Arsenic removal from groundwater by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions

Arsenic in the environment is attracting increasing attention due to its chronic health effects. Although arsenite(As(III)) is generally more mobile and more toxic than arsenate(As(V)), reducing As(V) to As(III) may still be a means for decontamination, because As(III) can be removed from solution by precipitation with sulfide or by adsorption or complexation with other metal sulfides. The performance of As(V) bio-reduction under autohydrogenotrophic conditions was investigated with batch experiments. The results showed that As(V) reduction was a biochemical process while both acclimated sludge and hydrogen were essential. Most of the reduced arsenic remained in a soluble form, although 20% was removed with no addition of sulfate, while 82% was removed when sulfate was reduced to sulfide. The results demonstrated that the reduced arsenic was re-sequestered in the precipitates, probably as arsenic sulfides. Kinetic analysis showed that pseudo first-order kinetics described the bio-reduction process better than pseudo second-order. In particular, the influences of pH and temperature on As(V) reduction by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions and total soluble As removal were examined. The reduction process was highly sensitive to both pH and temperature, with the optimum ranges of pH 6.5–7.0 and 30–40°C respectively. Furthermore, Arrhenius modeling results for the temperature effect indicated that the As(V) reduction trend was systematic. Total soluble As removal was consistent with the trend of As(V) reduction.     

微纳米气泡改善杭州城市河道水生态环境的工程应用研究

于2013年4月至6月在杭州城市河道对微纳米气泡改善河道水生态环境进行了持续的原位监测实验.结果表明,与对照区相比,试验区水体温度平均升高0.7℃,pH增大0.2,溶解氧增加1.0 mg/L,而TDS浓度降低42 mg/L;水质污染指标高锰酸盐指数、总氮、氨氮、总磷平均浓度分别降低了8.45 mg/L、6.78 mg/L、8.90 mg/L和0.58 mg/L.由此可推测微纳米气泡在一定程度上能有效净化水质,为恢复良好水生生态环境提供新的方法和技术手段.     

家用洗涤剂中特征污染物的检测及潜在风险研究

家用洗涤剂的特征污染物磷与表面活性剂随废水排入环境水体造成水体溶解氧下降、富营养化,破坏水生生态环境。从北京市三个具有代表性的市场购买洗衣液、洗衣粉、洗衣皂和洗洁精四种形态的家用洗涤剂共40个样本,并对其中磷与阴离子表面活性剂(LAS)含量进行检测。结果显示,所有衣用洗涤剂总P2O5含量均小于1.1%,符合无磷洗涤剂国家标准(GB/T 13171.2-2009);而LAS含量差异较大,范围为6.9%~31.4%,基本趋势是洗洁精洗衣液洗衣粉;经估算,洗涤等量衣物,洗衣液的LAS排放量比洗衣粉高49.1%,北京市每年家用洗涤剂LAS产生量至少为1.23万吨;经检测蓟运河北京段水样,61.5%的样点水样中LAS含量达到III类水质标准,但局部地区污染仍较为严重,污染风险不可忽视。     

太湖流域水环境监测数据资源目录体系构建研究

太湖流域水环境监测数据来源广泛,涉及部门众多。数据资源目录体系建设是实现数据有序组织、满足信息共享需求的有效途径。通过分析太湖流域水环境监测数据资源管理和利用现状、存在问题,指出建设流域水环境监测数据资源目录体系的必要性。构建了流域水环境监测数据资源目录体系总体架构,实现数据资源的编目、注册、目录管理与目录服务。在此基础上,建设了流域水环境监测数据交换与共享平台原型,为实现流域水环境监测数据交换与共享提供技术支撑。     

Bone histology sheds light on the nature of the “dermal armor” of the enigmatic sauropod dinosaur <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agustinia ligabuei</Emphasis> Bonaparte, 1999

Agustinia ligabuei is an Early Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur from the northwest of Patagonia that is currently the topic of debate with respect to its phylogenetic position and atypical dermal armor. The presence of four morphotypes of laminar and transversely elongated putative osteoderms was used to consider Agustinia as an armored sauropod. Regarding the different hypotheses about the identity of the bony structures of Agustinia (e.g., osteoderms, cervical or dorsal ribs, hypertrophied elements), a comparative histological analysis has been carried out. Histological evidence is presented herein and reveals that none of the morphotypes of Agustinia shows a primary bone tissue formed by structural fiber bundles as in other sauropod dinosaur osteoderms. Furthermore, on the basis of their gross morphology and microstructure, the bony structures originally classified as types 1 + 4 and 3 are more comparable respectively with dorsal and cervical ribs than any other kind of dermal or bony element. Due to poor preservation, the nature of the type 2 cannot be assessed but is here tentatively assigned to a pelvic girdle element. Although a phylogenetic reassessment of Agustinia is not the purpose of this paper, our paleohistological analyses have broader implications: by not supporting the dermal armor hypothesis for Agustinia, its inclusion in Lithostrotia is not justified in the absence of other diagnostic features.     

