Spatial distribution of DDT in sediments from estuarine rivers of central Florida

Sediments may act as both a carrier for and a potential source of contaminants such as toxic organics in aquatic environments. This study investigated the spatial distribution of the pesticide DDT [1,1, 1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] in sediments from the Cedar and Ortega Rivers located in the lower St. Johns River basin, Florida, USA, using field measurements and three-dimensional kriging analysis. High DDT concentrations were found near the junction of the Cedar and Ortega Rivers and at the north end of the Ortega River in the upper 0.5 m of the sediments, indicating that the sediment was enriched with DDT in the top layer although use of this chlorinated compound was banned in 1972. Further study revealed that the influence of sediment grain size or texture on DDT contamination was negligible in this river system and no linear correlations existed among DDT and its metabolites such as DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] and DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene]. Comparison of three-dimensional distribution of DDT content to the Florida sediment quality assessment guideline or probable effect level (PEL) showed several "hot spots" in the Ortega River sediments, where DDT contents exceeded the PEL value of 4.78 microg kg(-1). Such contamination may pose a significant hazard to aquatic life.     

EMMC process for combined removal of organics, nitrogen and an odor producing substance

In order to improve the process performance regarding the removal of organics, nitrogen, and an odor-causing compound (sulfide) contained in domestic wastewater, an entrapped-mixed-microbial cell (EMMC) with and without humic substances for both fixed and moving carrier reactors and conventional suspended growth culture (i.e. conventional activated sludge process) were investigated simultaneously. Both synthetic (simulated to the organics concentration of general domestic sewage) and actual domestic wastewater were investigated under operational conditions of 12 h of hydraulic retention time (HRT) with 1 h of aeration and 1 h of non-aeration, and 6 h of HRT with continuous aeration, at a room temperature of 25 +/- 2 degrees C. It was found that entrapping humic substances in the EMMC carriers had no impact on the removal of organics, nitrogen, and the odor-producing compound. Additionally, the performance of the EMMC moving carrier system for the removal of these pollutants is similar to that of the EMMC fixed carrier system. In general, the EMMC associated systems which provide high solids retention time achieve a better removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, and the odor-producing substance than the suspended growth system for both HRTs of 6 h (continuous aeration) and 12 h (1 h of aeration and 1 h of non-aeration). Both the fixed and moving carrier EMMC processes, therefore, have the potential for improvement or replacement of the existing conventional activated sludge process with regard to improving the effluent qualities (such as COD, nitrogen and odor-producing compound) for reuse/disposal.     

Integrated effects of applied pressure,time, and polymer doses on alum sludge dewatering behaviour

In this study, combinations of applied pressure, pressing time and polymer dose were examined in an air pressure plate apparatus to explore their integrated influence on the dewatering of an alum sludge. Results of the investigation demonstrated that dewatering can be enhanced by increases in pressure and time. However, a point is reached at which continued increases in pressure and time offer little benefit. The data also confirmed that polymer affects the rate of water release rather than the extent of dewatering. Increased rates of water release due to increasing polymer dose can be attributed to the aggregation of sludge particles by polymer addition. It was also evident in this study that the initial sludge depth has a major impact on the average cake moisture content at a given dewatering time. It was apparent that once the initial sludge thickness exceeds about 2 cm, the water release follows a fairly similar pattern, which can be represented by a simple empirical model.     

Waste ecocompatibility in storage and reuse scenarios: global methodology and detailed presentation of the impact study on the recipient environments

In 1995, the ADEME launched a research program called "Waste Ecocompatibility" in order to define a reliable methodology for measuring the impact of waste in storage or reuse scenarios. The French concept of "Ecocompatibility" is defined as the situation where the pollutant flux from waste disposed of or used in specified conditions is compatible with the environmental acceptance of the receiving environments. The chief feature of this definition is to integrate the evaluation of the three following terms: pollutants emission from the waste, transport of the pollutants from the waste to the receptor cells and the environmental acceptance of the receiving environments. The "Waste Ecocompatibility" program consisted of a literature survey and an experimental part. The literature study aimed to determine factors and waste characteristics to be considered for a reliable ecocompatility assessment, to provide an overview of the available tools for measuring those factors and characteristics and to propose a first approach of the methodology. In the framework of the experimental program, this approach was then applied to three theoretical scenarios to validate the laboratory tools (comparative study of laboratory and field results) and to calibrate the global methodology. This paper deals with the results of the experimental program concerning the impact study on receiving environments: impact on plants and microorganisms living in soil, impacts on soil fauna and aquatic fauna. In other papers we intend to present the operational methodology for the assessment of waste ecocompatibility. It includes bio-assays at laboratory scale (microcosms), pilot scale (mesocosms) and in situ experiments (experimental prairie). To limit the use of in situ experiments other research works are necessary to validate bio-assays at laboratory or pilot scale.     

Radioactive contamination in the Arctic--sources, dose assessment and potential risks

Arctic residents, whose diets comprise a large proportion of traditional terrestrial and freshwater foodstuffs, have received the highest radiation exposures to artificial radionuclides in the Arctic. Doses to members of both the average population and selected indigenous population groups in the Arctic depend on the rates of consumption of locally-derived terrestrial and freshwater foodstuffs, including reindeer/caribou meat, freshwater fish, goat cheese, berries, mushrooms and lamb. The vulnerability of arctic populations, especially indigenous peoples, to radiocaesium deposition is much greater than for temperate populations due to the importance of terrestrial, semi-natural exposure pathways where there is high radiocaesium transfer and a long ecological half-life for this radionuclide. In contrast, arctic residents with diets largely comprising marine foodstuffs have received comparatively low radiation exposures because of the lower levels of contamination of marine organisms. Using arctic-specific information, the predicted collective dose is five times higher than that estimated by UNSCEAR for temperate areas. The greatest threats to human health and the environment posed by human and industrial activities in the Arctic are associated with the potential for accidents in the civilian and military nuclear sectors. Of most concern are the consequences of potential accidents in nuclear power plant reactors, during the handling and storage of nuclear weapons, in the decommissioning of nuclear submarines and in the disposal of spent nuclear fuel from vessels. It is important to foster a close association between risk assessment and practical programmes for the purposes of improving monitoring, formulating response strategies and implementing action plans.     

