Adaptation of the ion exchange method for the determination of the free ionic fraction of cadmium in solution

The understanding of the availability of a metal in soil necessitates a minimum knowledge about its speciation in the soil solution. Here, we evaluated an alternative to the use of ion exchangers for estimating the free ionic fraction of cadmium (FCd) in solution. It is based on the exchange selectivity coefficient (VK) rather than the distribution coefficient (DK) to estimate FCd. Because VK for the Cd-Ca exchange for the used Amberlite resin was independent of the solution Ca concentration (0.5-7.5 mM) and pH (range: 4.5-6), the experiment on a solution mimicking the analyzed solution to estimate VK was not necessary. The influence of variable Ca and Mg concentrations in solution on FCd was assessed in synthetic solutions containing either citrate or malate. The best way to estimate FCd seemed to treat the exchange data as if Ca was solely present. However, neither the proposed approach nor those applying DK prevent the overestimation of FCd when Ca is partly complexed in the analyzed solution. A method intending to estimate two replicates of FCd for a given, unique solution was also studied on solutions issued from sorption-desorption experiments performed on a humic podzol. It consists of two successive supplies of a known resin mass to a unique sample. Both estimates were close and not significantly different.     

Potentials for the prevention of municipal solid waste

Waste prevention has been assigned the highest priority under European waste management law. However, the initiatives which have been taken so far have not reduced the regular annual increase in total waste arising across Europe. The purpose of this paper is to quantify and analyze in depth the prevention potential for selected case studies (advertising material, beverage packaging, diapers, food waste, waste from events). Only such measures are considered, which do not require a reduction of consumption. The prevention potentials for household waste in theory are exemplified for the city of Vienna, also with a view to barriers that may reduce the achievable prevention potential. The results show that the prevention potentials for the analyzed individual measures can reach an order of magnitude of some 10% of the relevant waste stream (e.g., advertising material, beverage packaging), or rather 1-3% of municipal solid waste. The prevention potentials appear to be relatively small in relation to the total municipal waste quantities. Methodological shortcomings, such as the missing availability of basic data, make it difficult to exactly estimate the impact of waste prevention measures on waste quantities, which is only one of the effects of waste prevention among other ecological, social and economic aspects.     

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for atrazine monitoring in water samples

The implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requires the establishment of monitoring programs. However, conventional procedures for sample preparation prior to chromatographic analysis are rather expensive and time consuming, being the development of cost-effective and easy tool a necessity. The aim of this work was to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) able to determine atrazine in water samples. Matrix effects evaluation showed that the increase of humic acid (HA) concentration leads to flattened calibration curves and to the loss of the sigmoidal shape. However, such interference was overcome, by the presence of an environmental sample buffer, incubated together with the samples. Recoveries from 88.5 to 119.2 % were obtained in the presence of HA concentrations up to 20 mg?L^?1. An analytical range from 0.003 to 1 μg?L^?1 was obtained, and atrazine was detected in a sewage treatment plant with concentrations ranging from 14 to 52 ng?L^?1.     

Environmental risks of farmed and barren alkaline coal ash landfills in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The disposal of coal combustion residues (CCR) has led to a significant consumption of land in the West Balkan region. In Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina) we studied previously soil-covered (farmed) and barren CCR landfills including management practises, field ageing of CCR and the transfer of trace elements into crops, wild plants and wastewaters. Soil tillage resulted in mixing of cover soil with CCR. Medicago sativa showed very low Cu:Mo ratios (1.25) which may cause hypocuprosis in ruminants. Total loads of inorganic pollutants in the CCR transport water, but not pH ( approximately 12), were below regulatory limits of most EU countries. Arsenic concentrations in CCR transport water were <2microgl(-1) whereas reductive conditions in an abandoned landfill significantly enhanced concentrations in leachates (44microgl(-1)). The opposite pattern was found for Cr likely due to large initial leaching of CrVI. Public use of landfills, including farming, should be based on a prior risk assessment due to the heterogeneity of CCR.     

Allocation of Streamflow Depletion Impacts under Nonlinear Conditions

A method is proposed for the equitable allocation of impacts of groundwater pumping on streamflow. The method is intended for cases in which the pumping activity of multiple entities has impacts on streamflow and these impacts are computed by perturbation. It is shown that when the response of streamflow to pumping is nonlinear, simple methods for impact calculation can fail. The proposed method is developed for the case when there are four entities that impact streamflow. The method relies on the calculation of impacts by perturbation of the simulation model from different base pumping levels. When four entities are evaluated, 16 runs of the simulation model are required. It is shown the proposed method produces estimated impacts for each individual entity that are equitable because they meet the requirement that the impacts of each entity sum to the total impacts of all entities acting together and the impacts attributed to each entity do not depend on the order of calculation. A brief example demonstrates the approach.     

