Earthworm resources of Benghazi, Libya

This study presents the first survey of earthworm species (Oligochaeta) from Benghazi, a Mediterranean coastal city in Libya. A total of three peregrine species were recorded: Allolobophora caliginosa trapezoides, Allolobophora rosea (Family: Lumbricidae), Microscolex dubius (Family: Microscolecidae). Their distribution and density in six habitats (vegetable garden, flower garden, green house, farmland, grassland, plain barren landscape) are discussed in relation to some of the physico-chemical parameters and composition of the soil.     

A further prenatal diagnosis of mosaic tetrasomy 12p (Pallister-Killian syndrome)

A case of mosaic tetrasomy 12p was detected in amniotic fluid cell cultures from a 28-year-old woman referred to us at 26 weeks' gestation because of hydramnios. The fetus was shown on ultrasonography to have an omphalocele and a short femur length. Labour was induced at 32 weeks. An infant with multiple congenital anomalies was delivered and died after 10 min. The diagnosis of i(12p) or Pallister-Killian syndrome was confirmed cytogenetically in fibroblast and lymphocyte cultures. Increased LDH-B activity was demonstrated in fibroblasts.     

Genetic connectivity of the ecosystem engineer Perumytilus purpuratus north to the 32°S southeast Pacific ecological discontinuity

Connectivity in benthic marine animals with complex life cycles occurs primarily during the pelagic larval stage and depends deterministically on oceanographic dynamics. The scale of such larval dispersal is highly uncertain due the difficulty of direct measurement and poor knowledge of larval dynamics and ocean flow variability. This study characterizes the pattern of genetic connectivity in the ecosystem engineer Perumytilus purpuratus between latitudes 23°S and 33°S, which includes the ecological discontinuity reported for many taxa north to 32°S at the southeast Pacific. The genetic discontinuity observed in P. purpuratus around 26°S is described herein while that detected at 28°S is in line with the ecological discontinuity (in coverage, recruitment and density) previously reported for this mussel between 28°S and 32°S. Both discontinuities delimitate two major gene pools upon Bayesian inferences on geographical variation of five microsatellite loci. Interestingly, marker Pepu1 was responsible for most variation between pools and was potentially under selection. In fact, inferences excluding Pepu1 produced a single gene pool (k = 1) in central-northern Chile. The IBD connectivity pattern observed among P. purpuratus beds distributed in the interval 23°S–33°S is congruent with processes driven by larval dynamics, and the dominant equatorward Humboldt Current along a coast largely unaffected by ice during the last Pleistocene glaciation. However, the selective scenario unveiled by microsatellite Pepu1 inside the 25°S–28°S ecological discontinuity is consistent with selective processes associated with specific mesoscale properties operating in this area. This study highlights the usefulness of integrating different oceanographic scales, ecological data and population genetics to better understand connectivity of benthic marine species.     

Mining pollution: The case of the Baguio mining district,the philippines

Environmental problems caused by improper mine tailings disposal in the Baguio district include pollution of the Lower Agno River system and its watershed and siltation of irrigation canals in the Pangasinan plains. Direct economic losses are from reduced agricultural production due to siltation of irrigation works and farmlands. To check the adverse ecological effects of improper mine tailings disposal, government regulations have been imposed on mining firms. Several disposal schemes have been proposed, including the use of the reservoir of a multipurpose project to be sited in the watershed where the mines are located. Because of siltation problems, however, trapping the tailings in the reservoir will diminish the economic benefits that can be derived from the project.     

Kinetics of acetaminophen degradation by Fenton oxidation in a fluidized-bed reactor

Acetaminophen (ACT), an analgesic and antipyretic substance, is one of the most commonly detected pharmaceutical compound in surface waters and wastewaters. In this study, fluidized-bed Fenton (FB-Fenton) was used to decompose ACT into its final degradation products. The 1.45-L cylindrical glass reactor had inlet, outlet and recirculating sections. SiO₂ carrier particles were supported by glass beads with 2–4 mm in diameter. ACT concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). During the first 40 min of reaction, a fast initial ACT removal was observed and the “two-stage” ACT degradation conformed to a pseudo reaction kinetics. The effects of ferrous ion dosage and [Fe²⁺]/[H₂O₂] (FH ratio) were integrated into the derived pseudo second-order kinetic model. A reaction pathway was proposed based on the intermediates detected through SPME/GC–MS. The aromatic intermediates identified were hydroquinone, benzaldehydes and benzoic acids while the non-aromatic substances include alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and carboxylic acids. Rapid initial ACT degradation rate can be accomplished by high initial ferrous ion concentration and/or low FH ratio.     

