Forest Die-Back Modified Plankton Recovery from Acidic Stress

We examined long-term data on water chemistry of Lake Rachelsee (Germany) following the changes in acidic depositions in central Europe since 1980s. Despite gradual chemical recovery of Rachelsee, its biological recovery was delayed. In 1999, lake recovery was abruptly reversed by a coincident forest die-back, which resulted in elevated terrestrial export of nitrate and ionic aluminum lasting ~5 years. This re-acidification episode provided unique opportunity to study plankton recovery in the rapidly recovering lake water after the abrupt decline in nitrate leaching from the catchment. There were sudden changes both in lake water chemistry and in plankton biomass structure, such as decreased bacterial filaments, increased phytoplankton biomass, and rotifer abundance. The shift from dominance of heterotrophic to autotrophic organisms suggested their substantial release from severe phosphorus stress. Such a rapid change in plankton structure in a lake recovering from acidity has, to the best of our knowledge, not been previously documented.     

Highly active photocatalytic coatings prepared by a low-temperature method

Photocatalytic properties of titanium (IV) oxide (TiO₂) in anatase form can be used for various purposes, including photocatalytic purification of water. For such an application, suspended or fixed photocatalytic reactors are used. Those with fixed phase seem to be preferred due to some advantages, one of which is the avoidance of photocatalyst filtration. To avoid leaching and exfoliation of the fixed phase, an immobilization procedure leading to a good adhesion of a catalyst to a substrate is crucial. Within this work, we present physical and photocatalytic characterization results of five commercially available TiO₂ photocatalysts (P25, P90, PC500, KRONOClean 7000, VPC-10) and one pigment (Hombitan LO-CR-S-M), which were successfully immobilized on glass slides by a “sol suspension” procedure. Different mechanical tests and characterization methods were used to evaluate the stability and morphology of the layers. Evaluation of photocatalytic activity was done by tests under UVA and UV–vis irradiation, using a method based on the detection of the fluorescent oxidation product of terephthalic acid (TPA), i.e., hydroxyterephthalic acid (HTPA). Aeroxide® P90 incorporated into the silica-titania binder was the most photocatalytically active layer and, unlike the others, showed significant increase of photocatalytic activity through the entire range of tested UVA irradiation intensities (2.3 mW/cm²–6.1 mW/cm²). The high mechanical stability of some photocatalytic layers allows using them in water photocatalytic purification reactions.     

Investigation of pharmaceutical metabolites in environmental waters by LC-MS/MS

Pharmaceuticals, once ingested, are commonly metabolized in the body into more polar and soluble forms. These compounds might not be completely removed in the wastewater treatment plants and consequently being discharged into the aquatic ecosystem. In this work, a multi-class sensitive method for the analysis of 21 compounds, including 7 widely consumed pharmaceuticals and 14 relevant metabolites, has been developed based on the use of UHPLC-MS/MS in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The method was validated in six surface waters (SW) and six effluent wastewaters (EWW) at realistic concentration levels that can be found in waters. The optimized method was applied to the analysis of different types of water samples (rivers, lakes and effluent wastewater), detecting nearly all the parent compounds and metabolites investigated in this work. This fact illustrates that not only pharmaceuticals but also their metabolites are commonly present in these types of waters. Analytical research and monitoring programs should be directed not only towards parent pharmaceuticals but also towards relevant metabolites to have a realistic overview of the impact of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment.     

Effect of ibuprofen exposure on blood,gill, liver,and brain on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using oxidative stress biomarkers

Although trace concentrations of ibuprofen (IBP) have been detected in diverse water bodies, there is currently insufficient information on the potentially deleterious effects of this xenobiotic. The present study aimed to determine whether IBP induces oxidative stress in brain, liver, gill, and blood of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. To this end, the median lethal concentration at 96 h (96-h LC₅₀) was determined and the lowest observed adverse effect level was established. Carp were exposed to the latter concentration (17.6 mg L^?1) for 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, and the following biomarkers were evaluated: lipid peroxidation (LPX) and activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Results indicated that LPX and antioxidant enzymes’ activity increased significantly (p?<?0.05) with respect to the control group in liver, gill, and blood, while no significant differences occurred in brain. In conclusion, IBP induced oxidative stress on C. carpio, the liver being the organ most affected by this damage.     

