Hydrothermal deposition as a novel method for the preparation of Co–Mn mixed oxide catalysts supported on stainless steel meshes: application to VOC oxidation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this work was to develop a novel method for the preparation of structured Co–Mn mixed oxide catalysts: deposition on stainless steel...     

Changing the Course of Rivers in an Asian City: Linking Landscapes to Human Benefits through Iterative Modeling and Design

Concerns over water scarcity, climate change, and environmental health risks have prompted some Asian cities to invest in river rehabilitation, but deciding on the end goals of rehabilitation is a complex undertaking. We propose a multidisciplinary framework linking riparian landscape change to human well‐being, providing information relevant to decision makers, in a format that facilitates stakeholder involvement. We illustrate this through a case study of the densely settled, environmentally degraded, and flood prone Ciliwung River flowing through metropolitan Jakarta, Indonesia. Our methodology attempts to respond to this complexity through an iterative approach, strongly based on conceptualization and mathematical modeling. Nested hydrologic, hydrodynamic, and water quality models provide outputs at catchment‐, corridor‐, and localized site‐scales. Advanced 3‐D landscape modeling is used for procedural design and precise visualization of proposed changes and their impacts, as predicted by the mathematical models. Finally, participatory planning and design methods allow us to obtain critical stakeholder feedback in shaping a socially acceptable approach. Our framework aims at demonstrating that a change in paradigm in river rehabilitation is possible, and providing future scenarios that balance concerns over flooding, water quality, and ecology, with the realities of a rapidly growing megacity.     

Östrogenartige wirkungen von bisphenol a auf vorderkiemenschnecken (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Prosobranchia)

Within a Federal Environmental Agency research project to develop a biological test for hormone-mimetic compounds using the freshwater snail Marisa cornuarietis, the effects of the suspected xenoestrogenic substance bisphenol A (BPA), not only on freshwater but also on marine prosobranch snails, were investigated. For the laboratory experiments the ramshorn snail Marisa cornuarietis and the ovoviviparous snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum were considered as freshwater species and two marine prosobranchs, the netted whelk Nassarius reticulatus and the dog whelk Nucella lapillus, were additionally employed. N. reticulatus, as a typical sediment-living species, was exposed via artificial sediments, while the three other prosobranchs were exposed via water. The test series with Marisa cornuarietis covered a nominal concentration range between 1 and 100 μg BPA/l in a 5 month experiment with adult snails and a complete life cycle test for 12 months. Additionally, a third test in the nominal range between 0.05 and 1 μg BPA/l (measured: 0.0079–0.404 μg/l) was performed with adults snails for 6 months. In these experiments, BPA induced a complex syndrome of physiological and morphological alterations in female Marisa referred to as the induction of ‘superfemales’. Affected specimens were characterised by the formation of additional female organs, an enlargement of the accessory pallial sex glands, gross malformations of the pallial oviduct section resulting in an increased female mortality, and a massive stimulation of oocyte and spawning mass production. For these tests, an LOEC of 48.3 ng/l, an NOEC of 7.9 ng/l and an EC₁₀ of 13.9 ng/l were calculated. Superfemales occurred also in the BPA exposure experiment with the other snail species, but comparable oviduct malformations as in Marisa were not found, probably due to species differences in the gross anatomical structure of the pallial oviduct. During the 9 week test with Potamopyrgus antipodarum in the nominal concentration range between 1 and 100 μg/l, BPA induced an enhancement of embryo production even in the sexual repose phase of the reproductive cycle. A characteristic inverted U-type concentration response relationship was found. Nassarius reticulatus was exposed via BPA-spiked artificial sediments (nominal concentration range: 10–1000 μg/kg dry wt.) for 3 months. BPA exhibited a significant and concentration dependent uterotrophic effect which could be detected not only by an enlargement but also by a weight increase of the accessory pallial gland complex in the pallial oviduct section. Adult Nucella lapillus were tested for three months in the laboratory in a nominal concentration range between 1 and 100 μg BPA/l. Superfemales in the dog whelk were also characterised by enlarged accessory pallial sex glands and an enhancement of egg production, but the test compound also affected the males in this species. A lower percentage of exposed specimens had ripe sperm stored in their vesicula seminalis and male Nucella exhibited a reduced length of penis and prostate gland when compared to the control. Because statistically significant effects were observed already at the lowest nominal test concentration (1 μg/l), it can be assumed that even lower concentrations may have a negative impact on the snails. The results show that prosobranch snails are affected by BPA at lower concentrations compared to other systematic taxa in the animal kingdom. Consequently, it has to be claimed that the results of these experiment have to be considered for the current EU risk assessment for BPA in order to achieve a sufficient protection of wildlife in aquatic ecosystems.     

A Review of the Effects of Aircraft Noise on Wildlife and Humans,Current Control Mechanisms,and the Need for Further Study

Military and civilian aircraft overflights are an issue that may impact the quality of life for millions of United States residents. Aircraft noise annoys many people worldwide and is generally thought to adversely affect some wildlife species. In light of increasing demands being placed on airspace, and because of technological improvements in acoustical testing, there is a need to reexamine the effects of aircraft noise exposure on humans and wildlife. This paper reviews past research, current laws and legislation, and presents an argument for the need to revisit the effects of aircraft noise on humans and wildlife. Some evidence suggests that noise may adversely impact wildlife and humans, however, many of the past studies were inconclusive and based on relatively small sample sizes. Given that aircraft noise abatement legislation has been enacted and because of the recent promulgation of community-based noise awareness programs, future studies should be conducted to resolve public policy problems and debates associated with aircraft noise. The need to further study the effects of aircraft noise on humans and wildlife is critical for creating sustainable land use policies near aircraft installations. Data derived from these studies will be used to create sound public policies that enhance the operational capacity of military and civilian aircraft while reducing the opportunity for human and wildlife exposure to aircraft noise.     

