Particles in swimming pool filters--does pH determine the DBP formation?

The formation was investigated for different groups of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during chlorination of filter particles from swimming pools at different pH-values and the toxicity was estimated. Specifically, the formation of the DBP group trihalomethanes (THMs), which is regulated in many countries, and the non-regulated haloacetic acids (HAAs) and haloacetonitriles (HANs) were investigated at 6.0≤pH≤8.0, under controlled chlorination conditions. The investigated particles were collected from a hot tub with a drum micro filter. In two series of experiments with either constant initial active or initial free chlorine concentrations the particles were chlorinated at different pH-values in the relevant range for swimming pools. THM and HAA formations were reduced by decreasing pH while HAN formation increased with decreasing pH. Based on the organic content the relative DBP formation from the particles was higher than previously reported for body fluid analogue and filling water. The genotoxicity and cytotoxicity estimated from formation of DBPs from the treated particle suspension increased with decreasing pH. Among the quantified DBP groups the HANs were responsible for the majority of the toxicity from the measured DBPs.     

Vivianite precipitation and phosphate sorption following iron reduction in anoxic soils

Phosphorus retention in lowland soils depends on redox conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the Fe(III) reduction degree affects phosphate adsorption and precipitation. Two similarly P-saturated, ferric Fe-rich lowland soils, a sandy and a peat soil, were incubated under anaerobic conditions. M?ssbauer spectroscopy demonstrated that Fe(III) in the sandy soil was present as goethite and phyllosilicates, whereas Fe(III) in the peat soil was mainly present as polynuclear, Fe-humic complexes. Following anoxic incubation, extensive formation of Fe(II) in the solids occurred. After 100 d, the Fe(II) production reached its maximum and 34% of the citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite extractable Fe (Fe(CBD)) was reduced to Fe(II) in the sandy soil. The peat soil showed a much faster reduction of Fe(III) and the maximum reduction of 89% of Fe(CBD) was reached after 200 d. Neoformation of a metavivianite/vivianite phase under anoxic conditions was identified by X-ray diffraction in the peat. The sandy soil exhibited small changes in the point of zero net sorption (EPC?) and P(i) desorption with increasing Fe(III) reduction, whereas in the peat soil P desorption increased from 80 to 3100 μmol kg?1 and EPC? increased from 1.7 to 83 μM, after 322 d of anoxic incubation. The fast Fe(III) reduction made the peat soils particularly vulnerable to changes in redox conditions. However, the precipitation of vivianite/metavivianite minerals may control soluble P(i) concentrations to between 2 and 3 μM in the long term if the soil is not disturbed.     

Observations of mercury wet deposition in Mexico

We provide a longer-term record of Hg wet deposition at two tropical latitude monitoring sites in Mexico, selected to provide regionally representative data. Weekly wet deposition samples were collected over 2 years, from September 2003 to November 2005. Based on this data set, we discuss the magnitude and seasonal variation of Hg in wet deposition and compare the results to other measurement sites and to several model estimates. With precipitation-weighted mean (PWM) concentrations of 8.2 and 7.9 ng L^?1, respectively, during the sampling period from Sep 30 2003 to Oct 11 2005, and median weekly concentrations of 9.4?±?1 ng L^?1 for both sites, the wet Hg concentrations and deposition at HD01 were much lower than those observed at the US Gulf Coast MDN sites while the wet Hg deposition at OA02 was much lower than most MDN sites, but somewhat similar to US MDN sites along the Pacific Coast. Based on the limited available data, we conclude that the approximately 30 % higher average precipitation at HD01 and roughly equal PWM concentrations lead to the higher deposition at HD01 versus OA02. We believe that these observations may offer scientists and modelers additional understanding of the depositional fluxes in the lower latitudes of North America.     

Leaching of cyanogenic glucosides and cyanide from white clover green manure

Use of crops for green manure as a substitute for chemical fertilizers and pesticides is an important approach towards more sustainable agricultural practices. Green manure from white clover is rich in nitrogen but white clover also produces the cyanogenic glucosides (CGs) linamarin and lotaustralin; CGs release toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN) upon hydrolysis which may be utilized for pest control. We demonstrate that applying CGs in the form of a liquid extract of white clover to large columns of intact agricultural soils can result in leaching of toxic cyanide species to a depth of at least 1m. Although degradation of the CGs during leaching proceeded with half lives in the interval 1.5-35 h depending on soil characteristics, a fraction of the applied CGs (0.9-3.2%) was recovered in the leachate as either CGs or toxic cyanide species. Detoxification of the HCN formed was rapid in soil and leachate from both sandy and loamy soil. However, 30% of the leachate samples exceeded the EU threshold value of 50 micrgl(-1) total cyanide for drinking water and 85% exceeded the US threshold of 5 micrgl(-1) for cyanide chronic ecotoxicity in fresh water. This study demonstrates that even easily degradable natural products present in crop plants as defense compounds pose a threat to the quality of groundwater and surface waters. This aspect needs consideration in assessment of the risk associated with use of crops as green manure to replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as in genetic engineering approaches to design crops with improved pest resistance.     

