Use of constructed wetland systems with Arundo and Sarcocornia for polishing high salinity tannery wastewater

Treatment of tannery wastewater is problematic due to high and variable concentrations of complex pollutants often combined with high salinity levels. Two series of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (CWs) planted with Arundo donax and Sarcocornia fruticosa were set up after a conventional biological treatment system operating at a tannery site. The aim of the CWs was polishing organics and nitrogen from the high salinity effluent (2.2-6.6?g Cl(-)?L(-1)). Both plant species established and grew well in the CW. Arundo, however, had more vigorous growth and a higher capacity to take up nutrients. The CWs were efficient in removing COD and BOD(5) with removal efficiencies varying between 51 and 80% for COD (inlet: 68-425?mg?L(-1)) and between 53 and 90% for BOD(5) (inlet: 16-220?mg?L(-1)). Mass removal rates were up to 615?kg COD ha(-1)?d(-1) and 363 BOD(5) kg?ha(-1)?d(-1). Removal efficiencies were 40-93% for total P, 31-89% for NH(4)(+) and 41-90% for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen. CW systems planted with salt tolerant plant species are a promising solution for polishing saline secondary effluent from the tannery industry to levels fulfilling the discharge standards.     

Effect of vegetative filter strips on herbicide runoff under various types of rainfall

Narrow vegetative filter strips proved to effectively reduce herbicide runoff from cultivated fields mainly due to the ability of vegetation to delay surface runoff, promote infiltration and adsorb herbicides. A field trial was conducted from 2007 to 2009 in north-east Italy in order to evaluate the effectiveness of various types of vegetative filter strips to reduce spring-summer runoff of the herbicides mesotrione, metolachlor and terbuthylazine, widely used in maize, and to evaluate the effect of the rainfall characteristics on the runoff volume and concentration. Results show that without vegetative filter strip the herbicide load that reaches the surface water is about 5-6 g ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for metolachlor and terbuthylazine (i.e. 0.5-0.9% of the applied rate), confirming that runoff from flat fields as in the Po Valley can have a minor effect on the water quality, and that most of the risk is posed by a few, or even just one extreme rainfall event with a return period of about 25-27 years, causing runoff with a maximum concentration of 64-77 μg L⁻¹. Mesotrione instead showed rapid soil disappearance and was observed at a concentration of 1.0-3.8 μg L⁻¹ only after one extreme (artificial) rainfall. Vegetative filter strips of any type are generally effective and can reduce herbicide runoff by 80-88%. Their effectiveness is steady even under severe rainfall conditions, and this supports their implementation in an environmental regulatory scheme at a catchment or regional scale.     

Climate Change Adaptation for the US National Wildlife Refuge System

Since its establishment in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) has grown to 635 units and 37 Wetland Management Districts in the United States and its territories. These units provide the seasonal habitats necessary for migratory waterfowl and other species to complete their annual life cycles. Habitat conversion and fragmentation, invasive species, pollution, and competition for water have stressed refuges for decades, but the interaction of climate change with these stressors presents the most recent, pervasive, and complex conservation challenge to the NWRS. Geographic isolation and small unit size compound the challenges of climate change, but a combined emphasis on species that refuges were established to conserve and on maintaining biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health provides the NWRS with substantial latitude to respond. Individual symptoms of climate change can be addressed at the refuge level, but the strategic response requires system-wide planning. A dynamic vision of the NWRS in a changing climate, an explicit national strategic plan to implement that vision, and an assessment of representation, redundancy, size, and total number of units in relation to conservation targets are the first steps toward adaptation. This adaptation must begin immediately and be built on more closely integrated research and management. Rigorous projections of possible futures are required to facilitate adaptation to change. Furthermore, the effective conservation footprint of the NWRS must be increased through land acquisition, creative partnerships, and educational programs in order for the NWRS to meet its legal mandate to maintain the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the system and the species and ecosystems that it supports.     

