Olfactory and chemical characterization of indoor air. Towards a psychophysical model for air quality

The relationship between the odor strength of total air samples and the odor strengths of the constituents was investigated in three field experiments in an office building and a new preschool. The odor strength was scaled by magnitude estimation according to a master scale principle which results in comparable values for the total and the constituent odors. Between 60 and 120 chemical components were detected by GC/FID in the indoor air samples (N = 66). Most (81%) of the detected components in an air sample were odorous, even though most of them were of the low concentrations. By a method of pattern analysis, chemical as well as odor patterns of indoor air were found to be characteristics of different buildings. From the odor patterns (POG), the “odor print” of the outdoor air associated with the buildings was also recognized in the indoor air. Thus, the “odor print” of an air sample is different from its “chemical print”. A model was found that predicts the overall odor strength of an air sample from the number of FID-detected components most frequently reported to have a strong odor.     

Freshwater lakes--a potential source for aquaculture activities--a model study on Perumal Lake, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu

The freshwater Perumal lake located at Cuddalore was assessed for its suitability and potential for aquaculture practices. Various hydrobiological parameters determined reveals that the various physicochemical characteristics are with in normal range of values. The DO level, BOD and COD values determined in the lake revealed the consequences of community activities and pollution possibilities. The primary productivity data revealed maximum productivity during March which infer that the lake is unaffected by anthropogenic disturbance and community contamination. The bacterial count remained higher during the monsoon periods, which characterize profuse rainfall and storm water discharge into the lake. The microfauna includes zooplankter such as cladocerans, copepods, rotifers and ostracods. Benthos include carps, catfishes, mullets and prawns. The above study revealed that the various parameters in the lake conform to the levels suited for freshwater fish culture and represents a resource for scientific management.     

Choosy males from the underground: male mating preferences in surface- and cave-dwelling Atlantic mollies (Poecilia mexicana)

Atlantic mollies (Poecilia mexicana) inhabit a variety of surface habitats, but they also occur in a sulfur cave in southern Mexico. We examined male mate choice relative to female body size in the cave population and in the most closely related surface-dwelling population from a nearby river. Males from both populations were either light- or dark-reared and could choose between two differently sized females either on the basis of visual cues in light or on the basis of solely nonvisual cues in darkness. Sexual preferences were estimated from the degree of association. Cave molly males always showed a preference for the larger female, both in light and in darkness. Among the surface males, only light-reared males showed a preference in the visual cues test, but not in darkness. In a control experiment, we demonstrated that male association preferences directly translate into actual mating preferences. Apparently, using visual cues for mate choice is the ancestral state in this system, and using nonvisual cues has evolved as a novel trait in the cave population. We discuss the evolution of nonvisual male mate choice in the context of changed environmental conditions, namely the absence of light, hypoxia, and toxic hydrogen sulfide in the cave.     

Moss-associated methylobacteria as phytosymbionts: an experimental study

Methylotrophic bacteria inhabit the surface of plant organs, but the interaction between these microbes and their host cells is largely unknown. Protonemata (gametophytes) of the moss Funaria hygrometrica were cultivated in vitro under axenic conditions and the growth of the protonemal filaments recorded. In the presence of methylobacteria (different strains of Methylobacterium), average cell length and the number of cells per filament were both enhanced. We tested the hypothesis that auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA), secreted by the epiphytic bacteria and taken up by the plant cells, may in part be responsible for this promotion of protonema development. The antiauxin parachlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (PCIB) was used as a tool to analyze the role of IAA and methylobacteria in the regulation of cell growth. In the presence of PCIB, cell elongation and protonema differentiation were both inhibited. This effect was compensated for by the addition of different Methylobacterium strains to the culture medium. Biosynthesis and secretion of IAA by methylobacteria maintained in liquid culture was documented via a colorimetric assay and thin layer chromatography. Our results support the hypothesis that the development of Funaria protonemata is promoted by beneficial phytohormone-producing methylobacteria, which can be classified as phytosymbionts.     

