigation was made into whether, as a result of the burning, there was an elevation in the concentrations of these compounds in food produced in the areas close to the pyres. With few exceptions, concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were within the expected ranges as predicted by reference data. No accumulation over time was evident from a repeat milk sampling exercise. Where elevated concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were found in chickens and eggs, they were in samples not destined for the food chain. Elevated levels in some samples of milk from Dumfries and Galloway were not found in earlier or later samples and may have been found as a result of a temporary feeding regime. Elevated concentrations in lamb from Carmarthenshire were from very young animals which would not have entered the food chain. There was no evidence of any significant increase in dietary exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs as a result of the FMD pyres.     

Contributions of global and regional sources to mercury deposition in New York State

A modeling system that includes a global chemical transport model (CTM) and a nested continental CTM (TEAM) was used to simulate the atmospheric transport, transformations and deposition of mercury (Hg). Three scenarios were used: (1) a nominal scenario, (2) a scenario conducive to local deposition and (3) a scenario conducive to long-range transport. Deposition fluxes of Hg were analyzed at three receptor locations in New York State. For the nominal scenario, the anthropogenic emission sources (including re-emission of deposited Hg) in New York State, the rest of the contiguous United States, Asia, Europe, and Canada contributed 11-1, 25-9, 13-19, 5-7, and 2-5%, respectively to total Hg deposition at these three receptors. Natural sources contributed 16-4%. The results from the local deposition and long-range transport scenarios varied only slightly from these results. However, there are still uncertainties in our understanding of the atmospheric chemistry of Hg that are likely to affect these estimates of local, regional and global contributions. Comparison of model simulation results with data from the Mercury Deposition Network suggests that local and regional contributions may currently be overestimated.     

Comparison of the substrate effect on voc emissions from water based varnish and latex paint

BACKGROUND, AIMS AND SCOPE: The building materials are recognised to be major contributors to indoor air contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The improvement of the quality of the environment within buildings is a topic of increasing research and public interest. Legislation in preparation by the European Commission may induce, in the near future, European Union Member States to solicit the industries of paints, varnishes and flooring materials for taking measures, in order to reduce the VOC emissions resulting from the use of their products. Therefore, product characterisation and information about the influence of environmental parameters on the VOC emissions are fundamental for providing the basic scientific information required to allow architects, engineers, builders, and building owners to provide a healthy environment for building occupants. On the other hand, the producers of coating building materials require this information to introduce technological alterations, when necessary, in order to improve the ecological quality of their products, and to make them more competitive. Studies of VOC emissions from wet materials, like paints and varnishes, have usually been conducted after applying the material on inert substrates, due to its non-adsorption and non-porosity properties. However, in real indoor environments, these materials are applied on substrates of a different nature. One aim of this work was to study, for the first time, the VOC emissions from a latex paint applied on concrete. The influence of the substrate (uncoated cork parquet, eucalyptus parquet without finishing and pine parquet with finishing) on the emissions of VOC from a water-based varnish was also studied. For comparison purposes, polyester film (an inert substrate) was used for both wet materials. METHODS: The specific emission rates of the major VOCs were monitored for the first 72 h of material exposure in the atmosphere of a standardized test chamber. The air samples were collected on Tenax TA and analysed using thermal desorption online with gas chromatography provided with both mass selective detection and flame ionisation detection. A double exponential model was applied to the VOC concentrations as a function of time to facilitate the interpretation of the results. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The varnish, which was introduced in the test chamber 23 h after the application of the last layer of material, emitted mainly glycolethers. Only primary VOCs were emitted, but their concentrations varied markedly with the nature of the substrate. The higher VOC concentrations were observed for the parquets of cork and eucalyptus, which indicated that they have a much higher porosity and, therefore, a higher power of VOC adsorption than the finished pine parquet (and polyester film). The paint was introduced in the chamber just after its application. Only primary VOCs were emitted (esters, phthalates, glycolethers and white spirit) but some compounds, like 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol and diethylphthalate, were only observed for paint/polyester, which suggested that they were irreversibly adsorbed by the paint/concrete. Compared with the inert substrate, the rate of VOC emissions was lower for concrete in the wet-stage (first hours after the paint application) but slightly higher later (dry-stage) as a consequence of desorption. CONCLUSIONS: As to varnish, the substrates without finishing, like cork and eucalyptus parquets, displayed a higher power of adsorption of VOCs than the pine parquet with finishing, probably because they have a higher porosity. As concerns paint, the total masses of VOCs emitted were lower for concrete than for polyester, indicating that concrete reduces the global VOC emissions from the latex paint. Concrete is seen to have a strong power of adsorption of VOCs. Some compounds, namely 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, diethylphthalate and TEXANOL (this partially), were either irreversibly adsorbed by the concrete or desorbed very slowly (at undetected levels). A similar behaviour had not been reported for gypsum board, a paint substrate studied before. RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: The present data suggest that concrete may be a recommendable substrate for paint in an indoor environment. As the nature of the substrate conditions the rate and nature of VOC emissions from wet materials, it must be explicit when emissions from composite materials are reported, in order to allow comparisons and labelling of the product in terms of indoor air quality.     

