Composition and secondary formation of fine particulate matter in the Salt Lake Valley: Winter 2009

Under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), put in place as a result of the Clean Air Amendments of 1990, three regions in the state of Utah are in violation of the NAAQS for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 (Salt Lake County, Ogden City, and Utah County). These regions are susceptible to strong inversions that can persist for days to weeks. This meteorology, coupled with the metropolitan nature of these regions, contributes to its violation of the NAAQS for PM during the winter. During January–February 2009, 1-hr averaged concentrations of PM_10-2.5, PM_2.5, NO_x, NO₂, NO, O₃, CO, and NH₃ were measured. Particulate-phase nitrate, nitrite, and sulfate and gas-phase HONO, HNO₃, and SO₂ were also measured on a 1-hr average basis. The results indicate that ammonium nitrate averages 40% of the total PM_2.5 mass in the absence of inversions and up to 69% during strong inversions. Also, the formation of ammonium nitrate is nitric acid limited. Overall, the lower boundary layer in the Salt Lake Valley appears to be oxidant and volatile organic carbon (VOC) limited with respect to ozone formation. The most effective way to reduce ammonium nitrate secondary particle formation during the inversions period is to reduce NO_x emissions. However, a decrease in NO_x will increase ozone concentrations. A better definition of the complete ozone isopleths would better inform this decision.

Implications: Monitoring of air pollution constituents in Salt Lake City, UT, during periods in which PM_2.5 concentrations exceeded the NAAQS, reveals that secondary aerosol formation for this region is NO_x limited. Therefore, NO_x emissions should be targeted in order to reduce secondary particle formation and PM_2.5. Data also indicate that the highest concentrations of sulfur dioxide are associated with winds from the north-northwest, the location of several small refineries.     

Removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions using microspherical particles of fly ash

Batch sorption experiments were carried out for the removal of cationic dyes (methylene blue and malachite green) from their aqueous solutions using sorbent made from fly ash-a waste material. Effects of various experimental parameters: initial dye concentration, contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, solution temperature, surfactant addition and ionic strength on the fly ash sorption of dyes were evaluated. The isothermal data for sorption followed the Langmuir model. The maximum sorption capacity obtained for methylene blue and malachite green was 36.05 mg/g and 40.65 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic studies indicate that sorption on fly ash follows the pseudo-second order kinetics. Present research suggests that fly ash could be an appropriate adsorbent for the removal of basic dyes from aqueous solutions.     

Mountain environment and population in Georgia: case study of Upper Svaneti

The purpose of the presented research is to identify local community opinions toward ecological problems in one of the mountainous region of Georgia (Upper Svaneti), to analyze how population ‘perceive, experience, and interpret’ the social, and ecological issues.

The paper is based on the results of Upper Svanet ipopulation’s survey which was carried out by the authors of presented paper during the August of 2015 and 2016.The questionnaire was elaborated taking into account the peculiarities of the region. Stratified-cluster selection method was used for selection of respondents and database compilation. For statistical analysis of polling data the SPSS package was used.

Based on the statistical analysis of survey results, the following issues have been studied: the most important ecological problems, environmental problems with respect to socio-economic ones, information sources on ecological problems, people’s trust in environmental issues, awareness level of the population on environmental policy, their personal contribution in environmental protection, ways to solve ecological problems, implemented environmental measures.

The obtained results are important to foster mountain population’s active participation in processes that contribute to decision-making processes, planning and implementing programs for sustainable development.     

Modelling spatial patterns of correlations between concentrations of heavy metals in mosses and atmospheric deposition in 2010 across Europe

Background

This paper aims to investigate the correlations between the concentrations of nine heavy metals in moss and atmospheric deposition within ecological land classes covering Europe. Additionally, it is examined to what extent the statistical relations are affected by the land use around the moss sampling sites. Based on moss data collected in 2010/2011 throughout Europe and data on total atmospheric deposition modelled by two chemical transport models (EMEP MSC-E, LOTOS-EUROS), correlation coefficients between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were specified for spatial subsamples defined by ecological land classes of Europe (ELCE) as a spatial reference system. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression (LR) were then used to separate moss sampling sites regarding their contribution to the strength of correlation considering the areal percentage of urban, agricultural and forestry land use around the sampling location. After verification LDA models by LR, LDA models were used to transform spatial information on the land use to maps of potential correlation levels, applicable for future network planning in the European Moss Survey.

Results

Correlations between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were found to be specific for elements and ELCE units. Land use around the sampling sites mainly influences the correlation level. Small radiuses around the sampling sites examined (5 km) are more relevant for Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn, while the areal percentage of urban and agricultural land use within large radiuses (75–100 km) is more relevant for As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and V. Most valid LDA models pattern with error rates of <?40% were found for As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and V. Land use-dependent predictions of spatial patterns split up Europe into investigation areas revealing potentially high (=?above-average) or low (=?below-average) correlation coefficients.

Conclusions

LDA is an eligible method identifying and ranking boundary conditions of correlations between atmospheric deposition and respective concentrations of heavy metals in moss and related mapping considering the influence of the land use around moss sampling sites.

