Waterborne agrichemicals compromise the anti-predatory behavior of zebrafish

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Due to human activities, there is an increasing presence of agrochemicals residues in water bodies, which could be attributed to an increased use of...     

“Modern agriculture” transfers many pesticides to watercourses: a case study of a representative rural catchment of southern Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The total cultivated area in Brazil reached to 62 million ha in 2018, with the predominance of genetically modified soybean and corn (36 and 17...     

长期缺氧吸磷驯化下强化生物除磷系统污泥除磷方式的转化

采用交替厌氧/缺氧/好氧运行的序批式活性污泥反应器(SBR),通过梯度投加电子受体NO_3~-,考察长期缺氧吸磷驯化下强化生物除磷(EBPR)系统的性能及除磷方式的转化。结果表明,当进水COD为300～450mg/L、PO_4~(3-)(以P计,下同)和氨氮分别为8、14mg/L时,驯化期间TN去除率均保持在75%以上,长期缺氧吸磷驯化对COD和氨氮的去除没有影响。硝态氮投加量为5mg/L时,EBPR系统因电子受体投加不足除磷性能迅速恶化,增加硝态氮投加量至10mg/L,经过近30d的恢复,缺氧吸磷率最高可达97.67%,进一步提高硝态氮投加量至15mg/L,系统内硝态氮的积累导致缺氧吸磷率下降。污泥吸磷小试结果表明,经缺氧吸磷驯化后,即使除磷性能欠佳的低浓度电子受体系统污泥也具有良好的反硝化吸磷能力,可见经NO_3~-长期驯化的缺氧吸磷系统有利于筛选以NO_3~-为电子受体的反硝化聚磷菌。     

相对湿度对钙基脱硫剂干法烟气脱硫效率的影响

为得到干法烟气脱硫较优的相对湿度,并验证钙基脱硫剂在干法烟气脱硫中的可行性,在模拟干法烟气脱硫实验台上,研究了钙基脱硫剂在不同相对湿度(0～45%)条件下,脱硫剂的出口浓度、脱硫效率和固硫量。结果表明,在相对湿度从0变化至45%时,可以稳定运行的穿透时间由160 min增加到720 min,可达100%脱硫效率的运行时间由0增至580 min,脱硫剂的固硫量从43.37 mg增加到332.09 mg;增加相对湿度能显著提高烟气脱硫效率,在保证烟气不穿透物料且不出现黏壁现象的条件下,较优的相对湿度为45%。研究明确了在低相对湿度条件下此种脱硫剂的可行性并确定了较优化的干法脱硫湿度,为干法脱硫条件的选择提供了参考。     

磺胺类制药废水中苯系物的快速同步检测

磺胺类制药废水是一类难降解有机废水,其中含有苯磺酰胺、苯磺酸、苯酚等苯系物,对这些物质的快速检测十分必要,针对这3种物质建立了基于高效液相色谱的快速同步检测方法。采用C18柱为分离柱,比较了乙腈/水、甲醇/水和甲醇/缓冲盐3种流动相体系的分离效果,优化了230、240、250和260 nm 4种检测波长等条件。结果表明,V甲醇∶V磷酸二氢铵溶液(0.5%,p H=3.5)=50∶50作为流动相时,基线稳定,峰形较好,3种目标物在11 min内即可实现有效分离,且浓度为5～100 mg·L~(-1)时,3种目标物峰面积与质量浓度的线性关系良好(R20.999),检出限为15.0～29.4μg·L~(-1),相对偏差为0.05%～1.56%(n=5),该方法能同时检测苯磺酸、苯酚和苯磺酰胺,具有简便、灵敏、准确等优点,可为制药废水的快速检测和磺胺类药物降解机理的分析提供便利。     

The Influence of Linear Elements on Plant Species Diversity of Mediterranean Rural Landscapes: Assessment of Different Indices and Statistical Approaches

This paper mainly aims to study the linear element influence on the estimation of vascular plant species diversity in five Mediterranean landscapes modeled as land cover patch mosaics. These landscapes have several core habitats and a different set of linear elements -habitat edges or ecotones, roads or railways, rivers, streams and hedgerows on farm land- whose plant composition were examined. Secondly, it aims to check plant diversity estimation in Mediterranean landscapes using parametric and non-parametric procedures, with two indices: Species richness and Shannon index.Land cover types and landscape linear elements were identified from aerial photographs. Their spatial information was processed using GIS techniques. Field plots were selected using a stratified sampling design according to relieve and tree density of each habitat type. A 50×20 m² multi-scale sampling plot was designed for the core habitats and across the main landscape linear elements. Richness and diversity of plant species were estimated by comparing the observed field data to ICE (Incidence-based Coverage Estimator) and ACE (Abundance-based Coverage Estimator) non-parametric estimators.The species density, percentage of unique species, and alpha diversity per plot were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in linear elements than in core habitats. ICE estimate of number of species was 32% higher than of ACE estimate, which did not differ significantly from the observed values. Accumulated species richness in core habitats together with linear elements, were significantly higher than those recorded only in the core habitats in all the landscapes. Conversely, Shannon diversity index did not show significant differences.     

