Bibliometric analysis of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in wastewater treatment: global and Ibero-American research trends

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) constitute a developing area of particular interest for researchers in different fields due to their broad range...     

Diet and environment 1.2 million years ago revealed through analysis of dental calculus from Europe’s oldest hominin at Sima del Elefante,Spain

Sima del Elefante, Atapuerca, Spain contains one of the earliest hominin fragments yet known in Europe, dating to 1.2 Ma. Dental calculus from a hominin molar was removed, degraded and analysed to recover entrapped remains. Evidence for plant use at this time is very limited and this study has revealed the earliest direct evidence for foods consumed in the genus Homo. This comprises starchy carbohydrates from two plants, including a species of grass from the Triticeae or Bromideae tribe, meat and plant fibres. All food was eaten raw, and there is no evidence for processing of the starch granules which are intact and undamaged. Additional biographical detail includes fragments of non-edible wood found adjacent to an interproximal groove suggesting oral hygiene activities, while plant fibres may be linked to raw material processing. Environmental evidence comprises spores, insect fragments and conifer pollen grains which are consistent with a forested environment.     

Occurrence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pepper Mild Mottle Virus</Emphasis> (PMMoV) in Groundwater from a Karst Aquifer System in the Yucatan Peninsula,Mexico

The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico hosts a karst aquifer system that is the only source of freshwater for the area; however, it is vulnerable to human-mediated contamination. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is one of the most abundant RNA viruses associated with human feces, making it a viable indicator for tracking fecal pollution in aquatic environments, including groundwater. In this study, groundwater samples collected from a karst aquifer from fresh and brackish water locations were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria, somatic and male F+ specific coliphages, and PMMoV during the rainy and dry seasons. Total coliform bacteria were detected at all sites, whereas Escherichia coli were found at relatively low levels <40 MPN/100 ml. The highest average concentrations of somatic and male F+ specific coliphages were 920 and 330 plaque forming units per 100 ml, respectively, detected in freshwater during the rainy season. PMMoV RNA was detected in 85% of the samples with gene sequences sharing 99–100% of nucleotide identity with PMMoV sequences available in GenBank. Quantification of PMMoV genome copies (GC) by quantitative real-time PCR indicated concentrations ranging from 1.7 × 10¹ to 1.0 × 10⁴ GC/L, with the highest number of GC detected during the rainy season. No significant correlation was observed between PMMoV occurrence by season or water type (p > 0.05). Physicochemical and indicator bacteria were not correlated with PMMoV concentrations. The abundance and prevalence of PMMoV in the karst aquifer may reflect its environmental persistence and its potential as a fecal indicator in this karst aquifer system.     

Trends of SO2emission in the European union, 1985–1997

The trends of yearly emission of sulphur dioxide are analysed for the European Union during a period of time from 1985 to 1997. To achieve the above matter the method of the least squares model has been used. Major SO₂emissions were found in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and France. However, high SO₂emissions by km²were found in Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium. The most remarkable results of the trend analysis appears as follows: 12 countries with significant downward trends, 2 countries with significant upward trends and 1 country with no significant trend. A decreasing trend is evident for the most part of the E.U., although Portugal and Greece generated significant increasing trends of SO₂emission for the mentioned year period.     

The ant genomes have been invaded by several types of mariner transposable elements

To date, only three types of full-length mariner elements have been described in ants, each one in a different genus of the Myrmicinae subfamily: Sinvmar was isolated from various Solenopsis species, Myrmar from Myrmica ruginodis, and Mboumar from Messor bouvieri. In this study, we report the coexistence of three mariner elements (Tnigmar-Si, Tnigmar-Mr, and Tnigmar-Mb) in the genome of a single species, Tapinoma nigerrimum (subfamily Dolichoderinae). Molecular evolutionary analyses of the nucleotide sequence data revealed a general agreement between the evolutionary history of most the elements and the ant species that harbour them, and suggest that they are at the vertical inactivation stage of the so-called Mariner Life Cycle. In contrast, significantly reduced levels of synonymous divergence between Mboumar and Tnigmar-Mb and between Myrmar and Botmar (a mariner element isolated from Bombus terrestris), relative to those observed between their hosts, suggest that these elements arrived to the species that host them by horizontal transfer, long after the species?? split. The horizontal transfer events for the two pairs of elements could be roughly dated within the last 2 million years and about 14 million years, respectively. As would be expected under this scenario, the coding sequences of the youngest elements, Tnigmar-Mb and Mboumar, are intact and, thus, potentially functional. Each mariner element has a different chromosomal distribution pattern according to their stage within the Mariner Life Cycle. Finally, a new defective transposable element (Azteca) has also been found inserted into the Tnigmar-Mr sequences showing that the ant genomes have been invaded by at least four different types of mariner elements.     