Tail regeneration affects the digestive performance of a Mediterranean lizard

In caudal autotomy, lizards shed their tail to escape from an attacking predator. Since the tail serves multiple functions, caudal regeneration is of pivotal importance. However, it is a demanding procedure that requires substantial energy and nutrients. Therefore, lizards have to increase energy income to fuel the extraordinary requirements of the regenerating tail. We presumed that autotomized lizards would adjust their digestion to acquire this additional energy. To clarify the effects of tail regeneration on digestion, we compared the digestive performance before autotomy, during regeneration, and after its completion. Tail regeneration indeed increased gut passage time but did not affect digestive performance in a uniform pattern: though protein income was maximized, lipid and sugar acquisition remained stable. This divergence in proteins may be attributed to their particular role in tail reconstruction, as they are the main building blocks for tissue formation.     

Safe caves and dangerous forests? Predation risk may contribute to salamander colonization of subterranean habitats

Recent studies suggest that many organisms actively colonize the subterranean environment to avoid climatic stress, exploit new ecological opportunities and reduce competition and predation. Terrestrial salamanders are known to colonize the more stable subterranean habitats mainly to escape external climatic extremes, while the role of predation avoidance remains untested. To better understand the importance of predation, we used clay models of the cave salamander Speleomantes strinatii to compare the predation occurring in woodland and subterranean habitats. Models were positioned in three forests and in three caves in NW Italy. One-hundred eighty-four models were retrieved from the field and 59 (32%) were attacked by predators. Models were attacked on their head more often than expected by chance and, therefore, were perceived by predators as real prey items. In the woodlands, clay models showed a four-time higher probability of being attacked in comparison to caves, suggesting a different level of potential predation risk in these surface habitats. These findings are one of the first experimental evidences that, in terrestrial ecosystems, predation avoidance may contribute to the salamander underground colonization process.     

Temporal variation in size-assortative mating and male mate choice in a spider with amphisexual care

Males should be more selective when they have a high investment in reproduction, especially in species with biparental or paternal care. In this context, male mate choice can promote size-assortative mating (SAM) when (1) large males win intrasexual disputes, (2) large females are more fecund, and (3) males prefer larger females to smaller ones. In the spider Manogea porracea, males exhibit high reproductive investment by building their webs above those of females and exhibiting extended care of offspring in the absence of females. Under these circumstances, we expect the occurrence of SAM and male preference for large females. Herein, we performed observations and experiments in the field to evaluate the hypotheses that (1) M. porracea mates assortatively by size and (2) SAM is influenced by male mate choice. Furthermore, we measured variables that could affect mating patterns, the sex ratios, and densities of both sexes. Pairing in M. porracea was positively size-assortative in 2012, but not in 2013. Large males won most disputes for mates and preferred larger females, which produced more eggs. The inconsistency in detection of SAM was due to population dynamics, namely variations in sex ratio and population density across the breeding season. Furthermore, we found that the significance of male mate choice on sexual selection of body size in M. porracea strongly depends on the competition intensity for mating opportunities. The traditional sexual selection hypothesis of SAM needs to be reviewed and must include measures of competition intensity.     

Testing the influence of gravity on flower symmetry in five <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saxifraga</Emphasis> species

Flower symmetry is considered a species-specific trait and is categorized in asymmetry, actinomorphic symmetry, bisymmetry and zygomorphic symmetry. Here we report on the intra-individual variation of flower symmetry in the genus Saxifraga and the influence of light, gravity and intrinsic factors on the development of flower symmetry. We tested five species—Saxifraga cuneifolia, Saxifraga imparilis, Saxifraga rotundifolia, Saxifraga stolonifera and Saxifraga umbrosa—concerning six flower parameters—angles between petals, petal length, petal pigmentation, angular position of carpels, movement of stamens and (only for S. imparilis and S. stolonifera) the length of the two lower elongated petals in regard to their position towards the stem. Specimens of all species were tested on a vertical clinostat as a gravity compensator, on a horizontal clinostat as a light incidence compensator and on a stationary control. The results show that the angle of incident light has no apparent impact on flower symmetry, whereas gravity affects the angular position of petals in S. cuneifolia and S. umbrosa and the petal colouration in S. rotundifolia. In S. cuneifolia and S. umbrosa, the absence of directional gravity resulted in the development of actinomorphic flowers, whereas the corresponding control flowers were zygomorphic. The development of flowers in S. rotundifolia was not altered by this treatment. The length of the two elongated petals in S. stolonifera and S. imparilis was not affected by gravity, but rather was determined by position of the flower within the inflorescence and resulted in asymmetrical flowers.