Transportation fuel production by combination of LDPE thermal cracking and catalytic hydroreforming

Fuel production from plastics is a promising way to reduce landfilling rates while obtaining valuable products. The usage of Ni-supported hierarchical Beta zeolite (h-Beta) for the hydroreforming of the oils coming from LDPE thermal cracking has proved to produce high selectivities to gasoline and diesel fuels (>80%). In the present work, the effect of the Ni loading on Ni/h-Beta is investigated in the hydroreforming of the oils form LDPE thermal cracking. h-Beta samples were impregnated with Ni nitrate, calcined and reduced in H₂ up to 550 °C to achieve different Ni contents: 1.5%, 4%, 7% and 10%. Larger and more easily reducible metal particles were obtained on Ni 7%/h-Beta and Ni 10%/h-Beta. Hydroreforming tests were carried out in autoclave reactor at 310 °C, under 20 bar H₂, for 45 min. Ni content progressively increased the amount of gases at the expenses of diesel fractions, while gasoline remained approximately constant about 52–54%. Maximum selectivity to automotive fuels (～81%) was obtained with Ni 7%/h-Beta. Ni loading also enhanced olefins saturation up to Ni 7%/h-Beta. High cetane indices (71–86) and octane numbers (89–91) were obtained over all the catalysts. Regarding the different studied Ni contents, Ni 7%/h-Beta constitutes a rather promising catalyst for obtaining high quality fuels from LDPE thermal cracking oils.     

Hydroreforming over Ni/H-beta of the thermal cracking products of LDPE, HDPE and PP for fuel production

The thermal cracking at 400?°C of pure polyolefins—low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) and a standard polyolefin mixture (46?% LDPE?+?27?% HDPE?+?28?% PP)—was studied together with the catalytic hydroreforming of the obtained oils over Ni/h-beta at 310?°C under 20?bar of hydrogen. The oils obtained after the thermal cracking of PP contain the highest amount of gasoline (58?%), while those coming from HDPE the lowest (39?%). The bromine index of the oils was very high, ranging from 54.1 (LDPE) to 83.8 (PP), indicating a high olefinic content of the oils. Additionally, the thermal cracking of the mixture indicates the occurrence of a synergestic effect among plastics, with transfer of methyl groups from PP to polyethylenes. Ni/h-beta (Si/Al?=?25; Ni content?=?6.2?wt%) catalyst was used in the hydroreforming since it contains a bimodal pore size distribution (0.6/3.1?nm), which improves accessibility of the oil molecules to the catalytic sites. After the hydroreforming and regardless of the plastics used, the share of lighter products (gasoline and gases) increases, reaching a remarkable 68?% of gasolines with the oils coming from PP. Regardless of the starting feed, the amount of useful fuels (gasoline?+?light diesel) was within 80–85?%. Additionally, the oils were successfully hydrogenated since the bromine indexes dropped below 7, indicating that more than 90?% of the starting olefins were saturated. The usage of catalysts increased the amount of aromatics in the obtained oils within 13–20?%, depending on the starting plastic. Likewise, the isoparaffin content of the gasolines was within 35–40?%, except for PP, where it was enhanced to 62?%. However, the research octane number (RON) of the gasolines from LDPE and PP and the cetane indexes of the diesel from all the plastics were promising for their application as fuels.     

Sperm polymorphism and genetic divergence in the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus

For the first time in a marine bivalve species, geographic intraspecific variation in sperm morphology in the Chilean mussel, Perumytilus purpuratus, is reported. Samples were obtained in December 2010 from the rocky intertidal at three locations: Antofagasta (23o44′01.08′′S, 70o26′26.11′′W), Valparaíso (32o57′23.07′′S, 71o33′01.86′′W), and Valdivia (39°50′44.26′′S, 73°25′51.99′′W). Scanning electron microscopy was used to describe sperm traits, and genetic data were obtained by sequencing a 16S mtDNA 427-bp fragment. The results showed geographic intraspecific variation with two statistically significant patterns of genetically differentiated sperm morphologies. One genetic clade was found for Antofagasta and Valparaíso, displaying a unique sperm morphotype with a short acrosome accounting for 26 % of the head length, and the other from Valdivia, with a larger acrosome occupying 47 % of the head length. These results will lead to new research to distinguish among alternative hypotheses: the presence of cryptic species, incipient speciation, or a polymorphism in sperm traits of P. purpuratus.