Evaluating Hydrologically Connected Surface Water and Groundwater Using a Groundwater Model

Determination of the nature and extent of the connection between groundwater and surface water is of paramount importance to managing water supplies. The development of analyses that detail the surface water‐groundwater system may lead to more effective utilization of available water. A tool was developed to help determine the effects of groundwater and surface water interactions. The software tool includes two graphic user interfaces to allow full compatibility with numerical MODFLOW groundwater models. This case study shows the tool, in conjunction with MODFLOW groundwater models and carefully designed scenarios, can successfully calculate the rates of stream‐groundwater interactions, thereby providing the basis for designating management areas with the most significant hydrologic impact. This tool can be applied in other regions with similar settings and needs for integrated water management.     

Biogeochemical Control of the Coupled CO2–O2 System of the Baltic Sea: A Review of the Results of Baltic-C

Past, present, and possible future changes in the Baltic Sea acid–base and oxygen balances were studied using different numerical experiments and a catchment–sea model system in several scenarios including business as usual, medium scenario, and the Baltic Sea Action Plan. New CO₂ partial pressure data provided guidance for improving the marine biogeochemical model. Continuous CO₂ and nutrient measurements with high temporal resolution helped disentangle the biogeochemical processes. These data and modeling indicate that traditional understandings of the nutrient availability–organic matter production relationship do not necessarily apply to the Baltic Sea. Modeling indicates that increased nutrient loads will not inhibit future Baltic Sea acidification; instead, increased mineralization and biological production will amplify the seasonal surface pH cycle. The direction and magnitude of future pH changes are mainly controlled by atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Apart from decreasing pH, we project a decreasing calcium carbonate saturation state and increasing hypoxic area.     

Water quality guidelines for chemicals: learning lessons to deliver meaningful environmental metrics

Many jurisdictions around the globe have well-developed regulatory frameworks for the derivation and implementation of water quality guidelines (WQGs) or their equivalent (e.g. environmental quality standards, criteria, objectives or limits). However, a great many more still do not have such frameworks and are looking to introduce practical methods to manage chemical exposures in aquatic ecosystems. There is a potential opportunity for learning and sharing of data and information between experts from different jurisdictions in order to deliver efficient and effective methods to manage potential aquatic risks, including the considerable reduction in the need for aquatic toxicity testing and the rapid identification of common challenges. This paper reports the outputs of an international workshop with representatives from 14 countries held in Hong Kong in December 2011. The aim of the workshop and this paper was to identify ‘good practice’ in the development of WQGs to deliver to a range of environmental management goals. However, it is important to broaden this consideration to cover often overlooked facets of implementable WQGs, such as demonstrable field validation (i.e. does the WQG protect what it is supposed to?), fit for purpose of monitoring frameworks (often an on-going cost) and finally how are these monitoring data used to support management decisions in a manner that is transparent and understandable to stakeholders. It is clear that regulators and the regulated community have numerous pressures and constraints on their resources. Therefore, the final section of this paper addresses potential areas of collaboration and harmonisation. Such approaches could deliver a consistent foundation from which to assess potential chemical aquatic risks, including, for example, the adoption of bioavailability-based approaches for metals, whilst reducing administrative and technical burdens in jurisdictions.     

Molecular studies on the ouabain binding site of the Na+, K+-ATPase in milkweed butterflies

Summary. The Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is insensitive to the inhibition by cardiac glycosides due to an amino acid replacement: histidine instead of asparagine at position 122 of the α-subunit representing the ouabain binding site. By PCR amplification of the DNA sequence of this site, a PCR product of 270 bp was obtained from DNA extracted from Danainae species (Danaus plexippus, D. chrysippus, D. gillipus, D. philene, D. genutia, Tirumala hamata, Euploea spp., Parantica weiskei, P. melusine), Sphingidae (Daphnis nerii) and mimics of milkweed butterflies (Hypolimnas missipus, Limenitis archippus and L. arthemis, Nymphalidae). Analysis of the nucleotide sequences revealed that the single point mutation in the ouabain binding domain (AAC-Asn for CAC-His) was present only in Danaus plexippus, but not in the other species investigated. Since these milkweed butterflies also store cardenolides, other structural modifications of the Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase may have occurred or other strategies of cardenolide tolerance have been developed. Received 15 May 2000; accepted 29 June 2000