Overview and assessment of techniques to measure ammonia emissions from animal houses: the case of the Netherlands

In order to comply with the ammonia (NH(3)) emission reduction assigned to the Netherlands development of new measures are needed, which should be supported by fast and accurate measurements to arrive at new estimates of the NH(3) emission from each agricultural source. This paper gives an overview of the current methods used in the Netherlands to measure NH(3) emissions from animal houses, and provides alternative methods for some particular situations. For mechanically ventilated animal houses, passive flux samplers placed in the ventilation shafts of the animal house are presented as alternative to measure a larger number of animal houses (replicates) with the same housing system at a low price. For naturally ventilated animal houses, when mixing in the animal house is not good enough to allow measurements within the animal house (internal tracer gas ratio method), two measurement methods are discussed: the Gaussian plume dispersion model, which is usually not suitable for agricultural situations, and the flux frame method, which is not always applicable because of distortion of the flow around the building. Finally, for animal houses with outside yards for the animals, there are at this moment no methods available to measure the NH(3) emissions from these complex situations, although quick box methods (for the outside yards) and a combination of a backward Lagrangian stochastic model with open-path concentration measurements with a tunable diode laser (TDL), look promising.     

Avoidance behaviour of Enchytraeus albidus: effects of benomyl, carbendazim, phenmedipham and different soil types

Enchytraeids are typical inhabitants of many soils, contributing to vital processes of this environmental compartment. Indirectly they are involved in regulating the degradation of organic matter, as well as improving the pore structure of the soil. Due to their behaviour, they are able to avoid unfavourable environmental conditions. Avoidance tests with enchytraeids, initially developed with earthworms by several authors, are quick and easy to perform. With these tests a first assessment of the toxicity of a (contaminated or spiked) soil is possible in just 48 h by using the reaction of the enchytraeids as measurement endpoint. In this period of time the organisms can choose between the control soil and the other soil (a contaminated or spiked or another soil with different physico-chemical properties). In the tests reported here, the enchytraeids were exposed to control soils spiked with the fungicides Benomyl and Carbendazim and the herbicide Phenmedipham. Several chemical concentrations were tested in order to evaluate the avoidance behaviour to toxic substances. In fact, often these short-term screening tests gave results showing avoidance at concentrations in a range similar to the acute test results but, higher than in chronic tests. Further tests are needed to decide whether the results gained in this study can be extrapolated to other chemicals. It is proposed to standardize the Enchytraeid Avoidance Test as it is currently done for the Earthworm Avoidance Test by the International Standard Organization (ISO).     

The evaluation of electrical energy per order (E(Eo)) for photooxidative decolorization of four textile dye solutions by the kinetic model

Photooxidative decolorization of four textile dyestuffs, C.I. Acid Orange 7 (AO7), C.I. Acid Orange 8 (AO8), C.I. Acid Orange 52 (AO52) and C.I. Acid Blue 74 (AB74), by UV/H2O2 was investigated in a laboratory scale photoreactor equipped with a 15 W low pressure mercury vapour lamp. The decolorization of the dyes was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics, and hence the figure-of-merit electrical energy per order (E(Eo)) is appropriate for estimating the electrical energy efficiency. The E(Eo) values were found to depend on the concentration of H2O2, concentration and basic structure of the dye. This study shows that these textile dyes can be treated easily and effectively with the UV/H2O2 process with E(Eo) values between 0.4 and 5 kW h m-3 order-1, depending on the initial concentrations of dyes and H2O2. The kinetic model, based on the initial rates of degradation, provided good prediction of the E(Eo) values for a variety of conditions.     

Enhancing bioremediation of diesel oil and gasoline in soil amended with an agroindustry sludge

This paper presents a study of the bioremediation of diesel oil and gasoline by a series of controlled laboratory tests. Sludge from an agroindustry was used to enhance bioremediation of both gasoline and diesel oil mixed with a soil mass to compare its efficiency with that of a mineral fertilizer. Effects of soil microbiology and soil mixtures were investigated by means of evolution of CO2, microorganism populations at 90 days, pH at 65 and 95 days, mineral nitrogen, and gas chromatographic analysis of the benzene, toluene, methyl tertiary butyl ether, C8, and C9+total aromatics at the end of the experiments. Treatments containing sludge showed better soil conditions after 170 days of treatment (inorganic nitrogen and microbiota activity) compared with gasoline and diesel oil without amendments. Samples had no detectable traces of the measured hydrocarbons at 170 days of treatment.     

Passive air sampling theory for semivolatile organic compounds

The mathematical modelling underlying passive air sampling theory can be based on mass transfer coefficients or rate constants. Generally, these models have not been inter-related. Starting with basic models, the exchange of chemicals between the gaseous phase and the sampler is developed using mass transfer coefficients and rate constants. Importantly, the inter-relationships between the approaches are demonstrated by relating uptake rate constants and loss rate constants to mass transfer coefficients when either sampler-side or air-side resistance is dominating chemical exchange. The influence of sampler area and sampler volume on chemical exchange is discussed in general terms and as they relate to frequently used parameters such as sampling rates and time to equilibrium. Where air-side or sampler-side resistance dominates, an increase in the surface area of the sampler will increase sampling rates. Sampling rates are not related to the sampler/air partition coefficient (K(SV)) when air-side resistance dominates and increase with K(SV) when sampler-side resistance dominates.     