Preparation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole-derivatized mesoporous silica and removal of Hg(ii) from aqueous solution

Mesoporous silicas (SBA-15 and MCM-41) have been functionalized by two different methods. Using the heterogeneous route the silylating agent, 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane, was initially immobilized onto the mesoporous silica surface to give the chlorinated mesoporous silica Cl-SBA-15 or Cl-MCM-41. In a second reaction a multifunctionalized N,S donor compound (2-mercaptobenzothiazol) was incorporated to obtain the functionalized silicas denoted as MBT-SBA-15-Het and MBT-MCM-41-Het. Using the homogeneous route, the functionalization was achieved via the one step reaction of the mesoporous silica with an organic ligand containing the chelating functions, to give the modified mesoporous silicas denoted as MBT-SBA-15-Hom or MBT-MCM-41-Hom. The functionalized mesoporous silicas were employed as adsorbents for the regeneration of aqueous solutions at pH 6 contaminated with Hg(ii) at room temperature. Results obtained indicate that mercury adsorption was higher in the mesoporus silicas prepared by the homogeneous method, and the maximum adsorption value (0.24 +/- 0.02 mmol Hg(ii) g(-1)) was obtained for MBT-SBA-15-Hom. The chemically stability in acid medium of the functionalized silicas, possibility its regeneration washing with concentrate HCl, resulting in the reuse of the adsorbent material for several cycles.     

The use of bioaccumulation, biomarkers and histopathology diseases in shape Procambarus clarkii to establish bioavailability of Cd and Zn after a mining spill

Individuals of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii (males and females) were exposed simultaneously to cadmium and zinc during 21 days. Exposure concentrations were those determined at the Guadiamar river after the Aznalcóllar mining spill (SW, Spain): 10 and 30 μg L⁻¹ of cadmium and 1000 and 3000 μg L⁻¹ of zinc. Three biomarkers (MT: metallothioneins like proteins, VTG: vitellogenin/vitellin like proteins and histopathology) together with heavy metal bioaccumulation were determined in soft tissues of male and female P. clarkii. At the concentrations tested, increasing cadmium exposure resulted in increasing cadmium bioaccumulation and increasing subletal effects (induction of MT, VTG and histopathological damage in tissues). Nevertheless, although increasing zinc exposure showed increasing VTG induction and histopathological damages, not a positive relationship was determined with MT induction. Concerning to responses determined in male and female crayfishes only differences were found between sexes at the highest cadmium exposure concentration related to bioaccumulation in hepatopancreas tissues. Biomarkers responses to heavy metal contamination in this crayfish, even VTG induction not before tested in heavy metal contamination assessment in crustaceans resulted potential tools for the monitoring of heavy metal environmental contamination.     

Simple Model of Dissolved Oxygen Consumption in a Bay within High Organic Loading: An Applied Remediation Tool

San Vicente Bay is a coastal shallow embayment in Central Chile with multiple uses, one of which is receiving wastewater from industrial fisheries, steel mill effluents, and domestic sewage. A simulation model was developed and applied to dissolved oxygen consumption by organic residues released into this embayment. Three compartments were established as function of: depth, circulation and outfall location. The model compartments had different volumes, and their oxygen saturation value was used as baseline. The parameters: (a) BOD₅ of the industrial and urban effluents, (b) oxygen demand by organic sediments, (c) respiration, (d) photosynthesis and (e) re-aeration were included in the model. Iteration results of the model showed severe alterations in Compartment 1, with a decrease of 65% in the oxygen below saturation. Compartment 2 showed a small decline (10%) and compartment 3 did not show apparent changes in oxygen values. Measures recommended for remediation were to decrease the BOD₅ loading by 30% in the affected sector. Iteration of the model for 200 h following recommendations derived from the preceding results produced an increase in saturation of 60% (5 ml O₂ L⁻¹), which suggested an improvement of the environmental conditions.     

An Analysis of Secondary Pollutants in Buenos Aires City

Air pollutant concentrations from a monitoring campaign in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, are used to investigate the relationships between ambient levels of ozone (O₃), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) as a function of NO _x (=NO + NO₂). This campaign undertaken by the electricity sector was aimed at elucidating the apportionment of thermal power plants to air quality deterioration. Concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) were also registered. Photo stationary state (PSS) of the NO, NO₂, O₃ and peroxy radicals species has been analysed. The ‘oxidant’ level concept has been introduced, OX (=O₃ + NO₂), which varies with the level of NO _x . It is shown that this level is made up of NO _x -independent and NO _x -dependent contributions. The former is a regional contribution that equates the background O₃ level, whereas the latter is a local contribution that correlates with the level of primary pollution. Furthermore, the anticorrelation between NO₂ and O₃ levels, which is a characteristic of the atmospheric photo stationary cycle has been verified.The analysis of the concentration of the primary pollutants CO and NO strongly suggests that the vehicle traffic is the principal source of them. Levels of continuous measurements of SO₂ for Buenos Aires City are reported in this work as a complement of previously published results.