Spatial distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in coastal marine sediments receiving industrial and municipal effluents in Kuwait

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations were measured in surficial sediments from coastal sediments receiving industrial and municipal effluents in Kuwait. The summation PBDE concentrations varied by two orders of magnitude ranging from 80 to 3800 pg g(-1)dw. The congener distribution was dominated by BDE 183, with minor contributions from BDEs 154 and 153. The similarity between the congener profile to that of the technical octa formulation (Bromkal 79-8DE) suggests a source of this product in Kuwait. The observed gradient in concentration distribution, with high summation PBDE concentrations near the shore and an exponential decrease seaward, indicates that wastewater discharge from industrial activities in the study area is the primary source of these compounds in the sediments.     

Nationwide monitoring of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in sediments from coastal environment of Korea

To assess the organochlorine contamination in the Korean marine environment, a nationwide monitoring study was conducted. A total of 138 surface sediments, covering the whole Korean coast, were collected and analyzed. Organochlorine compounds (OCs) were widely distributed in the Korean coastal environment, with PCB and DDT contamination being particularly prevalent. The overall concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, CHLs, and HCB in surface sediments were in the range of 0.088-199ngg(-1) (median value: 1.56ngg(-1)), 0.006-135ngg(-1) (0.68ngg(-1)), not detected (ND)-5.46ngg(-1) (0.32ngg(-1)), ND-3.26ngg(-1) (0.14ngg(-1)), and ND-2.59ngg(-1) (0.05ngg(-1)), respectively. The southeastern coast was found to be highly contaminated. Overall contamination status of Korean coastal sediments with regard to OCs is lower than that of USA. With the exception of highly industrialized sites, Korean coastal areas in general showed similar OC concentrations to those of other Asian countries. There was a significant correlation between distributions of most organochlorine contaminants with each other. OC contamination is closely related to shipping and industrial activities. Of the 7 sites categorized as highly polluted, 4 are in a harbor zone. Adverse effects to benthic communities are expected at the levels of OC contamination observed from harbor and industrial areas.     

Changes in amino acid profile and metal content in seeds of Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) grown under various fly-ash amendments

Seeds of Cicer arietinum L. plants are edible and a valuable source of protein. Accumulation of toxic metals in the edible part of the plant, grown in fields close to fly-ash (FA) landfills, may pose a threat to human health. In the present study, the effects of FA and its amendments with different ameliorants viz., garden soil (GS), press mud (PM) and saw dust (SD), on total soluble protein contents, amino acid composition and metal accumulation in seeds were investigated in var. CSG-8962 and var. C-235 of C. arietinum. Plants accumulated adequate amounts of essential metals viz. Fe, Cu, Zn in seeds, while the toxic metals such as Cd and Cr were taken up in smaller quantities. The accumulation of Cr and Cd was less in var. C-235 than var. CSG-8962. Amendment of FA with PM enhanced the amount of soluble protein and amino acids in both varieties and was found to be superior among all tested ameliorants. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of amino acids showed better response in var. C-235 as compared to var. CSG-8962. Thus var. C-235 seems to be suitable for cultivation in FA contaminated areas due to more accumulation of essential metals and less accumulation of toxic metals in seeds. Application of PM may further improve the growth of plants and nutritional quality of seeds.     

Combined application of conservative transport modelling and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses to assess in situ attenuation of benzene, toluene, and o-xylene

In recent years, compound specific isotope analyses (CSIA) have developed into one of the most powerful tools for the quantification of in situ biodegradation of organic contaminants. In this approach, the calculation of the extent of biodegradation of organic contaminants in aquifers is usually based on the Rayleigh equation, and thus neglects physical transport processes such as dispersion that contribute to contaminant dilution in aquifers. Here we combine compound specific isotope analyses with a conservative transport model to study the attenuation of aromatic hydrocarbons at a former gasworks site. The conservative transport model was first used to simulate concentration reductions caused by dilution at wells downgradient of a BTEX source. In a second step, the diluted concentrations, together with the available stable carbon isotope ratios and carbon fractionation factors for benzene, toluene and o-xylene were applied in the Rayleigh equation to quantify the degree of biodegradation at each of those wells. At the investigated site, where other attenuation processes such as sorption and volatilisation were proven to be negligible, the combined approach is recommended for benzene, which represents a compound for which the effect of biodegradation is comparable to or less than the effect of dilution. As demonstrated for toluene and o-xylene, the application of the Rayleigh equation alone is sufficient if dilution can be proved to be insignificant in comparison to biodegradation. The analysis also suggests that the source width and the position of the observation wells relative to the plume center line are significantly related to the degree of dilution.