Identification of oxidized TNT metabolites in soil samples of a former ammunition plant

Water extracts of soil samples of the former ammunition plant “Tanne” near Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Lower Saxony, Germany, were investigated for highly polar oxidized 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) metabolites. 0.4 to 9.0 mg/kg dry soil 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid (TNBA) and 5.8 to 544 mg/kg dry soil 2-amino-4,6-dinitrobenzoic acid (2-ADNBA) were found. In addition to the oxidized metabolites, TNT, 4- and 2-aminodinitrotoluene (4- and 2-ADNT), and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) were extractable with water. Most interestingly, in one sample, 2-ADNBA represented the main contaminant. The origin of the oxidized nitroaromatics is unknown at this time. They might be generated chemically or photochemically. Furthermore, a biological synthesis seems possible.     

让我们在联合国可持续发展委员会第9次会议上作出些有特色的事情来!

虽然能源是经济与社会发展的核心,但能源的生产、运输和使用是造成许多地方、国家和全球层次上重大环境问题的根源.联合国环境规划署正通过其所属的能源与环境合作中心(UCCEE)积极对待这些问题.     

Abschätzung biogener Kohlenwasserstoff-Emissionen

A procedure for the estimation of hydrocarbon emissions caused by deciduous forests, coniferous forests, mixed forests, agricultural areas and grassland is described. Here, the hydrocarbons are divided into three groups: isoprene, monoterpenes and other biogenic-emitted, volatile organic compounds. The emissions are calculated for a summer day in the eastern part of Germany using a land use data base. The spatial distribution of the emissions is represented as well as the variation of the emissions in the course of the summer day. The estimation of the emissions reveals that the daily amount of biogenic hydrocarbon emissions during the summer can have the same magnitude as the anthropogenic hydrocarbon emissions.     

Endocrine disrupting nonyl- and octylphenol in infant food in Germany: considerable daily intake of nonylphenol for babies

Nonylphenol and octylphenol are persistent endocrine disrupters that are priority substances of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Their presence in the environment has caused increasing concern about their impact to human health. Infants are more sensitive to hormonal impacts of environmental chemicals than adults. The results of the present study indicate that nonylphenol is ubiquitous in foodstuffs for babies and toddlers commercially available in Germany, while octylphenol could only be determined in 80% of all food samples. The daily intakes based on consumption studies in μg nonylphenol kg⁻¹ body weight per day for high consumers in the baby category (0.23-0.65 μg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹) were relatively high. This could lead to a higher risk especially for babies.     

Incorporation of in silico biodegradability screening in early drug development—a feasible approach?

Introduction  

The concentration of a pharmaceutical found in the environment is determined by the amount used by the patient, the excretion and metabolism pattern, and eventually by its persistence. Biological degradation or persistence of a pharmaceutical is experimentally tested rather late in the development of a pharmaceutical, often shortly before submission of the dossier to regulatory authorities.     

Degradation of a chiral nonylphenol isomer in two agricultural soils

The degradation of a chiral nonylphenol isomer, 4-(1-ethyl-1,4-dimethylpentyl)phenol (NP₁₁₂), in two agricultural soils from Monheim and Dortmund, Germany has been studied. The degradation of NP₁₁₂ and the formation of a nitro-nonylphenol metabolite were determined by means of GC-MS analysis. The degradation followed bi-exponential order kinetics, with half-life of less than 5 days in both soils. The nitro-metabolite was found at different concentration levels in the two soils. The nitro-metabolite of NP₁₁₂ was more persistent than its parent compound. After 150 days about 13% of the initially applied NP₁₁₂ remained in the Monheim soil as its nitro-metabolite. Results of the E-screen assay revealed that the nitro-NP₁₁₂ has oestrogenic potency of 85% of that of NP₁₁₂. Furthermore, the results of chiral GC-MS analysis revealed that no chiral degradation of NP₁₁₂ occurred in this study.     