Copper-induced response of physiological parameters and antioxidant enzymes in the aquatic macrophyte Potamogeton pusillus

Bioaccumulation and toxicity of copper was evaluated on Potamogeton pusillus L. The effect of copper (5–100 μg L^?1) applied for several days was assessed by measuring changes in the chlorophyll's, phaeophytin's, malondialdehyde, electrical conductivity, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) activities. Plants accumulated copper with a maximum of 162 μg g^?1 dw after 7-days exposure at 100 μg L^?1, however most of the metal was accumulated after 1-day exposure. The toxic effect caused by Cu was evident by the reduction of photosynthetic pigments, increase of malondialdehyde and electrical conductivity. P. pusillus shows Cu-induced oxidative stress by modulating antioxidant enzymes like GPX, GR and POD. Antioxidant enzymes activity increased significantly after exposure to 40 μg L^?1 during 24 h, followed by a drop at longer times. Thus, P. pusillus is proposed as a good biomonitor for the assessment of metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems.     

The potential of environmental regulation to change managerial perception,environmental management,competitiveness and financial performance

This research presents an overview of where the gaps in the literature exist in relation to the link between environmental regulation and proactive environmental management and competitiveness, and incorporates them in a whole model. Different papers have highlighted only partial aspects of these relationships. Specifically, this research evaluates the relationship between managerial perception and the different styles of environmental regulations – command-and-control versus voluntary norms – the mediator role of environmental management in the link between environmental regulations and competitiveness, the effect of competitiveness on financial performance, and the two-way relationship between proactive environmental management and financial performance. Finally, this paper uses statistical evidence to test and estimate causal relationships through a structural equation modelling of 208 firms affected by IPPC law in Spain. There is a lack of systematic statistical evidence on this topic in the literature, which mainly focuses on case studies. The results show that when environmental regulation stems from command-and-control legislation its influence on managerial perception and proactive environmental management is not significant. However, when environmental regulation stems from voluntary norms, its effects are positive. Moreover, investment in proactive environmental management contributes to increasing the competitiveness of the firm. Cost and differentiation competitive advantage have a positive impact on financial performance. Finally, the link between proactive environmental management and financial performance may follow different paths: (1) neither direct nor single, because it can depend on competitive advantage, and (2) direct, because there is a significant two-way relationship between these variables (proactive environmental management influences financial performance and financial performance influences proactive environmental management).     

The use of volcanic soil as mineral landfill liner--III. Heavy metals retention capacity.

The volcanic soil of Southern Chile was tested for its heavy metal retention capacity. The maximum uptakes for CrO4(2-) (CrVI), Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+) were determined to be 2.74, 5.32, 5.86 and 7.44 mg g(-1), respectively. At a slightly alkaline pH value (7.5), it seems that a precipitation-adsorption process was responsible for the Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) uptake onto volcanic soil. All the determined values are of the same order of magnitude as natural zeolites heavy metals adsorption capacities. In addition, the heavy metals diffusion model through a 1 m volcanic soil mineral liner shows breakthrough times of 21.6, 10.2 and 8.9 years, for Pb(2+), Zn(2+) and Cu(2+), respectively, confirming the trend obtained in the adsorption isotherms. The natural volcanic soil of Southern Chile is an interesting material for possible use as landfill mineral basal sealing. It has an appropriate sealing potential (average Kf value of 5.85 x 10(-9) m s(-1)) and a heavy metals retention capacity comparable with natural zeolites. About two-thirds of the agricultural land in Chile (approximately 0.4 million km2) is derived from volcanic ash, suggesting an important soil volume for future landfill projects, that could be obtained in sufficient quantities from urban building activities.