Metabolic pathways of polychlorinated biphenyls degradation by Pseudomonas sp. 2

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) included with the commercial mixture Delor 103 were degraded by immobilized cells of aerobic bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. 2. The ability of the strain to metabolise selected tri- and tetrachlorobiphenyls, and the site of primary attack of the biphenyl skeleton were investigated. It was observed that the amount of residual PCBs was 1-48% of the original PCBs after three weeks of incubation. Identified metabolites indicate that the used bacterial strain attacks the biphenyl skeleton at the 2,3- and 3,4-positions, and it is also able to dehalogenate PCBs. Metabolic pathways of degradation of individual congeners were proposed. Transformation of 2,4- and 2,5-dichlorobenzoic acids by Pseudomonas sp. 2 was also observed.     

Going beyond work and family: A longitudinal study on the role of leisure in the work–life interplay

Going beyond the relation of work and family, the present three‐wave longitudinal study spanning one year assessed different forms of conflict and facilitation between leisure and the life domains work and family and their relation to subjective well‐being. A sample of N = 277 employed men and women reported their perceived conflict and facilitation between leisure, work, and family and subjective well‐being. Results suggest that leisure is a source of facilitation for work and family, and, at the same time, a major recipient of conflict from work and family. Moreover, leisure conflict was negatively correlated and leisure facilitation was positively associated with concurrent subjective well‐being. Both conflict and facilitation between all three life domains remained highly stable over the course of one year. Only few and non‐systematic lagged effects were found, indicating that the variance of the stability of the constructs and their relations over time leave little room for longitudinal predictions. Taken together, the study demonstrates that, similar to work–family relations, conflict and facilitation with the leisure domain are also associated with subjective well‐being and remain highly stable over the course of a year in the lives of young and middle‐aged adults. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Clostridia dominate 16S rRNA gene libraries prepared from the hindgut of temperate marine herbivorous fishes

Bacterial diversity in the microbial communities of posterior gut sections of three temperate marine herbivorous fish species from New Zealand was characterised using Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis, and 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing methods. The fish were collected in 1999–2000 in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand (35°54’–36°24’S, 174°48’–175°25’E). The gastrointestinal bacterial communities of Kyphosus sydneyanus (Günther, 1886) (F. Kyphosidae), Odax pullus (Forster in Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (F. Labridae) and Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson, 1839 (F. Aplodactylidae) were dominated by five clades of bacteria, four of which belong to recognized clostridial clusters. The clone libraries of K. sydneyanus and O. pullus contained sequences from most of these clades, but were dominated by members of clostridial clusters XI and XIVa, respectively. The clone library of A. arctidens was dominated by members of clostridial cluster XIVb and an unassigned cluster containing Eubacterium desmolans and Papillibacter cinnaminovorans. The finding that strains of Firmicutes dominated the gastrointestinal microbial communities of all three fish species is consistent with the results of similar studies on terrestrial vertebrate herbivores. This work thus contributes to the view that gastrointestinal symbionts in some marine herbivorous fishes may play a similar role to those in terrestrial vertebrate herbivores studied to date.     

Bestimmung von Redoxzonen in einem mineralölbelasteten Grundwasserleiter

Goal and Scope

The goal of this study is the investigation and the grafic presentation of the characteristic redox zonation in a mineral oil contaminated aquifer which will be formed in the plume downstream of the contamination source. Methanogenic conditions, sulfate-reduction, Fe(III)-reduction, Mn(IV)-reduction, nitrate-reduction, aerobic conditions. By that indications type and degree of microbial degradation which is the most important part in Natural Attenuation (NA) processes can be obtained easily.

Methods

Changes of the groundwater parameters Eh, O₂, NO ₃ ^? , SO₄ ^2?, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, HCO₃ ^?, Ca²⁺ will be measured upstream, downstream and also in the centre of the plume. The results will be presented in a sequence of special diagrams.

Results and Conclusion

When microbial degradation of hydrocarbons takes place, a microbial community will always use that electron acceptor from which it will gain a maximum of energy by the corresponding redox-reactions. This means as long as oxygen is available this will be used. After its depletion nitrate serves as electron acceptor leading via nitrite to the formation of nitrogen or ammonia. Manganese (IV) and Iron (III) species which are rather insoluble are mainly available from the soil-phase, can act as electron acceptor as next, leading to soluble Manganese (II) and Iron (II) compounds in groundwater. Finally before methanogenic conditions occur sulphate will become a suitable electron acceptor leading to the formation of hydrogen sulphide. All these processes of mineralization of the hydrocarbons will lead to the production of CO₂ and as consequence to an increase of HCO₃ ^? in groundwater changing the calcareous/carbonic acid-equilibrium. By that more soluble Ca(HCO₃)₂ is formed from insoluble CaCO₃, so the concentration from Ca²⁺ will also inerease. Thus, by the action of microorganisms, a typical redox-zonation and changes of other parameters will occur.

Recommendations and Perspective

To follow the changes in time and space of some characteristic groundwater parameters is a simple way to estimate the potential of microbial degradation in a contaminated aquifer considering Natural Attenuation (NA)-processes.