ALBERT

Description: Global land acquisitions, often dubbed ‘land grabbing’ are increasingly becoming drivers of land change. We use the tools of network science to describe the connectivity of the global acquisition system. We find that 126 countries participate in this form of global land trade. Importers are concentrated in the Global North, the emerging economies of Asia, and the Middle East, while exporters are confined to the Global South and Eastern Europe. A small handful of countries account for the majority of land acquisitions (particularly China, the UK, and the US), the cumulative distribution of which is best described by a power law. We also find that countries with many land trading partners play a disproportionately central role in providing connectivity across the network with the shortest trading path between any two countries traversing either China, the US, or the UK over a third of the time. The land acquisition network is characterized by very few trading cliques and therefore ...

Description: Possible future changes of clustering and return periods (RPs) of European storm series with high potential losses are quantified. Historical storm series are identified using 40 winters of reanalysis. Time series of top events (1, 2 or 5 year return levels (RLs)) are used to assess RPs of storm series both empirically and theoretically. Additionally, 800 winters of general circulation model simulations for present (1960–2000) and future (2060–2100) climate conditions are investigated. Clustering is identified for most countries, and estimated RPs are similar for reanalysis and present day simulations. Future changes of RPs are estimated for fixed RLs and fixed loss index thresholds. For the former, shorter RPs are found for Western Europe, but changes are small and spatially heterogeneous. For the latter, which combines the effects of clustering and event ranking shifts, shorter RPs are found everywhere except for Mediterranean countries. These changes are generally not statisti...

Description: The 2012 drought in Northeast Brazil was the harshest in decades, with potentially significant impacts on the vegetation of the unique semi-arid caatinga biome and on local livelihoods. Here, we use a coupled climate–vegetation model (CCM3-IBIS) to: (1) investigate the role of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the 2012 drought, and; (2) evaluate the response of the caatinga vegetation to the 2012 climate extreme. Our results indicate that anomalous sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Atlantic Ocean were the primary factor forcing the 2012 drought, with Pacific Ocean SST having a larger role in sustaining typical climatic conditions in the region. The drought strongly influenced net primary production in the caatinga, causing a reduction in annual net ecosystem exchange indicating a reduction in amount of CO 2 released to the atmosphere.

Description: Peatlands in Amazonian Peru are known to store large quantities of carbon, but there is high uncertainty in the spatial extent and total carbon stocks of these ecosystems. Here, we use a multi-sensor (Landsat, ALOS PALSAR and SRTM) remote sensing approach, together with field data including 24 forest census plots and 218 peat thickness measurements, to map the distribution of peatland vegetation types and calculate the combined above- and below-ground carbon stock of peatland ecosystems in the Pastaza-Marañon foreland basin in Peru. We find that peatlands cover 35 600 ± 2133 km 2 and contain 3.14 (0.44–8.15) Pg C. Variation in peat thickness and bulk density are the most important sources of uncertainty in these values. One particular ecosystem type, peatland pole forest, is found to be the most carbon-dense ecosystem yet identified in Amazonia (1391 ± 710 Mg C ha −1 ). The novel approach of combining optical and radar remote sensing with above- and below-groun...

