Phytoremediation of aquaculture wastewater for water recycling and production of fish feed

Five plants were examined for their ability to remove nutrients from aquaculture wastewater and suitability as fish feed: alfalfa, white clover, oat, fall rye, barley. The seeds were first germinated in water in a hydroponic system, and the plants were fed wastewater from Tilapia production facility. Clover and alfalfa seeds were infected with fungus shortly after germination, and their roots were completely destroyed by day 14. Oat, rye and barley had the fastest growth and showed greater tolerance to fungal disease compared with alfalfa and clover. Although substantial amounts of soluble and insoluble substances were released by the seeds during the germination period, the plants were able to remove all the pollutants in wastewater and significant portions of those released substances. The total reductions in total solids, COD, NO3-N, NO2-N, phosphate and potassium ranged from 54.7% to 91.0%, 56.0% to 91.5%, 82.9% to 98.1%, 95.9% to 99.5%, 54.5% to 93.6% and 99.6% to 99.8%, respectively. Oat, barley and rye grow well in this type of hydroponic system and can be used as a fish feed after being supplemented with fat, Ca, Na, Mn and Fe. Oil seeds and the chlorides of these elements could be added to these plants when formulating the fish feed. For a continuous operation, a two-unit system could be configured to allow for one week germination and one week cleaning and startup in one unit while the other unit is in operation.     

The European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), under conditions of technogenic pollution in the Kostomuksha tailing pond

The population structure and biological parameters of the European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), have been analyzed in a technogenically polluted water body. The biochemical state of the whitefish and the fauna and morphology of helminths parasitizing them have been assessed. It is shown that the species composition of the fish, plankton, benthos, and parasite faunas of this water body are depleted and the morphological parameters of common fish parasites are altered. It is noted that, in addition to adaptive rearrangements in biochemical metabolism, the whitefish from the transformed water body are characterized by a reduction in the level of protein synthesis in muscles and the rate of aerobic energy metabolism in the liver and muscles.     

Influence of climate on grape production and wine quality in the Rías Baixas, north-western Spain

Climate exerts an important role on grape production and wine quality. For one of the main areas protected under the denomination of origin Rías Baixas, in Galicia, Spain, we explore the relationships among grape production, wine quality, rainfall and temperature for the period 1987–2005. The influence of climatic variability was analysed in terms of the relationship between the productivity of the grapevines and the main meteorological teleconnection patterns affecting the North Atlantic region. We also investigate the daily variation in atmospheric circulation through the study of the influence of weather types derived using an automated daily classification. We consider three bioclimatic indices for viticultural zoning, Winkler and Huglin, and the hydrothermic index of Branas, Bernon and Levadoux. While significant trends were identified in the Winkler and Huglin indices, there were no significant trends in the Branas, Bernon and Levadoux index, for the period 1958–2005. For the coming decades, using the scenario A1B evaluated by the regional climate models used in the ENSEMBLES project, the positive trends of Winkler and Huglin indices continue, while Branas, Bernon and Levadoux implies a negative trend. In all cases, these trends induce significant changes in the viticulture of the region.     

Particulate matter and black smoke concentration levels in central Athens, Greece

This study presents the statistical analysis of PM(10) and PM(2.5) concentrations (measured at a central site, in the Athens area), along with black smoke (BS) data, for a 2-year period. The biennial average concentrations of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were 75 and 40 microg m(-3). The respective average concentration of BS, as estimated by the OECD method, was 108 microg m(-3). Severe exceedances of the PM(10) air quality standards were recorded. The seasonal variation of PM(10) and BS was less pronounced than the variation of PM(2.5), which concentration was elevated by 14.2% during the cold period. Concentrations of all three pollutants were significantly lower during weekends; however, PM(2.5) and BS displayed a more uniform weekly distribution pattern. PM(10) particles were found to be almost equally comprised by PM(2.5) and PM(10-2.5) particles (PM(2.5)/PM(10) ratio=0.53+/-0.09 microg/m(3)). The average PM(10)/BS value was found lower than unity revealing the inappropriateness of the used reflectance conversion method, for the estimation of mass-equivalent BS concentrations, in the study area, where diesel-powered vehicles mainly control emissions of light-absorbing substances. Important reductions in concentrations were observed during days when drivers of diesel-powered taxies and transportation buses went on strike (reaching 40% for BS). Calm wind conditions were found to have an incremental effect on particle concentrations and were also associated with the appearance of persistent episodic events. Increased PM levels were also observed during southern-southwestern wind flows while significantly lower-than-average concentrations were measured during precipitation events. Separate regression analyses were performed for PM(10), PM(2.5) with BS and NO(x) as independent variables, in an attempt to estimate the relative contribution of specific source types (diesel-powered vehicles) to measured particle levels. The contribution of the diesel-exhaust component to PM(10) mass was estimated at 49.9%, while the corresponding contributions to PM(2.5) mass concentrations was 53.8%. These results may have important implications with the oncoming decision of national authorities to allow the purchase of diesel-powered private cars to the residents of the Greater Athens Area, which was forbidden up to this day.     

