Spatial distribution of ciguateric fish in the Republic of Kiribati

Ciguatera is food poisoning caused by human consumption of reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). The expanding international trade of tropical fish species from ciguatera-endemic regions has resulted in increased global incidence of ciguatera, and more than 50 000 people are estimated to suffer from ciguatera each year worldwide. The Republic of Kiribati is located in the Pacific Ocean; two of its islands, Marakei and Tarawa, have been suggested as high-risk areas for ciguatera. The toxicities of coral reef fish collected from these islands, including herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous fish (24% [n = 41], 8% [n = 13] and 68% [n = 117], respectively), were analyzed using the mouse neuroblastoma assay (MNA) after CTX extraction. The MNA results indicated that 156 fish specimens, or 91% of the fish samples, were ciguatoxic (CTX levels >0.01 ng g⁻¹). Groupers and moray eels were generally more toxic by an order of magnitude than other fish species. All of the collected individuals of eight species (n = 3-19) were toxic. Toxicity varied within species and among locations by up to 10 000-fold. Cephalapholis argus and Gymnothorax spp. collected from Tarawa Island were significantly less toxic than those from Marakei Island, although all individuals were toxic based on the 0.01 ng g⁻¹ threshold. CTX concentrations in the livers of individuals of two moray eel species (Gymnothorax spp., n = 6) were nine times greater than those in muscle, and toxicity in liver and muscle showed a strong positive correlation with body weight. The present study provides quantitative information on the ciguatoxicity and distribution of toxicity in fish for use in fisheries management and public health.     

Effect of lipids on sorption/desorption hysteresis in natural organic matter

The chemical composition and physical conformation of natural organic matter (NOM) play a major role in regulating its capacity to retain hydrophobic organic compounds. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were used to study the correlations between sorption/desorption isotherm nonlinearity and compositional data obtained from quantitative ¹³C solid-state DPMAS NMR spectroscopy for soil and peat organic matter with or without lipids. Sorption experiments were conducted using a batch equilibration method. Desorption experiments were carried out immediately following the sorption experiments by three successive decant-refill cycles. Hysteresis was observed in all samples. Nonlinear sorption behavior was increased by removal of lipids from the NOM. The hysteresis index, obtained from the ratio of the Freundlich exponents (N values) for the desorption and sorption isotherms, was lower in the lipid-extracted NOM samples than in the same samples without lipid extraction. The relationship between the extent of hysteresis and the characteristics of the ¹³C DPMAS NMR spectra indicates that altering NOM composition through lipid extraction not only increased the proportion of aromatic-C content, but also increased sorption/desorption hysteresis. Our data also suggest that the hysteresis index is negatively related to aromaticity.     

A mathematical model for the interactive behavior of sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens during anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic degradation of waste involves different classes of microorganisms, and there are different types of interactions among them for substrates, terminal electron acceptors, and so on. A mathematical model is developed based on the mass balance of different substrates, products, and microbes present in the system to study the interaction between methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The performance of major microbial consortia present in the system, such as propionate-utilizing acetogens, butyrate-utilizing acetogens, acetoclastic methanogens, hydrogen-utilizing methanogens, and SRB were considered and analyzed in the model. Different substrates consumed and products formed during the process also were considered in the model. The experimental observations and model predictions showed very good prediction capabilities of the model. Model prediction was validated statistically. It was observed that the model-predicted values matched the experimental data very closely, with an average error of 3.9%.     

Total fuel-cycle analysis of heavy-duty vehicles using biofuels and natural gas-based alternative fuels

Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) present a growing energy and environmental concern worldwide. These vehicles rely almost entirely on diesel fuel for propulsion and create problems associated with local pollution, climate change, and energy security. Given these problems and the expected global expansion of HDVs in transportation sectors, industry and governments are pursuing biofuels and natural gas as potential alternative fuels for HDVs. Using recent lifecycle datasets, this paper evaluates the energy and emissions impacts of these fuels in the HDV sector by conducting a total fuel-cycle (TFC) analysis for Class 8 HDVs for six fuel pathways: (1) petroleum to ultra low sulfur diesel; (2) petroleum and soyoil to biodiesel (methyl soy ester); (3) petroleum, ethanol, and oxygenate to e-diesel; (4) petroleum and natural gas to Fischer-Tropsch diesel; (5) natural gas to compressed natural gas; and (6) natural gas to liquefied natural gas. TFC emissions are evaluated for three greenhouse gases (GHGs) (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane) and five other pollutants (volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and sulfur oxides), along with estimates of total energy and petroleum consumption associated with each of the six fuel pathways. Results show definite advantages with biodiesel and compressed natural gas for most pollutants, negligible benefits for e-diesel, and increased GHG emissions for liquefied natural gas and Fischer-Tropsch diesel (from natural gas).     