Environmental monitoring of alcohol sulfates and alcohol ethoxysulfates in marine sediments

The study describes the environmental monitoring of anionic surfactants―alcohol sulfates (AS) and alcohol ethoxysulfates (AES)—in marine sediments. Concentration values were obtained after pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis (LC–MS/MS). Samples were collected from a range of wastewater discharge points along the coast of the provinces of Huelva, Málaga, Granada and Almería. Urban, agricultural and industrial wastewaters are discharged at the selected 38 sampling sites. Principal component analysis was carried out in order to evaluate the distribution and behaviour of these compounds in these coastal environments. Evaluation of the data revealed that the behaviour and sources of AS and AES in marine sediments are different, and that the distribution of AES depends on the length of the alkyl chain, while the number of ethoxylated units is not relevant. Additionally, the 38 sampling sites can be grouped into only two types of outfalls according to their AS distribution. The concentration of compounds in sediment samples ranged from 7.52 to 13.50 mg kg^?1 for AS, from 3.04 to 10.68 mg kg^?1 for AES–C₁₂E_x and from 3.83 to 11.56 mg kg^?1 for AES–C₁₄E_x.     

Looking beyond the average agricultural impacts in defining adaptation needs in Europe

The effects of climate change on agriculture are often characterised by changes in the average productivity of crops; however, these indicators provide limited information regarding the risks associated with fluctuations in productivity resulting from future changes in climate variability that may also affect agriculture. In this context, this study evaluates the combined effects of the risks associated with anomalies reflected by changes in the mean crop yield and the variability of productivity in European agro-climatic regions under future climate change scenarios. The objective of this study is to evaluate adaptation needs and to identify regional effects that should be addressed with greater urgency in the light of the risks and opportunities that are identified. The results show differential effects on regional agriculture and highlight the importance of considering both regional average impacts and the variability in crop productivity in setting priorities for the adaptation and maintenance of rural incomes and agricultural insurance programmes.     

Bioremediation assessment of diesel–biodiesel-contaminated soil using an alternative bioaugmentation strategy

This study investigated the effectiveness of successive bioaugmentation, conventional bioaugmentation, and biostimulation of biodegradation of B10 in soil. In addition, the structure of the soil microbial community was assessed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The consortium was inoculated on the initial and the 11th day of incubation for successive bioaugmentation and only on the initial day for bioaugmentation and conventional bioaugmentation. The experiment was conducted for 32 days. The microbial consortium was identified based on sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and consisted as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Ochrobactrum intermedium. Nutrient introduction (biostimulation) promoted a positive effect on microbial populations. The results indicate that the edaphic community structure and dynamics were different according to the treatments employed. CO₂ evolution demonstrated no significant difference in soil microbial activity between biostimulation and bioaugmentation treatments. The total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) analysis indicated a biodegradation level of 35.7 and 32.2 % for the biostimulation and successive bioaugmentation treatments, respectively. Successive bioaugmentation displayed positive effects on biodegradation, with a substantial reduction in TPH levels.     

Potential impacts of climate change on agricultural land use suitability of the Hungarian counties

Central and Eastern European countries are a hotspot area when analyzing the impacts of climate change on agricultural and environmental sectors. This paper conducts a socio-economic evaluation of climate risks on crop production in Hungary, using panel data models. The region has a special location in the Carpathian basin, where the spatial distribution of precipitation varies highly from humid conditions in the western part to semiarid conditions in eastern Hungary. Under current conditions, crop systems are mainly rainfed, and water licences are massively underexploited. However, water stress projected by climate change scenarios could completely change this situation. In the near future (2021–2050), most of the crops examined could have better climatic conditions, while at the end of the century (2071–2100), lower yields are expected. Adaptation strategies must be based on an integrated evaluation which links economic and climatic aspects, and since the results show important differences in the case of individual systems, it is clear that the response has to be crop and region specific.