Evaluation of the biodegradability of copolyesters containing aromatic compounds by investigations of model oligomers

Model oligo esters of terephthalic acid with 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,4-butanediol have been investigated with regard to their biodegradability in different biological environments. Well-characterized oligomers with weight-average molar masses of from 600 to 2600 g/mol exhibit biodegradation in aqueous systems, soil, and compost at 60°C. SEC investigations showed a fast biological degradation of the oligomer fraction consisting of 1 or 2 repeating units, independent of the diol component used for polycondensation, while polyester oligomers with degrees of polymerization higher than 2 were stable against microbial attack at room temperature in a time frame of 2 months. At 60°C in a compost environment chemical hydrolysis also degrades chains longer than two repeating units, resulting in enhanced degradability of the oligomers. Metabolization of the monomers and the dimers as well by the microorganisms could be confirmed by comparing SEC measurements and carbon balances in a Sturm test experiment. Based on these results degradation characteristics of potential oligomer intermediates resulting from a primary chain scission from copolyesters consisting of aromatic and aliphatic dicarbonic acids can be predicted depending on their composition. These results will have an evident influence on the evaluation of the biodegradability of commercially interesting copolyesters and lead to new ways of tailor-made designing of new biodegradable materials as well.     

DENSITY CURRENT INTRUSIONS IN AN ICE-COVERED URBAN LAKE1

ABSTRACT: Evidence is presented that snowmelt runoff from an urban watershed can produce density current intrusions (underflows) in a lake. Several episodes of density current intrusions are documented. Water temperatures and salinities measured near the bottom of a 10 m deep Minneapolis lake during the late winter warming periods in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1995 show significant rapid changes which are correlated with observed higher air temperatures and snowmelt runoff. The snowmelt runoff entering this particular lake (Ryan Lake) has increased electrical conductivity, salinity, and density. The source of the salinity is the salt spread on urban streets in the winter. Heating of littoral waters in spring may also contribute to the occurrence of the sinking flows, but is clearly not the only cause.     

Modelling municipal solid waste generation: a review

The objective of this paper is to review previously published models of municipal solid waste generation and to propose an implementation guideline which will provide a compromise between information gain and cost-efficient model development. The 45 modelling approaches identified in a systematic literature review aim at explaining or estimating the present or future waste generation using economic, socio-demographic or management-orientated data. A classification was developed in order to categorise these highly heterogeneous models according to the following criteria--the regional scale, the modelled waste streams, the hypothesised independent variables and the modelling method. A procedural practice guideline was derived from a discussion of the underlying models in order to propose beneficial design options concerning regional sampling (i.e., number and size of observed areas), waste stream definition and investigation, selection of independent variables and model validation procedures. The practical application of the findings was demonstrated with two case studies performed on different regional scales, i.e., on a household and on a city level. The findings of this review are finally summarised in the form of a relevance tree for methodology selection.     

Evaluation of leaching and extraction procedures for soil and waste

Laboratory leaching tests may be used for source term determination as a basis for risk assessment for soil-groundwater pathways on contaminated sites. In order to evaluate different leaching procedures, batch extraction tests and percolation tests were performed using three reference materials produced from contaminated soil, demolition waste and municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash. Emphasis was placed on the investigation of the leachability of the heavy metals copper and chromium, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the anions chloride and sulfate. Significant discrepancies between column experiments and batch/extraction tests were found for the release of PAHs and to a lesser extent for the heavy metals Cu and Cr. Additionally interlaboratory comparisons were conducted based on different leaching tests with the reference materials and evaluated using the criteria of comparability and reproducibility. The best reproducibility was achieved for all investigated substances in column tests. The reproducibility of batch tests was acceptable except for PAHs. The results from the experimental work will help establish standardized and feasible laboratory procedures as fundamental for substance specific risk assessment of contaminated sites.     

Seasonal concentrations and partitioning of PAHs in a suburban site of Bursa, Turkey

Effects of space heating on atmospheric concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PAHs were investigated in a suburban site of Bursa, Turkey. The average concentrations of ∑₁₅-PAHs in heating season samples were approximately 10 times higher than those of non-heating season samples. The plot of log K_p versus log P_L⁰ for all the data set gave significantly different slopes. The slope for the heating season (−0.75) samples was steeper than the one for the non-heating season (−0.64) samples. It was also observed that partitioning of PAHs for the non-heating season samples showed different characteristics depending on air parcel trajectories. Generally steeper slopes were obtained for the air parcels traveled across the Black sea and arrived to the sampling site from northern sector. On the other hand, the variations in slopes according to air mass origin were insignificant for the heating season samples. Local contributions from space heating are the reason for this observation.     

Reproductive success of monogamous and polygynous pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca)

One of the most interesting aspects of the mating system of pied flycatchers is the regular occurrence of polygyny. Here we present data on the reproductive success of polygynously paired pied flycatcher males compared to monogamous males based on paternity analyses through DNA fingerprinting. Males paired with two females suffered a higher loss in reproductive output per female compared to monogamous males due to (1) a greater proportion of unhatched eggs in their broods, (2) greater nestling mortality and (3) a greater probability of being cuckolded. Nevertheless, the number of fledglings was significantly greater for polygynous males. Based on the number of nestlings that returned for subsequent breeding seasons, however, the reproductive success of monogamous and polygynous males did not differ significantly. These data raise the question as to why males attempt polygyny. Received: 16 August 1999 / Received in revised form: 15 March 2000 / Accepted: 18 March 2000