Measurement of machinery safety level in the European market: A real case based on market surveillance data

This article aims to highlight the current status of compliance to Machinery Directive 98/37/EC (transposed to Spanish regulation as RD 56/1995, of 20th January) (a new directive numbered as 2006/42/EC [Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 may 2006 on machinery, and amending Directive 95/16/EC (recast). OJ L157/24-86, 9.6.2006.], that recasts and replaced 98/37/ED directive and its amendments, came into force on 29 June 2006; it will not be applied until 29th December 2009. European Member States have a lead-time of two years to adopt and publish the national laws and regulations transposing the provisions of the new Directive into national law. Latest 10th October, Spain transposed Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC to national regulation as Real Decreto 1644/2008 [Real Decreto 1644/2008, de 10 de octubre, por el que se establecen las normas para la comercialización y puesta en servicio de las máquinas. BOE 246/2008, de 11 octubre 2008. Páginas 40995–41030]) of a particular family of machinery (hand-held, medium and small-size, deeply introduced in the market, of low-medium cost), that any user, professional or non-professional, can acquire as first-hand in any of the sales points (whether or not experts in these kind of products).At the same time, it emphasises the most significant shortcomings and non-conformities found, after analyzing the results of five consecutive Campaigns of Control of Industrial Products performed by one of the labs (placed in Spain) involved in the market surveillance European Program.     

Sonophotocatalytic degradation of alazine and gesaprim commercial herbicides in TiO2 slurry

The photocatalytic degradation of alazine and gesaprim commercial herbicides was carried out in aqueous TiO(2) suspensions under UV light (15W, 352 nm). Degradation of these herbicides was also observed by the combined effects of photocatalysis with sonolysis (sonophotocatalysis) using an ultrasound source of 20kHz. Degradation profiles were recorded by measuring the concentration of the active compounds present in the alazine (alachlor and atrazine) and gesaprim (atrazine) by HPLC as a function of irradiation time (sound and/or light). Over 90% of the active component in the gesaprim was abated and those in alazine were completely degraded. The content of total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand was also monitored. Mineralization of the commercial herbicides was achieved. Over 80% of chemical oxygen demand abatement was attained for both herbicides with sonophotocatalysis at 150 min of irradiation time. The photocatalytic degradation of the herbicides followed a pseudo-first order kinetics and their rate constant was increased by the combined effects of sonolysis.     

Vitellogenin and zona radiata proteins as biomarkers of endocrine disruption in peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)

The aim of this study was to test a specific method for the detection of Vitellogenin (Vtg) and Zona Radiata Proteins (Zrp) in plasma from peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) as specific biomarkers for the evaluation of the effects of endocrine disruptors. The method was assayed with different peregrine falcon individuals (including mature and immature birds of both sexes) from a Spanish population being studied in terms of their contamination with organochlorine compounds with endocrine disrupting properties. This study shows that mouse anti bird Vtg monoclonal antibody ND3C3 (Biosense) seems to be the most specific antibody in binding plasmatic lipoproteins in peregrine falcon when compared to other anti Vtg antibodies. Rabbit anti salmon Zrp polyclonal antibodies O146 (Biosense) show cross-reactivity with Zrp in the samples studied. These preliminary results confirm the applicability of both of these diagnostic tools assayed (induction of Vtg and Zrp) in detecting exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in this species. The increase of Vtg and Zrp detected in male specimens suggest a potential hazard to EDCs in the peregrine falcon which represents a species still affected by organochlorine compounds, and in particular those with estrogenic activity.     

