Contributions to ecological chemistry CXII balance of conversion of buturon‐14C in wheat under outdoor conditions 1

Abstract

The urea herbicide buturon (N‐[p‐chlorophenyl] ‐N’ ‐methyl‐N’ ‐isobutinyl‐urea), ¹⁴C‐labeled, was sprayed on winter wheat as an aqueous formulation (2.98 kg/ha) under outdoor conditions. Upon harvest (three months after application), a total of 49. 2% of the applied radiocarbon was recovered: 2.0% in the plants, 46.9% in the soil, and 0.3% in the leaching water (depth > 50 cm); less than 0.1% was in the grains (0.464 ppm). Only about half of the radioactivity present in plants could be recovered under mild extraction conditions; about half of this was unchanged buturon. In straw and husk extracts, the following metabolites were identified by gaschromatography/mass spectrometry: N‐(p‐chlorophenyl)‐N‐methyl‐O‐methyl‐carbamate (metabolite I), N‐phenyl‐N’ ‐formyl‐urea (metabolite II), two unstable metabolites giving (p‐chlorophenyl)‐isocyanate upon purification (metabolites III and IV), N‐(p‐chlorophenyl)‐N’ ‐methyl‐N’ ‐isobutenylol‐urea (metabolite V), p‐chloroformanilide (metabolite VI) and biologically bound p‐chloroaniline (metabolite VII). In the root and basal stem extract, the following metabolites were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: N‐(p‐chlorophenyl)‐O‐methyl‐carbamate (metabolite VIII) and N‐(p‐chlorophenyl)‐N’ ‐methyl‐urea (metabolite IX).     

Impact of different public E&P policies on natural gas reserves and production in Pakistan

Low wellhead domestic gas prices over the past few years have led to the beginning of a shortage in natural gas reserves and production in Pakistan. Gas demand steadily rises in all sectors for being an economical fuel as compare to substitutes. In the view of foregoing consumption trend, the demand for gas is expected to grow with a higher pace during the 2010s. On the contrary, indigenous gas reserves are running out and cannot keep up with the demand. This paper examines the extent of upstream activities in different petroleum policy regimes. The wellhead price for indigenous gas is compared with the prices of alternatives (for example, gas import prices). In order to put the problem in perspective, the relationship between wellhead gas price and cumulative gas reserves in Pakistan are analyzed and we find that the looming gas shortage can be ameliorated in the short-run and eliminated in the long-run through incentivized wellhead price. To put it briefly, the idea is mooted to first take advantage of huge domestic reserves to ensure competitive consumer prices for gas. The findings are applicable to several other economies with under-developed natural resources.     

Is corporate social responsibility possible in the mining sector? Evidence from Catalan companies

This paper examines the role and diffusion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) management, especially in relation with the adoption of other management systems, in small and medium sized companies in the surface mining industry in Catalonia (Spain). Specifically, it identifies the most salient CSR practices, procedures and metrics and the profiles of companies more prone to adopt them. To fulfill this aim, a survey has been conducted. Results show that mining companies are familiar with CSR practices, but there is not much formalization of procedures and measurement systems of CSR yet. Results show that the majority of socially responsible practices are related to environmental issues and therefore there is a relation between CSR and the application of environmental management systems. The analysis reveals that the management of CSR activities improves with the diffusion of knowledge on CSR practices. A second survey collected the opinion of professional associations in the sector. Respondents indicate that an improvement in CSR management will lead to a better global competitive position.     

Enclave development and ‘offshore corporate social responsibility’: Implications for oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa

This paper critically reflects on the challenges of engaging, proactively, in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the region's oil production takes place in enclave-type environments offshore and in countries ruled by autocratic governments which generally exert minimal pressure on companies to embrace CSR. With companies having little sense of who to target in their local economic development policies and programs, there is always a possibility of ‘offshore CSR’ – recognized here as potentially-effective ideas for improving social welfare that linger within the enclave and never fully materialize – surfacing. The aim is to conceptualize and broaden understanding of the challenge of developing CSR programs in these settings, where there are no clear linkages to communities or local economies more generally.     

Corporate Social Responsibility in the extractive industries: Experiences from developing countries

This paper introduces a special issue on ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in the extractive industries: experiences from developing countries’. Drawing upon case study analysis from Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, the papers in this issue broaden understanding of how multinational mining and oil and gas companies have embraced the CSR challenge and responded to criticisms of their performance in developing countries. This paper provides an introduction to the debate on CSR in the extractive industries in developing countries, reviewing the key issues examined on this subject to date.     