From poverty trap to ecosystem service curse

In spite of broad and positive expectations, payments for ecosystem services (PES) can bring about unexpected and negative consequences, especially in terms of their impacts on the well-being of local communities dependent on ecosystems. Based on numerous observations of recurring problems with PES, we put forward an ecosystem service curse hypothesis (Kronenberg and Hubacek in Ecol Soc 18:art.10. doi: 10.5751/ES-05240-180110, 2013), that points to counterintuitive negative development outcomes for countries and regions rich in ecosystem services. The social and economic problems that we have been able to depict in many PES schemes reflect the persistence of maladaptive states in pursuit of sustainability. Instead of providing an opportunity to break out of poverty, these problems reflect entrapment, which is most often related to poor quality of institutions. Here we highlight the linkages between the ecosystem service curse hypothesis and the dynamic system stability landscapes discussed in this special issue. Our article consists of three parts in which we: (1) present the original ecosystem service curse hypothesis; (2) link this hypothesis to the broader discussions relevant to sustainability science; and (3) highlight the context of traps on which this special feature focuses.     

Operating problems in anaerobic digestion plants resulting from nitrogen in MSW

Organic waste and municipal solid waste usually contain considerable amounts of different nitrogen compounds, which may inhibit anaerobic degradation processes and cause problems in the downstream and peripheral devices. This refers particularly to the different process stages of anaerobic digestion, to wastewater treatment, and to exhaust air treatment. Neither the knowledge about nitrogen problems nor the technologies for elimination of nitrogen compounds from the wastewater or the exhaust air of anaerobic digestion can be regarded as state-of-the-art. Most of the technologies in question have already been applied in other areas, but are barely tested for application in anaerobic digestion plants. The few performance data and experiences at hand were mainly derived from pilot and demonstration facilities. In this paper, the problem of nitrogen will be discussed in detail according to the separate problem fields based on the authors' experience, as well as on the basis of a review of the relevant literature. Furthermore, possible solutions will be proposed and the need for further research and development will be formulated.     

Monitoring, assessment and modelling using water quality data in the Saale River Basin, Germany

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the overall driver for this environmental study and currently requires the identification of patterns and sources of pollution (monitoring) to support objective ecological sound decision making and specific measures to enhance river water quality (modelling). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate in a case study the interrelationship between (1) hydrologic and water quality monitoring data for river basin characterization and (2) modelling applications to assess resources management alternatives. The study deals with monitoring assessment and modelling of river water quality data of the main stem Saale River and its principal tributaries. For a period of 6 years the data, which was sampled by Environmental Agencies of the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, was investigated to assess sources and indicators of pollution. In addition to the assessment a modelling exercise of the routing of different pollutants was carried out in the lower part of the test basin. The modelling is a tool to facilitate the evaluation of alternative measures to reduce contaminant loadings and improve ecological status of a water body as required by WFD. The transport of suspended solids, salts and heavy metals was modelled along a selected Saale reach under strong anthropogenic influence in terms of contaminants and river morphology between the city of Halle and the confluence with the Elbe River. The simulations were carried out with the model WASP5 which is a dynamic flood-routing and water quality model package developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency.     

Extractable organic matter of Standard Reference Material 1649a influences immunological response induced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns

Background, aim, and scope  

Lungs are permanently and simultaneously challenged by airborne microorganisms and airborne pollutants. Temporal increase of airborne particulate matter (APM), a potential carrier for extractable organic matter (EOM), degrades the situation of pulmonary patients. The Ah receptor (AhR) has been described as an important factor influencing the immunological challenge by viral infections. Molecular mechanisms underlying epidemiological observations are not well understood. Cytokine secretion (IL-6, IL-8, and TGF-β) from human bronchial epithelial cells (Beas2B) was determined as an indicator for immune responses upon co-stimulation with an artificial analog of viral dsRNA [polyinosinic/polycytidylic acid, (PIC)] and EOM of Standard Reference Material 1649a (SRM). Since polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are major components of APM usually acting via the AhR, particular focus was on AhR involvement.