Behavior of fenhexamid in soil and water

A study was conducted to investigate fenhexamid (FEX) behavior in soil and in water. FEX proved to be rather stable at acid pH but showed slight degradation at neutral and alkaline pH. After 101 days of FEX spiking of a soil sample, 94% at pH 4, 12% at pH 7 and 23% at pH 9 of the active ingredient was still present. In natural water the rate of FEX disappearance appeared to be slow which may be due to abiotic rather than biotic processes. The soil degradation tests showed low persistence of the active ingredient if a good microflora activity is guaranteed (DT(50) about 1 day). Moreover, in absence of microorganisms, FEX proved to be stable. Humidities of 25 and 50% of Water Holding Capacity (WHC) influenced in equal measure the rate of degradation. From the same soil, a bacterium was isolated and identified as Bacillus megaterium, which was able to metabolize FEX with the hydroxylation of the cyclohexane ring. Moreover, FEX showed an elevated affinity for humic acid (73%), smectite (31%), and ferrihydrite(20%) and low affinity for vermiculite (11%) and kaolinite (7%).     

Effective pine bark composting with the dome aeration technology

In South Africa garden refuse is primarily disposed of in domestic landfills. Due to the large quantities generated, any form of treatment would be beneficial for volume reduction, waste stabilization and resource recovery. Dome Aeration Technology (DAT) is an advanced process for aerobic biological degradation of garden refuse and general waste [Paar, S., Brummack, J., Gemende, B., 1999a. Advantages of dome aeration in mechanical-biological waste treatment. In: Proceedings of the 7th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, 4-8 October 1999; Paar, S., Brummack, J., Gemende, B., 1999b. Mechanical-biological waste stabilization by the dome aeration method. Environment Protection Engineering 25 (3/99). Mollekopf, N., Brummack, J., Paar, S., Vorster, K., 2002. Use of the Dome Aeration Technology for biochemical stabilization of waste prior to landfilling. In: Proceedings of the Wastecon 2002, Waste Congress and Exhibition, Durban, South Africa.]. It is a non-reactor open windrow composting process, with the main advantage being that the input material needs no periodic turning. A rotting time of only 3-4 months indicates the high efficiency. Additionally, the low capital/operational costs, low energy inputs and limited plant requirements provide potential for use in aerobic refuse stabilization. The innovation in the DAT process is the passive aeration achieved by thermally driven advection through open windrows caused by temperature differences between the degrading material and the outside environment. This paper investigates the application of Dome Aeration Technology to pine bark composting as part of an integrated waste management strategy. A full-scale field experiment was performed at the Bisasar Road Landfill Site in Durban to assess the influence of climate, waste composition and operational conditions on the process. A test windrow was constructed and measurements of temperature and airflow through the material were taken. The process monitoring revealed that prevailing climatic conditions in a subtropical location do not affect the high efficiency of this technology. However, the composition of the input material can be detrimental for production of high quality compost because of a lack of nitrate.     

Influence of the insecticides acetamiprid and carbofuran on arylamidase and myrosinase activities in the tropical black and red clay soils

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of two insecticides, namely, acetamiprid and carbofuran on the enzymatic activities of arylamidase (as glucose formed from sinigrin) and myrosinase (as β-naphthylamine formed from l-leucine β-naphthylamide) in the black and red clay soils collected from a fallow groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields in the Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was realized within the framework of the laboratory experiments in which the acetamiprid and carbofuran were applied to the soils at different doses (1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 kg ha^?1). Initially, the physicochechemical properties of the soil samples were analyzed. After 10 days of pesticide application, the soil samples were analyzed for the enzyme activities. Acetamiprid and carbofuran stimulated the arylamidase and myrosinase activities at lower concentrations after 10 days incubation. Striking stimulation in soil enzyme activities was noticed at 2.5 kg ha^?1, persists for 20 days in both the soils. Overall, higher concentrations (5.0–10.0 kg ha^?1) of acetamiprid and carbofuran were toxic or innocuous to the arylamidase and myrosinase activities. Nevertheless, the outcomes of the present study clearly indicate that the use of these insecticides (at field application rates) in the groundnut fields (black and red clay soils) stimulated the enzyme (arylamidase and myrosinase) activities.