Structural confirmation of the sea ice biomarker IP25 found in Arctic marine sediments

IP₂₅ is a highly branched isoprenoid and an organic geochemical biomarker that is produced by some Arctic sea ice diatoms. IP₂₅ has previously been used in Arctic palaeo sea ice reconstruction studies and as a tracer for studying Arctic food webs. Here, the molecular structure of IP₂₅ has been confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy following large-scale extraction from marine sediments obtained from the Canadian Arctic and purification using a combination of open-column and HPLC chromatographic methods. The structure of IP₂₅ was consistent between the three different sampling locations and was identical to that found previously for this biomarker following synthesis from a closely related highly branched isoprenoid diene. Since this study represents the first structural characterisation of IP₂₅ in sediments, future analysis of sedimentary IP₂₅ for palaeo Arctic sea ice reconstructions can be carried out with much greater confidence.     

Sources and behaviour of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in Spanish sewage sludge

Presence, sources and behaviour of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were evaluated in Spanish sewage sludge. A total of 120 samples were seasonally collected from October 2005 to September 2006 at 31 urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Concentrations of PBDEs (ranging between 57.5 and 2606 ng/g dry weight) were two to three orders of magnitude higher than those obtained for PCDDs (0.17-5.03 ng/g d.w.) and PCDFs (0.05-3.07 ng/g d.w.). All the samples presented International Toxicity Equivalents (I-TEQ) levels (ranging between 2.06 and 44.4 ng/kg d.w.) below the limit values proposed by European Union for land application. Congener patterns evaluation revealed that the use of Deca-BDE commercial mixture seems to be the major source of PBDEs in the sludge. Nevertheless, origin of PCDD/Fs should be related to atmospheric deposition, faeces and presence of PCDD/Fs precursors such as pentachlorophenol in the sludge. No correlations (p > 0.05) were found between pollutant concentrations (PBDEs and PCDD/Fs) and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) characteristics (capacity nor sludge rate). Lower levels of PBDEs and PCDFs were found in WWTPs using biological nitrogen and phosphorous elimination, suggesting that these compounds are susceptible of microbial elimination. According to our knowledge, this is the first work comparing together both PBDEs and PCDD/Fs sludge patterns.     

Measurement of machinery safety level: European framework for product control: Particular case: Spanish framework for market surveillance

Current brief aims to introduce the concept of safety in European industrial sectors, particularly in mechanics and machinery industry. It also highlights the importance to ensure an even level of machinery safety along the European Union, setting up the appropriate frame and procedures to keep it under control. An overview over market surveillance activities for machinery (regulations, main actors and their roles) first at Community level, and secondly an approach to one of the Member States is also introduced.     

Use of an inverse dispersion technique for estimating ammonia emission from surface-applied slurry

Ammonia (NH₃) emission from land application of manure is typically measured using the integrated horizontal flux (IHF) micrometeorological method. However, there are some situations in which alternative techniques (such as an inverse dispersion modelling technique) might be preferable, for example when measuring from large or irregularly shaped source areas. In this study, an inverse dispersion technique using the backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) model, with 2 different experimental configurations, was compared with the Integrated Horizontal Flux method (i.e. IHF), which was used as reference technique. Pig slurry was surface-applied at 125 kg N ha^?1 to bare soil on a large plot (80 × 125 m). Cumulative emissions were 19.3, 21.2 and 18.4 kg N ha^?1 from the IHF and the bLS technique (experimental configurations I and II), respectively. Mean flux within each sampling period as estimated by the two techniques compared extremely well, with a slope not significantly different from 1 and r² of 0.99. Although limited in extent, this dataset agree with a previous study in demonstrating the use of the bLS technique with longer period time-averaged concentration measurements.     

Distribution and biological impact of dioxin-like compounds in risk zones along the Ebro River basin (Spain)

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the environmental impact associated to PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in the Ebro River basin. Sediments and fish from several species were sampled at three sites with different historical pollution records, including the Barbastro area with different industrial activities, and the Flix and Monzón sites, associated to heavy organochlorine compound pollution. Seventeen toxic PCDDs/Fs and 12 dioxin-like PCBs were analyzed by GC-MS. The results obtained indicated significant accumulation of dioxin-like PCBs, but not PCDDs/Fs, in sediments and fish at the Flix site compared to the other sites. Concomitantly, cytochrome p450 1A (CYP1A) expression, a known indicator for pollution by dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, was significantly elevated in barbel (Barbus graellsii) from the Flix site, compared to the population from the Barbastro site. CYP1A expression correlated with the concentration of dioxin-like PCBs in the fish fat, whereas no significant correlation was found with PCDDs/Fs concentrations. Our data suggest a significant biological impact at the Flix site, closely related to the presence of dioxin-like PCBs, whereas the PCDDs/Fs contribution to this impact appears to be non-significant, at least in the studied sites.     

Microwave and Fenton's reagent oxidation of wastewater

We compared two H₂O₂ oxidation methods for the treatment of industrial wastewater: oxidation using Fenton's reagent [H₂O₂/Fe(II)] and microwave irradiation. Both methods were applied to the treatment of synthetic phenol solutions (100 mg L⁻¹) and of an industrial effluent containing a mixture of ionic and non-ionic surfactants at high load (20 g L⁻¹ of COD). The effects of initial pH, initial H₂O₂ concentration, Fenton catalyst amount and irradiation time were assessed. According to the oxidation of phenol, it has been found that the oxidation by Fenton's reagent is dependent on the pH, contrary to the microwave system, which is not influenced by this parameter. For both systems, a limiting amount of oxidant has been found; above this point the oxidation of phenol is not improved by a further addition of peroxide. The oxidation of the industrial surfactant effluent has only been successful with the Fenton's reagent. In this case, large amounts of ferrous ions are necessary for the precipitation of the ionic surfactants of the effluent, followed by the oxidation of the non-ionic constituents of the solution. Electronic Publication     

Deciduous shrubs for ozone bioindication: Hibiscus syriacus as an example

Ozone-like visible injury was detected on Hibiscus syriacus plants used as ornamental hedges. Weekly spray of the antiozonant ethylenediurea (EDU, 300 ppm) confirmed that the injury was induced by ambient ozone. EDU induced a 75% reduction in visible injury. Injury was more severe on the western than on the eastern exposure of the hedge. This factor of variability should be considered in ozone biomonitoring programmes. Seeds were collected and seedlings were artificially exposed to ozone in filtered vs. not-filtered (+30 ppb) Open-Top Chambers. The level of exposure inducing visible injury in the OTC seedlings was lower than that in the ambient-grown hedge. The occurrence of visible injury in the OTC confirmed that the ozone sensitivity was heritable and suggested that symptomatic plants of this deciduous shrub population can be successfully used as ozone bioindicators. EDU is recommended as a simple tool for diagnosing ambient ozone visible injury on field vegetation.