Land Use, Spatial Scale, and Stream Systems: Lessons from an Agricultural Region

We synthesized nine studies that examined the influence of land use at different spatial scales in structuring biotic assemblages and stream channel characteristics in southeastern Minnesota streams. Recent studies have disagreed about the relative importance of catchment versus local characteristics in explaining variation in fish assemblages. Our synthesis indicates that both riparian- and catchment-scale land use explained significant variation in water quality, channel morphology, and fish distribution and density. Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages can be positively affected by increasing the extent of perennial riparian and upland vegetation. Our synthesis is robust; more than 425 stream reaches were examined in an area that includes a portion of three ecoregions. Fishes ranged from coldwater to warmwater adapted. We suggest that efforts to rehabilitate stream system form and function over the long term should focus on increasing perennial vegetation in both riparian areas and uplands and on managing vegetation in large, contiguous blocks. Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is jointly sponsered by U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division, the University of Minnesota, The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Wildlife Management Institute.     

Production and biomass accumulation of periphytic diatoms growing on glass slides during a 1-year cycle in a subtropical estuarine environment (Bay of Paranaguá, southern Brazil)

Production rates, chlorophyll concentrations and general composition of periphytic diatom communities growing on glass slides were studied in relation to environmental parameters during one seasonal cycle in the Bay of Paranaguá, southern Brazil. Slides were routinely submersed at 1, 2 and 3 m depth and recovered weekly for microscopic examinations, analyses of chlorophyll, cell counts and in situ photosynthetic incubations using the Winkler titration method. Water samples were also collected at surface and bottom layers for determinations of temperature, salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll in the water. The periphytic community was mainly formed by epipelic and epipsammic species, dominated by Navicula phyllepta, Cylindrotheca closterium, Navicula spp. and Amphora sp. Weekly chlorophyll a and cell accumulations on slides varied from <1–32 mg m⁻² and up to 31 × 10⁸cells m⁻², respectively. Photosynthetic rates varied from <1 to 35 mg oxygen mg chlorophyll a ⁻¹ h⁻¹, with higher values in summer. Daily production varied from 5 to 3,600 mg oxygen m⁻² day⁻¹ (<0.01–1.4 g carbon m⁻² day⁻¹). Multiple regression analysis revealed that vertical differences in light conditions and grazing pressure jointly affected the influence of temperature on the seasonal patterns of cell densities and chlorophyll concentrations according to depth. Received: 27 April 2000 / Accepted: 16 August 2000     

Landslides into reservoirs and their impacts on banks

Mass wasting processes, like slope failures, on the margins of dam reservoirs, lakes, bays and oceans may generate large water waves that can produce disasters due to flooding over the banks, run up along the shoreline and overtopping dam crests. Therefore, the study of slope failures, the subsequent generation of impulse waves and their consequences are of paramount importance for safety. In this paper the generation and propagation of water waves in reservoirs induced by landslides and their impact on banks were investigated by means of a laboratory study carried out at University of Coimbra wave channel, in a flume measuring 12.0 m  ×  1.5 m  ×  1.0 m (L  ×  H  ×  W), where two banks with variable slope were placed. The study considered the sliding of calcareous blocks over a sliding slope bank into the reservoir, the generation of impulse waves, their propagation in the reservoir and their impact on the downstream bank. A number of waves were generated by different fallings of calcareous blocks, considering different volumes, sliding slopes, initial positions and reservoir depths. All fallings were recorded by video-camera and the results were processed afterwards to obtain the time history of the falling. The water surface variations due to transient waves were measured at five gauges placed between the banks. The waves overtopping and breaking on the downstream bank were also filmed using a video camera, and the hydrodynamic forces on this bank were also measured using four pressure transducers.