DECLINING POTENTIOMETRIC LEVELS IN FORT WALTON BEACH AREA,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: The Fort Walton Beach area is presently faced with an excessive drawdown of the potentiometric level in the upper Floridan aquifer. Based on available data, the potentiometric level in the Floridan aquifer has dropped 162 feet since 1936. This declining potentiometric level can lead to problems and possible loss of the natural resource on a long-term basis. However, if corrective measures or programs for proper management of groundwater resources are undertaken at this time, the potential problems may be averted.     

Preconcentration of cadmium and copper ions on magnetic core–shell nanoparticles for determination by flame atomic absorption

Magnetic core–shell nanoparticles modified by (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxy silane were prepared and used as adsorbent for the extraction and preconcentration of cadmium and copper ions. The ions were desorbed with nitric acid followed by determination with flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The extraction conditions were investigated systematically. The method was applied for the determination of Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions in different water samples. The accuracy was also evaluated through analysis of certified reference material.     

Determination trace amounts of copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese ions in water samples after simultaneous separation and preconcentration

In the present article, a simple, rapid, sensitive and economical method has been developed for the simultaneous separation and preconcentration of the trace amounts of copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese in water samples by using modified XAD-4 resins. The sorption was quantitative in the pH range 6.0–9.0, whereas quantitative desorption occurred instantaneously with 5.0 mL of 2 M HNO₃, and selected elements have been determined by using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Dynamic ranges were 0.04–3.5, 0.1–6.0, 0.04–4.5 and 0.04–4.0 μg/mL for copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese, respectively. The detection limits were 9.2, 28.6, 12.3 and 5.7 ng/mL for Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II), respectively. The effects of the experimental parameters, including the sample pH, eluent type, interference ions and breakthrough volume, were studied for separation and preconcentration of Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) ions. Determination of these ions in standard samples confirmed that the proposed method has good accuracy. The proposed method was used for the determination of these ions in water samples.     

Estimating abundance: a non parametric mark recapture approach for open and closed systems

We present a novel, non-parametric, frequentist approach for capture-recapture data based on a ratio estimator, which offers several advantages. First, as a non-parametric model, it does not require a known underlying distribution for parameters nor the associated assumptions, eliminating the need for post-hoc corrections or additional modeling to account for heterogeneity and other violated assumptions. Second, the model explicitly deals with dependence of trials by considering trials to be dependent; therefore, cluster sampling is handled naturally and additional adjustments are not necessary. Third, it accounts for ordering, utilizing the fact that a system with a small population will have a greater frequency of recaptures “early” in the survey work compared to an identical system with a larger population. We provide mathematical proof that our estimator attains asymptotic minimum variance under open systems. We apply the model to a data set of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and compare results to those from classic closed models. We show that the model has an impressive rate of convergence and demonstrate that there’s an inverse relationship between population size and the proportion of the population that need to be sampled, while achieving the same degree of accuracy for abundance estimates. The model is flexible and can apply to ecological situations as well as other situations that lend themselves to capture recapture sampling.     

Study of heavy metals in some environmental samples

Fuels like coal and rubber are frequently used for brick burning. However, both coal and rubber contain heavy metals. These heavy metals may elutriate in the wake of fly ash or may adsorb or absorb in the product. The present work deals with the analysis of heavy metals in some samples collected from brick burning industries located in the vicinity of a metropolitan city, Peshawar, Pakistan. Samples from raw clay, product, chimney scale and fossil fuel & rubber were collected and leached with acid mixture. The leachates were concentrated and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer for the determination of chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and antimony (Sb). It was observed that heavy metals are present in clay, brick and chimney scale. However, significant amount of these metals was observed in chimney scale. It is inferred that such emanations laden with heavy metals are accompanying the stack gases which are being dumped in to the environment. In order to avoid environmental problems, strict environmental regulations shall be enforced and a constant check on these emanations to the environment must be made to ensure clean air act.     

