Ecosystem Services and Economic Assessment of Land Uses in Urban and Periurban Areas

Environmental Management - This work quantified ecosystem services (ES) and the geographic gross product (GGP) at municipal level in the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires (MRBA), Argentina. The...     

2-Methylpyridine-N-oxidation runaway studies

Calorimetry has been used in order to identify the runaway behavior of 2-methylpyridine-N-oxidation (2-picoline-N-oxidation). Experiments were performed in an Automatic Pressure Tracking Adiabatic Calorimeter (APTAC), employing 2-methylpyridine-N-oxide (2-picoline-N-oxide) with or without catalyst, 2-methylpyridine-N-oxide, hydrogen peroxide, 2-methylpyridine (2-picoline) and catalyst, and 2-methylpyridine, hydrogen peroxide and catalyst. Approximately 16.5 g of aqueous solutions were used in 100 ml closed glass cells in all but one measurement. Measurements were performed isothermally or employing the Heat-Wait-Search (HWS) technique. During reaction runaway, any excess of hydrogen peroxide and the produced 2-methylpyridine-N-oxide decompose releasing non-condensable gases and raising the pressure. It was found that the reaction runaway is condition-sensitive. Catalyst, the presence of 2-picoline and/or its N-oxide, affect hydrogen peroxide and/or 2-picoline-N-oxide decomposition rates. Further research accompanied by analytical measurements of the gas and liquid phase would provide indications in regard to the decomposition mechanisms followed in those cases.     

Black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles in the United States-Mexico border region: pilot study

The investigators developed a system to measure black carbon (BC) and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission factors during roadside sampling in four cities along the United States-Mexico border, Calexico/Mexicali and El Paso/Juarez. The measurement system included a photoacoustic analyzer for BC, a photoelectric aerosol sensor for particle-bound PAHs, and a carbon dioxide (CO2) analyzer. When a vehicle with measurable emissions passed the system probe, corresponding BC, PAH, and CO2 peaks were evident, and a fuel-based emission factor was estimated. A picture of each vehicle was also recorded with a digital camera. The advantage of this system, compared with other roadside methods, is the direct measurement of particulate matter components and limited interference from roadside dust. The study revealed some interesting trends: Mexican buses and all medium-duty trucks were more frequently identified as high emitters of BC and PAH than heavy-duty trucks or passenger vehicles. In addition, because of the high daily mileage of buses, they are good candidates for additional study. Mexican trucks and buses had higher average emission factors compared with U.S. trucks and buses, but the differences were not statistically significant. Few passenger vehicles had measurable BC and PAH emissions, although the highest emission factor came from an older model passenger vehicle licensed in Baja California.     

大孤山铁矿边坡爆破损伤分区研究

露天矿生产爆破,特别是靠帮爆破在边坡中形成的爆破损伤区对其稳定性具有很大的影响。本文针对大孤山铁矿露天爆破开采的实际情况,建立了极限平衡数值分析模型及峰值速度衰减公式。利用数值分析软件Geoslope对边坡靠帮爆破过程中岩体损伤范围进行了研究,主要分析了在爆破-200--212m水平时,爆破震动对边坡岩体的影响,并利用萨道夫斯基公式和PPV安全判据对爆区周围岩体损伤范围进行了计算。结果表明距离炮孔6.2m以内范围为完全破碎区,6.2-12.4m为岩体重度损伤区,12.4-19.7m为轻微损伤区。数值分析表明距爆源同一距离的岩体质点峰值速度随深度的增加而减小,爆破区周围震动波速成漏斗形分布,同实际爆破情况吻合。     

Planktonic ciliates in a hypertrophic pond: functional role and importance

Taxonomical composition and abundance of the planktonic ciliate assemblage in a Lake Tezozomoc, a hypertrophic pond located into an urban park in Mexico City, was investigated along the rainy season (May to October). The aims of the study were to know the main trophic roles and ecological significance of ciliates in a highly productive environment. A low number of taxa (27) and a wide abundance fluctuation (104-387 cil ml(-1)) were found. The most abundant species (up to 162 cil ml(-1)) was Halteria grandinella, an oligotrich ciliate that graze on bacteria and picoplankton, but also several big body sized species that feed on pico and nanoplankton were abundant. Sudden temporal changes in species dominance occurred. Ciliate biomass was very high and fluctuated widely (1.6-88 10(6) microm(3) ml(-1)) being dominated by the >50 microm size fraction that mainly included the pico and nanoplankton feeders. Ciliates are a very important component in the plankton of hypertrophic lakes and their main control factor seems to be the grazing by big-body size Daphnia species.     

