Use of statistical tools to evaluate the reductive dechlorination of high levels of TCE in microcosm studies

A large, multi-laboratory microcosm study was performed to select amendments for supporting reductive dechlorination of high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) found at an industrial site in the United Kingdom (UK) containing dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) TCE. The study was designed as a fractional factorial experiment involving 177 bottles distributed between four industrial laboratories and was used to assess the impact of six electron donors, bioaugmentation, addition of supplemental nutrients, and two TCE levels (0.57 and 1.90 mM or 75 and 250 mg/L in the aqueous phase) on TCE dechlorination. Performance was assessed based on the concentration changes of TCE and reductive dechlorination degradation products. The chemical data was evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and survival analysis techniques to determine both main effects and important interactions for all the experimental variables during the 203-day study. The statistically based design and analysis provided powerful tools that aided decision-making for field application of this technology. The analysis showed that emulsified vegetable oil (EVO), lactate, and methanol were the most effective electron donors, promoting rapid and complete dechlorination of TCE to ethene. Bioaugmentation and nutrient addition also had a statistically significant positive impact on TCE dechlorination. In addition, the microbial community was measured using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) for quantification of total biomass and characterization of the community structure and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for enumeration of Dehalococcoides organisms (Dhc) and the vinyl chloride reductase (vcrA) gene. The highest increase in levels of total biomass and Dhc was observed in the EVO microcosms, which correlated well with the dechlorination results.     

The relative abundance and feeding habits of the grey mullet species occurring in an Estuary in Sierra Leone,West Africa

The occurrence and relative frequency of the 5 grey mullet species found in the Black Johnson Estuary, Sierra Leone, have been observed by sampling throughout the year. Examination of stomach contents and scales has also been made. Salinity within the estuary is maximum during the dry season and minimum at the height of the rains. The organic content of the sediment reaches a peak towards the end of the rains, but is low both at the end of the dry season and during the rains. Mullet tend to be most abundant as the rains are finishing and at the beginning of the dry season when the salinity is rising and the organic matter in the sediment is maximum. The mullet encountered in the estuary were Liza falcipinnis (Cuvier and Valenciennes), L. dumerilii hoefleri (Steindachner), Mugil cephalus ashanteensis Bleeker, M. curema Cuvier and Valenciennes and L. grandisquamis (Cuvier and Valenciennes). L. falcipinnis and L. dumerilii hoefleri penetrated furthest up the estuary and have been caught in freshwater some distance up rivers. All species feed principally on the detritus and algae in the estuarine sediment. There is some seasonal variation in the composition of the diet. Comparative data on the organic content of the estuarine sediment and the sand in the stomach of the mullet are given. A field experiment with L. falcipinnis suggests an assimilation efficiency of 52% for this species. Well-marked rings have been found upon the scales of four species, and their possible significance and use are discussed.     

A field study to compare performance of stainless steel research monitoring wells with existing on-farm drinking water wells in measuring pesticide and nitrate concentrations

Existing drinking water wells are widely used for the collection of ground water samples to evaluate chemical contamination. A well comparison study was conducted to compare pesticide and nitrate-N data from specially designed stainless steel research monitoring wells with data from nearby existing on-farm drinking water wells. Results could help to determine whether adequate information concerning ground water contamination can be obtained from existing drinking water wells for use in making pollutant control decisions. The study was conducted during 1993-1994 in the Little Coharie Watershed, a 158 square mile area located in the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. Statistical analysis indicated that research monitoring wells provided a greater probability of detecting pesticides in ground water than existing on-farm wells. Atrazine was the most frequently detected pesticide found in all wells, followed in order by fluometuron, carbofuran, metolachlor, alachlor, carbaryl, butylate, chlorothalonil, linuron and simazine. Ninety-seven percent of all wells had observed concentrations of nitrate-N, ranging from 0.1 to 30.1 mg/L. There was not a significant difference between research wells and existing wells for monitoring nitrate-N. Based on results of this study, existing drinking water wells can be used for monitoring nitrate; however, specialized stainless steel monitoring wells should be used for monitoring pesticides in ground water.     

The persistence and disappearance by washoff and dryfall of methoxychlor from soybean foliage—a preliminary study

Abstract

The persistence and disappearance (washoff or dryfall) of methoxychlor [2,2‐bis(p‐methoxypheny1)‐1,1,1‐trichloroethane] from mature soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] foliage was investigated in a small field plot study under natural rainfall conditions in 1977 and 1978. Residue analyses were conducted using whole plant samples‐ Methoxychlor washoff rate was 8±4% of the amount on plants (prior to rain) per centimeter of rainfall, regardless of time after application. Total seasonal washoff for 1978 accounted for 33.5% of the applied pesticide; however, 30.5% of the total loss was removed by washoff on the second day after application. Dryfall or dislodgeable residue accounted for less than 1% of the amount applied. The amount of dryfall was significantly greater in plots entered by workers than in those where entry was avoided. More than 19% of the applied methoxychlor was lost as a result of through‐fall to the ground during application to the plots. Statistical analyses indicated that within‐sample variation for mechanical chopping of plant samples was significantly smaller at the 5% level than for a hand chopping method. Results from this study will be useful in defining research objectives for the development of algorithms to describe the behavior of foliar‐applied compounds. Such algorithms are necessary for estimating runoff losses of insecticides to water bodies.     

Role stress—a methodological trap?

