Vegetable and synthetic tannins induce hormesis/toxicity in sea urchin early development and in algal growth

Mimosa tannin and phenol-based synthetic tannin (syntan) were tested for toxicity to sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis) early development and to marine algal growth (Dunaliella tertiolecta). Sea urchin embryogenesis was affected by vegetable tannin and syntan water extracts (VTWE and STWE) at levels >or=1mg/L. Developmental defects were significantly decreased at VTWE and STWE levels of 0.1 and 0.3mg/L when control cultures displayed suboptimal quality, i.e. <70% "viable" (normal or retarded) larvae. Fertilization success of sea urchin sperm was increased up to 0.3 mg/L STWE or VTWE, then was inhibited by increasing tannin levels (1-30 mg/L). Offspring abnormalities, following sperm exposure to VTWE or STWE, showed the same shift from hormesis to toxicity. Cell growth bioassays in D. tertiolecta exposed to VTWE or STWE (0.1-30 mg/L) showed non-linear concentration-related toxicity. Novel criteria are suggested in defining control quality that should reveal hormetic effects.     

Carbon deposition in soil rhizosphere following amendments with compost and its soluble fractions, as evaluated by combined soil-plant rhizobox and reporter gene systems

We determined the organic carbon released by roots of maize plants (Zea mays L.) when grown in soils amended with compost and its soluble fractions. In rhizobox systems, soil and roots are separated from the soil of a lower compartment by a nylon membrane. Treatments are applied to the upper compartment, while in the lower compartment luminescent biosensors measure the bioavailable organic carbon released by roots (rhizodeposition). The rhizobox-plants systems were amended with a compost (COM), its water extract (TEA), the hydrophobic (HoDOM) and hydrophilic (HiDOM) fractions of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from the compost. After root development, the lower untreated compartments were sampled and sliced into thin layers. The bioavailable organic carbon in each layer was assessed with the lux-marked biosensor Pseudomonas fluorescens 10586 pUCD607, and compared with total organic carbon (TOC) analyses. The TOC values ranged between 8.4 and 9.6 g kg(-1) and did not show any significant differences between bulk and rhizosphere soil samples in any treatment. Conversely, the biosensor detected significant differences in available C compounds for rhizosphere soils amended with various organic materials. Concentrations of available organic compounds in the first 2 mm of soil rhizosphere were 1.69 (control), 1.09 (COM), 2.87 (HiDOM), 4.73 (HoDOM) and 2.14 (TEA)micromol Cg(-1) soil g(-1) roots. The applied rhizobox-biosensor integrated method was successful in detecting and quantifying effects of organic amendments on organic carbon released by maize plant roots. This approach may become important in assessing the carbon cycle in agricultural soils and soil-atmosphere compartments.     

Evaluation of a temporal trend heavy metals contamination in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, (1813) along the western coastline of Sicily (Italy)

The use of biological species in the monitoring of marine environmental quality allows the evaluation of biologically available levels of contaminants in the ecosystem and the effects of contaminants on living organisms. The seagrass Posidonia oceanica is a useful bioindicator because through the lepidochronology technique it is possible to obtain a historical contamination trend of a given area. This study aims to assess the temporal trend contamination by heavy metal investigations on dead sheaths of 100 samples of P. oceanica collected in the Protected Marine Area of "Plemmirio" (Sicily) and in the Siracusa bay. Important results were obtained because data show a significant negative temporal trend for the metals analysed especially for As, Co, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se, U and V that in the past had higher concentrations, with a stronger contamination in the Plemmirio area, the site much more exposed to the pollution of the nearby petrochemical complex. This study confirms the relevance of the use of P. oceanica as a biological indicator of metal contamination in coastal ecosystems. Thus the usefulness of P. oceanica as a tracer of spatial metal contamination and as a good tool for water quality evaluation is reinforced.     

A stochastic Lagrangian micromixing model for the dispersion of reactive scalars in turbulent flows: role of concentration fluctuations and improvements to the conserved scalar theory under non-homogeneous conditions

Several reaction schemes, based on the conserved scalar theory, are implemented within a stochastic Lagrangian micromixing model to simulate the dispersion of reactive scalars in turbulent flows. In particular, the formulation of the reaction-dominated limit (RDL) reaction scheme is here extended to improve the model performance under non-homogeneous conditions (NHRDL scheme). The validation of the stochastic model is obtained by comparison with the available measurements of reactive pollutant concentrations in a grid-generated turbulent flow. This test case describes the dispersion of two atmospheric reactant species (NO and O₃) and their reaction product (NO₂) in an unbounded turbulent flow. Model inter-comparisons are also assessed, by considering the results of state-of-the-art models for pollutant dispersion. The present validation shows that RDL reaction scheme provides a systematic overestimation (relative error of ca. 85% around the centreline) in computing the local reactant consumption/production rate, whereas the NHRDL scheme drastically reduces this gap (relative error lower than 5% around the centreline). In terms of NO₂ production (or reactant consumption), neglecting concentration fluctuations determines overestimations of the product mean of around 100% and a NO₂ local production of one order of magnitude higher than the reference simulation. In terms of standard deviations, the concentration fluctuations of both the passive and reactive scalars are generally of the same order of magnitude or up to 1 or 2 orders of magnitudes higher than the corresponding ensemble mean values, except for the background reactant close to the plume edges. The study highlights the importance of modelling pollutant reactions depending on the instantaneous instead of the mean concentrations of the reactants, thus quantifying the role of the turbulent fluctuations of concentration, in terms of scalar statistics (mean, standard deviation, intensity of fluctuations, skewness and kurtosis of concentration, segregation coefficient, simulated reaction rate). This stochastic particle method represents an efficient numerical technique to solve the convection–diffusion equation for reactive scalars and involves several application fields: micro-scale air quality (urban and street-canyon scales), accidental releases, impact of odours, water quality and fluid flow industrial processes (e.g. combustion).     

Chemical and spectroscopic characterization of organic matter during the anaerobic digestion and successive composting of pig slurry

In this work, anaerobic digestion of pig slurry and successive composting of the digestate after centrifugation were studied by means of chemical analysis, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy as excitation–emission matrix (EEM). Chemical analysis highlighted the organic matter transformation occurring during the processes. A decrease of volatile solids and total organic carbon were observed in the digestate with respect to the fresh pig slurry as a consequence of the consumption of sugars, proteins, amino acids and fatty acids used by microorganisms as a C source. Water Extractable Organic Matter (WEOM) was obtained for all samples and fractionated into a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic fraction. The highest WEOM value was found in the pig slurry indicating a high content of labile organic C. The digestate centrifuged and the digestate composted showed lower hydrophilic and higher hydrophobic contents because of the decrease of labile C. Total phenolic content was lower in the digestate with respect to fresh pig slurry sample (36.7%) as a consequence of phenolic compounds degradation. The strong decrease of total reducing sugars in the digestate (76.6%) as compared to pig slurry confirmed that anaerobic process proceed mainly through consumption of sugars which represent a readily available energy source for microbial activity. FTIR spectra of pig slurry showed bands indicative of proteins and carbohydrates. A drop of aliphatic structures and a decrease of polysaccharides was observed after the anaerobic process along with the increase of the peak in the aromatic region. The composted substrate showed an increase of aromatic and a relative decrease of polysaccharides. EEM spectra provided tryptophan:fulvic-like fluorescence ratios which increased from fresh substrate to digestate because of the OM decompostion. Composted substrate presented the lowest ratio due to the humification process.     