Exposure to inhaled THM: Comparison of continuous and event-specific exposure assessment for epidemiologic purposes

Trihalomethanes (THMs) (chloroform, bromoform, dibromochloromethane, and bromodichloromethane) are the most abundant by-products of chlorination. People are exposed to THMs through ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation. The objective of this study was to compare two methods for assessing THM inhalation: a direct method with personal monitors assessing continuous exposure and an indirect one with microenvironmental sampling and collection of time–activity data during the main event exposures: bathing, showering and swimming. This comparison was conducted to help plan a future epidemiologic study of the effects of THMs on the upper airways of children. 30 children aged from 4 to 10 years were included. They wore a 3M^™ 3520 organic vapor monitor for 7 days. We sampled air in their bathrooms (during baths or showers) and in the indoor swimming pools they visited and recorded their time–activity patterns. We used stainless steel tubes full of Tenax^® to collect air samples. All analyses were performed with Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Chloroform was the THM with the highest concentrations in the air of both bathrooms and indoor swimming pools. Its continuous and event exposure measurements were significantly correlated (r_s = 0.69 p < 0.001). Continuous exposures were higher than event exposures, suggesting that the event exposure method does not take into account some influential microenvironments. In an epidemiologic study, this might lead to random exposure misclassification, thus underestimation of the risk, and reduced statistical power. The continuous exposure method was difficult to implement because of its poor acceptability and the fragility of the personal monitors. These two points may also reduce the statistical power of an epidemiologic study. It would be useful to test the advantages and disadvantages of a second sample in the home or of modeling the baseline concentration of THM in the home to improve the event exposure method.     

中国农田肥料N2O直接和间接排放重新评估

农田肥料(氮肥、复合肥、有机肥)是我国N2O最大的排放源,其估计直接决定了排放总量的可靠性.为此,重新评估了中国农田肥料N2O的直接和间接排放,选择2008年县域尺度活动数据、具有空间分异性的本土排放因子和参数来重新评估其排放规模、结构、空间格局及不确定性;通过与IPCC、EDGAR等国内外研究结果的对比分析,阐述该排放清单的可靠性和全面性.结果表明,2008年我国农田肥料N2O排放总量为617.1 Gg(处于213.7~1149.2 Gg之间),其中,氮肥直接排放为458.8 Gg(74.5%),有机肥直接排放为121.0 Gg(19.6%),挥发沉降和淋溶径流造成的间接排放分别为28.0 Gg(4.5%)和9.3 Gg(仅占1.5%左右).排放集中在华北平原、东北的松辽平原、华中的淮河流域和四川盆地,以及华南的珠三角、雷州半岛和台湾地区的县(区、市、旗),主要分布在江苏(52.4 Gg)、四川(48.0 Gg)、湖北(43.2 Gg)、广东(40.8 Gg)、河南(39.6 Gg)、安徽(38.4 Gg)、湖南(31.6 Gg)、山东(28.9 Gg),其累积规模为全国总量的52%,其中,近50%的贡献源于164个县(区、市、旗).本排放清单具有更高的准确度和空间分辨率,而基于IPCC (2006)排放因子及参数的估计排放总量高估了约8.3%,对直接排放和间接排放则分别低估了12.5%和高估了330%.此外,在空间格局上还表现出高值区低估和低值区高估的特点,在491和1225个县(区、市、旗)的相对偏差超过了100%和50%,特别指出的是,间接排放在大部分县(区、市、旗)的相对偏差达到135%左右.     

Lake fish as the main contributor of internal dose to lakeshore residents in the Chernobyl contaminated area

Two field expeditions in 1996 studied 137Cs intake patterns and its content in the bodies of adult residents from the village Kozhany in the Bryansk region, Russia, located on the shore of a drainless peat lake in an area subjected to significant radioactive contamination after the 1986 Chernobyl accident. The 137Cs contents in lake water and fish were two orders of magnitude greater than in local rivers and flow-through lakes, 10 years after Chernobyl radioactive contamination, and remain stable. The 137Cs content in lake fish and a mixture of forest mushrooms was between approximately 10-20 kBq/kg, which exceeded the temporary Russian permissible levels for these products by a factor of 20-40. Consumption of lake fish gave the main contribution to internal doses (40-50%) for Kozhany village inhabitants Simple countermeasures, such as Prussian blue doses for dairy cows and pre-boiling mushrooms and fish before cooking, halved the 137Cs internal dose to inhabitants, even 10 years after the radioactive fallout.     

Distribution of radionuclides among the main components of Lake Chervyanoe in the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace

Radioecological conditions have been estimated in Lake Chervyanoe located on the central axis of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) about 100–110 km northeast of the Mayak Production Association. Data on the ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs contents in the main components of the lake, the distribution of these radionuclides over the profile of bottom sediments, and their amounts in the lake are presented. The experimental data have been used to construct mathematical models for estimating changes in the radionuclide concentrations and amounts in the water and bottom sediments of the lake over a long period after the nuclear accident, as well as the tritium content of the lake water in different periods of time.     

Variability of the Ecological and Morphological Characteristics of Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) in the Southern and Middle Urals

Russian Journal of Ecology - The variability of the ecological and morphological characteristics of the field vole was studied on samples collected in its two localities of the Southern Urals and...