Monitoring of firefighters exposure to smoke during fire experiments in Portugal

Forest fires represent a serious threat to public security in Europe due to the large burned area. Moreover, smoke pollution due to forest fire events is an important public health issue for the communities directly affected, and particularly for the personnel involved in firefighting operations. Aiming to contribute to the scientific knowledge concerning firefighters exposure to forest fires smoke, data of individual exposure to carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter were obtained during experimental field fires for a group of 10 firefighters equipped with portable “in continuum” measuring devices. Measured values are very high exceeding the Occupational Exposure Standard limits, in particular for peak limit thresholds. These are the first measurements and analysis of firefighter's individual exposure to toxic gases and particles in fire smoke experiments in Europe. However, they already indicate that urgent measures to avoid these levels of exposure are needed.     

Evaluation of dispersal volcanic products of recent events in lichens in environmental gradient,Nahuel Huapi National Park,Argentina

The atmospheric transport of volcanic products are subject to several variables, mainly the height of the eruption column and wind direction, thus elements associated with the ashes are deposited in major or lesser degree depending on variables as latitude, wind and humidity. The lichens are able to reflect the atmospheric fallout. The present work evaluated the correlation between meteorological parameters, geographic locations, sulphur and other element concentrations in lichens genus Usnea affected by Puyehue–Cordón Caulle complex (North Patagonia Andean Range) eruption of June 4, 2011. Semiquantitative analyses of biological elements by scanning electron microscope methods, sulphur (S) by LECO and other elements by instrumental neutron activation were evaluated by principal component analysis. Elements as antimony, arsenic, barium, bromine, calcium, caesium, potassium, rubidium, selenium, and uranium correlated with distance to volcano, also calcium and potassium with longitude while bromine, rubidium, and potassium with humidity. Those results indicate that Usnea sp. is a good bioindicator of the atmospheric volcanic emissions in relation to environmental gradient.     

Copper availability assessment of Cu-contaminated vineyard soils using black oat cultivation and chemical extractants

Grapevines grown on acid soils with low fertility in southern Brazil are treated with intense foliar applications of copper (Cu) fungicides, resulting in an increased level of Cu in the soil and increased toxicity. The present study evaluated the accumulation and bioavailability of Cu, and soils with varying levels of Cu from the main producing regions of southern Brazil were collected. The forms of Cu present in the soil were assessed using chemical extractants; additionally, oat cultivation was performed, reflecting the use of the plant as an indicator of Cu bioavailability. Cu accumulated in the topsoil, mainly in bioavailable forms, and there was also an increase of Cu up to a depth of 0.4 m. Cu was primarily found in the mineral fraction, with apparent saturation of the soil organic matter functional groups. Inceptisol and Alfisol soils with a long history of cupric fungicide application were found to have levels of Cu toxic to oat plants. Furthermore, accumulated copper in Alfisol soil from the Campanha Gaúcha region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul had higher bioavailability compared to Cu accumulated in Inceptisol soil from the Serra Gaúcha region. In addition, the copper concentration in roots was found to serve as an indicator of Cu bioavailability in soil, but not of copper phytotoxicity in plants.     

Factors affecting RPSI in imposex monitoring studies using Nucella lapillus (L.) as bioindicator

Nucella lapillus (L.) is a marine gastropod mollusc widely used as a bioindicator of TBT pollution in the North Atlantic coastlines. The species reproductive cycle and the male penis length seasonal/spatial variation were studied at a single site at Aveiro seashore (NW Portugal) between December 2005 and June 2007. The main objective of this work is to assess if the "Relative Penis Size Index" (RPSI)--an important imposex assessment index--varies seasonally and spatially in the same sampling site and how this can affect results obtained in imposex monitoring programmes. Animals able to reproduce were found every month but a seasonal pattern in N. lapillus reproductive cycle was evident. Female gametogenic maturation varied seasonally and a decrease in capsule gland volume and condition factor occurred in late summer/early autumn. The gametogenesis in males did not show a significant seasonal variation as in females but the condition factor, penis length, amount of sperm and prostate volume also diminished in late summer/early autumn. On the other hand, males that were close to egg capsules clusters had larger penises than those far away from clusters. The temporal and spatial male penis length variation introduces a bias on imposex assessment results when using RPSI and the magnitude of the error involved is evaluated for different TBT pollution levels scenarios. We consider that RPSI provides interesting and complementary information that should not be excluded from monitoring programmes, but temporal or spatial comparisons of imposex should be based on other more reliable imposex indices like the VDSI.     

