Effect of the temperature and the exclusion of UVB radiation on the phenolics and iridoids in Menyanthes trifoliata L. leaves in the subarctic

The long-term effects of UVB exclusion and temperature on the methanol extractable (ME) phenolics (flavonoids, phenolic acids) and iridoids of Menyanthes trifoliata L. (Mt) leaves were studied in northern Finland (68°N) using wooden frames covered with filters for UVB exclusion (polyester filter), control (cellulose acetate filter) and ambient (no filter) conditions. Analysis of ambient plots showed no effect of the daily mean temperature (2σ = 1.58 °C) on the leaf ME compound content and composition, but minimum temperatures decreased the flavonol content. UVB exclusion did not affect the total ME compound content but significantly decreased the proportion of flavonols concomitantly with an increase in iridoids. Due to its high iridoid content, Mt appears as an interesting model plant for studying the iridoid biosynthesis and its regulation under stress conditions.     

Characterization of organic compounds in aerosol particles from a coniferous forest by GC-MS

Atmospheric aerosol particles were collected in a Finnish Scots pine forest as part of a European Union project. Sampling was done in March-April 2003 with a high-volume sampler. Dynamic ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were applied to the analysis of aerosol samples for analytes such as n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), oxidized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs), sesquiterpenes (SQT) and oxidized sesquiterpenes (oxy-SQT). The highest concentrations were found for the n-alkanes, which were present in a wide range (C11-C32) indicating both biogenic and anthropogenic sources. PAH compounds were found in every sample while oxy-PAH compounds were present in low concentrations in a few samples. A few oxidized monoterpenes, most notably (-)-verbenone and pinonaldehyde, were found in several samples in concentrations clearly exceeding the PAH concentrations. The effect of temperature could be seen in most samples, where the concentrations of n-alkanes declined with decreasing temperatures. Particle formation events were accompanied by higher concentrations of heavy n-alkanes, verbenone and pinonaldehyde.     

Mutagenesis of mammalian cells in culture by chlorophenols,chlorocatechols and chloroguaiacols

The mutagenicity of 4 chlorinated phenols, 4 chlorinated catechols, 3 chlorinated guaiacols, one chloromethoxyphenol and one wood preservative mixture was studied in a mammalian cell assay, in which Chinese hamster cells V79 are used. Of the compounds studied 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, 3,4,6-trichlorocatechol, 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol and the wood preservative were mutagenic in the test system used.     

Leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus during production of forest seedlings in containers

Little information is available concerning the contamination risk caused by forest seedling nurseries to local surface and ground waters compared with agricultural and horticultural production. Leaching of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) through peat growing medium in containers and nutrient uptake of seedlings were monitored in production of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst], and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings. About half of the applied nutrients (total amount applied = 149 to 260 kg N ha(-1) and 60 to 108 kg P ha(-1)) was premixed into the peat medium, as is usual in Finnish nursery practice, and the other half was applied to seedlings in liquid form with mobile booms. Depending on tree species, 11 to 19% of the applied N was recovered in leachates and 15 to 63% in seedlings. The undiscovered proportion varied from 19 to 71%. The amounts of leached N were 19 to 41 kg ha(-1). Only 5 to 31% of the applied P was recovered in seedlings; 16 to 64% (11 to 56 kg ha(-1)) was found in leachates. Total N and P load to the environment may increase substantially if nutrients applied in liquid fertilization outside container trays are included. Consequently, it is important to determine the sources of nutrient load in container seedling production to mitigate the risk of environment contamination.     

A New Approach to Measuring Work-Related Well-Being

The main aim of this study was to develop a short questionnaire to assess work-related well-being from the organizational behaviour perspective. The short well-being questionnaire enables measuring longitudinal work-related well-being. Work-related well-being was assessed with a 147-item questionnaire covering both organizational and intrinsic factors of work-related well-being. The questionnaire consisted of 27 categories. The respondents were 114 women (65%) and 62 men (35%), mean age 39.2 years, in various occupations. From the extensive questionnaire a shorter questionnaire with 33 items was developed by principal component analysis. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure to test the sampling adequacy of 27 factor solutions varied from .62 to .91 and Cronbach’s a was .74–.94. Most K values of the shorter questionnaire were .50–.94 (p < .001). The reliability of the short version was comparable to that of the original questionnaire. The short one could also be suitable for Internet and mobile questionnaire applications.     

Influence of solar UV radiation on the nitrogen metabolism in needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

Needles of 20-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) saplings were studied in an ultraviolet (UV) exclusion field experiment (from 2000 to 2002) in northern Finland (67 °N). The chambers held filters that excluded both UV-B and UV-A, excluded UV-B only, transmitted all UV (control), or lacked filters (ambient). UV-B/UV-A exclusion decreased nitrate reductase (NR) activity of 1-year-old needles of Scots pines compared to the controls. The proportion of free amino acids varied in the range 1.08-1.94% of total proteins, and was significantly higher in needles of saplings grown under UV-B/UV-A exclusion compared to the controls or UV-B exclusion. NR activity correlated with air temperature, indicating a “chamber effect”. The study showed that both UV irradiance and increasing temperature are significant modulators of nitrogen (N) metabolism in Scots pine needles.     

A new approach to measuring work-related well-being

The main aim of this study was to develop a short questionnaire to assess work-related well-being from the organizational behaviour perspective. The short well-being questionnaire enables measuring longitudinal work-related well-being. Work-related well-being was assessed with a 147-item questionnaire covering both organizational and intrinsic factors of work-related well-being. The questionnaire consisted of 27 categories. The respondents were 114 women (65%) and 62 men (35%), mean age 39.2 years, in various occupations. From the extensive questionnaire a shorter questionnaire with 33 items was developed by principal component analysis. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure to test the sampling adequacy of 27 factor solutions varied from .62 to .91 and Cronbach?s α was .74-.94. Most κ values of the shorter questionnaire were .50-.94 (p < .001). The reliability of the short version was comparable to that of the original questionnaire. The short one could also be suitable for Internet and mobile questionnaire applications.     

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, a valuable technique for screening and semiquantitation of different chemical compounds in ultrafine 30 nm and 50 nm aerosol particles

Comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) was used for screening and semiquantitation of semivolatile organic compounds in aerosol particles. As the volatility was a prerequisite parameter for the analysis, some compounds were transformed via derivatization such as silylation into more volatile ones. The identification of the analytes was made by comparing the GC retention indices and the TOF mass spectra with the NIST and the Golm metabolome database reference libraries. The data treatment was simplified by exploiting an additional classification of the identified compounds, namely the main functional group or specific element present in the molecule leading to different groups of compounds. This methodology was applied to identify compounds in 30 ± 4 nm, 50 ± 5 nm and total suspended particles (TSP) collected during spring and autumn of 2009 and summer of 2010 at the Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR II) at Hyyti?l? (Finland). The number of identified compounds was higher than 400, which were the most relevant compounds present in the samples, in terms of concentrations. The analysis of aerosol particles of different sizes, collected simultaneously, revealed that the number of compounds increased with the particle size whereas the normalized response factor decreased in most of the cases, aldehydes being an exception. This decrease could be associated with the formation or aggregation of new compounds onto the particles when they grow in the atmosphere.