Fifteen years of monitoring of POPs in the breast milk, Czech Republic, 1994–2009: trends and factors

Background, aim and scope

The breast milk has been recommended to carry out as a monitoring tool for effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDX), hexachlorbenzene (HCB) and isomers of hexachlocyklohexane (HCHs) have been monitored in the breast milk of nursing mothers in the Czech Republic since 1994 as a part of The Environmental Health Monitoring System. Knowledge about long-term POPs distribution and accumulation in the human body is crucial to understanding uptake, degradation and subsequent effects as well as to conduct risk assessments. The main aim of this study is to evaluate 15-years long-term trends of selected POPs in human milk in the Czech Republic and to elucidate the questionnaire information about the age, parity and social habits, to the final concentrations. This effectiveness evaluation of POPs restriction is quite precisely after 15-years monitoring campaigns.

Materials, methods and results

The human milk samples (4,753 samples) were analysed for a number of chlorinated organic chemicals including PCBs and selected chlorinated pesticides (OCPs, HCB, HCHs, DDX). The relative change of concentration per year for all chemicals was analysed. The remaining percentages of POPs in breast milk in comparison to 1994 are also expressed. Czech population half-lives of POPs in breast milk, derived from either linear or exponential models were computed.

Conclusions and perspectives

The long-term data indicates a continuation of a decreasing trend of POPs concentrations on breast milk. Our study did not confirm lactation and parity as an important outflux resulting in the decrease in concentrations in mothers, which is in the antagonism with most of the studies. The higher BMI was associated with higher amounts of HCB and lower amounts of higher chlorinated PCBs. The results confirm the effectiveness of restrictions of POPs usage in the Czech Republic. This ongoing long-term study is very useful tool for parametric effectiveness evaluation of Stockholm Convention.     

Natural attenuation is enhanced in previously contaminated and coniferous forest soils

Purpose  

Prevalence of organic pollutants or their natural analogs in soil is often assumed to lead to adaptation in the bacterial community, which results in enhanced bioremediation if the soil is later contaminated. In this study, the effects of soil type and contamination history on diesel oil degradation and bacterial adaptation were studied.     

Effect of sewer headspace air-flow on hydrogen sulfide removal by corroding concrete surfaces

Hydrogen sulfide adsorption and oxidation by corroding concrete surfaces at different air-flows were quantified using a pilot-scale sewer reactor. The setup was installed in an underground sewer research station with direct access to wastewater. Hydrogen sulfide gas was injected into the headspace of the sewer reactor once per hour in peak concentrations of approximately 500 ppmv. The investigated range of sewer air-flows was representative for natural ventilated sewer systems, and covered both laminar and turbulent conditions. The experiments demonstrated a significant effect of sewer air-flow on the kinetics of hydrogen sulfide removal from the sewer headspace. From the lowest to the highest air-flow investigated, the rate of adsorption and oxidation increased more than threefold. At all air-flows, the reaction kinetics followed a simple n-th order rate equation with a reaction order of 0.8. The effect of air-flow on hydrogen sulfide adsorption and oxidation kinetics was quantified by a simple empirical equation.     

Environmental effects of soil contamination by shale fuel oils

Estonia is currently one of the leading producers of shale oils in the world. Increased production, transportation and use of shale oils entail risks of environmental contamination. This paper studies the behaviour of two shale fuel oils (SFOs)—‘VKG D’ and ‘VKG sweet’—in different soil matrices under natural climatic conditions. Dynamics of SFOs’ hydrocarbons (C10–C40), 16 PAHs, and a number of soil heterotrophic bacteria in oil-spiked soils was investigated during the long-term (1 year) outdoor experiment. In parallel, toxicity of aqueous leachates of oil-spiked soils to aquatic organisms (crustaceans Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus and marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri) and terrestrial plants (Sinapis alba and Hordeum vulgare) was evaluated. Our data showed that in temperate climate conditions, the degradation of SFOs in the oil-contaminated soils was very slow: after 1 year of treatment, the decrease of total hydrocarbons’ content in the soil did not exceed 25 %. In spite of the comparable chemical composition of the two studied SFOs, the VKG sweet posed higher hazard to the environment than the heavier fraction (VKG D) due to its higher mobility in the soil as well as higher toxicity to aquatic and terrestrial species. Our study demonstrated that the correlation between chemical parameters (such as total hydrocarbons or total PAHs) widely used for the evaluation of the soil pollution levels and corresponding toxicity to aquatic and terrestrial organisms was weak.     

