Soil Zinc contamination from corrosion of galvanized structures

The present work relates to galvanized structures with several years of time life subjected to atmospheric corrosion, like galvanized high tension steel pylons. The mass and fate of zinc released is evaluated both via empirical and experimental procedures. The corrosion rate determination requested atmospheric condition characterization, especially for SO 2 concentration and experimental activities focused on soil sampling around pylons. The soil zinc content, total and exchangeable, is determinates by different analytical procedures. The zinc diffusion in environment and the zinc extension under the top soil is evaluated using 1-dimensional mathematical model for miscible species in porous soil.     

A Bayesian network highlighting the linkages between landscape structure and the local economy: the case of agritourism in lowland areas of Northern Italy

Linking landscapes to socio-economic benefits necessarily requires considering the usability of landscape structure. To do so, however, depends on the interaction between users and producers of landscape-related services. We illustrate this interaction with a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) in a case study analysing the connection between residents' perceptions of landscape structure and agritourism restaurants in the eastern lowlands of Ferrara (Italy). We use estimates of prior and conditional probabilities from a mix of different data: land use, survey data, regional statistics, and expert judgements to show the likely effects of the landscape structure on the local economy by using intermediate forms of services (i.e. second-order services). The second-order service is highly influenced by the agritourism density and by the frequency with which customers dine at agritourism restaurants and less by landscape attractiveness, confirming the importance of the supply and demand of second-order services in the provision of landscape-related services.     

A new methodology to calculate the environmental protection index (Ep). A case study applied to a company producing composite materials

Environmental indicators can be used as a first stage in progress towards comprehensive environmental impact measures [J. Environ. Manage 65/3 (2002) 285]. In this article, we develop a 'pollutant interaction matrix method' that allows calculation of a global environmental protection index (Ep) in order to verify the eco-compatibility of an industrial activity. Two methods are proposed for the Ep index evaluation (which represents the numerical measure of the environmental sustainability): the Direct Method (Epd) and the Weighted Method (Epw). Both methods need to define, in the whole industrial process, homogeneous sectors (defined as construction sites where activities of the same type are carried out). Furthermore, for each activity a set of parameters (t, duration of pollution effect, P, quantity of pollutant produced,G, hazard of the pollutant) are required to evaluate the relative pollution index Y. All indices calculations were carried out using a set of matrices. The correct use of Ep evaluation provides an improvement in the total environmental performance of companies because it points out possible critical operations in each homogeneous sector which require solutions. The methodology is applied to evaluate the environmental pollution risk of a company that produces polymer materials and to improve their environmental performance. The results obtained show that the whole productive process has a low environmental impact factor. Nevertheless the applied methodology puts in evidence some processes that generate local pollution in specific areas of the factory and which could be dangerous for the workers' health.     

Fractionation of elements by particle size of ashes ejected from Copahue Volcano,Argentina

The volcano Copahue, Neuquén province, Argentina has shown infrequent explosive eruptions since the 18th century. Recently, eruptive activity and seismicity were registered in the period July-October, 2000. As a consequence, ash clouds were dispersed by winds and affected Caviahue village located at about 9 km east of the volcano. Samples of deposited particles from this area were collected during this episode for their chemical analysis to determine elements of concern with respect to the health of the local population and its environment. Different techniques were used to evaluate the distribution of elements in four particle size ranges from 36 to 300 microm. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was selected to detect major components namely, minerals, silicate glass, fragments of rocks and sulfurs. Major and minor elements (Al, Ca, Cl, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, S, Si and Ti), were detected by energy dispersive X ray analysis (EDAX). Trace element (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, U, V and Zn) content was quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nuclear activation analysis (NAA) was employed for the determination of Ce, Co, Cs, Eu, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta and Yb. An enrichment was observed in the smallest size fraction of volcanic ashes for four elements (As, Cd, Cu and Sb) of particular interest from the environmental and human health point of view.     

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening contamination by chlorophenols in environmental waters

The development of an immunoassay for screening contamination by chlorophenols is presented. Two haptens were synthesized and conjugated to immunizing proteins to raise rabbit polyclonal antibodies. The antibody-coated format (direct) gave better sensitivity than the conjugate-coated format (indirect) if 2,4,6-trichlorophenol is used as target analyte. The measurement range was 86.4 microg l(-1) to 0.7 microg l(-1), with an average I50 of 7.8 microg l(-1) and a detection limit of 0.2 microg l(-1). The assay detects the presence of trichloropyridinol and other chlorophenols such as di-, tetra- and pentachlorophenols constituting thus a suitable tool for the early warning of the presence of such family contaminants. The optimized method permits the detection of the most important chlorophenols in a fast and reproducible way using no more than one antibody and a single assay. The results achieved with water samples spiked with different chlorophenols fit with a multiple linear regression model when expressing the total concentration of chlorophenols as equivalent of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (P < 0.01), demonstrating the usefulness of the assay as a screening tool to detect contamination by chlorophenols.     