Limited microbial degradation of pyrene metabolites from the estuarine polychaete Nereis diversicolor

We compared microbial mineralization of [4,5,9,10-14C]pyrene and its eukaryotic [4,5,9,10-14C]pyrene metabolites in estuarine sediments. Metabolites were obtained by exposing the estuarine deposit-feeding polychaete Nereis diversicolor to sediment-associated 14C-pyrene, followed by homogenization of the worms and extraction of the pyrene-metabolites. In sediment from a pristine Danish Fjord only 2.6% of the added metabolite-label and 1.7% of the pyrene-label were mineralized to 14CO2 during 175 days incubation. Pre-exposure of the pristine sediment to unlabelled pyrene for 60 days increased the mineralization potential for 14C-pyrene substantially, as 81.2% was mineralized to 14CO2 during 95 days incubation, whereas 14C-pyrene metabolite label was unaffected by pre-exposure to pyrene. In comparison, naturally aged bunker-oil contaminated sediment did not show elevated potentials for mineralization of neither 14C-pyrene nor 14C-metabolites. Six bacterial strains of known pyrene degraders were tested for growth on crystalline 1-hydroxypyrene. 1-Hydroxypyrene is the only intermediate eucaryotic metabolite of pyrene. The results indicate that 1-hydroxypyrene was not utilized as a sole source of carbon and energy by any of them. In addition, respiration was depressed in all six strains when exposed to crystalline 1-Hydroxypyrene, demonstrating an acute toxic effect of 1-hydroxypyrene. The results presented here suggest that microbial degradation of pyrene is not enhanced by release of aqueous and polar metabolites by marine invertebrates.     

Dissolved oxygen and dietary phosphorus modulate utilization and effluent partitioning of phosphorus in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) aquaculture

Phosphorus (P) is the limiting nutrient in freshwater primary production, and excessive levels cause premature eutrophication. P levels in aquaculture effluents are now tightly regulated. Increasing our understanding of waste P partitioning into soluble, particulate, and settleable fractions is important in the management of effluent P. When water supply is limited, dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) decreases below the optimum levels. Therefore, we studied effects of DO (6 and 10mg/L) and dietary P (0.7 and 1.0% P) on rainbow trout growth, P utilization, and effluent P partitioning. Biomass increased by 40% after 3 weeks. DO at 10mg/L significantly increased fish growth and feed efficiency, and increased the amount of P in the soluble fraction of the effluent. Soluble effluent P was greater in fish fed 1.0% P. DO increases fish growth and modulates P partitioning in aquaculture effluent.     

Halogenated compounds in a dated sediment core of the Teltow Canal, Berlin: time related sediment contamination

To study the recent contamination history of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane) and its metabolites, as well as methoxychlor (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)ethane), chlorfenson (4-chlorophenyl-p-chlorobenzenesulfonate), and further halogenated aromatics, a sediment core was collected from the Teltow Canal in Berlin (Germany). The sampling site is located nearby a former industrial point source, where recently analyses on pre-samples have indicated high concentrations of halogenated organic compounds. The deposition time of the investigated sediments was determined by gamma-spectrometrical dating. Pollution trends of selected contaminants were attributed to a time period between 5 and 10 years. Concentration profiles reflect not only the recent pollution history of these compounds, but also the time-depending effects of the ban, restriction and termination of DDT-production in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). DDT and other chlorinated aromatic compounds were produced onsite until the late 1980s. Maximum values of 133 mg kg(-1) (dry weight) for p,p'-DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane) and approximately 100 mg kg(-1) (dry weight) for p,p'-DDMS (1-chloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane), main metabolites of the anaerobic degradation of DDT, were determined. The occurrence of all selected contaminants, most of which have been banned more than 10 years ago, demonstrate recent contamination pathways, and the necessity of a continuous long-term monitoring of the affected environment.     

The impact of pumped water from a de-watered Magnesian limestone quarry on an adjacent wetland: Thrislington, County Durham, UK

Although quarrying is often cited as a potential threat to wetland systems, there is a lack of relevant, quantitative case studies in the literature. The impact of pumped groundwater discharged from a quarry into a wetland area was assessed relative to reference conditions in an adjacent fen wetland that receives only natural runoff. Analysis of vegetation patterns at the quarry wetland site, using Detrended Correspondence Analysis and the species indicator values of Ellenberg, revealed a clear disparity between community transitions in the quarry wetland and the reference site. Limited establishment of moisture-sensitive taxa, the preferential proliferation of robust wetland species and an overall shift towards lower species diversity in the quarry wetland were explicable primarily by the physico-chemical environment created by quarry dewatering. This encompassed high pH (up to 12.8), sediment-rich effluent creating a nutrient-poor substrate with poor moisture retention in the quarry wetland, and large fluctuations in water levels.     

Partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls in octanol/water, triolein/water, and membrane/water systems

The use of the octanol/water partition constant (Kow) as a surrogate parameter for lipid/water partitioning of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was reassessed by comparing the measured Kow of 12 selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) with partition constants in triolein/water (Ktw) and membrane/water (Kmw) systems. Kow and Ktw were measured by the slow-stirring method. Kmw was measured by an adaptation of the slow-stirring method using suspensions of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine liposomes. Partitioning of POPs to octanol, triolein, and liposomes is similar but not equal. The log-log correlation for Kow and Ktw is excellent (r2 = 0.982) and that for Kow and Kmw is somewhat weaker (r2 = 0.856). Ktw values are greater than Kow by a factor of 1.6. Kmw of some PCB congeners exceed both Kow and Ktw by an order of magnitude. The differences are attributed to different PCB activity coefficients in the different lipid phases. The results imply that Kow can be used as a reasonable conservative estimate of lipid/water partitioning. But the observed differences between Kow and Kmw also indicate that using Kow to predict accumulation of POPs, particularly highly hydrophobic ones, in the polar lipids of organisms will underestimate their concentrations at equilibrium.