On-farm measurement of electrical conductivity for the estimation of ammonium nitrogen concentration in pig slurry

Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) slurry (PS) is commonly applied as fertilizer to agricultural fields. Knowledge of PS nitrogen content is essential for good management, but PS nitrogen content is highly variable, not only between farms but also within a farm. Laboratory analysis of animal slurries is often expensive and impractical for routine farmer use. Therefore, when slurry is spread on land, its fertilizer value is generally unknown, resulting in the risk of pollution. In this work, two rapid and suitable for field use methods for determining PS ammonium N (NH(4)+-N) concentration (Quantofix and conductimetry) are evaluated. The electrical conductivity of a dilution 1 PS:9 distilled water had better results than Quantofix, did not need reagents, and gave a direct value of NH(4)+-N concentrations (range, 1.0-7.6 kg NH(4)+-N m(-3)). The conductimetry method allows the use of alternative waters with EC <1.9 dS m(-1) for dilution. This method is being introduced to farmers in northeast Spain to improve PS management and has been well received due to its low cost and ease of use.     

Organic Farming Benefits Local Plant Diversity in Vineyard Farms Located in Intensive Agricultural Landscapes

The majority of research on organic farming has considered arable and grassland farming systems in Central and Northern Europe, whilst only a few studies have been carried out in Mediterranean agro-systems, such as vineyards, despite their economic importance. The main aim of the study was to test whether organic farming enhances local plant species richness in both crop and non-crop areas of vineyard farms located in intensive conventional landscapes. Nine conventional and nine organic farms were selected in an intensively cultivated region (i.e. no gradient in landscape composition) in northern Italy. In each farm, vascular plants were sampled in one vineyard and in two non-crop linear habitats, grass strips and hedgerows, adjacent to vineyards and therefore potentially influenced by farming. We used linear mixed models to test the effect of farming, and species longevity (annual vs. perennial) separately for the three habitat types. In our intensive agricultural landscapes organic farming promoted local plant species richness in vineyard fields, and grassland strips while we found no effect for linear hedgerows. Differences in species richness were not associated to differences in species composition, indicating that similar plant communities were hosted in vineyard farms independently of the management type. This negative effect of conventional farming was probably due to the use of herbicides, while mechanical operations and mowing regime did not differ between organic and conventional farms. In grassland strips, and only marginally in vineyards, we found that the positive effect of organic farming was more pronounced for perennial than annual species.     

Wildland–Urban Interface Fires and Socioeconomic Conditions: A Case Study of a Northwestern Patagonia City

In many regions of the world, fires are primarily of anthropogenic origin. In northwestern Patagonia, the number of fires is not correlated with meteorological variables, but is concentrated in urban areas. This study was conducted in the wildland–urban interface (WUI) area of San Carlos de Bariloche (Patagonia, Argentina), within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. WUI fires are particularly problematic because, besides people and goods, they represent a danger to protected areas. We studied the relationship between fire records and socioeconomic indicators within the WUI of San Carlos de Bariloche. We conducted a Multiple Correspondence Factorial Analysis and an Ascendant Hierarchical Classification of the city neighborhoods. The results show that the neighborhoods in Bariloche can be divided into three classes: High Socioeconomic Fire Risk neighborhoods, including neighborhoods with the highest fire rates, where people have low instruction level, high levels of unsatisfied basic needs and high unemployment levels; Low Socioeconomic Fire Risk neighborhoods, that groups neighborhoods which present the opposite characterization, and Moderate Socioeconomic Fire Risk neighborhoods, which are more heterogeneous. Once neighborhoods were classified, a Socioeconomic Fire Risk map was generated, supplementing the existing WUI Fire Danger map. Our results emphasize the relevance of socioeconomic variables to fire policies.     