Mapping Hotspots of Threatened Species Traded in Bushmeat Markets in the Cross–Sanaga Rivers Region

Bushmeat markets exist in many countries in West and Central Africa, and data on species sold can be used to detect patterns of wildlife trade in a region. We surveyed 89 markets within the Cross–Sanaga rivers region, West Africa. In each market, we counted the number of carcasses of each taxon sold. During a 6‐month period (7594 market days), 44 mammal species were traded. Thirteen species were on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List or protected under national legislation, and at least 1 threatened species was traded in 88 of the 89 markets. We used these data to identify market groups that traded similar species assemblages. Using cluster analyses, we detected 8 market groups that were also geographically distinct. Market groups differed in the diversity of species, evenness of species, and dominant, prevalent, and characteristic species traded. We mapped the distribution of number of threatened species traded across the study region. Most threatened species were sold in markets nearest 2 national parks, Korup National Park in Cameroon and Cross River in Nigeria. To assess whether the threatened‐species trade hotspots coincided with the known ranges of these species, we mapped the overlap of all threatened species traded. Markets selling more threatened species overlapped with those regions that had higher numbers of these. Our study can provide wildlife managers in the region with better tools to discern zones within which to focus policing efforts and reduce threats to species that are threatened by the bushmeat trade. Mapeo de Sitios Críticos para Especies Amenazadas Comercializadas en Mercados de Vida Silvestre en la Región de los Ríos Cross‐Sanaga     

Polyhydroxybutyrate-Based Nanocomposites with Cellulose Nanocrystals and Bacterial Cellulose

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) films nanoreinforced with hydrolyzed cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and bacterial cellulose (BC) were prepared by solvent casting. The influence of different cellulose nanoparticles content (2, 4 and 6 wt% of CNC and 2 wt% of BC) on the PHB properties was studied. CNC nanocomposites presented good dispersion of the nanocrystals, improving transparency, mechanical and barrier properties of the PHB films. On the other hand, reduced thermal stability and mechanical properties were yielded by BC addition due to the intrinsic lower degradation temperature and higher length of the BC nanofibrils compared to CNC. Nanocomposites performance variation is mainly caused by the marked difference in nanoparticles structure. It was demonstrated that PHB–CNC films exhibited higher performance enhancement without detrimental effect of the pristine PHB properties.     

Black Carbon and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emissions from Vehicles in the United States–Mexico Border Region: Pilot Study

The investigators developed a system to measure black carbon (BC) and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission factors during roadside sampling in four cities along the United States–Mexico border, Calexico/Mexicali and El Paso/Juárez. The measurement system included a photoacoustic analyzer for BC, a photoelectric aerosol sensor for particle-bound PAHs, and a carbon dioxide (CO₂) analyzer. When a vehicle with measurable emissions passed the system probe, corresponding BC, PAH, and CO₂ peaks were evident, and a fuel-based emission factor was estimated. A picture of each vehicle was also recorded with a digital camera. The advantage of this system, compared with other roadside methods, is the direct measurement of particulate matter components and limited interference from roadside dust. The study revealed some interesting trends: Mexican buses and all medium-duty trucks were more frequently identified as high emitters of BC and PAH than heavy-duty trucks or passenger vehicles. In addition, because of the high daily mileage of buses, they are good candidates for additional study. Mexican trucks and buses had higher average emission factors compared with U.S. trucks and buses, but the differences were not statistically significant. Few passenger vehicles had measurable BC and PAH emissions, although the highest emission factor came from an older model passenger vehicle licensed in Baja California.     

Bacterial Cellulose from Simple and Low Cost Production Media by Gluconacetobacter xylinus

Bacterial cellulose pellicles were produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus using non conventional low-cost carbon sources, such as glycerol remaining from biodiesel production and grape bagasse, a residue of wine production. The carbon sources assayed showed their suitability for microbial cellulose production, with relatively high production values such as 10.0 g/l for the culture medium with glycerol from biodiesel as carbon source and corn steep liquor as nitrogen source; and 8.0 g/l for the culture medium containing grape bagasse and corn steep liquor. Glucose, commercial glycerol and cane molasses were also assayed as carbon sources for comparison. The bacterial celluloses produced were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Morphological analysis showed that bacterial cellulose microfibrils produced from the non-conventional media used were several micrometers long and had rectangular cross-sections with widths and thicknesses in the range of 35–70 and 13–24 nm, respectively. X-ray patterns showed crystallinity levels in the range of 74–79 % (area method), whereas both X-ray patterns and infrared spectroscopy evidenced the presence of peaks characteristic of Cellulose I polymorph. Besides thermal properties were similar to those found for the pellicle obtained from glucose. The study performed showed the suitability of using wine residues or glycerol remaining from increasing biodiesel production as cheap carbon sources for production of bacterial cellulose microfibrils, with similar characteristics as those obtained by use of more expensive carbon sources such as glucose or commercial glycerol. On the other hand, the low cost nitrogen sources used (corn steep liquor or diammonium phosphate) also contributed to the economy of the bioprocess.     

Climate change impact on countrywide water balance in Bolivia

There is increasing concern about the ongoing reduction in water supplies in the tropical Andes due to climate change effects such as glacier/snow melting resulting from rising air temperatures. In addition, extreme events and population growth are already directly affecting life and water renewability in the country. A countrywide integrated national plan for improving basin-scale water management in Bolivia is needed to assure water availability for agriculture, industry, mining, and human consumption. This study aims to provide a modeling tool to assess Bolivia’s past, current, and future water availability and identify basins at risk of water deficits. The Soil Water Assessment Tool was used to simulate the monthly water balance from 1997 to 2008, as well as the water balance projected to 2050 for the entire country. It considers possible changes in air temperatures and precipitation proposed by 17 Global Circulation Models as well as carbon dioxide projections derived from the Special Report Emission Scenario. Overall, model results were close to satisfactory compared to observations, with some exceptions due to lack of information for expanding the timeline and improving calibration. Based on the calculation of three hydrologic indicators, the study identifies basins that would be the most susceptible to water deficits for a baseline from 1997 to 2008, and in the event of the projected climate change, to 2050.