Legacy and alternative halogenated flame retardants in Lake Geneva fish

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Legacy (i.e., polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)) and alternative halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) were...     

A fuzzy goal programming with interval target model and its application to the decision problem of renewable energy planning

Environmental and Ecological Statistics - Optimizing sustainable renewable energy portfolios is one of the most complicated decision making problems in energy policy planning. This process involves...     

Prenatal diagnosis of Juberg–Hayward syndrome

Juberg–Hayward syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterised by the association of growth retardation, microcephaly, cleft lip and palate, and thumb and radial ray abnormalities. To date, no prenatal cases have been reported. Here, we report on the first prenatal case of Juberg–Hayward syndrome. The diagnosis was established following fetopathological study. Besides the cardinal features of the syndrome, this prenatal case was remarkable for the severity of the short arm malformation and by the finding of big toe agenesis and cerebral abnormalities including hydrocephalus, agenesis of corpus callosum, and cerebellar hypoplasia. We conclude that the diagnosis of Juberg–Hayward syndrome can be discussed prenatally following ultrasound diagnosis of the association of intrauterine growth restriction, microcephaly, thumb/radial anomalies, and cleft lip/palate. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

过去50年中国森林资源和降水变化的统计分析

论文对过去50年中国森林资源和降水变化进行了统计分析，以期在大尺度上寻找森林资源与降水变化之间的关系。主要结论为：①建国以来我国的森林覆盖率呈上升趋势；②过去50年全国、林区、非林区降水量均呈减少趋势，干旱化趋势明显；③对建国后历次森林资源调查（清查）时段内降水差值（以百分数为单位）、森林覆盖率（以相邻两次变化百分数为单位）变化关系的分析表明，二者的统计关系并不显著，即：过去50年我国森林资源的变化对降水没有显著的影响；④森林影响降水是一个复杂的系统问题，该研究还存在着许多不确定性因素，需进一步实验验证与理论探讨。     

Impact of microbial communities from tropical soils on the mobilization of trace metals during dissolution of cinnabar ore

Biodissolution experiments on cinnabar ore(mercury sulphide and other sulphide minerals,such as pyrite) were performed with microorganisms extracted directly from soil. These experiments were carried out in closed systems under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with 2 different soils sampled in French Guyana. The two main objectives of this study were(1) to quantify the ability of microorganisms to mobilize metals(Fe, Al, Hg) during the dissolution of cinnabar ore, and(2) to identify the links between the type and chemical properties of soils, environmental parameters such as season and the strategies developed by indigenous microorganisms extracted from tropical natural soils to mobilize metals.Results indicate that microbial communities extracted directly from various soils are able to(1) survive in the presence of cinnabar ore, as indicated by consumption of carbon sources and,(2) leach Hg from cinnabar in oxic and anoxic dissolution experiments via the acidification of the medium and the production of low molecular mass organic acids(LMMOAs). The dissolution rate of cinnabar in aerobic conditions with microbial communities ranged from 4.8 × 10~(-4) to 2.6 × 10~(-3) μmol/m~2/day and was independent of the metabolites released by the microorganisms. In addition, these results suggest an indirect action by the microorganisms in the cinnabar dissolution. Additionally, because iron is a key element in the dynamics of Hg, microbes were stimulated by the presence of this metal,and microbes released LMMOAs that leached iron from iron-bearing minerals, such as pyrite and oxy-hydroxide of iron, in the mixed cinnabar ore.     

Anatomical element localization by EDXS in Grevillea exul var. exul under nickel stress

Grevillea exul var. exul, an endemic serpentinic Proteaceae of New Caledonia, was chosen to study the spatial distribution of Ni because this species supports strong content of metals, which can allow important absorptions thus detectable by microanalysis. Fine transversal sections of axenic G. exul var. exul plants grown during 15 days on nickel sulphate medium were examined by EDXS microanalysis. It showed that in Ni treated plants, Ni was concentrated mostly in the phloem compared to the xylem and the epidermis, either in roots or in the basal part of the stems and was mostly in the epidermis in the upper part of the stems and not detectable in the leaves. This metal took the place of P and K in the treated plants whereas the localization of these macroelements was quite uniform in control sections. We assume that a mechanism of phloem loading is implicated to restrict Ni accumulation in G. exul var. exul.     