Farm Crops Depredation by European Bison (Bison bonasus) in the Vicinity of Forest Habitats in Northeastern Poland

European bison, the largest mammal in Europe, after being exterminated in the wild and then restored during the 20th century is still listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) as a species vulnerable to extinction. However, the increasing number of European bison, through creation of new and expansion of existing populations strongly increases the risk of human-bison conflict in the near future. We analyzed the depredation of farm crops by bison and the factors influencing the level of damage in the vicinity of two forest areas inhabited by bison in northeastern Poland. Between 2000 and 2010, the total cost of compensation was 196,200. The level of damage and amount of compensation was increasing from year to year in both forests and correlated with the number of bison. The majority of damage (57?% of cases) was recorded in winter (December-March). Snow depth and temperature did not influence the frequency of damage. The incidences of damage increased with decreasing distance from the woodland patches, therefore, 69?% of cases in Bia?owie?a Forest, and 80?% in Knyszyn Forest were recorded closer than 0.5?km from nearest woodland patch. The majority of the crops damaged by bison were cereals (61?%) but also hay (20?%) and rape (13?%). When compared to the availability of crops, bison strongly selected rape and rye in both regions. This study is the first addressing the increasing problem of human-bison conflict in re-introduced populations and analyzing long-term data on crop depredation. Such situations probably occur in the majority of growing and expanding bison populations, however, it has not yet to be monitored and is rather neglected in post-Soviet countries.     

Identification of Swamp Deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cervus duvauceli duvauceli</Emphasis> Cuvier) Potential Habitat in Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve,Uttarakhand, India Using Multi-Criteria Analysis

The present study aims to identify the potential habitat for swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli Cuvier) in Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve in the Uttarakhand province of India using multi-criteria analysis. The study area represents one of the last remnant habitats of the flagship species, the swamp deer in Uttarakhand, which is considered as vulnerable. The study showed that only 6.08% of the study area (225 km²) was highly suitable to suitable for the swamp deer. An area of 135.52 km² (60.23%) turned out to be moderately suitable. Within the officially designated Conservation Reserve (area 37.84 km²), 10.91% (4.13 km²) area was found highly suitable to suitable, while 74.19% (28.07 km²) happens to be moderately suitable. Only 14 km² area, which was found as suitable habitat for swamp deer falls short of the space required by a population of 134 animals. The problem could be mitigated if the agricultural land (2.47 km²) adjacent to the Jhilmil Jheel is brought under the Reserve management. This would provide additional area to meet the fodder requirement. The study brings out a particularly grim situation with limited options for conservation and management of the swamp deer in the Indo-Gangetic plains. It also emphasizes the role of geospatial techniques in quick appraisal of habitat attributes and identification of potential sites for protected areas.     

Soil Properties Predict Plant Community Development of Mitigation Wetlands Created in the Virginia Piedmont,USA

The study investigated vegetative and soil properties in four created mitigation wetlands, ranging in age from three to ten years, all created in the Virginia Piedmont. Vegetation attributes included percent cover, richness (S), diversity (H′), floristic quality assessment index (FQAI), prevalence index (PI), and productivity [i.e., peak above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass]. Soil attributes included soil organic matter (SOM), gravimetric soil moisture (GSM), pH, and bulk density (D_b) for the top 10 cm. Species dominance (e.g., Juncus effusus, Scirpus cyperinus, Arthraxon hispidus) led to a lack of differences in vegetative attributes between sites. However, site-based differences were found for GSM, pH, and SOM (P < 0.001). Soil attributes were analyzed using Euclidean cluster analysis, resulting in four soil condition (SC) categories where plots were grouped based on common attribute levels (i.e., SC1 > SC2 > SC3 > SC4, trended more to less developed). When vegetation attributes were compared between SC groups, greater SOM, lower D_b, more circumneutral pH, and higher GSM, all indicative of maturation, were associated with higher H′ (P < 0.05), FQAI (P < 0.05), and total and volunteer percent cover (P < 0.05), and lower AGB (P < 0.001), PI (P < 0.05), and seeded percent cover (P < 0.05). The outcome of the study shows that site age does not necessarily equate with site development with soil and vegetation developmental rates varying both within and among sites. The inclusion of soil attributes in post-construction monitoring should be required to enhance our understanding and prediction of developmental trajectory of created mitigation wetlands.