Land application of tylosin and chlortetracycline swine manure: Impacts to soil nutrients and soil microbial community structure

The land application of aged chortetracycle (CTC) and tylosin-containing swine manure was investigated to determine associated impacts to soil microbial respiration, nutrient (phosphorus, ammonium, nitrate) cycling, and soil microbial community structure under laboratory conditions. Two silty clay loam soils common to southeastern South Dakota were used. Aerobic soil respiration results using batch reactors containing a soil-manure mixture showed that interactions between soil, native soil microbial populations, and antimicrobials influenced CO(2) generation. The aged tylosin treatment resulted in the greatest degree of CO(2) inhibition, while the aged CTC treatment was similar to the no-antimicrobial treatment. For soil columns in which manure was applied at a one-time agronomic loading rate, there was no significant difference in soil-P behavior between either aged CTC or tylosin and the no-antimicrobial treatment. For soil-nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate), the aged CTC treatment resulted in rapid ammonium accumulation at the deeper 40cm soil column depth, while nitrate production was minimal. The aged CTC treatment microbial community structure was different than the no-antimicrobial treatment, where amines/amide and carbohydrate chemical guilds utilization profile were low. The aged tylosin treatment also resulted in ammonium accumulation at 40 cm column depth, however nitrate accumulation also occurred concurrently at 10 cm. The microbial community structure for the aged tylosin was also significantly different than the no-antimicrobial treatment, with a higher degree of amines/amides and carbohydrate chemical guild utilization compared to the no-antimicrobial treatment. Study results suggest that land application of CTC and tylosin-containing manure appears to fundamentally change microbial-mediated nitrogen behavior within soil A horizons.     

The endocrine disrupting potential of sediments from the Upper Danube River (Germany) as revealed by in vitro bioassays and chemical analysis

Introduction  

The present study was part of a comprehensive weight-of-evidence approach with the goal of identifying potential causes for the declines in fish populations, which have been observed during the past decades in the Upper Danube River.     

Recent changes in flood preparedness of private households and businesses in Germany

Using the focusing event framework, a comprehensive analysis of private households’ and businesses’ preparedness was undertaken in the aftermath of the 2002 and 2006 flood events on the Elbe River in Germany. In August 2002, preparedness of households (n = 235) and businesses (n = 103) was low: 30% of the households and 54% of the businesses took no precautionary measures before the flood event. Many undertaken emergency measures were ineffective, since only 26% of all households knew how to react when the flood warning came, and only 9% of businesses had an emergency plan in place. Due to this extreme flood, double-loop learning occurred in many households and businesses, so that many did implement precautionary measures. The distribution of adopted precautionary measures for households fits well to Preisendörfer’s low-cost hypothesis, but does not apply for businesses. Only 10% of the households (n = 112), but still 29% of the businesses (n = 41) were unprepared before the flood in 2006. Significant improvement in flood preparedness activities is still necessary. Particularly for businesses, regulatory programs and programs encouraging proactive behaviour should be implemented. The focusing event framework proofed to be a useful tool for a differentiated analysis of the responses to and learning due to a disaster also in the commercial and private sector.     

Combustion-derived substances in deep basins of Puget Sound: historical inputs from fossil fuel and biomass combustion

Reconstructions of 250 years historical inputs of two distinct types of black carbon (soot/graphitic black carbon (GBC) and char-BC) were conducted on sediment cores from two basins of the Puget Sound, WA. Signatures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also used to support the historical reconstructions of BC to this system. Down-core maxima in GBC and combustion-derived PAHs occurred in the 1940s in the cores from the Puget Sound Main Basin, whereas in Hood Canal such peak was observed in the 1970s, showing basin-specific differences in inputs of combustion byproducts. This system showed relatively higher inputs from softwood combustion than the northeastern U.S. The historical variations in char-BC concentrations were consistent with shifts in climate indices, suggesting an influence of climate oscillations on wildfire events. Environmental loading of combustion byproducts thus appears as a complex function of urbanization, fuel usage, combustion technology, environmental policies, and climate conditions.     

Road deicing salt irreversibly disrupts osmoregulation of salamander egg clutches

It has been postulated that road deicing salts are sufficiently diluted by spring rains to ameliorate any physiological impacts to amphibians breeding in wetlands near roads. We tested this conjecture by exposing clutches of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) to three chloride concentrations (1 mg/L, 145 mg/L, 945 mg/L) for nine days, then transferred clutches to control water for nine days, and measured change in mass at three-day intervals. We measured mass change because water uptake by clutches reduces risks to embryos associated with freezing, predation, and disease. Clutches in controls sequestered water asymptotically. Those in the moderate concentrations lost 18% mass initially and regained 14% after transfer to control water. Clutches in high concentration lost 33% mass and then lost an additional 8% after transfer. Our results suggest that spring rains do not ameliorate the effects of deicing salts in wetlands with extremely high chloride concentrations.     

A Systematic Approach to the Evaluation of RCRA Disposal Facilities Under Future Climate‐Induced Events

The ability of near‐surface disposal facility cover designs to meet percolation performance criteria can be influenced by naturally occurring climatic mechanisms as well as anthropogenic forcing. This study was conducted to determine the effect of climate‐induced events on percolation based, probabilistic distributions derived from historical climate data. Water balance predictions were evaluated using the HELP model, employing several variations of degradation in a traditional RCRA disposal facility cover design over a 100‐year simulation period. Results demonstrated that changes in precipitation and temperature can influence performance. The analysis also revealed that when both precipitation and temperature are increased, warmer temperatures tend to offset some of the impact from greater precipitation. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.