EDDS and EDTA-enhanced zinc accumulation by Solanum nigrum inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi grown in contaminated soil

The effect of two different chelating agents [EDTA and EDDS (S,S-ethylenediaminedissucinic acid)] on Zn tissue accumulation in Solanum nigrum L. grown in a naturally contaminated soil was assessed. Under those conditions, the response of the plant to the inoculation with two different isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)--Glomus claroideum and Glomus intraradices--was also studied. Plants grown in the local contaminated soil (Zn levels of 433mg kg(-1)) accumulated up to 1191mg kg(-1) of Zn in the roots, 3747mg kg(-1) in the stems and 3409mg kg(-1) in the leaves. S. nigrum plants grown in the same soil spiked with extra Zn (Zn levels of 964mg kg(-1)) accumulated up to 4735, 8267 and 7948mg Zn kg(-1) in the leaves, stems and roots, respectively. The addition of EDTA promoted an increase in the concentration of Zn accumulated by S. nigrum of up to 231% in the leaves, 93% in the stems and 81% in the roots, while EDDS application enhanced the accumulation in leaves, stems and roots up to 140, 124 and 104%, respectively. In the stems, the presence of Zn was predominantly detected in the cortex collenchyma cells, the starch sheath and the internal phloem and xylem parenchyma, and the addition of chelating agents did not seem to have an effect on the localisation of accumulation sites. The devise of a chelate-enhanced phytoextraction strategy, using chelating agents and AMF, is discussed.     

Application of manure and compost to contaminated soils and its effect on zinc accumulation by Solanum nigrum inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Zn accumulation in Solanum nigrum grown in naturally contaminated soil in the presence of different types of organic amendments was assessed. Under the same conditions, the response of the plant to inoculation with two different isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Glomus claroideum and Glomus intraradices) was also evaluated. S. nigrum grown in the non-amended soil always presented higher Zn accumulation in the tissues, with the addition of amendments inducing reductions of up to 80 and 40%, for manure and compost, respectively, and enhancing plant biomass yields. The establishment of S. nigrum in the Zn contaminated soil combined with the application of amendments led to a 70-80% reduction in the amount of Zn leached through the soil. The use of S. nigrum in combination with manure appeared as an effective method for reducing the effects of soil contamination, diminishing Zn transfer to other environmental compartments via percolation.     

Evaluation of genotoxicity and toxicity of water and sediment samples from a Brazilian stream influenced by tannery industries

This paper reports results of genotoxicity and toxicity studies of water and sediment samples collected from the Estancia Velha stream of southern Brazil, a stream transporting both domestic sewage and effluents from regional factories working in the leather industry. Three sites were selected: in the stream headwaters (Site 1), located downstream of an urban area (Site 2), and near the basin outfall (Site 3). Results obtained with Allium cepa showed no evidence of chromosomal mutation, either in water or in sediment, during winter or summer seasons, but samples collected below Site 1 showed high toxicity. Physical and chemical analyses showed high concentrations of pollutants at these sites. Ecotoxicity tests with Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia measured toxicity in water from Sites 2 and 3 in summer 2004. A toxic effect on Hyalella azteca was only found in sediment from Site 3 during winter 2003 and summer 2004. The results suggest that the synergy among different compounds in domestic and industrial sewage discharges can make it difficult to maintain system stability.     

Vertical migratory rhythms of benthic diatoms in a tropical intertidal sand flat: influence of irradiance and tides

Vertical migratory behavior of benthic diatoms is one of the adaptive strategies employed for a life in intertidal habitats. Irradiance and tides are considered to be the key factors governing vertical migration. Experiments were carried out to determine the influence of these factors in a tropical intertidal sand flat. Rising to the sediment surface for fulfilment of their light requirements for photosynthesis was the first priority. If not fulfilled during the low-tide exposure, diatoms could withstand the tidal effects and stay up at the surface even during the high-tide coverage. In the laboratory experiments, where the effects of tides were removed, the endogenous clock continued to operate in a similar fashion to that in the field when under 12-h light:12-h dark conditions, whereas continuous darkness induced a tidal rhythm. In continuous light, diatoms preferred to stay up longer than was observed in field. The above-mentioned observations reveal that irradiance has a stronger effect than tides in controlling/regulating microscale migrations in benthic diatoms. In addition, temporal differences in the irradiance and the resulting changes in diatom migration can have implications for littoral primary productivity.Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe