Influence of Technological Process on Biodegradation of PVA/Waxy Starch Blends in an Aerobic and Anaerobic Environment

Improving biodegradability of PVA/starch blends is a reality already documented by a number of works. Admittedly, mechanical properties of products (for example, tensile strength) are somewhat worse, but suitable composition optimizing or chemical modifying of starch may eliminate the problem to a large degree. This work is an attempt to find another potential effect influencing biodegradability, that of technological procedure for producing films from these blends on an extruder. The procedure with a so-called pre-extrusion step (two-stage) and dry-blend (single-stage) produced blends of slightest differences in achieved biodegradability (virtually within limits of experimental error) in aerobic (76 vs. 79%) as well as anaerobic breakdown (48 vs. 52%). Conversely, morphological analysis exhibited superior homogeneity of films prepared by the two-stage process; their tensile strength was also higher.     

Dairy washwater treatment using a horizontal flow biofilm system

In Ireland, dairy farmyard washwater commonly comprises farmyard run-off and dairy parlour washings. Land-spreading is the most widely used method for treating this wastewater. However, this method can be labour intensive and can cause, in some cases, the degradation of surface and ground waters, mainly due to nitrogen contamination. In this study, a horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) with step-feed was constructed and tested in the laboratory, to remove organic carbon and nitrogen from a agricultural strength synthetic washwater (SWW). The HFBR had an average top plan surface area (TPSA) of 0.1002 m(2) and consisted of a stack of 45 polystyrene horizontal sheets--15 sheets embedded with 25 mm deep frustums above 30 sheets with 10 mm deep frustums. The frustums acted as miniature reservoirs. The sheets were alternately offset to allow the wastewater to flow horizontally along each sheet and vertically from sheet to sheet down through the reactor. Biofilms developed on the sheets and treated the wastewater. During the 212-d study, the total hydraulic loading rate based on the TPSA of the sheets was 35 l m(-2) d(-1). SWW was pumped for 10 min each hour, in a step feed arrangement at a rate of 23.33 l m(-2) d(-1) on to the top sheet during Phases 1 and 2, and 11.67 l m(-2) d(-1) onto Sheet 16 during Phase 1 (days 1-92) and onto Sheet 30 during Phase 2 (days 93-212). The substrate loading rate during Phases 1 and 2 was 94.8 g total chemical oxygen demand (COD) m(-2) d(-1) and 10.5 g total nitrogen (TN) m(-2) d(-1), based on the TPSA. At steady state in Phase 2, the unit achieved excellent carbon removal of 99.7% 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and 96.7% total COD, equivalent to TPSA removal rates of 67.5 g BOD(5)m(-2)d(-1) and 91.7 g COD m(-2) d(-1). The nitrogen removal percentages were 98.3% total ammonium-nitrogen (NH(4)-N(t)) and 72.8% TN, which equated to TPSA removal rates of 4.8 g NH(4)-N(t) m(-2) d(-1) and 7.6g TN m(-2) d(-1). No sloughing of solids or clogging of media occurred during the study. The unit was simple to construct and operate, with little maintenance.     

A paradigm of an integrated transboundary environmental education,training, and technology transfer project

The Rodopi mountain range is located between Greece and Bulgaria and constitutes a natural and political boundary whose crest delimits the frontier between the two countries. However, these two neighboring countries have significant differences: Greece is one of the oldest members of the European Union (EU) while Bulgaria has just recently entered the European family. As a result, the existing financial and political differences between the two nations are also reflected in issues concerning the environmental know-how, education, and training, since Greece seems to have a small lead in these fields. On the other hand, given that Bulgaria possesses exceptional scientific personnel, it has made significant progress in all aspects of environmental policy during the last decade by absorbing up-to-date knowledge and putting it into practice; thus, catching up with the other EU countries in environmental issues is just a matter of time. Taking these factors into account, the Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Management of the Technological Educational Institute of Kavala (Greece) and the Department of Geography-Ecology and Natural History (Bulgaria) prepared a joint proposal which was approved and financed by the European Union Initiative ΙNTERREG IIIΑ/PHARE CBC GREECE-BULGARIA. The proposal concerns the Rodopi mountains and focuses on integrated environmental education, technology exchange, and transfer between the two institutions. The Rodopi complex constitutes a very important ecosystem of particular ecological and biological interest for both countries. This paper reveals the cooperation possibilities on environmental education and know-how exchange with regard to the shared natural resources of these contiguous countries.     

Plant and Soil System Responses to Ozone After 3 Years in a Lysimeter Study with Juvenile Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

A lysimeter study was performed to monitor effects of elevated ozone on juvenile trees of Fagus sylvatica L. as well as on the plant–soil system. During a fumigation period over almost three growing seasons, parameters related to plant growth, phenological development and physiology as well as soil functions were studied. The data analyses identified elevated ozone to delay leaf phenology at early and to accelerate it at late developmental stages, to reduce growth, some leaf nutrients (Ca, K) as well as some soluble phenolics (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, total flavonol glycosides). No or very weak ozone effects were found in mobile carbon pools of leaves (starch, sucrose), and other phenolic compounds (flavans). Altered gene expression related to stress and carbon cycling corresponded well with findings from leaf phenology and chemical composition analyses indicating earlier senescence and oxidative stress in leaves under elevated ozone. Conversely in the soil system, no effects of ozone were detected on soil enzyme activities, rates of litter degradation and lysimeter water balances. Despite the fact that the three reported years 2003–2005 were climatically very contrasting including a hot and dry as well as an extremely wet summer, and also mild as well as cold winters, the influence of ozone on a number of plant parameters is remarkably consistent, further underlining the phytotoxic potential of elevated tropospheric ozone levels.     

Lysimeter Experiments to Investigate the Fate of Chemicals in Soils – Comparison of Five Different Lysimeter Systems

Several lysimeter scenarios and approaches exist to study the fate of agro-chemicals or contaminants from deposition in soil columns. In many systems just transport and leaching of the parent compound is followed, in some systems the leaching and transport of the metabolites is investigated as well. In more sophisticated lysimeter systems the volatilization and also the mineralization of the applied chemicals can be additionally monitored. Depending on the lysimeter system used and on the fact whether the applied chemicals are ¹⁴C-labeled or not, different results and various interpretations of the results might be achieved. Different lysimeter systems are described in this paper and a real dataset of a specific lysimeter experiment was transferred and evaluated in a virtual approach in the different lysimeter systems in order to show the advantages and disadvantages of the various systems.     

MULTI INCREMENT® TCE vadose‐zone investigation

MULTI INCREMENT® and discrete sampling strategies were used to estimate the average concentration and the three‐dimensional distribution of TCE in a 3,300‐m³ zone composed of two decision units (e.g., area of concern, population, exposure unit). Authors of this article and a private contractor (Stanley Consultants Inc.), respectively, implemented these two sampling strategies independently. Compared to discrete sampling, the MULTI INCREMENT sampling strategy identified more locations where percent‐level concentrations of TCE have migrated, is more economical, and provided greater data quality. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Antibacterial behavior of silver-modified clinoptilolite-heulandite rich tuff on coliform microorganisms from wastewater in a column system

The water disinfecting behavior of silver-modified clinoptilolite–heulandite rich tuff (ZSAg) as an antibacterial agent against coliform microorganisms from water in a continuous mode was investigated. Silver recovery from the disinfected effluents by the sodium-modified clinoptilolite–heulandite rich tuff (ZSNa) was also considered. Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739) and total coliform microorganisms, as indicators of microbiological contamination of water, were chosen to achieve the disinfection of synthetic wastewater or municipal wastewater. Ammonium (NH₄⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions were added to the synthetic wastewater as an interfering chemical species on the disinfection processes. The antibacterial activity of the ZSAg as a bactericide was measured by the coliform concentration as evaluated by the APHA method. The amount of silver in the disinfected effluents was determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The inactivation of the ZSAg was calculated from the breakthrough curves based on the model reported by Gupta et al. It was found that when the silver concentration in the effluent is less than 0.6 μg/mL, the bacterial survival percentage increased and the volume of disinfected water diminished. The total silver amounts found in the effluent at the end of the disinfection processes varied depending on the water treated (synthetic or municipal wastewater). The presence of NH₄⁺ ions in synthetic wastewater influent notably improved the disinfected water volume (zero NVC/100 mL), in comparison to the disinfection of the same influent without NH₄⁺ ions. A contrary water disinfection behavior was observed in the presence of Cl⁻ ions. The silver recovery does not depend on the mass of the sodium zeolitic bed according with the wastewater to be treated (synthetic or municipal wastewater) and the presence of NH₄⁺ or Cl⁻ ions in the influent also influenced the silver recovery from wastewater. The ZSNa did not have antibacterial activity. Therefore the amount of bactericide agent (silver-modified natural zeolite), coliform microorganisms from water (E. coli or consort of coliform microorganisms) as well as the water quality (synthetic wastewater or municipal wastewater) influenced both the disinfection process and the silver recovery in a column system.     

A framework for valuing the health benefits of improved bathing water quality in the River Irvine catchment

A simple model predicting bathing water concentrations of Escherichia coli from livestock in the Irvine catchment in SW Scotland has been adapted for intestinal enterococci (IE). This has been used to predict risk of bather illness by extrapolation of published data on bather IE exposure vs incidence of gastro-enteritis. Simulated reduction in the risk of illness by reduced faecal loading was multiplied by a willingness to pay for risk reduction to estimate the annual benefits of mitigation. Health benefits of reducing loading by 75% at Irvine Beach were estimated by a willingness to pay method to be about pound 276k pa. Estimated annualised costs of diffuse pollution mitigation measures across the catchment were higher (> pound 1m), and it is very unlikely that 75% mitigation is achievable with current stocking rates. Further work should explore the influence of uncertainty of model parameters, and use emerging epidemiological information on specific zoonotic pathogens such as E. coli O157 and Cryptosporidium. Other components of the value of clean water should also be included to obtain a complete estimate of the cost:benefit of mitigation.     

Cadmium stress alters gene expression of DNA mismatch repair related genes in Arabidopsis seedlings

Cadmium (Cd) is a non essential element, and is a widespread environmental pollutant. Exposure to Cd can result in a variety of adverse health effects in plant and humans. In the current study, Arabidopsis seedlings were used as a bio-indicator of Cd pollution. Seedlings were grown on MS media containing 0-6.0 mg L(-1) Cd for 18 days, and the gene expression patterns were used to link increased Cd exposure with progressive biological effects. Reduction of total soluble protein content in shoots of the Arabidopsis seedlings occurred with increase in Cd concentrations. For the gene expression patterns, seven genes known to be involved in cell division and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and normalized using 18S rRNA gene expression. Expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen 2 (atPCNA 2), MutS 3 homolog (atMSH 3) and MutL1 homolog (atMLH1) genes in shoots of Arabidopsis was strongly induced by exposure to 0.75 mg L(-1) Cd, but were repressed by other Cd concentrations whereas exposure to 0.75-6 mg L(-1) of Cd resulted in a decreased expression of atPCNA1, atMSH 2, 6 and 7 genes independently of any observable biological effects, including survival, fresh weight and chlorophyll level of shoots. This work demonstrated that specific gene expression changes could serve as useful molecular biomarkers indicative of Cd exposure and related biological effects.