This study explores the notion that many existing studies which show moderate relationships between role variables and stress symptoms are doing so because of the operational similarity of independent and dependent variables. It was predicted that the removal of such an artefact by clearly separating the two sets of variables would result in a nil relationship. Matched ‘cases’ and ‘controls’ were compared in two different organizations. The independent judgments of occupational health specialists were used to measure stress on a number of agreed dimensions, and role measurements were taken by the researchers in three different ways. On all comparisons made there was a strong trend suggesting no role/stress associations. The implications of the results for role stress studies are discussed.     

对比研究槽式堆肥处理不同畜禽粪便对植物毒性的影响

为揭示槽式堆肥过程中不同畜禽粪便堆肥理化性质的变化及其对植物毒性的影响,分别开展了以羊、牛、鸡、猪粪便与木屑为堆料、为期44 d的好氧槽式堆肥对比试验,采集了不同堆肥期的堆肥样品,测定了堆肥的pH、电导率（EC）、可溶性有机碳（DOC）、硝氮（NO₃^--N）、氨氮（NH₄⁺-N）、全氮（TN）、碳氮比（C/N）、全磷（TP）、全钾（TK）、铜（Cu）、锌（Zn）含量及水堇的相对生长指数（RGI）和种子发芽指数（GI）,并通过相关分析和线性回归拟合,分析了堆肥过程粪便对水堇种子植物毒性的影响机制.结果表明,槽式堆肥过程中,羊粪的高温期持续时间最长,牛粪其次,猪粪和鸡粪最短;堆肥结束时4种粪便均呈弱碱性.堆肥过程中猪粪和鸡粪的EC降低,其他粪便的EC变化幅度较小,各粪便的DOC、NH₄⁺-N含量降低,NO₃^--N、TP、TK、Cu和Zn含量增加,牛粪和鸡粪的C/N逐渐降低,而猪粪和羊粪的C/N呈先升后降的趋势,羊粪和猪粪的TN含量下降,鸡粪和牛粪的TN含量缓慢上升.堆肥过程中4种粪便对水堇种子的植物毒性均降低,且RGI和GI升幅由高到低为：牛粪 > 羊粪 > 鸡粪 > 猪粪.相关分析表明,堆肥过程中羊粪的TP、Cu、Zn,牛粪的Zn、TK、TP、NO₃^--N,鸡粪的NO₃^--N、TN、Cu,猪粪的NO₃^--N、TP、Zn、TK与RGI呈显著正相关（p<0.01）;而羊粪的Cu、TP、TK,牛粪的Zn、TK、TP,鸡粪的Cu、TN、NO₃^--N、TK,猪粪的TP、Zn、NO₃^--N与GI呈显著正相关（p<0.01）.由此表明,不同粪便堆肥的以上指标促进了植物的根伸长和种子发芽.但堆肥过程中羊粪的NH₄⁺-N、TN、DOC,牛粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、C/N、EC,鸡粪的C/N、EC、DOC,猪粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、EC与RGI呈显著负相关（p<0.01）;羊粪的NH₄⁺-N、TN、DOC,牛粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、C/N,鸡粪EC、DOC、C/N,猪粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、EC与GI呈显著负相关（p<0.01）.由此表明,不同粪便的以上指标显著抑制了植物的根伸长和种子发芽.多元回归分析说明,堆肥过程羊粪和牛粪的NH₄⁺-N,鸡粪的NO₃^--N、Cu、C/N和EC,猪粪的NO₃^--N和TK对水堇种子根伸长具有显著的影响,而羊粪的NH₄⁺-N和TK,牛粪的DOC、pH和EC,鸡粪Cu、TN和NO₃^--N,猪粪的TK对水堇种子发芽具有显著的影响.以上对比研究结果可为不同畜禽粪便槽式堆肥处理和土地利用提供重要的理论依据和决策支持.     

How does spouse career support relate to employee turnover? Work interfering with family and job satisfaction as mediators

Employee turnover is a major concern because of its cost to organizations. Although theory supports the influence of nonwork factors on turnover, our understanding of the degree to which nonwork factors relate to actual turnover behavior is not well developed. Using a sample of 5505 U.S. Army officers, we assessed the extent to which spouse career support related to reduced turnover four years later through work interfering with family (WIF) and job satisfaction as mechanisms. Results revealed that spouse career support decreased the odds of turnover, and WIF and job satisfaction sequentially mediated this relationship, with lower WIF and higher job satisfaction reducing the odds of turnover. Practical implications of using family support systems as retention interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

推动中小建筑企业的革新:欧盟的一个案例研究

建筑业是最古老、最重要的工业之一.它提供了庇护,并为许多人类活动提供了物质框架和基础.它使我们得以生存、参加社会活动、利用我们的环境一总之,实现我们的潜力.但是,同时它也限制了我们的潜力,因为它限制了企业、革新、生产力和以及通过解决贫困、社会排斥和气候变化维持增长的能力.本文介绍了欧盟建筑部门的主要特点,探讨了与促进可持续建筑有关的一些问题.重点介绍了中小建筑企业的基本需求以及为满足这些需求而正在采取的措施.欧洲和其他大陆的发达国家可能还有许多东西要向发展中国家的发展途径和项目支持系统学习.     

Radionuclide applications in laboratory studies of environmental surface reactions

The advantages of using radionuclides for laboratory studies of environmental processes include the wide range of element concentrations that can be studied, the capability to simultaneously study several isotopes in a single experiment, the direct applicability to the behaviour of radioactive waste or fallout, and the ability to study the mechanisms, reversibility and kinetics of environmental reactions under controlled conditions. These attributes are demonstrated using specific examples drawn from case studies in Australia, including radionuclide fallout onto tropical soils, the association of trace metals with harbour sediments and the behaviour of uranium in natural and contaminated systems.