The greenhouse gas balance of the Province of Siena

There is a profound debate over how to assign greenhouse gas (GHG) responsibilities; therefore, we have decided to follow IPCC guidelines, as they offer the only standardized method. We have identified each type of greenhouse emission and its level of absorption. We have studied the province and its districts and municipalities. We have determined that the energy sector is that with the highest level of emissions, even if the per capita emissions of the Province of Siena are very low. This is caused by a very low level of industrialization and the presence of a local geothermal production of energy. In order to highlight this aspect, we have considered scenarios both with and without geothermal production. Our research was then focused on single districts (groups of homogenous municipalities) and municipalities, where we found great differences among the greenhouse emissions of the areas. We have constructed a map of the greenhouse emissions of the whole province. It has been interesting to note that there are 14 municipalities with net negative emissions, seven with low positive emissions, 12 with medium positive emissions and three with elevated positive emissions. These latter correspond to the main city and to two of the most industrialized municipalities.     

Composting of waste algae: A review

Although composting has been successfully used at pilot scale to manage waste algae removed from eutrophied water environments and the compost product applied as a fertiliser, clear guidelines are not available for full scale algae composting. The review reports on the application of composting to stabilize waste algae, which to date has mainly been macro-algae, and identifies the peculiarities of algae as a composting feedstock, these being: relatively low carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, which can result in nitrogen loss as NH₃ and even N₂O; high moisture content and low porosity, which together make aeration challenging; potentially high salinity, which can have adverse consequence for composting; and potentially have high metals and toxin content, which can affect application of the product as a fertiliser. To overcome the challenges that these peculiarities impose co-compost materials can be employed.     

Effective communication about complex environmental issues: Perceived quality of information about carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) depends on stakeholder collaboration

This experimental research addresses the effectiveness of communication about complex environmental issues, depending on whether the same information is provided by multiple collaborating or by individual organizations (i.e., stakeholders). The information provided pertains to carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology, as an example of a complex environmental issue. In Studies 1 (N = 75) and 2 (N = 66) we found that participants perceived factual information from collaborating stakeholders to be of higher quality than when the same information was provided by individual stakeholders. As predicted, the expectation of diverse perspectives being represented in the collaborative information mediated this effect. In addition, in Study 3 (N = 79) the perceived dissimilarity of collaborating stakeholders was shown to be an important precondition for the collaboration effect observed in Studies 1 and 2. Finally, these studies indicate that occasional collaboration between different stakeholders does not necessarily harm the perceived credibility of each individual stakeholder.     

Elevated carbon dioxide does not offset loss of soil carbon from a corn-soybean agroecosystem

The potential for storing additional C in U.S. Corn Belt soils - to offset rising atmospheric [CO₂] - is large. Long-term cultivation has depleted substantial soil organic matter (SOM) stocks that once existed in the region's native ecosystems. In central Illinois, free-air CO₂ enrichment technology was used to investigate the effects of elevated [CO₂] on SOM pools in a conservation tilled corn-soybean rotation. After 5 and 6 y of CO₂ enrichment, we investigated the distribution of C and N among soil fractions with varying ability to protect SOM from rapid decomposition. None of the isolated C or N pools, or bulk-soil C or N, was affected by CO₂ treatment. However, the site has lost soil C and N, largely from unprotected pools, regardless of CO₂ treatment since the experiment began. These findings suggest management practices have affected soil C and N stocks and dynamics more than the increased inputs from CO₂-stimulated photosynthesis.     

Payments for Environmental Services in Latin America as a Tool for Restoration and Rural Development

Payments for Environmental Services (PES) can encourage projects that enhance restoration, production, and rural development. When projects promote differentiated systems by paying farmers for the provision of services, the application of PES requires evaluation of the environmental services provided by each system. We present evaluations of carbon stocks and biodiversity in pure and mixed native tree plantations in Costa Rica. To illustrate how monetary values can be assigned, we discuss a project that awarded PES to silvopastoral systems in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Colombia based on carbon stocks and biodiversity. PES can promote positive environmental attitudes in farmers. Currently this project is being scaled up in Colombia based on their positive experiences with PES as a tool to promote adoption. Compared to PES systems that include only one environmental service, systems that incorporate bundling or layering of multiple services can make sustainable land uses more attractive to farmers and reduce perverse incentives.     

