The effect of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) on decrease of PAH content in long term contaminated soil

The biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in microecosystems containing long-term contaminated soil was investigated. Soil was contaminated by different chemicals, including PAHs since World War II. Aging of the soil was expected to act as a principal factor limiting biodegradation. Half of the microecosystems contained ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and long-term selected natural soil microflora originally present in contaminated soil. The others contained contaminated soil with natural microflora only. Half of the microecosystems in each parallel experiment was fertilised with N-P-K fertiliser. Cultivation was carried out at 12 and 18 months in a greenhouse with a natural photoperiod and the ability to degrade 15 chosen PAH was investigated. For analysis, the soil from each pot was divided into three horizontal layers for mutual comparison among layers and each layer was further divided into four equal samples. Soil extracts were analysed using HPLC. After a one-year-cultivation period the content of the monitored PAHs declined to 50%. Mostly, there were no significant differences between the microecosystems. Best degraded were fluoranthene and pyrene, which were the major contaminants present in original soil. Also, other compounds were successfully degraded, even benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[ghi]perylene. Dibenz[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were the only PAHs, examined that showed no significant degradation. Although some differences between the soil layers were detected, no conclusive trends could be found. However, significantly lower concentrations of PAHs were determined mostly in the bottom layer of the analysed profiles. In vegetated microecosystems the decline of PAHs concentrations was more remarkable after 18 months cultivation.     

Multi-generation studies with Chironomus riparius--effects of low tributyltin concentrations on life history parameters and genetic diversity

While toxicological data are available for numerous chemicals from standard tests, little is known on effects of pollutants over several generations or regarding chronic effects of chemicals on genetic diversity. Within the experiments, effects of the model pollutant tributyltin (TBT) were investigated over eleven generations at a sublethal TBT concentration of 4.46 μg as Sn kg⁻¹ sediment dw on life-cycle parameters and genetic variability of Chironomus riparius. Moreover, the adaptation potential towards TBT was determined. This experimental design enables the identification of TBT effects on life-cycle parameters and the determination of a potential extinction risk caused by chronic exposure. Furthermore, effects on the genetic structure can be determined, which are not predictable based solely on knowledge of the toxic mode of action of the chemical.

Genetic variety was determined via microsatellite analysis, measuring individual length differences of highly variable satellite DNA fragments. For the identification of changes in tolerances towards the stressor, acute and chronic toxicity experiments were conducted.

During the multi-generation study, significant effects on development and reproduction were determined. For some generations, the emergence was significantly (p < 0.05) delayed under TBT exposure. Reproduction seems to be a sensitive parameter as well, whereby females laid significantly larger egg masses (p < 0.05) in the latter generations. TBT did not affect the population growth rate nor the genetic variability, while clear deviations from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium appeared. The study also provides strong evidence for the acquirement of a higher tolerance towards the stressor in the TBT-exposed group.     

Bioremediation of chlorobenzene-contaminated ground water in an in situ reactor mediated by hydrogen peroxide

New in situ reactive barrier technologies were tested nearby a local aquifer in Bitterfeld, Saxonia-Anhalt, Germany, which is polluted mainly by chlorobenzene (CB), in concentrations up to 450 microM. A reactor filled with original aquifer sediment was designed for the microbiological remediation of the ground water by indigenous bacterial communities. Two remediation variants were examined: (a) the degradation of CB under anoxic conditions in the presence of nitrate; (b) the degradation of CB under mixed electron acceptor conditions (oxygen+nitrate) using hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen-releasing compound. Under anoxic conditions, no definite degradation of CB was observed. Adding hydrogen peroxide (2.94 mM) and nitrate (2 mM) led to the disappearance of CB (ca. 150 microM) in the lower part of the reactor, accompanied by a strong increase of the number of cultivable aerobic CB degrading bacteria in reactor water and sediment samples, indicating that CB was degraded mainly by productive bacterial metabolism. Several aerobic CB degrading bacteria, mostly belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus, were isolated from reactor water and sediments. In laboratory experiments with reactor water, oxygen was rapidly released by hydrogen peroxide, whereas biotic-induced decomposition reactions of hydrogen peroxide were almost four times faster than abiotic-induced decomposition reactions. A clear chemical degradation of CB mediated by hydrogen peroxide was not observed. CB was also completely degraded in the reactor after reducing the hydrogen peroxide concentration to 880 microM. The CB degradation completely collapsed after reducing the hydrogen peroxide concentration to 440 microM. In the following, the hydrogen peroxide concentrations were increased again (to 880 microM, 2.94 mM, and 880 microM, respectively), but the oxygen demand for CB degradation was higher than observed before, indicating a shift in the bacterial population. During the whole experiment, nitrate was uniformly reduced during the flow path in the reactor.     

