Composition and effects of inhalable size fractions of atmospheric aerosols in the polluted atmosphere: Part I. PAHs,PCBs and OCPs and the matrix chemical composition

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) abundance, mass size distribution (MSD) and chemical composition are parameters relevant for human health effects. The MSD and phase state of semivolatile organic pollutants were determined at various polluted sites in addition to the PM composition and MSD. The distribution pattern of pollutants varied from side to side in correspondence to main particle sources and PM composition. Levels of particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were 1–30 ng m^?3 (corresponding to 15–35 % of the total, i.e., gas and particulate phase concentrations), of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were 2–11 pg m^?3 (4–26 % of the total) and of DDT compounds were 2–12 pg m^?3 (4–23 % of the total). The PM associated amounts of other organochlorine pesticides were too low for quantification. The organics were preferentially found associated with particles <0.45 μm of aerodynamic equivalent diameter. The mass fractions associated with sub-micrometer particles (PM_0.95) were 73–90 %, 34–71 % and 36–81 % for PAHs, PCBs and DDT compounds, respectively. The finest particles fraction had the highest aerosol surface concentration (6.3–29.7)_×10^?6 cm^?1 (44–70 % of the surface concentration of all size fractions). The data set was used to test gas-particle partitioning models for semivolatile organics for the first time in terms of the organics' MSD and size-dependent PM composition. The results of this study prove that at the various sites particles with diverse size, matrix composition, amount of contaminants and toxicological effects occur. Legislative regulation based on gravimetric determination of PM mass can clearly be insufficient for assessment.     

The effect of oils on PAH, PCDD, PCDF, and PCB emissions from a spark engine fueled with leaded gasoline

The effect of synthetic and mineral oils on the formation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and biphenyls (PCBs) in emissions from a spark ignition engine was studied on a Skoda Favorit engine fueled with leaded gasoline. The test cycle simulated urban traffic conditions on a chassis dynamometer, in accordance with the ECC 83.00 test. The data for selected PAHs as well as PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs congener profiles are presented. PCDD/Fs emissions for an unused oil and the oil after 10000-km operation varied from 300 to 2000 fmol/m3, PCBs emissions from 75 to 178 pmol/m3, and PAHs emissions from 150 to 420 microg/m3. The content of PCBs in oils varied from 2 to 920 mg/kg.     

Biodegradability of ethylenediamine-based complexing agents and related compounds

The biological degradability (Zahn-Wellens test) of ethylenediamine derivatives with carboxymethyl and 2-hydroxyethyl groups was investigated. Mixed bacterial culture (activated sludge) was used as inoculum (non-adapted sludge and sludge adapted at different mean biomass retention time, the so-called sludge age). Biodegradability of ethylene(propylene)di(tri)amine-based complexing agents depends on the character and number of substituents and nitrogen atoms in the molecule. Tetra(penta)substituted derivatives with two or more tertiary nitrogen atoms and carboxymethyl or 2-hydroxyethyl groups in the molecule (EDTA, DTPA, PDTA, HEDTA) are very stable from an environmental point of view. On the contrary, disubstituted derivatives with two secondary nitrogen atoms in the molecule (e.g., EDDA) are potentially degradable.     

Association of minor and trace elements with mineralogical constituents of urinary stones: A hard nut to crack in existing studies of urolithiasis

The role of metals in urinary stone formation has already been studied in several publications. Moreover, urinary calculi can also be used for assessing exposure of humans to minor and trace elements in addition to other biological matrices, for example, blood, urine, or hair. However, using urinary calculi for biomonitoring of trace elements is limited by the association of elements with certain types of minerals. In this work, 614 samples of urinary calculi were subjected to mineralogical and elemental analysis. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and thermo-oxidation cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry were used for the determination of major, minor, and trace elements. Infrared spectroscopy was used for mineralogical analysis, and additionally, it was also employed in the calculation of mineralogical composition, based on quantification of major elements and stoichiometry. Results demonstrate the applicability of such an approach in investigating associations of minor and trace elements with mineralogical constituents of stones, especially in low concentrations, where traditional methods of mineralogical analysis are not capable of quantifying mineral content reliably. The main result of this study is the confirmation of association of several elements with struvite (K, Rb) and with calcium phosphate minerals, here calculated as hydroxylapatite (Na, Zn, Sr, Ba, Pb). Phosphates were proved as the most important metal-bearing minerals in urinary calculi. Moreover, a significantly different content was also observed for Fe, Zr, Mo, Cu, Cd, Se, Sn, and Hg in investigated groups of minerals. Examination of such associations is essential, and critical analysis of mineral constituents should precede any comparison of element content among various groups of samples.     

Inactivation of bacteria by sun light in a solar reactor with Immobilised TiO2

The photocatalytical inactivation of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis,...) in the flow‐through plate solar reactor by sunlight was investigated. The low stability of bacteria in the reactor was attributed to bacteria sensitivity to mixing and/or gas bubbling. Sunlight inactivation proceeds with sufficient rate even under cloudy conditions.     

Understanding fungal potential in the mitigation of contaminated areas in the Czech Republic: tolerance,biotransformation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and oxidative stress analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The study of the soil microbial community represents an important step in better understanding the environmental context. Therefore, biological...     

Multi-class determination of pharmaceuticals in wastewaters by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with matrix effect study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this work, a multi-class analytical method for determination of 22 frequently used pharmaceuticals was developed and validated. Analytes were from...     

Ecological validity of river-floodplain system assessment by planktonic crustacean survey (Branchiata: Branchiopoda)

Studies of the Slovakian Danube have indicated profound changes in the structures of several invertebrate assemblages in the section of the river bypassed by the Gab?íkovo hydroelectric project in 1992 and in adjacent floodplain water bodies. The present study investigates the relationship between hydrological connectivity and species diversity in the old main channel and adjacent left-bank water bodies, using resident cladocerans as indicators of the ecological integrity of the river-floodplain system. The work aimed to quantify cladoceran habitat preferences using habitat values (HV) and indication weights (IW) calculated from data accumulated during long-term monitoring of planktonic communities of the Danube floodplain (1,840.5–1,804 rkm) and supplemented with data from the literature. Although not listed as an indicator group in the European Union Water Framework Directive, cladocerans are shown to be highly apposite in the ecological assessment of river-floodplain systems. Of 71 recorded cladoceran species, 19 taxa showed a preference for eupotamal habitats, 24 species preferred eupotamal B/parapotamal waters, and 28 cladocerans were found to prefer the plesiopotamal/paleopotamal habitat type. Identified habitat types follow a gradient of hydrological connectivity with the main river channel, ranging from the eupotamal to more or less isolated floodplain water bodies. A secondary aim was to use the calculated values to assess the ecological integrity of the river-floodplain system. The key element of this procedure is the calculation of the Floodplain Index (FI) (Chovanec et al. Large Rivers, 15(1–4), 169–185 2005) from the summation of the habitat values and indication weights of all species present at the sampling sites. Calculated index values indicate the extent of disruption to lateral connectivity in the floodplain area.