Erprobung und Erfolgskontrolle eines Phytoremediations-verfahrens zur Sanierung Sprengstoff-kontaminierter B?den

Zusammenfassung  Die Befunde des in seiner Konzeption in Teil I dargestellten Freilandexperimentes dokumentieren die TNT-Abreicherung und Erholung des Standortes im Laufe der Phytoremediation. Das Monitoring umfasst Erhebungen im Feld (Nitroaromatengehalte in Boden, Sickerwasser und Pflanzen; Erfassung von Bodenorganismen und Streuabbau) und den Einsatz einer Biotestbatterie mit 6 Einzeltests. Die Daten belegen die hohe Heterogenit?t der TNT-Kontamination, eine rasche initiale Abreicherung und eine geringe Verlagerung von Nitroaromaten in Pflanzen und Sickerwasser. Die anf?nglich rasche Transformation des TNT zu Aminodinitrotoluolen l?sst nach 3 Monaten deutlich nach. Mit Hilfe der Biotestbatterie wird die Toxizit?t des Bodens differenziert beurteilbar; die boden-biologischen Befunde lassen Langzeitwirkungen der TNT-Belastung wahrscheinlich werden. Eine Gesamtbeurteilung des Projekts wird im dritten Teil der Artikelserie erfolgen. OnlineFirst: 10. 09. 2001     

Free phosphine from the anaerobic biosphere

The possible liberation of highly toxic and mutagenic phosphine from putrefying media raises the question of its significance as a problem of hygiene. Free phosphine was established by gas chromatography as a universal trace component in gas emitted from the anaerobic biosphere. Sources of phosphine include landfills, compost processing, sewage sludge, animal slurry and river sediments. We detected maximum concentrations in the order of 20 ppb(v/v).     

The European dioxin air emission inventory project--final results

Main results of the second stage of the so-called "European Dioxin Emission Inventory" are presented. They cover emission testing data gained from various facilities in the EU (among these the first emission measurements reported from Portugal and Greece) and some central European countries. Further, updated dioxin emission estimates for the most important emission sources in the 17 western European countries and an evaluation of the emission time trend from 1985 to 2005 are presented. The major conclusions are, that at present, iron ore sintering is likely to be the most important emission source type followed by the former "No. 1", municipal waste incineration; measurement data from a considerable number of installations are still missing, in particular from the metal industries in Spain and Italy; there still exist an unknown number of health care waste incinerators with flue gas PCDD/F concentrations above 100 ng I-TEQ/m3 which must be considered as important local sources; in general, considerable emission reduction has been achieved with respect to the industrial emission sources, whereas emissions from non-industrial sources hardly decreased; hence, in the near future the emissions from non-industrial sources are likely to exceed those from industrial installations; the goal of 90% emission reduction set in the 5th EU Action Programme will be achieved for some source types only.     

Tarsal secretion marks food sources in bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Summary Scent-marking of artificial food sources by workers of the bumblebee,Bombus terrestris, was investigated. Odour marks deposited on artificial flowers were subsequently collected and chemically analysed. Alkanes and alkenes were identified as the main components. The behaviour mediating capacity of synthetic mixtures of the identified compounds was bioassayed using an artificial flower system. A mixture of alkanes and alkenes, close to natural proportions, released regular foraging behaviour. The reaction proved to be dose-dependent.     

Optimierung der In-situ-Reaktortechnologie zur dezentralen Trinkwassergewinnung und Grundwasseraufbereitung unter modellhafter Untersuchung beteiligter Biofilme — Teil I

The subterrestrial groundwater treatment (in situ treatment) is a multifunctional technology which is effective for the removal of such water constituents as iron, manganese, arsenic and ammonia. The in situ treatment can be applied efficiently for decentralised water supply. Within the framework of a research project, biofilms which play an important role in the in situ treatment will be localised, isolated and examined. Microorganisms will be identified and characterised in order to make the in situ treatment controllable regarding both planning and design of facilities, and to increase the efficiency of the technology.     

No evidence for female mate choice based on genetic similarity in the túngara frog Physalaemus pustulosus

In most sexually reproducing animals, the behavior of one or both sexes during courtship critically influences the success at mating of the opposite sex. This behavior is often interpreted as “mate choice,” and there is great interest in why such choices are exercised. The explanation for the evolution of mate choice that has received the most attention and generated the most controversy is based on assumed genetic effects. In this study, we investigated whether female túngara frogs, which choose mates based on acoustic cues, have a preference for genetically less related males. Specifically, we determine if there is disassortive mating based on microsatellite markers, if there is information in the advertisement call that could be used to assess genetic similarity, and if females exhibit acoustic-based mating preferences that would promote choice for genetic diversity. Using seven microsatellite markers, we found no correlation of male call similarity and male genetic relatedness. Female choice experiments showed no female preference for calls of less related males, and there was no evidence for inbreeding avoidance in the field. Our results do not support the hypothesis of mate choice based on information about genetic relatedness conveyed by acoustic signals in túngara frogs.     

Communal peeing: a new mode of flood control in ants

 The behavioral response of the obligate bamboo-nesting ant Cataulacus muticus to nest flooding was studied in a perhumid tropical rainforest in Malaysia and in the laboratory. The hollow internodes of giant bamboo, in which C. muticus exclusively nests, are prone to flooding by heavy rains. The ants showed a two-graded response to flooding. During heavy rain workers block the nest entrances with their heads to reduce water influx. However, rainwater may still intrude into the nest chamber. The ants respond by drinking the water, leaving the nest and excreting water droplets on the outer stem surface. This cooperative 'peeing' behavior is a new survival mechanism adaptive to the ants' nesting ecology. Laboratory experiments conducted with two other Cataulacus species, C. catuvolcus colonizing small dead twigs and C. horridus inhabiting rotten wood, did not reveal any form of water-bailing behavior. Received: 3 August 2000 / Accepted in revised form: 6 November 2000     

Batch methanogenic fermentation experiments of wastewater from a brown coal low-temperature coke plant

Coke plant effluents with high contents of organic compounds are mainly treated by biological aerobic fermentation after physical pre-treatment.In this study,a brown coal condensate wastewater from a low temperature coking process was fermented under methanogenic conditions in discontinuous experiments.By this fermentation,acetate,propionate,and the main polyphenolic compounds(catechol,resorcinol and hydroquinone) were degraded to a level below the detection limit.The COD was reduced by 72% with a residual ...