Source and material balance of total organic halogen pollution in the Ayase River system,Japan

The total organic halogen (TOX) pollution in the highly polluted Ayase River system was investigated. Using the concentration of coexisting linear undecylbenzenesulfonate and the difference in the flowing water volume between summer and winter, the fractions of domestic and agricultural wastewaters in the whole water column were calculated and the variety of the TOX sources in the river was estimated. The river carried about 100 kgCl of TOX materials in one day; about 50 kgCl of the materials was from residential area in the basin. The contribution of agricultural drainage from paddy field was not negligible in summer. Highly contribution of industrial wastewater was observed in a tributary Furuayase River basin while the amount of TOX loaded in the area was widely varied; 0–105 kgCl of the materials was discharged as industrial wastewater.     

Determination and QSPR analysis of log Kow and log Koc for fluorine containing benzene derivatives

Octanol‐water partition coefficients (Kow) and soil organic carbon sorption coefficients (Koc) were determined for 14 fluorinated benzene derivatives. Quantitative structure‐property relationships were developed using molecular connectivity indices and quantum chemical parameters to analyze the most significant factors influencing these physico‐chemical properties of the compounds. The substitution by F in benzene derivatives has greater influence on Koc than on Kow.     

Applicability of Montreal Process Criterion 4 — soil and water conservation — to rangeland sustainability

SUMMARY

Criterion 4 of the Montreal Process addresses the conservation of soil and water resources as a way to assess the sustainability of a nation's forests. For the most part, the indicators under this criterion are relevant to rangelands. The area and percent of rangeland with significant soil erosion apply equally well to both biomes. Percent of streams with flow rates and timing outside its range of historical variation is also equally important, although a measure of proper functioning and condition may provide a better measure of the indicator. The area and percent of rangeland with diminished soil productive capability because of a loss of reduced organic matter or changed physical characteristics can be useful indicators locally and regionally.     

Facilitating resilient rural-to-urban sustainable agriculture and rural communities

ABSTRACT

This article contributes to efforts to validate a common set of parameters and principles of sustainable agriculture. Comparisons between alternative forms of sustainable agriculture and rural-to-urban community resilience are investigated. Conclusions are drawn between multiple sustainable/alternative agriculture systems and evaluated. A set of common baseline parameters and principles is proposed as a method of evolving a common structural framework for strengthening sustainability of agriculture and rural contexts. Concepts of rural-to-urban community sustainability are proposed, supporting sustainable agriculture contexts as rural and urban. In the twenty-first century, agriculture is becoming more diversified and less typified as a rural occupation. Urban agriculture is expanding as the need for fresh, affordable, accessible agriculture produce increases in urban areas. Evidence supports symbiotic relationships between sustainable agriculture and rural/urban communities, although some claim this relationship has not been clearly defined.

This article investigates sustainable agriculture from two perspectives. We ask ‘what are common parameters and principles of the various forms of sustainable agriculture,’ and ‘why urban-to-rural context.’ Organic agriculture parameters and principles are proposed as a conceptual framework toward establishing baseline parameters and principles for sustainable agriculture. Best management parameters of urban and rural sustainable agriculture in the United States and the United Kingdom are examined for their potential to develop a strengthening framework of parameters and principles of agriculture and rural-to-urban sustainability. These results are compared and evaluated for their effectiveness in redefining current sustainable agriculture practices, and their value in strengthening sustainable agriculture symbiosis with rural-to-urban community systems.     

Temporal variation of the concentration and biochemical composition of seston within the Humboldt Current System off northern Chile (21°S)

Seasonal differences in the concentration and biochemical composition of seston have been assessed for the first time in the Humboldt Current System off northern Chile (21°S). The study comprised four seasonal surveys in the Bay of Chipana, including the summer and winter of 2006 and 2007, when El Niño 2006 and La Niña 2007 developed. Protein, lipid, carbohydrate and biogenic silica contents were measured in samples collected at four selected depths. The highest protein, lipid and carbohydrate concentrations were found at the fluorescence maximum (between 10 and 15 m depth), whereas the highest biogenic silica concentration was found 1 m above the seabed. When El Niño started developing, every variable showed low values throughout the water column; however, the lowest values were found when La Niña conditions dominated, together with low oxygen concentrations. Samples collected within the oxygen minimum zone (65 m depth) showed the lowest values for the water column and the lowest seasonal variations. After the evident decline coincident with El Niño 2006, the abundance and biochemical quality (high protein and lipid contents) of seston recovered earlier in the surface layer (upper 15 m) than at other depths.     