Multiscale satellite and spatial information and analysis framework in support of a large-area forest monitoring and inventory update

Many countries undertake a national forest inventory to enable statistically valid monitoring in support of national and international reporting of forest conditions and change. Canada’s National Forest Inventory (NFI) program is designed to operate on a 10-year remeasurement cycle, with an interim report produced at the 5-year mid-point. The NFI is a sample-based inventory, with approximately 18,850 2 ×2-km photo plots across the country, distributed on a 20×20-km grid of sample points; these photo plots are the primary data source for the NFI. Capacity to provide annual monitoring information is required to keep policy and decision makers apprised of current forest conditions. In this study, we implemented a multistage monitoring framework and used a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) change product to successfully identify 78% of the changes in forest cover area that were captured with a Landsat change detection approach. Of the NFI photo plots that were identified by both the Landsat and MODIS approaches as having changes in forest cover, the proportion of change area within the plots was similar (R ²?=?0.78). Approximately 70% of the Landsat-derived change events occupied less than 40% of a single MODIS pixel, and more than 90% of the change events of this size were successfully detected with the MODIS product. Finally, MODIS estimates of the proportion of forest cover change at the NFI photo plot level were comparable to change estimates for the ecoregions as a whole (R ²?=?0.95). High-temporal, low-spatial resolution imagery such as MODIS, in combination with other remotely sensed data sources, can provide information on disturbance events within a national forest inventory remeasurement cycle, thereby satisfying the interim information needs of policy and decision makers as well as the requirements of national and international reporting commitments.     

Characterizing spatial structure of sediment E. coli populations to inform sampling design

Escherichia coli can persist in streambed sediments and influence water quality monitoring programs through their resuspension into overlying waters. This study examined the spatial patterns in E. coli concentration and population structure within streambed morphological features during baseflow and following stormflow to inform sampling strategies for representative characterization of E. coli populations within a stream reach. E. coli concentrations in bed sediments were significantly different (p?=?0.002) among monitoring sites during baseflow, and significant interactive effects (p?=?0.002) occurred among monitoring sites and morphological features following stormflow. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression revealed that water velocity and effective particle size (D ₁₀) explained E. coli concentration during baseflow, whereas sediment organic carbon, water velocity and median particle diameter (D ₅₀) were important explanatory variables following stormflow. Principle Coordinate Analysis illustrated the site-scale differences in sediment E. coli populations between disconnected stream segments. Also, E. coli populations were similar among depositional features within a reach, but differed in relation to high velocity features (e.g., riffles). Canonical correspondence analysis resolved that E. coli population structure was primarily explained by spatial (26.9–31.7 %) over environmental variables (9.2–13.1 %). Spatial autocorrelation existed among monitoring sites and morphological features for both sampling events, and gradients in mean particle diameter and water velocity influenced E. coli population structure for the baseflow and stormflow sampling events, respectively. Representative characterization of streambed E. coli requires sampling of depositional and high velocity environments to accommodate strain selectivity among these features owing to sediment and water velocity heterogeneity.     

Development and use of site-specific chemical and biological criteria for assessing New Bedford Harbor pilot dredging project

Numerical site-specific chemical and biological criteria were established to assess the impact of a pilot dredging project on water quality at the New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, USA, Superfund site. Because most existing chemical concentrations in the water column and indigenous biota exceeded federal and state water quality limits, the derivation of site-specific criteria was required. Prior to any operational phases of the project (i.e., dike construction, dredging), criteria values were developed from background concentrations of PCBs and metals in water and biota, as well as for the toxic effects of water quality on the biota. During each operational phase of the project, water samples were collected, analyzed within 16 h, and the data supplied to a management committee in order to assess the environmental impact of the previous days' operation. The ambient unfiltered water concentration of PCBs and metals were the only chemical or biological criteria exceeded. Modification of the next days' operations resulted in a return of these concentrations to background levels. The combined use of site-specific criteria and a real-time decision making management process allowed for successful completion of this project with a minimal effect on water quality.     

Assessment of sampling and chemical analysis of source-separated organic household waste

The quality of the waste sampling procedure and chemical analysis was evaluated in a research program on characterization of organic waste obtained after disc screening of source-separated organic household waste. The sampling procedures focused on a truckload of waste and involved several steps of subsampling including shredding, mixing, blending, high-speed-blending, drying and milling prior to analysis of the organic waste with respect to ash content, crude fibers, crude fat, crude protein, sugar, starch, enzyme-digestible organic matter, P, N, C, H, S and calorific value. The statistical evaluation of the procedures involved 10 samples of the same truckload of waste obtained by splitting the sample at each level in the procedure according to a staggered, incomplete nested statistical design. Furthermore, one sample was analysed six times over a period of approximately one year. The statistical evaluation showed that no single step in the sampling procedure contributed with excessive variance and that the variance caused by the sampling procedure was approximately the same as the variance in the chemical analysis observed over a year. The variance varied with the analytical parameter but for most parameters the uncertainty was satisfactorily low (of the order of 3-10% expressed as the relative standard deviation, which is considered to be satisfactory for waste characterization).