Exposure to moderate concentrations of tropospheric ozone impairs tree stomatal response to carbon dioxide

With rising concentrations of both atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and tropospheric ozone (O₃), it is important to better understand the interacting effects of these two trace gases on plant physiology affecting land-atmosphere gas exchange. We investigated the effect of growth under elevated CO₂ and O₃, singly and in combination, on the primary short-term stomatal response to CO₂ concentration in paper birch at the Aspen FACE experiment. Leaves from trees grown in elevated CO₂ and/or O₃ exhibited weaker short-term responses of stomatal conductance to both an increase and a decrease in CO₂ concentration from current ambient level. The impairement of the stomatal CO₂ response by O₃ most likely developed progressively over the growing season as assessed by sap flux measurements. Our results suggest that expectations of plant water-savings and reduced stomatal air pollution uptake under rising atmospheric CO₂ may not hold for northern hardwood forests under concurrently rising tropospheric O₃.     

Carbon nanotubes as sorbents in the analysis of pesticides

With increasing public concerns for agrochemicals and their potential movement in the ecosystem, very sensitive, selective and precise methods for the analysis of pesticides are needed. Because these substances are present usually at trace levels, the extraction and preconcentration steps are so far essential for their detection. Discoveries of novel nanomaterials with unique properties have significant impact on their use also in extraction techniques. This overview reports the recent application of carbon nanotubes in the analysis of pesticides. The largest numbers of reported applications of carbon nanotubes concern their role as a sorbent materials in solid-phase extraction and microextraction techniques.     

Impact of carbon nanomaterials on the behaviour of 14C-phenanthrene and 14C-benzo-[a] pyrene in soil

The impact of fullerene soot (FS), single-walled (SWCNTs) and multi-walled (MWCNTs) carbon nanotubes on the behaviour of two ¹⁴C-PAHs in sterile soil was investigated. Different concentrations of carbon nanomaterials (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5%) were added to soil, and ¹⁴C-phenanthrene and ¹⁴C-benzo[a]pyrene extractability assessed over 80 d through dichloromethane (DCM) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) shake extractions. Total ¹⁴C-PAH activity in soils was determined by combustion, and mineralisation of ¹⁴C-phenanthrene was monitored over 14 d, using a catabolically active pseudomonad inoculum. No significant loss of ¹⁴C-PAH-associated activity from CNM-amended soils was observed over the ‘aging’ period. CNMs had a significant impact on HPCD-extractability of ¹⁴C-PAHS; extractability decreased with increasing CNM concentration. Additionally, ¹⁴C-phenanthrene mineralisation was inhibited by the presence of CNMs at concentrations of ≥0.05%. Differences in overall extents of ¹⁴C-mineralisation were also apparent between CNM types. It is suggested the addition of CNMs to soil can reduce PAH extractability and bioaccessibility, with PAH sorption to CNMs influenced by CNM type and concentration.     

联合式催化剂用于低温下一氧化碳和氢的共同消除

采用联合式催化剂新技术,在低温下进行了一氧化碳和氢化同消除的试验,通过实验考察取得了良好的效果。     

Stable hydrogen,carbon and chlorine isotope measurements of selected chlorinated organic solvents

Stable hydrogen isotopes of two chlorinated solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), provided by five different manufacturers, were determined and compared to their carbon and chlorine isotopic signatures. The isotope ratio for delta2H of different TCEs ranged between +466.9 per thousand and +681.9 per thousand, for delta13C between -31.57 per thousand and -27.37 per thousand, and for delta37Cl between -3.19 per thousand and +3.90 per thousand. In the case of the TCAs, the isotope ratio for delta2H ranged between -23.1 per thousand and +15.1 per thousand, for delta13C between -27.39 per thousand and -25.84 per thousand, and for delta37Cl between -3.54 per thousand and +1.39 per thousand. As well, a column experiment was carried out to dechlorinate tetrachloroethylene (PCE) to TCE using iron. The dechlorination products have completely different hydrogen isotope ratios than the manufactured TCEs. Compared to the positive values of delta2H in manufactured TCEs (between +466.9 per thousand and +681.9 per thousand), the dechlorinated products had a very depleted delta2H (less than -300 per thousand). This finding has strong implications for distinguishing dechlorination products (PCE to TCE) from manufactured TCE. In addition, the results of this study show the potential of combining 2H/1H analyses with 13C/12C and 37Cl/35Cl for isotopic fingerprinting applications in organic contaminant hydrogeology.