Transfer factors of radioactive Cs,Sr, Mn,Co and Zn from Japanese soils to root and leaf of radish

Transfer factors (TFs) of some selected radionuclides from ten different Japanese soils to radish have been studied by radiotracer experiments. The geometric mean values of TFs (on a wet weight basis) of radioactive Cs, Sr, Co, Mn and Zn for edible parts of radish (tuber) were 0.0090. 0.029, 0.00094, 0.0034 and 0.067, respectively. TFs for leaf were higher than those for tuber. The geometric mean values of leaf/tuber ratios were 4.1 for Cs, 4.9 for Sr, 1.6 for Co, 11 for Mn and 1.9 for Zn. Most of the Cs TFs obtained for andosol, which is the most common arable soil in Japan, were higher than those for the other soils. This might be due to the high concentrations of organic matter and alophen in andosol. The obtained TFs were compared to reference values of IAEA Technical Report 364.     

Patterns of nitrogenous waste excretion and gill urea transporter mRNA expression in several species of marine fish

Many prior studies of nitrogenous waste excretion in marine fish have examined excretion patterns for short time periods, and with relatively coarse sampling schemes (e.g., an initial and a final sample point). Recent studies of a ureotelic marine fish (the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta) have demonstrated that urea excretion in this species occurs in brief but massive bursts, lasting from 0.5 to 3 h, and often only once per day. The present study sought to determine if prior sampling protocols may have underestimated the amount of urea being excreted by marine fish. A survey of 16 marine species (the teleosts: Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, Scophthalamus aquosa, Cyclopterus lumpus, Lophius americanus, Aprodon cortezianus, Cymatogaster aggregatus, Parophrys vetulis, Microstomus pacificus, Hippoglossoides elassodon, Bathyagonus nigripinnus, Ophiodon elongatus, Hemilepidatus spinosus, Icelinus terrius; the elasmobranch: Raja rhina; and the hagfish: Eptatretus stoutii) was undertaken for ammonia-N and urea-N excretion using a long sampling period (48 h) and hourly sample collection. Apart from the obvious exception of an elasmobranch, ammonia excretion was confirmed to be predominant in marine fish, with urea excretion constituting between 1.4 and 23.8% of the total of ammonia plus urea excreted. Notably, no pulses of urea excretion were detected. Despite the relatively low level of urea excretion, expression of urea transporter-like mRNA (detected using the toadfish urea transporter, tUT, cDNA as a probe) was discovered in gills of many of the species surveyed for nitrogen excretion patterns, although no signal was detected in the hagfish. These results suggest that urea excretion takes place through a specific transport pathway. Finally, more detailed analysis of nitrogen excretion in one of the surveyed species, the plainfin midshipman (Porichthys notatus) demonstrates that "total" nitrogen excretion estimated by summing ammonia and urea excretion underestimates true total nitrogen excretion by 37-51%.     

Anthropogenic radionuclides in the Japan Sea: their distributions and transport processes

The anthropogenic radionuclides, (90)Sr, (137)Cs and (239+240)Pu, were measured in the water column of the Japan Sea/East Sea during 1997-2000. The vertical profiles of radionuclide concentrations showed: exponential decrease with depth for (90)Sr and (137)Cs, and surface minimum/subsurface maximum for (239+240)Pu. These results do not differ substantially from results reported previously. The area-averaged concentrations of radionuclides in the Japan Sea are higher than those found in the Northwest Pacific Ocean below surface layer showing the accumulation of the radionuclides in the deep waters in the Japan Sea. Concerning spatial distributions, the area of high (137)Cs inventory extends from the Japan Basin into the Yamato Basin. It is suggested that wintertime convection of water, occurring mainly in the Japan Basin, causes the radionuclides to sink. The nuclides then advect into the Yamato Basin after detouring around the Yamato Rise.     

Tillage, intercrop, and controlled drainage-subirrigation influence atrazine, metribuzin, and metolachlor loss

Atrazine (6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) and metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide] have been found with increasing occurrence in rivers and streams. Their continued use will require changes in agricultural practices. We compared water quality from four crop-tillage treatments: (i) conventional moldboard plow (MB), (ii) MB with ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) intercrop (IC), (iii) soil saver (SS), and (iv) SS + IC; and two drainage control treatments, drained (D) and controlled drainage-subirrigation (CDS). Atrazine (1.1 kg a.i. ha-1), metribuzin [4-amino-6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazine-5(4H)-one] (0.5 kg a.i. ha-1), and metolachlor (1.68 kg a.i. ha-1) were applied preemergence in a band over seeded corn (Zea mays L.) rows. Herbicide concentration and losses were monitored from 1992 to spring 1995. Annual herbicide losses ranged from < 0.3 to 2.7% of application. Crop-tillage treatment influenced herbicide loss in 1992 but not in 1993 or 1994, whereas CDS affected partitioning of losses in most years. In 1992, SS + IC reduced herbicide loss in tile drains and surface runoff by 46 to 49% compared with MB. The intercrop reduced surface runoff, which reduced herbicide transport. Controlled drainage-subirrigation increased herbicide loss in surface runoff but decreased loss through tile drainage so that total herbicide loss did not differ between drainage treatments. Desethyl atrazine [6-chloro-N-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine] comprised 7 to 39% of the total triazine loss.