The controlling of landfill leachate evapotranspiration from soil-plant systems with willow: Salix amygdalina L.

The use of willows (Salix amygdalina L) to manage landfill leachate disposal is an effective and cost-effective method due to the high transpiration ability of the willow plants. A 2-year lysimetric experiment was performed to determine an optimum leachate hydraulic loading rate to achieve high evapotranspiration but exert no harmful influence on the plants. The evapotranspiration rate of a soil-plant system planted with the willow was 1.28-5.12-fold higher than the rate measured on a soil surface lacking vegetation, suggesting that soil-willow systems with high volatilization rates are a viable landfill leachate treatment method. Of the soil-willow systems, the one with willow growing on sand amended with sewage sludge soil at an hydraulic loading rate of 1 mm day(-1) performed best, with evapotranspiration ranging from 2.25 to 3.02 mm day(-1) and a biomass yield of 8.0-9.85 Mg dry matter ha(-1). The organic fraction of the soil increased as much as 2.5% of dry matter, due to the sewage sludge input, which exerted a positive effect on the biomass yield as well as on transpiration and evaporation. It was observed that the plants in the sand-and-sewage sludge soil systems displayed higher resistance to toxic effects from the applied landfill leachate relative to plants in the sand-soil systems.     

Pollution indices and sources appointment of heavy metal pollution of agricultural soils near the thermal power plant

Alluvial soils of valleys of the Danube and Mlave rivers represent priority development areas with favorable conditions for life, agriculture and tourism in eastern Serbia. Operation of the thermal power plant Kostolac results in the emission of potentially toxic pollutants into the air, water and land. The goals were to determine the soil pollution with inorganic pollutants using different pollution indices, to identify of the sources of pollutants by means of principal component analysis and the loading of each factor for individual element assessed by multi-linear regression analyses. Chemical characteristics of the studied area resulted in division of the area into four impact zones upon the distance from main pollutants (power plant blocks and ash disposal dumps). There was no established soil pollution with potentially toxic elements in bulk of the agricultural territory. Two principal components (PC1 and PC2) explained about 73% of variance. Three studied elements (As, Cu and Pb) showed anthropogenic origin of their most concentrations in soil, while other elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Ni and Zn) were of a natural (geological) origin. Single pollution index showed moderate pollution level by Ni. Integrated Nemerow pollution index showed low to no pollution levels, indicating slight ecological risk. There were no established limitations for agricultural production in the studied area, except for the only spot polluted by As due to the great flooding event in the studied year.

     

Remobilization of metals from slag and polluted sediments (case study: the canal of the Deûle River, northern France)

The anthropogenic impact on the environment in the last century has proven to be very negative due to the fast development of industry. A typical example is the De?le River in northern France, one of the most polluted sites in this region. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu in river sediments are 300, 800, 50 and 15 times higher, respectively, than the background values. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the capacity of already polluted sediments to capture metals released from industrial wastes (slag). As it were, in spite of the high metal pollution level, sediments have still shown the ability to adsorb metals released from slag under the conditions provided. Their efficiency in "cleaning up" some of the metals (e.g. Pb) seems to be additionally enhanced in anoxic conditions. This study provided some additional information on the importance of sediments as a pollutant sink.     

High natural radiation exposure in radon spa areas: a detailed field investigation in Niska Banja (Balkan region)

The measurement campaigns have been done in the rural community of Niska Banja, a spa town located in southern Serbia, to evaluate population exposure to natural radioactivity. After a screening survey in 200 houses, annual radon and thoron concentrations were measured in 34 houses, and in 2004 a detailed investigation was carried out at six houses with elevated indoor radon concentrations. The paper presents the results of these detailed measurements. The complementary techniques were applied to determine radon and thoron concentrations in indoor air, in soil gas, radon exhalation from soil, soil permeability, and indoor and outdoor gamma doses. Soil and water samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory. Indoor radon and thoron concentrations were found to be more than 1kBqm(-3) and 200Bqm(-3), respectively. Extremely high concentrations of soil-gas radon (>2000kBqm(-3)) and radon exhalation rates (1.5mBqm(-2)s(-1)) were observed. These results will be utilised to set up the methodology for a more systematic investigation.     

Genotoxic consequences of occupational exposure to ethylene oxide and formaldehyde ‐ a pilot study

The study evaluates chromosome damage caused by simultaneous occupational exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) and formaldehyde (FA). To determine the extent of chromosome damage, eleven workers were analyzed using chromosome aberration (CA) assay, sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies, micronucleus (MN) assay, and mitotic activity (MA). The results show significant deviations in subjects exposed to EtO and FA from control values in all four assays. The study shows a complex mode of action of EtO and FA on human genome and confirms the need for further research of cytogenetic risk which should be obtained through several assays.     

Comparison of extraction methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon determination in sediments

Different sample preparation methods for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lake and river sediments were compared and evaluated. Freeze‐dried sediment materials were extracted using Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic agitation and digestion with various solvents and solvent mixtures. Similarly, clean‐up methods using various types of sorbents for separation of PAHs tested.

The following method gives the best results for the determination of PAHs: freeze‐dried sediment samples were extracted using Soxhlet extractor with dichloromethane (6 hr, dark), extracts were cleanup using Silica gel and a mixture of n‐hexa‐ne‐dichloromethane was used for the elution of PAHs.

This method was used for the determination of 7 selected PAHs in sediment samples from Finnish lakes and Czech streams.     

Detection of elements and radioactivity in pellets from long-eared owls (Asio otus) inhabiting the city of Belgrade (Serbia)

In this study, we analysed pellets from long-eared owls (Asio otus) collected from four localities in Belgrade (Serbia). The pellets contained the remains of prey, namely voles (Arvicola terrestris) and field mice (Apodemus agrarius). The concentrations of 14 elements (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Zn, Sr, Ba, Mn, Ti, Cu, Si, B) were evaluated in whole pellets and in samples containing only bone tissue, which were dissected from the whole pellet. The increased levels of certain elements, including Mn, Zn, Ba, Cu and radioactive ⁴⁰K, indicate contamination of the soil by various sources, such as industrial plants and agricultural practices. From the results presented in this article, we suggest that the analysis of owl pellets may indicate the quality of the local environment.