Health risk assessment of potentially harmful elements and dietary minerals from vegetables irrigated with untreated wastewater,Pakistan

In the developing world, vegetables are commonly grown in suburban areas irrigated with untreated wastewater containing potentially harmful elements (PHEs). In Pakistan, there is no published work on the bioaccessibility aspect of PHEs and dietary minerals (DMs) in sewage-irrigated soil or the vegetables grown on such soils in Pakistan. Several industrial districts of Pakistan were selected for assessment of the risk associated with the ingestion of vegetables grown over sewage-irrigated soils. Both the total and bioaccessible fraction of PHEs (Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, and Pb) and DMs (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ca, Mg, and I) in soils and vegetable samples were measured. The concentrations of these PHEs and DMs in sewage-irrigated and control soils were below published upper threshold limits. However, compared to control soils, sewage irrigation over the years decreased soil pH (7.7 vs 8.1) and enhanced dissolved organic carbon (1.8 vs 0.8 %), which could enhance the phyto-availability of PHEs and DMs to crops. Of the PHEs and DMs, the highest transfer factor (soil to plant) was noted for Cd and Ca, respectively. Concentrations of PHEs in most of the sewage-irrigated vegetables were below the published upper threshold limits, except for Cd in the fruiting portion of eggplant and bell pepper (0.06–0.08 mg/kg Cd, dry weight) at three locations in Gujarat and Kasur districts. The bioaccessible fraction of PHEs can reduce the context of dietary intake measurements compared to total concentrations, but differences between both measurements were not significant for Cd. Since the soils of the sampled districts are not overly contaminated compared to control sites, vegetables grown over sewage-irrigated soils would provide an opportunity to harvest mineral-rich vegetables potentially providing consumers 62, 60, 12, 104, and 63 % higher dietary intake of Cu, Mn, Zn, Ca, and Mg, respectively. Based on Fe and vanadium correlations in vegetables, it is inferred that a significant proportion of total dietary Fe intake could be contributed by soil particles adhered to the consumable portion of vegetables. Faecal sterol ratios were used to identify and distinguish the source of faecal contamination in soils from Gujranwala, Gujarat, and Lahore districts, confirming the presence of human-derived sewage biomarkers at different stages of environmental alteration. A strong correlation of some metals with soil organic matter concentration was observed, but none with sewage biomarkers.     

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-supported Fe2O3 nanohybrids for rapid sonophotocatalytic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study reports the design of heterogeneous photocatalytic system using Fe2O3 with chitosan (CS) as a matrix for the sonophotocatalytic...     

Innovation,foreign direct investment (FDI), and the energy–pollution–growth nexus in OECD region: a simultaneous equation modeling approach

Environmental and Ecological Statistics - The paper proposes a new perspective in the environmental and resource economics literature by examining innovation (measured by R&D expenditures),...     

In vitro and in vivo approaches for the measurement of oral bioavailability of lead (Pb) in contaminated soils: a review

We reviewed the published evidence of lead (Pb) contamination of urban soils, soil Pb risk to children through hand-to-mouth activity, reduction of soil Pb bioavailability due to soil amendments, and methods to assess bioaccessibility which correlate with bioavailability of soil Pb. Feeding tests have shown that urban soils may have much lower Pb bioavailability than previously assumed. Hence bioavailability of soil Pb is the important measure for protection of public health, not total soil Pb. Chemical extraction tests (Pb bioaccessibility) have been developed which are well correlated with the results of bioavailability tests; application of these tests can save money and time compared with feeding tests. Recent findings have revealed that fractional bioaccessibility (bioaccessible compared to total) of Pb in urban soils is only 5-10% of total soil Pb, far lower than the 60% as bioavailable as food-Pb presumed by U.S.-EPA (30% absolute bioavailability used in IEUBK model).     

Optimization of COVID-19 face mask waste fibers and silica fume as a balanced mechanical ameliorator of fat clay using response surface methodology

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The balanced amelioration of mechanical characteristics of fat clay with an additive refers to the attainment of high strength without compromising...