Survey of dioxin sources in the Baltic Region (extended summary)

The present paper summarises the results of the project: 'Survey of Anthropogenic Sources of Dioxins and Furans in the Baltic Region'. As a part of the project, inventories have been carried out in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland by applying the toolkit for quantification of dioxin and furan releases developed by UNEP Chemicals. The main route of direct releases to the environment is emission to air. Total emission to air from Poland was estimated at 490 (88-1,300) g I-TEQ/year, whereas the emissions from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were estimated as being 14 (2.4-54), 23 (2.6-63) and 17 (2.6-38) g I-TEQ, respectively. In general, the uncertainty on the estimates is very high, and recommendations regarding further development of the inventories have been made, and measures for reducing the releases have been provided.     

Diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids in simple and complex landscapes

Structurally complex landscapes may enhance local species richness and interactions, which is possibly due to a higher species pool in complex landscapes. This hypothesis was tested using cereal aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Aphidiidae) by comparing 12 winter wheat fields in structurally complex landscapes (>50% semi-natural habitats; n = 6) and structurally simple landscapes dominated by agricultural lands (>80% arable land; n = 6). Surprisingly, landscape structural complexity had no effect on aphid parasitoid species diversity. In complex landscapes 12 and in simple landscapes 11 species were found; 9 species occurred in both landscape types. Hence, arable fields in high-intensity agricultural landscapes with little non-crop area can support a similar diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids as structurally complex landscapes. This finding suggests that cereal aphid parasitoids may find necessary resources even in simple landscapes, making generalisations concerning the relationship between landscape composition and biodiversity in arable fields difficult.     

Government intervention in green industries: lessons from the wind turbine and the organic food industries in Denmark

Government intervention in green infant industries may be justified as a strategy to increase the provision of public goods. How should government policies be designed to promote such industries? One way to analyse this question is to compare government intervention in green infant industries in which it has been successful with green infant industries in which it has been less successful. The Danish government has intervened intensively in the wind turbine industry and organic farming sector mainly for environmental reasons since 1992 and 1987, respectively, but with very different impacts. While the electricity market share of wind energy reached 20% in 2007, organic food consumption lags behind with a food market share of approximately 8.5% in 2007. This paper compares the packages of policy instruments applied in the two industrial sectors and assesses whether differences in instrument choice may explain the significant differences in market shares. It is demonstrated that government intervention in the wind turbine industry has emphasized the use of policy instruments designed to increase demand for wind energy, whereas organic farming policy has put more emphasis on instruments motivating farmers to increase supply. This may be an important factor explaining variance in growth. Finally, the paper analyses whether the lessons from government policy aimed at promoting the wind turbine industry can be transferred to organic farming policy.     

Intra- and interannual variability surpasses direct temperature effects on the clearance rates of the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea

We measured the clearance rates of the filter-feeding bivalve Corbicula fluminea over a period of 2?years. Strong seasonal variations, such as a 50-fold increase from February to July, were observed. These variations were only poorly linked to temperature, as they could be found at both the ambient field temperature and a constant temperature of 15°C. Instead, peaks in the filtration activity corresponded to the spawning activity. Additionally, a strong interannual variability with much lower clearance rates in 2009 than in 2008 was identified. The low clearance rates were linked to a preceding period of low winter temperatures close to the lethal temperature of 2°C and the associated reduced reproduction rates. Our findings demonstrate that other factors besides temperature and body mass can strongly affect clearance rates. These results should be considered when predicting the effects of changing temperatures on the ecosystem impact of filter-feeding bivalves.     

Microbial Communities in Composite Biofilms Participating in the Degradation of PCB

A moorland soil site polluted with PCB showed a high diversity ofmetabolically active bacteria. Beside frequent types of 16S rRNAsequences similar to those of the species ofSphingomonasand the Acidobacterium phylum an unusual high number ofsequences from the genus Burkholderia were found. Burkholderia was also the main genus in isolates enriched onbiphenyl or various chlorobenzoates. In microcosm experimentssterilized surfaces exposed to PCB polluted soil always showed thepresence of clay aggregates formed by bacteria attached to thesubstratum. The bacteria use the PCB loaded clay colloids astransport medium for the water insoluble substrate to get accessto the carbon source. This is a novel mechanism of how bacteria dealwith hydrophobic substrates.