Biomonitoring in the Boulder River Watershed, Montana, USA: Metal Concentrations in Biofilm and Macroinvertebrates, and Relations with Macroinvertebrate Assemblage

Portions of the Boulder River watershed contain elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in water, sediment, and biota. We measured concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in biofilm and macroinvertebrates, and assessed macroinvertebrate assemblage and aquatic habitat with the objective of monitoring planned remediation efforts. Concentrations of metals were generally higher in downstream sites compared with upstream or reference sites, and two sites contained metal concentrations in macroinvertebrates greater than values reported to reduce health and survival of resident trout. Macroinvertebrate assemblage was correlated with metal concentrations in biofilm and macroinvertebrates. However, macroinvertebrate metrics were significantly correlated with a greater number of biofilm metals (8) than metals in invertebrates (4). Lead concentrations in biofilm appeared to have the most significant impact on macroinvertebrate assemblage. Metal concentrations in macroinvertebrates were directly proportional to concentrations in biofilm, indicating biofilm as a potential surrogate for monitoring metal impacts in aquatic systems.     

Characteristics of cadmium tolerance in 'Hermes' flax seedlings: contribution of cell walls

Most flax (Linum usitatissimum) varieties are described as tolerant to high concentrations of Cd. The aim of the present paper was to better characterize this tolerance, by studying the responses of flax plantlets, cv Hermes, to 18d growth on 0.5mM Cd. In Cd-treated seedlings, the majority of Cd was compartmentalized in the roots. Analysis of other elements showed that only Fe concentration was reduced, while Mn increased. Growth parameters of Cd treated flax were only moderately altered, with similar mass tolerance-indices for roots and shoots. Tissue anatomy was unaffected by treatment. The effect on lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and antioxidative activities appeared low but slightly higher in roots. The most important impacts of Cd were, in all organs, cell expansion, cell-wall thickening, pectin cross-linking and increase of cell-wall enzymatic activities (pectin methylesterase and peroxidase). Thus, the role of the cell wall in Cd tolerance might be important at two levels: (i) in the reinforcement of the tissue cohesion and (ii) in the sequestration of Cd.     

Electro-Fenton pretreatment for the improvement of tylosin biodegradability

The feasibility of an electro-Fenton process to treat tylosin (TYL), a non-biodegradable antibiotic, was examined in a discontinuous electrochemical cell with divided cathodic and anodic compartments. Only 15 min electrolysis was needed for total tylosin degradation using a carbon felt cathode and a platinum anode; while 6 h electrolysis was needed to achieve high oxidation and mineralization yields, 96 and 88 % respectively. Biodegradability improvement was shown since BOD₅/COD increased from 0 initially to 0.6 after 6 h electrolysis (for 100 mg L^?1 initial TYL). With the aim of combining electro-Fenton with a biological treatment, an oxidation time in the range 2 to 4 h has been however considered. Results of AOS (average oxidation state) and COD/TOC suggested that the pretreatment could be stopped after 2 h rather than 4 h; while in the same time, the increase of biodegradability between 2 and 4 h suggested that this latter duration seemed more appropriate. In order to conclude, biological cultures have been therefore carried out for various electrolysis times. TYL solutions electrolyzed during 2 and 4 h were then treated with activated sludge during 25 days, showing 57 and 67 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal, respectively, namely 77 and 88 % overall TOC removal if both processes were considered. Activated sludge cultures appeared, therefore, in agreement with the assessment made from the analysis of physico-chemical parameters (AOS and COD/TOC), since the gain in terms of mineralization expected from increasing electrolysis duration appeared too low to balance the additional energy consumption.