Microplastic pollution in freshwater systems in Southeast Asia: contamination levels,sources, and ecological impacts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Plastics are synthetic polymers known for their outstanding durability and versatility, and have replaced traditional materials in many applications....     

Application of interface material and effects of oxygen gradient on the performance of single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells (SSMFCs)

Single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells(SSMFCs) have received considerable attention nowadays because of their unique dual-functionality of power generation and enhancement of wastewater treatment performance. Thus, scaling up or upgrading SSMFCs for enhanced and efficient performance is a highly crucial task. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, an innovative physical technique of using interface layers with four different pore sizes embedded in the middle of SSMFCs was utilized in this study.Experimental results showed that the performance of SSMFCs employing an interface layer was improved regardless of the pore size of the interface material, compared to those without such layers. The use of an interface layer resulted in a positive and significant effect on the performance of SSMFCs because of the effective prevention of oxygen diffusion from the cathode to the anode. Nevertheless, when a smaller pore size interface was utilized, better power performance and COD degradation were observed. A maximum power density of 0.032 mW/m~2 and COD degradation of 47.3% were obtained in the case of an interface pore size of 0.28 μm. The findings in this study are of significance to promote the future practical application of SSMFCs in wastewater treatment plants.     

Learning organisations for major hazards and the role of the regulator

A learning organisation is one that not only values and encourages learning from its own experiences, but also looks beyond itself for lessons, and avoids complacency. To be a learning organisation is a key part of the safety culture of any organisation involved with major hazard processes. It facilitates learning which can reduce the risk from major accident hazards. The paper provides a learning organisation toolkit which synthesises, from various literature sources, an understanding of what a learning organisation is and how to begin to develop one within an organisation. The paper illustrates how the regulator can be a learning organisation for major hazards, using the example of HSE's offshore fire, explosion and risk assessment team.     

长江重点江段水体中多环芳烃及其衍生物的分布及健康风险

研究了长江攀枝花、宜宾、泸州、重庆、涪陵、三峡、岳阳、武汉、九江和南京共计10个重点江段枯水期和丰水期表层水中19种多环芳烃(PAHs)及其15种衍生物(SPAHs)的分布和来源,评估了长江PAHs类污染的健康风险及时空差异.结果表明,长江表层水中∑PAHs、∑SPAHs平均浓度分别为(147.3±59.8)、(73.2±29.7) ng·L^-1,检出率分别为82.9%、69.5%,其中2~3环(S)PAHs所占比例为79%.在SPAHs中,∑NPAHs(硝基取代PAHs)、∑MPAHs(甲基取代PAHs)、∑OPAHs(氧化PAHs)的平均浓度分别为(27.0±4.5)、(24.7±15.5)、(17.1±11.9) ng·L^-1.根据分子比值法及主成分分析可知,长江重点江段PAHs主要来源于生物质、化石及液体燃料燃烧,SPAHs主要来源于燃烧源和光化学转化,SPAHs及PAHs通过大气沉降汇入水体.采用毒性当量因子浓度计算对长江重点江段PAHs进行健康风险评估,结果表明在枯水期具有致癌性PAHs的∑TEQ_BaP值(苯并芘毒性当量)较高,其中岳阳、武汉江段的BaP毒性当量浓度高于我国地表水规定阈值,应当高度重视长江流域PAHs在枯水期引起的健康风险.     

Recent advancements in the challenges and strategies of globally used traffic noise prediction models

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - It is the need of an era to develop efficient traffic noise prediction models with optimum accuracy. In this context, the present work tries to...     

Communal roosting sites are potential ecological traps: experimental evidence in a Neotropical harvestman

Situations in which animals preferentially settle in low-quality habitat are referred to as ecological traps, and species that aggregate in response to conspecific cues, such as scent marks, that persist after the animals leave the area may be especially vulnerable. We tested this hypothesis on harvestmen (Prionostemma sp.) that roost communally in the rainforest understory. Based on evidence that these animals preferentially settle in sites marked with conspecific scent, we predicted that established aggregation sites would continue to attract new recruits even if the animals roosting there perished. To test this prediction, we simulated intense predation by repeatedly removing all individuals from 10 established roosts, and indeed, these sites continued to attract new harvestmen. A more likely reason for an established roost to become unsuitable is a loss of overstory canopy cover caused by treefalls. To investigate this scenario, without felling trees, we established 16 new communal roosts by translocating harvestmen into previously unused sites. Half the release sites were located in intact forest, and half were located in treefall gaps, but canopy cover had no significant effect on the recruitment rate. These results support the inference that communal roost sites are potential ecological traps for species that aggregate in response to conspecific scent.     

Fitness costs of neighborhood disruption in translocations of a solitary mammal

Translocation is used to reestablish wild populations of animals, but translocation projects often do not meet their objectives because postrelease mortality of animals is high. One reason for translocation failure is that the behavioral or ecological requirements of released animals are unmet. Maintaining founder-group social relationships during release can affect reestablishment of social species. Solitary territorial species with stable neighbors (restricted dispersal and lifetime occupation of a home range) of the same species may also benefit from the maintenance of these social relationships during translocation. We translocated Stephens' kangaroo rats (Dipodomys stephensi), a solitary species listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, with and without neighboring kangaroo rats. We compared the settlement (establishment of a stable home range) decisions and fitness of kangaroo rats between the 2 treatments. Kangaroo rats translocated with neighbors traveled shorter distances before establishing territories, had higher survival rates, and had significantly higher reproductive success than kangaroo rats translocated without neighbors. Number of offspring was 24-fold higher for kangaroo rats translocated with neighbors than those translocated without neighbors. Differences in behavior following release may partially explain differences in survival between the 2 groups. Immediately following release, animals translocated with neighbors fought less and spent significantly more time foraging and digging burrows than animals translocated without neighbors. Our results indicate that even for solitary species, maintaining relationships among members of a translocated group of animals can influence translocation success. This study is the first empirical demonstration of the fitness consequences of disrupting social relationships among territorial neighbors.     

Antipredator behavior of a social desert rodent: footdrumming and alarm calling in the great gerbil, Rhombomys opiums

We sought to understand why a social, desert rodent, the great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus, expends energy and possible risk of predation by footdrumming and vocalizing in the presence of a diversity of terrestrial predators: snakes, monitor lizards, polecats, foxes, and humans. Behavioral observations, human approaches, and experiments with tethered predators revealed that both male and female gerbils called and footdrummed in the presence of offspring, close relatives, and potential mates. Because adults called more often when pups were present, and solitary gerbils seldom gave an alarm, the alarm behavior probably warns conspecifics, especially vulnerable offspring, of potential danger. We also found that gerbils altered alarm behavior with the type of predator. They drummed more in the burrow when a dog that could not enter the burrow was present, and they drummed more out of the burrow in response to a snake that could enter the burrow. Gerbils vocalized and stood in an alert posture in response to all stimuli. The different footdrumming responses of gerbils to terrestrial predators seems related to the hunting style and type of risk posed by the predator, especially its ability to enter the burrow system. Received: 23 August 1999 / Received in revised form: 6 December 1999 / Accepted: 25 February 2000