Adsorption of picloram on clays nontronite,illite and kaolinite: equilibrium and herbicide-clays surface complexes

The picloram (PCM) adsorption on nontronite, illite and kaolinite was studied at pH 3, 5 and 7. The adsorption isotherms had well-fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models equations. The interactions of PCM with the clay mineral surfaces exhibited an anionic profile adsorption, with a decrease in adsorption when the pH increases. The PCM adsorption capacity increases in the following order: kaolinite?<?illite?<?nontronite. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of PCM-clay samples revealed that the picloram molecule does not enter into the clays basal space. The interaction of PCM with clays surface sites through nitrogen of the pyridine ring was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Due to the anionic form of PCM, the adsorption onto the external and edges surface sites of the clay minerals was proposed.     

Technological applications of organo-montmorillonites in the removal of pyrimethanil from water: adsorption/desorption and flocculation studies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Pyrimethanil (2-aniline-4, 6-dimethylpyrimidine, PRM) is used in fruit packing plants to control fungal infections and diseases. The effluents greatly...     

Spatial Patterns of Water Quality in the Cuiabá River Basin, Central Brazil

This study evaluates the spatial patterns of land occupation and their relationship to water quality in the Cuiabá River watershed, one of the main affluents of the Pantanal floodplain. The impact of farming and other land occupation forms were studied using a three year time series. Monitoring included 15 parameters at 21 stations with a total of 1266 different samples. Ten stations along the Cuiabá River were ordinated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). For an exploratory analysis in the spatial domain, sub-basins of the Cuiabá watershed were classified according to mean concentrations of selected water quality parameters. Supervised classification of digital Landsat ETM imagery and standard GIS techniques were applied to parameterize land use and occupation according to a watershed scale. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was then used to evaluate impacts of environmental and socio-economic factors on water quality.A Cuiabá headwater station only shows slightly elevated total coliform counts and concentrations of nutrients in the river after it passes regions of extensive cattle farming. After the confluence with the Manso River, nutrient and COD concentrations increase significantly, receiving loads from sub-basins under intensive agricultural land use, with mean annual concentrations up to 1.74 mg/L of total nitrogen (Kjedahl). Sub-watersheds with intensive fishing culture activities were shown to have significant impact on nitrogen concentrations, reaching mean concentrations of 2.66 mg/L of total nitrogen in the affluents. Most serious biological and chemical water pollution can be observed at stream outlets in the urban agglomeration of Cuiabá/Várzea Grande. Affluent pollution is reflected in the water quality of the Cuiabá River: subsequent monitoring stations in the urban area are ordinated on a gradient of increasing degradation of chemical and biological water quality. The auto-depuration capacity of the Cuiabá River is intact, but elevated concentrations of Phosphorous and Chemical Oxygen Demand can be observed as far away as the Pantanal floodplain, about 120 km downstream from the urban agglomeration.     

Environmental exposure of pharmaceuticals and musk fragrances in the Somes River before and after upgrading the municipal wastewater treatment plant Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Background, aim, and scope  

Pharmaceutically active substances are a class of emerging contaminants, which has led to increasing concern about potential environmental risks. After excretion, substantial amounts of unchanged pharmaceuticals and their metabolites are discharged into domestic wastewaters. The absence of data on the environmental exposure in Eastern Europe is significant, since use patterns and volumes differ from country to country. In Romania, the majority of wastewater, from highly populated cities and industrial complex zones, is still discharged into surface waters without proper treatment or after inefficient treatment. In respect to this, it is important to determine the environmental occurrence and behavior of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewaters and surface waters. The objective of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of selected PPCPs during the transport in the Somes River by mass flow analysis before and after upgrading a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Cluj-Napoca, which serves 350,000 inhabitants and is the largest plant discharging into the Somes River. The concentrations of PPCPs at Cluj-Napoca can be correlated with the high population and a high number of hospitals located in the catchment area leading to higher mass flows. The results of this study are expected to provide information, with respect to the Romanian conditions, for environmental scientists, WWTP operators, and legal authorities. The data should support the improvement of existing WWTPs and implementation of new ones where necessary and, therefore, minimize the input of contaminants into ambient waters.