Pesticide dissipation curves in peach,pear and tomato crops in Uruguay*

Dissipation curves of azoxystrobin and of the neonicotinoids acetamiprid and thiacloprid in peach; azinphos-methyl and carbaryl in pear and azoxystrobin, chlorfenapyr and chlorpyrifos in high-tunnel tomato crops were studied in the Southern region of Uruguay. An analytical methodology based on solid phase extraction (SPE) and detection by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector (HPLC/DAD) was used for acetamiprid and thiacloprid. Coupled SPE and detection by Gas Chromatography with Mass Selective Detector (GC/MSD) was used for the detection of azinphos-methyl, azoxystrobin, carbaryl, chlorfenapyr and chlorpyrifos residues. Curves were modeled mathematically with Solver program of Microsoft Excel®. The best fit for acetamiprid and thiacloprid in peach was achieved with the exponential model (r²=0.961 and 0.944, respectively). In the case of peach fruits there is not a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for acetamiprid in the Codex Alimentarius, while 0.5 mg/kg is the value rated for thiacloprid. The MRLs accepted by the European Union (EU) are 0.1 mg/kg for acetamiprid and 0.3 mg/kg for thiacloprid. According to the curves determined in these experiments, thiacloprid residues 10 to 12 days after application (daa) were below the MRLs established by both sources. In the case of acetamiprid, 25 daa would be required, according to the exponential mathematical model, to get residues levels below the MRL values established by the EU. For azinphos methyl in pear, the residues detected were mathematically fitted to an exponential model (r²=0.999). According to it, residue levels under the MRL established by the EU (0.05 mg/kg) are gotten in our conditions in 20 daa. In plastic tunnel tomato chlorfenapyr residues were not detected from 16 daa, having the dissipation curve an exponential trend. In the same condition, there was not a decay of the azoxystrobin concentration during a 24-day trial, being it around 0.40 ± 0.05 mg/kg.     

Pesticide dissipation curves in peach, pear and tomato crops in Uruguay

Dissipation curves of azoxystrobin and of the neonicotinoids acetamiprid and thiacloprid in peach; azinphos-methyl and carbaryl in pear and azoxystrobin, chlorfenapyr and chlorpyrifos in high-tunnel tomato crops were studied in the Southern region of Uruguay. An analytical methodology based on solid phase extraction (SPE) and detection by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector (HPLC/DAD) was used for acetamiprid and thiacloprid. Coupled SPE and detection by Gas Chromatography with Mass Selective Detector (GC/MSD) was used for the detection of azinphos-methyl, azoxystrobin, carbaryl, chlorfenapyr and chlorpyrifos residues. Curves were modeled mathematically with Solver program of Microsoft Excel. The best fit for acetamiprid and thiacloprid in peach was achieved with the exponential model (r(2)=0.961 and 0.944, respectively). In the case of peach fruits there is not a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for acetamiprid in the Codex Alimentarius, while 0.5 mg/kg is the value rated for thiacloprid. The MRLs accepted by the European Union (EU) are 0.1 mg/kg for acetamiprid and 0.3 mg/kg for thiacloprid. According to the curves determined in these experiments, thiacloprid residues 10 to 12 days after application (daa) were below the MRLs established by both sources. In the case of acetamiprid, 25 daa would be required, according to the exponential mathematical model, to get residues levels below the MRL values established by the EU. For azinphos methyl in pear, the residues detected were mathematically fitted to an exponential model (r(2)=0.999). According to it, residue levels under the MRL established by the EU (0.05 mg/kg) are gotten in our conditions in 20 daa. In plastic tunnel tomato chlorfenapyr residues were not detected from 16 daa, having the dissipation curve an exponential trend. In the same condition, there was not a decay of the azoxystrobin concentration during a 24-day trial, being it around 0.40 ± 0.05 mg/kg.     

Public opinion and awareness towards MSW and separate collection programmes: A sociological procedure for selecting areas and citizens with a low level of knowledge

The principal aim of this study was to define and apply a procedure based on a structured questionnaire survey useful to analyze the people’s environmental knowledge in order to select the areas and age groups with a low level of knowledge in a municipality (in Southern Italy) and, therefore, suggest a specific educational campaign for each. The detailed sampling procedure made it possible to carry out a meticulous statistical analysis of the results. The youngest and oldest people showed the lowest level of awareness for each district. A high level of education did not necessarily imply a high level of environmental awareness as well as a greater acceptance of MSW facilities. The satisfaction level of the recycling program was higher amongst the oldest age group. All the citizens in the several areas were unanimous in pointing out the presence of dirt in the street as the main shortcoming of the bring separate collection program. Only the youngest age group self-criticised, considering that they revealed a low level of participation to the separate collection program. While, the oldest people retaining them less influential, claimed that the citizens were not responsible for the failure of the separate collection program. The prevailing opinion of the sample was that people protested against the construction of waste facilities because they were not well-informed, with the most significant opinion of all the age subdivisions being that incineration is a hazardous treatment. The presence of criminal organizations was indicated as the main reason why the Campania Region suffers a serious solid waste emergency. While, the percentage of people pointing their finger at politicians increases with the average age of the respondents with there being a very strong correlation (r² = 0.9903).