     

Vocal alliances in Chacma baboons (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Papio hamadryas ursinus</Emphasis>)

Theory predicts that females in species with matrilineal dominance hierarchies should use nepotistic support systems to maintain their family’s rank. Female Old World monkeys, however, form alliances against other females at surprisingly low rates. Nonetheless, in many species, females utter threat vocalizations when observing others’ disputes, suggesting that these vocalizations may function as ‘vocal alliances’. We describe a playback experiment testing the efficacy of vocal alliances in free-ranging female baboons. Subjects were played the same female’s threat-grunts under three separate conditions: after being threatened by the signaller’s close relative to mimic kin support, after being threatened by a female maternally unrelated to the signaller to mimic non-kin support, and after a friendly interaction with the signaller’s close relative as a control. Subjects responded more strongly to the playback and avoided the signaller and her matrilineal relatives for a longer period of time in kin support trials than in either non-kin support or no aggression trials. In contrast, there was no difference in subjects’ behaviour between non-kin support and no aggression trials. These results corroborate observational data showing that vocal support occurs at a higher rate than physical support in female baboons, and that kin are more likely to provide vocal support than non-kin. We conclude that vocal support plays a similar role as physical support in the alliances of female baboons.     

Periphyton and Sediment Bioassessment in North Florida Bay

Periphyton colonization and sediment bioassessment were used ina survey to compare the relative environmental condition ofsampling sites located in Florida Bay and four peripheral sloughareas during the summer of 1995. Periphyton biomass, pigmentcontent, tissue quality and community composition weredetermined. In addition, benthic community composition and thetoxicities of whole sediments and associated pore waters weredetermined for two species of rooted macrophytes, an epibenthicinvertebrate and bioluminescent bacteria. Several locational differences were observed for the response parameters.Periphyton biomass was significantly greater in the Taylor Riverand the least in Shell Creek (P < 0.05). Most sediments were notacutely toxic to mysid shrimp nor phytotoxic. However, sedimentsfrom the Taylor River were more phytostimulatory than others (P< 0.05). Contaminant bioresidues were similar at most sites,however, mercury, chromium and nickel concentrations weregreater for periphyton colonized in the Taylor River and TroutCreek areas. Structural characteristics of the periphytic algalcommunity usually were statistically similar but a consistenttrend of lower density and diversity was evident for ShellCreek. The benthic community was the least diverse and dense inthe Canal C-111. The results of this study provide an initialindication of differences in the role of several slough areas aspossible sources of bioavailable contaminants to Florida Baywhich warrants additional investigation.     

Identification and validation of novel SNP markers in European populations of marine Mytilus mussels

Mussels of the genus Mytilus are widespread in both northern and southern hemispheres. Mytilus taxa are very important components of marine coastal ecosystems, but are difficult to differentiate morphologically. Sequencing and Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX genotyping technology was used to identify and verify novel SNP markers in three European taxa of Mytilus: M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis, and M. trossulus. SNPs were localized in coding and non-coding sequences of some functionally important genes. Eight SNPs located in genes of the histone family, hsp70 and p53, were discovered and applied as novel markers for Mytilus taxa on a large European scale. Five of these differentiated the M. trossulus genome, two M. galloprovincialis, and one M. edulis. Other SNPs differentiated populations within taxa. The new SNPs will be a valuable tool for population studies of European Mytilus mussels. The percentage of polymorphic SNPs ranged from 19 to 100 % in 24 samples of mussels studied. Populations from Scotland, Mecklenburg Bight, and Norway had over 90 % polymorphic loci. Most loci were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in all samples except for the one from Scotland. The highest percentages of heterozygotes were observed in the Atlantic (Banyuls and Vigo) and North Sea (Tjarno and Westerschelde) populations. An excess of homozygotes was observed in samples from Scotland, Norway, and the Barents Sea. Correspondence and Structure analysis also demonstrated the great heterogeneity of these three samples.     

Development of composites using residue from laminated packaging with discarded foundry sand

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In recent years, the use of residue for the production of new composite materials has gained prominence as it enables reuse of materials and...     

What drives visitors to tourist sites to choose “green” accommodation facilities?

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Our aim is to determine the factors influencing a visitor’s decision to stay in a green accommodation facility. Visitors from six tourist sites...     

The consequences of (not) seeing eye-to-eye about the past: The role of supervisor–team fit in past temporal focus for supervisors' leadership behavior

This study seeks to advance our understanding of the leadership consequences that may ensue when supervisors and their teams have similar versus differing orientations toward the past. Integrating a leader–team fit perspective with functional leadership theory, we cast incongruence between supervisor and team past temporal focus as a key antecedent of supervisors' active (i.e., task-oriented and relationship-oriented) and passive (i.e., laissez-faire) leadership behaviors toward the team. We tested our hypotheses in a team-level study that included a field sample of 84 supervisors and their teams using polynomial regression and response surface analyses. Results illustrated that supervisors demonstrated more task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership when supervisors' and their team's past temporal focus were incongruent rather than aligned. Furthermore, in situations of supervisor–team congruence, supervisors engaged in less task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership and more laissez-faire leadership with higher (rather than lower) levels of supervisor and team past temporal focus. In sum, these findings support a complex (mis)fit model such that supervisors' attention to the past may hinder their productive leadership behaviors in some team contexts but not in others. Hence, this research advances a novel, multiple-stakeholder perspective on the role of both supervisors' and their team's past temporal focus for important leadership behaviors.