Level,pattern, and risk assessment of the selected soil trace metals in the calcareous-cultivated Vertisols

Dynamics and distribution pattern of trace metals in agricultural lands are an increasing concern due to potential risks to the environment and human health. To ascertain more knowledge of this aspect, the fractions of total and available Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Cd belonging to Vertisols under intensive cultivation and adjoining uncultivated soils were investigated. The order of abundance of metals in both cultivated and uncultivated soils was Fe?>?Mn?>?Cu?>?Zn?>?Cd and Fe?>?Mn?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Cd for both available and total fraction, respectively. A relative enrichment was observed in the value of diethylene-triamine pentaacetic acid-extractable Fe (1.2–201%), Mn (2–31%), Cu (1–40%), and Cd (21–45%) as well as total fraction of Zn (3–17%), Cu (12–32%), and Cd (42–108%) after intensive cropping, which can be contributed to repeated application of agrochemical inputs and manure over long time. The values of RI (potential ecological risk) showed that cultivation caused a low potential ecological risk (33.3% of the soil samples) to moderate potential ecological risk (66.7% of the soil samples) in the study region and that cadmium made up 88%, on average, of the RI value.     

Benthic Response to Mucilaginous Aggregates in the Northern Adriatic Sea: Biochemical Indicators of Eutrophication

Abstract

In summer 1997, gelatinous aggregates appeared in the Adriatic Sea, covering large areas of the northern basin. This study deals with the comparison between the biochemical composition of the sedimentary organic matter in summer, 1996 (when no aggregates appeared), and in summer, 1997 (during the appearance of aggregates). the biochemical composition of organic matter in surface sediments (determined in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, phytopigments and nucleic acids) has been investigated in two areas along the coast of the NW-Adriatic Sea in order to characterize benthic processes during aggregate deposition on the sea floor. During mucilage accumulation, a significant increase of biochemical compounds was observed, and chlorophyll-a and carbohydrate concentrations doubled their concentrations. in contrast, protein concentrations decreased, so that overall biopolymeric carbon content (expressed as the sum of lipid, protein and carbohydrate carbon equivalents) did not display significant differences between sampling periods (1579.3 in June, 1996 1678.8 μgCg^?1 and June, 1997). the protein to carbohydrate ratio decreased from 4.9 in June, 1996 to 1.8 in June, 1997. Mucilage production in June, 1997, modified significantly the biochemical composition of the sedimentary OM, thus affecting the potential availability of OM to benthic consumers. We hypothesise that the production of highly refractory composition of the sedimentary OM during mucilage accumulation might have an important biogeochemical implications.     

持久性有机污染物致胰岛素抵抗及其潜在病理机制

胰岛素抵抗综合症目前在全世界以惊人的速度增长,成为21世纪公共健康的严重挑战。多例流行病学调查结果已经显示持久性有机污染物与胰岛素抵抗的关联。胰岛素信号传递受损是胰岛素抵抗的本质原因。考察机制发现,可在机体脂肪组织中贮存积累的持久性有机污染物,如二噁英、多氯联苯、溴代阻燃剂、有机氯农药等,可干扰细胞内受体如环芳烃受体、过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体、导致氧化损伤、线粒体功能障碍并通过慢性炎症介质TNFα的释放及其相关信号调控;进而可能阻扰胰岛素信号传递中关键蛋白InsR或IRS-1/2正常磷酸化,导致胰岛素抵抗。     

不同土地利用方式对土壤有机碳及其组分影响研究

测定了5种土地利用方式下（人工草地、围封样地、一年耕地、弃耕地、自由放牧样地）土壤有机碳、土壤微生物生物量碳、易氧化态碳和轻组有机碳组分含量特征,比较分析土地利用变化对典型草原土壤起源下土壤有机碳组分的变化。结果表明,1）人工草地土壤有机碳含量为（14．98±3．47）g·kg-1,围封样地的为（12．41±6．40）g·kg-1,一年耕地的为（12．20±5．59）g·kg-1,弃耕样地的为（10．39±5．08）g·kg-1,自由放牧样地的为（9．45±3．19）g·kg-1。人工草地土壤有机碳含量明显高于其他样地,围封样地和一年耕地的含量相似,自由放牧样地的含量最小。2）土壤微生物生物量碳、易氧化态碳和轻组有机碳的含量在不同土地利用方式下的变化趋势与土壤有机碳含量的变化趋势基本一致。土壤有机碳及其组分含量在土壤剖面上,随着土层深度的增加而逐渐降低。3）土壤微生物生物量碳、易氧化态碳和轻组有机碳的平均分配比率在不同类型样地范围分别为0．24％～0．66％、0．002％～0．019％和0．05％-0．25％,显示出各组分对土壤环境变化的敏感度不同,其中土壤微生物生物量碳更能反映土壤有机碳的早期变化,可以作为表征土壤有机碳变化和土壤肥力的敏感指标。