Impact of carbon,oxygen and sulfur content of microscale zerovalent iron particles on its reactivity towards chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons

Zerovalent iron (ZVI) abiotically degrades several chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) via reductive dechlorination, which offers perspectives for in situ groundwater remediation applications. The difference in reactivity between ZVI particles is often linked with their specific surface area. However, other parameters may influence the reactivity as well. Earlier, we reported for a set of microscale zerovalent iron (mZVI) particles the disappearance kinetic of different CAHs which were collected under consistent experimental conditions. In the present study, these kinetic data were correlated with the carbon, oxygen and sulfur content of mZVI particles. It was confirmed that not only the specific surface area affects the disappearance kinetic of CAHs, but also the chemical composition of the mZVI particles. The chemical composition, in addition, influences CAHs removal mechanism inducing sorption onto mZVI particles instead of dechlorination. Generally, high disappearance kinetic of CAHs was observed for particles containing less oxygen. A high carbon content, on the other hand, induced nonreactive sorption of the contaminants on the mZVI particles. To obtain efficient remediation of CAHs by mZVI particles, this study suggested that the carbon and oxygen content should not exceed 0.5% and 1% respectively. Finally, the efficiency of the mZVI particles may be improved to some extent by enriching them with sulfur. However, the impact of sulfur content on the reactivity of mZVI particles is less pronounced than that of the carbon and oxygen content.     

Mining and social development: Refocusing community investment using multi-criteria decision analysis

This paper addresses the question: How can mining companies assess social investment projects so that projects create value for the company and communities in which they operate? Mining companies are still wrestling with the limits of their responsibility in relation to social development even though they accept the business case for community investment at a general level. Fully aware of the practical hazards involved in taking an active role in facilitating local development, companies increasingly avoid methods that are overly paternalistic or assume the functions of the national or local governments. Gaining senior management's commitment to long-term social projects, which are characterised by uncertainty and complexity, is made easier if projects are shown to benefit the site's strategic goals. Case study research on large global mining companies, including interviews with social investment decision makers, has assisted in developing a Social Investment Decision Analysis Tool (SIDAT), a decision model for evaluating social projects. Multi-criteria decision analysis techniques integrating business planning processes with social impact assessment have proved useful in assisting mining companies think beyond seeking reputational benefits, to how they can meet their business goals and contribute to sustainable development.     

Natural resource abundance in Nigeria: From dependence to development

There are several strategies open to an economy in its attempt to attain sustainable economic development depending on its historical background and resource endowment. One of such is the resource-led strategy. Nigeria is superabundantly rich in crude oil and has reaped billions of petrodollars. However, the country seems to be facing the problem of successfully translating this huge oil wealth into sustainable development. This paper employs the vector error-correction methodology in examining the long-run impact of the huge oil wealth accruing to Nigeria on its economic development. Indicators such as per capita GDP (PGDP), household consumption, infrastructural development (electricity), and agricultural and manufacturing output growth rates are examined. The results suggest a significant positive long-run impact of per capita oil revenue on per capita household consumption and electricity generation, while a negative relationship is established for GDP, agriculture and manufacturing. Even for those variables with negative relationship at current period, there exist positive relationships at subsequent lags. Thus, oil revenue, if properly managed and invested, could be effectively used to induce oil-led development in Nigeria provided the current inhibitions of corruption, lack of transparency, accountability and fairness in its use and distribution are removed.     

橡胶促进剂M盐废水生物处理技术研究

为探讨微生物技术在橡胶促进剂M盐废水处理中的应用,利用高效优势蘸强化A2O工艺对橡胶促进剂M盐废水进行处理,整个系统运行过程分为污泥的培养与驯化阶段及稳定运行阶段。在稳定运行阶段COD0平均去除率达90．71％,氨氮平均去除率达78．31％。以Mn^2＋、Fe^2＋、Mg^2＋、Ni^2＋为4个影响因子,通过正交实验分析无机离子对橡胶促进剂M盐废水中有机物降解的促进作用。由实验数据的摄差大小可知,各无机离子对优势复合菌降解橡胶有机废水的影响从大到小依次为：Mn^2＋、Fe^2＋、Ni^2＋和Mg^2＋。4种离子最佳质量浓度组合为：0．500mg／L的Mn^2＋、1．00mg／L的Fe^2＋、35．0mg／L的Mg^2＋和0．025mg／L的Ni^2＋。     

Lysimeter Experiments to Investigate the Fate of Chemicals in Soils – Comparison of Five Different Lysimeter Systems

Several lysimeter scenarios and approaches exist to study the fate of agro-chemicals or contaminants from deposition in soil columns. In many systems just transport and leaching of the parent compound is followed, in some systems the leaching and transport of the metabolites is investigated as well. In more sophisticated lysimeter systems the volatilization and also the mineralization of the applied chemicals can be additionally monitored. Depending on the lysimeter system used and on the fact whether the applied chemicals are ¹⁴C-labeled or not, different results and various interpretations of the results might be achieved. Different lysimeter systems are described in this paper and a real dataset of a specific lysimeter experiment was transferred and evaluated in a virtual approach in the different lysimeter systems in order to show the advantages and disadvantages of the various systems.