Description:    The concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was determined in seawater, sediment, and Rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata collected from four sampling sites in the inter-tidal areas of Bushehr province. The total concentrations of 14 PAHs varied from 1.5 to 3.6 ng/L in seawater, 41.7 to 227.5 ng/g dry weight in surface sediment, and 126 to 226.1 ng/g dry weight in oyster tissue. In comparing PAH concentrations among the three matrices in Bushehr province, data showed that the pattern of individual PAHs in seawater, oyster, and sediment were different. The oysters tended to accumulate the lower molecular weight and the more water-soluble PAHs. Sediment samples were distinguished from the sea water and oyster samples by the presence of high molecular weight PAHs, especially six-ring PAHs. Three- and four-ring PAHs were the most abundant compounds among the 14 PAHs investigated in surface seawater, sediment, and oyster samples. As expected, differences in octanol/water partition coefficient among individual PAHs and the greater persistence of the higher molecular weight PAHs contributed to the accumulation patterns in oyster and sediment. The results of the study suggested that the main sources of PAHs in the seawater and sediment in the region were mixed pyrolitic and petrogenic inputs. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0850-5 Authors Roozbeh Mirza, Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Khoramshahr Marine Science and Technology University, Khoramshahr, Iran Mehdi Mohammadi, Department of Marine Biotechnology and Environment, Persian Gulf Research and Studies Center, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169 Iran Ali Dadolahi Sohrab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Khoramshahr Marine Science and Technology University, Khoramshahr, Iran Alireza Safahieh, Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Khoramshahr Marine Science and Technology University, Khoramshahr, Iran Ahmad Savari, Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Khoramshahr Marine Science and Technology University, Khoramshahr, Iran Pavaneh Hajeb, Department of Fisheries, Persian Gulf Research and Studies Center, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169 Iran Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Red lead (Pb 3 O 4 ) has been used extensively in the past as an anti-corrosion paint for the protection of steel constructions. Prominent examples being some of the 200,000 high-voltage pylons in Germany which have been treated with red lead anti-corrosion paints until about 1970. Through weathering and maintenance work, paint compounds and particles are deposited on the soils beneath these constructions. In the present study, six such “pylon soils” were investigated in order to characterize the plant availability and plant uptake of Pb, Cd, and Zn. For comparison, three urban soils with similar levels of heavy metal contamination were included. One phase extractions with 1 M NH 4 NO 3 , sequential extractions (seven steps), and extractions at different soil pH were used to evaluate the heavy metal binding forms in the soil and availability to plants. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine heavy metal uptake by Lolium multiflorum and Lactuca sativa var. crispa in untreated and limed red lead paint contaminated soils. Concentrations of Pb and Zn in the pylon soils were elevated with maximum values of 783 mg Pb kg −1 and 635 Zn mg kg −1 while the soil Cd content was similar to nearby reference soils. The pylon soils were characterized by exceptionally high proportions of NH 4 NO 3 -extractable Pb reaching up to 17% of total Pb. Even if the relatively low pH of the soils is considered (pH 4.3–4.9), this appears to be a specific feature of the red lead contamination since similarly contaminated urban soils have to be acidified to pH 2.5 to achieve a similarly high Pb extractability. The Pb content in L. multiflorum shoots reached maximum values of 73 mg kg −1 after a cultivation time of 4 weeks in pylon soil. Lime amendment reduced the plant uptake of Pb and Zn significantly by up to 91%. But L. sativa var. crispa cultivated on soils limed to neutral pH still contained critical Pb concentrations (up to 0.6 mg kg −1 fresh weight). Possible mechanisms for the exceptionally high plant availability of soil Pb derived from red lead paint are discussed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0851-4 Authors Marcel Brokbartold, Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology, Institute of Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany Mareike Wischermann, Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology, Institute of Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany Bernd Marschner, Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology, Institute of Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Previous research in agricultural catchments showed that past inputs of nitrate continue to influence present observations and future characteristics of nitrate concentrations in stream water for a long period of time. This persistence manifests itself as a “memory effect” with a prolonged response of stream water nitrate levels to reductions of nitrate inputs on the catchment scale. The question we attempt to resolve is whether such a memory effect also exists in mountainous catchments with a snowmelt-dominated runoff regime. We analyzed long-term records (∼20 years) of nitrate-nitrogen concentrations measured in stream at three stations on the upper Váh River (Slovakia). Applying spectral analysis and detrended fluctuation analysis, we found a varying degree of persistence between the three analyzed sites. With increasing catchment area, the fluctuation scaling exponents generally increased from 0.77 to 0.93 (fluctuation exponents above 0.5 are usually considered as a proof of persistence while values close to 0.5 indicate “white” uncorrelated noise). The nitrate-nitrogen signals temporally scaled as a power-low function of frequency (1/ f noise) with a strong annual seasonality. This increase in persistence might be attributable to the catchment areas upstream the sampling sites. These results have important implications for water quality management. In areas where reduction of nitrate in surface waters is imposed by legislation and regulatory measures, two catchments with different persistence properties may not respond to the same reduction of sources of nitrogen at the same rate. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0854-1 Authors Milan Onderka, Department of Environment and Agro-biotechnologies, Centre de Recherche Public—Gabriel Lippmann, 41, rue du Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg Lea Mrafková, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Jeséniova 17, Bratislava, 833 15 Slovakia Andreas Krein, Department of Environment and Agro-biotechnologies, Centre de Recherche Public—Gabriel Lippmann, 41, rue du Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg Lucien Hoffmann, Department of Environment and Agro-biotechnologies, Centre de Recherche Public—Gabriel Lippmann, 41, rue du Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Lime was physically blended with Waste Activated Sludge (W.A.S) in various proportions. These blends were hydrated, dried, ground, and sieved to size of utmost 200 μm. The sorbents were then used in fixed-bed reactor for dry desulfurization tests. It was found that the blends had higher sorption capacities than lime alone which means that W.A.S augmented lime's sorption capacity. Higher surface area and porosity of the blended sorbents compared to lime was the main cause of the improved sorption capacity, a conclusion supported by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis (surface area increment with sorption capacity) and scanning electron microscopy imaging (rough morphology being formed). This higher surface area and porosity was caused by pozzolanic reaction between lime and the alumina silicate constituents of W.A.S. The products of this reaction are high surface area, complex calcium alumina silicates. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0856-z Authors Paul Maina, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa Makame Mbarawa, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The sorption of four endocrine disruptors, bisphenol A (BPA), estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in tropical sediment samples was studied in batch mode under different conditions of pH, time, and sediment amount. Data obtained from sorption experiments using the endocrine disruptors (EDs) and sediments containing different amounts of organic matter showed that there was a greater interaction between the EDs and organic matter (OM) present in the sediment, particularly at lower pH values. The pseudosecond order kinetics model successfully explained the interaction between the EDs and the sediment samples. The theoretical and experimentally obtained q e values were similar, and k values were smaller for higher SOM contents. The k F values, obtained from the Freundlich isotherms, varied in the ranges 4.2–7.4 × 10 −2 (higher OM sediment sample, S 2 ) and 1.7 × 10 −3 –3.1 × 10 −2 (lower OM sediment sample, S 1 ), the latter case indicating an interaction with the sediment that increased in the order: EE2 〉 〉 E2 〉 E1 〉 BPA. These results demonstrate that the availability of endocrine disruptors may be directly related to the presence of organic material in sediment samples. Studies of this kind provide an important means of understanding the mobility, transport, and/or reactivity of this type of emergent contaminant in aquatic systems. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0861-2 Authors Bruno B. Cunha, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), CP 355, 14801-970 Araraquara, SP, Brazil Wander Gustavo Botero, Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), CP 61, 57309-005 Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil Luciana Camargo Oliveira, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), 18052-780 Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil Viviane M. Carlos, Department of Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 18087-180 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil Marcelo L. M. Pompêo, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo (USP), 05508–900 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Leonardo F. Fraceto, Department of Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 18087-180 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil André H. Rosa, Department of Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 18087-180 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Understanding the acid-base chemistry of soil and the soil processes related to the release or retention of sulfate and nitrate is important in order to predict watershed recovery from long-term acid deposition. Soils were sampled from the Noland Divide Watershed (NDW), a small, high-elevation watershed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park receiving high rates of acid deposition over several decades. Soil samples were measured for chemical properties related to acidification and used to conduct sulfate adsorption and nitrogen (N) incubation experiments. Shallow soil was higher in acidic and basic ions than deeper soils, and the mean effective cation exchange capacity was 8.07, 5.06, and 3.57 cmol c  kg −1 in the A, Bw, and Cb horizons, respectively. In all three soil horizons, the base saturation was equal to or below 7% and the ratio of Ca/Al was below 0.01, indicating that the NDW is very sensitive to acid deposition. Based on results from sulfate adsorption isotherms, the NDW has not reached its maximum sulfate adsorption saturation and is likely able to retain further additions of sulfate. Desorption of sulfate from NDW soils is expected if sulfate concentrations in soil solution drop below 50 μeq L −1 but is highly dependent on soil pH and organic carbon content. Total soil organic N was 500 times greater than inorganic N in the A soil horizon, and net N mineralization and nitrification remained constant during a 28-day incubation indicating a large reservoir of N substrate for soil microbes. Nitrogen experiment results suggest that nitrate export from the watershed is largely controlled by biological processes rather than by nitrate deposition flux. Soil data collected in this study contributes to our understanding of biogeochemical processes affecting the response of acid-impacted ecosystems such as the NDW to future changes in atmospheric deposition. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0858-x Authors Meijun Cai, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Amy M. Johnson, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA John S. Schwartz, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Steve E. Moore, US Department of Interior, National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA Matt A. Kulp, US Department of Interior, National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The modification effects of hematite with aluminum hydroxide were investigated on the removal of fluoride ions from water using batch experiments. The effects of pH, contact time, fluoride concentration, and the dose of sorbent on the sorption of fluoride ions by a modified hematite were studied. Characterization of hematite before and after the modification with aluminum hydroxide was studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller. Equilibrium was reached in 48 h of contact time and the maximum sorption of fluoride was found in the pH eq range between 2.34 and 6.26. The Elovich model described the kinetic sorption processes and the Langmuir–Freundlich model, the sorption isotherm process. These results indicated that the sorption mechanism was chemisorption on a heterogeneous material. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0860-3 Authors A. Teutli-Sequeira, Departamento de Química, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A. P. 18-1027, Col. Escandón, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 11801 México, DF, Mexico Marcos Solache-Ríos, Departamento de Química, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A. P. 18-1027, Col. Escandón, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 11801 México, DF, Mexico P. Balderas-Hernández, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón y Tollocan s/n., C.P. 50000 Toluca Estado de México, Mexico Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Perchlorate (ClO 4 − ), a thyroid hormone disruptor, is both naturally occurring and a man-made contaminant increasingly found in a variety of terrestrial environments. The environmental presence of ClO 4 − is considered to be the result of atmospheric formation and deposition processes. The ultimate processes, particularly heterogeneous-based reactions, leading to natural ClO 4 − formation are not well understood. Oxidation of chlorine species by an energetic source such as lightning is considered to be one of the potential heterogeneous sources of natural ClO 4 − . Currently, there is very little information available on lightning-induced ClO 4 − . We designed a laboratory electrical discharge reactor capable of evaluating ClO 4 − formation by the oxidation of “dry” sodium chloride (NaCl) aerosols (relative humidity (RH) 〈70%) in electrical discharge plasma at voltages and energies up to 24 kV and 21 kJ, respectively. Similar to other non-electrochemical ClO 4 − production processes, the amount of ClO 4 − produced (0.5–4.8 μg) was 3 orders of magnitude lower than the input Cl − (7.1–60.1 mg). The amount of ClO 4 − generated increased with peak voltage (V) and theoretical maximum discharge energy with ΔClO 4 − /ΔV = 0.28 × 10 −3  μg V −1 ( R 2  = 0.94) and ΔClO 4 − /ΔE = 0.44 × 10 −3  μg J −1 ( R 2  = 0.83). The total ClO 4 − generated decreased with an increase in relative humidity from 2.8 ± 0.1 μg (RH ∼46%) to 0.9 ± 0.1 μg (RH ∼62%) indicating that the presence of moisture inhibits the formation of ClO 4 − . Additional modifications to the reactor support the hypothesis of ClO 4 − formation due to the action of plasma on Cl − aerosols as opposed to direct oxidation on the surface of the electrodes. Finally, the contribution of lightning-induced ClO 4 − in North America is calculated to have a wide range from 0.006 × 10 5 to 5 × 10 5  kg/year and is within the range of the measured ClO 4 − depositional flux in precipitation samples obtained across the USA (0.09 × 10 5 –1.2 × 10 5  kg/y). Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0857-y Authors Balaji Rao, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1023, USA Suhas Mohan, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1023, USA Andreas Neuber, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3102, USA William Andrew Jackson, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1023, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Elevated emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Alberta and higher foliar nitrogen (N) concentrations in jack pine ( Pinus banksiana ) needles close to major emission sources has led to concerns that the surrounding boreal forest may become N-saturated. Despite these concerns, N deposition and impacts on upland forests in the region is poorly quantified. The objective of this study was to characterize N cycling in five plots representing the two dominant upland forest types (jack pine and trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides ) close (〈30 km) to the largest mining operations in the region, during a 2-year period. Despite the high level of NO x emissions, bulk throughfall and deposition measured at both study sites were surprisingly very low (〈2 kg N ha −1  year −1 ). Internal N cycling was much greater in aspen stands; annual N input in litterfall was ten times greater, and net N mineralization rates were two to five times greater than in jack pine stands. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was much greater in jack pine when calculated based on N litterfall indices, but not when N pools in biomass were considered. Despite differences in internal cycling among forest types, nitrate leaching from mineral soil in both forest types was negligible (〈0.1 kg N ha −1  year −1 ) and patterns of 15 N in roots, foliage, and mineral soil were typical of N-limited ecosystems, and both sites show no evidence of N saturation. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0833-6 Authors Dayna L. Laxton, Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada Shaun A. Watmough, Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada Julian Aherne, Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Alberta’s oil sands are located in the boreal forest where surface mining requires reconstruction of these landscapes using waste saline and sodic overburden (SSOB) piles. The impact of these SSOB materials, however, on root development of planted boreal species is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of SSOB material on the root distributions of planted boreal species. Root distributions for planted mixedwood stands were measured using soil cores and compared with soil physical and chemical properties on three reclaimed sites. Soil pH ranged from 6.1 to 7.5 across all three reclaimed sites. Sodium adsorption ratio ranged from 〈30 in the SSOB at the youngest site to 〈4 at the oldest site while soil electrical conductivity ranged from 〈12 and 〈4 dS m −1 in the SSOB at the youngest and oldest site, respectively. Root length distributions were concentrated in the upper 30 cm of the soil profile and ranged from 0.96 to 7.99 cm cm −3 . The roots were observed in the SSOB and accounted for 1.3% to 2.2% of the total root length in the profile. The root length density was also negatively correlated with Na and EC at all sites. The root distributions on these young reclaimed sites were similar to those from undisturbed boreal forest stands overlying saline soils, suggesting that root distributions on these reclaimed sites appear to be unaffected by the SSOB; however, further monitoring will be required as the stand matures to determine future impacts of the SSOB on forest productivity. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0852-3 Authors Heidi Lazorko, Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5A8 Ken C. J. Van Rees, Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5A8 Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Phosphorus (P) delivered by urban rainfall–runoff partitions and speciates during the transport process. This study examines transport and speciation of P in rainfall and runoff across 15 wet weather events from a paved source area dominated by biogenic loads and to a lesser degree, anthropogenic loads. The mean and median event-based source area total phosphorus is 3.6 and 3.5 mg/l, respectively. The mean and median event-based source area dissolved fraction ( f d ) are 0.31 and 0.32 illustrating that P is predominately bound to particulate matter fractions. The majority of events across the monitoring campaign produce a weak mass-limited transport of dissolved phosphorus (DP). With respect to the DP fraction in runoff (pH range of 6.4 to 8.6), the dominant species are orthophosphates (HPO 4 −2 and H 2 PO 4 − ) which account for more than 90% of DP mass. The order of species predominance is consistently HPO 4 −2  ≈ H 2 PO 4 −  〉〉 CaHPO 4  〉 MgHPO 4 . With rainfall pH ranging from 4.2 to 4.9 and a f d  ≈ 1.0, H 2 PO 4 − accounts for 95% to 99% of DP in rainfall. Despite the inherent variability of a large dataset (362 samples across 15 events) the speciation of DP is influenced primarily by pH, with a range from 4.2 (rainfall) up to 8.6 (runoff) that results in an order of magnitude change in P species concentration and determines the order between the dominant orthophosphate species. For this source area, the role of alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon and partitioning on DP speciation are minor compared to the influence of pH. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0829-2 Authors Christian Berretta, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 114 Black Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA John Sansalone, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 114 Black Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Arsenic occurs in the earth's crust in various chemical forms as a result of both natural and anthropogenic sources. Soil chemical extractions may help understand As availability, as well as the possibility of As entry into the food chain. Phytoextraction has been proposed as a technology for remediation of As-contaminated soils. The study was carried out to assess the bioavailability of As by extractants and to compare the performance of castor bean and sunflower for As removal from soils. Two soils were contaminated with Na 2 HAsO 4 .7H 2 O adding 35 and 150 mg As dm −3 soil. Arsenic availability was assessed using the following extractants: tri-distilled water, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium oxalate + oxalic acid, organic acids mixture, Mehlich-1, and United States Environmental Protection Agency 3051. The roots and shoots of 35-day-old plants were collected and dry matter yield as well as As concentration were determined. The accumulation of As in shoot was also calculated in order to evaluate the plants potential for As phytoextraction. The extractants tested were efficient to assess the concentration of available As in soil. Addition of As to the soils did not cause severe toxicity in plants, although the dose 150 mg As dm −3 soil decreased shoot and root yield in both species. Castor bean was less sensitive to As than sunflower, but none of the species had hyperaccumulation characteristics. These species can be used for revegetation of areas contaminated with As up to safe limit of 150 mg As dm −3 soil, as proposed by CONAMA for industrial areas in Brazil. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0853-2 Authors Évio E. C. Melo, Department of Engineering and the Environment, Federal University of Paraíba, Rio Tinto, Paraíba, Brazil CEP-58297-000 Luiz R. G. Guilherme, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil CEP 37200-000 Clistenes W. A. Nascimento, Department of Agronomy, Rural Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil CEP 52171-900 H. G. V. Penha, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil CEP 37200-000 Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Emissions of methane (CH 4 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from a forested watershed (160 ha) in South Carolina, USA, were estimated with a spatially explicit watershed-scale modeling framework that utilizes the spatial variations in physical and biogeochemical characteristics across watersheds. The target watershed (WS80) consisting of wetland (23%) and upland (77%) was divided into 675 grid cells, and each of the cells had unique combination of vegetation, hydrology, soil properties, and topography. Driven by local climate, topography, soil, and vegetation conditions, MIKE SHE was used to generate daily flows as well as water table depth for each grid cell across the watershed. Forest-DNDC was then run for each cell to calculate its biogeochemistry including daily fluxes of the three greenhouse gases (GHGs). The simulated daily average CH 4 , CO 2 and N 2 O flux from the watershed were 17.9 mg C, 1.3 g C and 0.7 mg N m −2 , respectively, during the period from 2003–2007. The average contributions of the wetlands to the CH 4 , CO 2 and N 2 O emissions were about 95%, 20% and 18%, respectively. The spatial and temporal variation in the modeled CH 4 , CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes were large, and closely related to hydrological conditions. To understand the impact of spatial heterogeneity in physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the target watershed on GHG emissions, we used Forest-DNDC in a coarse mode (field scale), in which the entire watershed was set as a single simulated unit, where all hydrological, biogeochemical, and biophysical conditions were considered uniform. The results from the field-scale model differed from those modeled with the watershed-scale model which considered the spatial differences in physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the catchment. This contrast demonstrates that the spatially averaged topographic or biophysical conditions which are inherent with field-scale simulations could mask “hot spots” or small source areas with inherently high GHGs flux rates. The spatial resolution in conjunction with coupled hydrological and biogeochemical models could play a crucial role in reducing uncertainty of modeled GHG emissions from wetland-involved watersheds. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0855-0 Authors Zhaohua Dai, CSRC, EOS, University of New Hampshire, 8 College Rd., Durham, NH 03824, USA Carl C. Trettin, CFWR, USDA Forest Service, 3734 Highway 402, Cordesville, SC 29434, USA Changsheng Li, CSRC, EOS, University of New Hampshire, 8 College Rd., Durham, NH 03824, USA Harbin Li, CFWR, USDA Forest Service, 3734 Highway 402, Cordesville, SC 29434, USA Ge Sun, EFETAC, SRS, USDA Forest Service, 920 Main Campus Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA Devendra M. Amatya, CFWR, USDA Forest Service, 3734 Highway 402, Cordesville, SC 29434, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Air pollutants emissions from traffic are very closely connected to urban air quality, in a local scale, as well as to global problems like climate change, in a large scale. Road transport air pollutants emissions represent, in most cases, a critical parameter for a comprehensive and successful understanding of the mechanisms governing the air pollutants concentrations. Hence, reliable estimations and comprehension of road transport emissions are indispensable in order to set reliable strategies in the direction of air pollution abatement and management of air pollutants and greenhouse gases emissions. In this framework, in the present work, the emissions of air pollutants from road transport in Greece will be presented for the whole period 1990–2009 as it was found that a detailed, accurate and reliable emissions inventory was missing. The whole period emissions variation has clarified the impact of the change in the vehicle fleet, the engine technologies and the fuel quality. The calculated results have revealed that the age of the vehicles and the corresponding engine technology are the critical parameters determining the amount of the pollutants emitted. This was mainly observed in both passenger cars and heavy duty vehicles demonstrating the importance of a renewal programme of the old circulating vehicles in order to set an effective air pollution abatement strategy. Passenger cars were found to be responsible for the major part of most air pollutants emissions except from nitrogen oxides and particulates emissions. Heavy duty vehicles contribute more than 66% to nitrogen oxides and particulates emissions. For the whole time period, all calculated pollutants present a decreasing trend, with the exception of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide which increase constantly, ranging from −96% for sulphur dioxide to −1% for PM10. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0859-9 Authors Athena Progiou, AXON Enviro-Group Ltd, 18 Troias str, 11257 Athens, Greece Ioannis Ziomas, Laboratory of Process Analysis and Design, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytehneiou str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The clinoptilolite which was modified with sodium and potassium chloride was found to have adsorption capacity for rhodium. To evaluate the adsorption capacity and characteristics, the effects of solution pH, dose of clinoptilolite loading, contact time, temperature, and initial rhodium concentration were investigated in a batch mode. Adsorption was decreased with the increasing temperature for both modified clinoptilolites. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were used for mathematical description of the adsorption equilibrium. Equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir model in the concentrations of 2–60 mg l −1 at 293 and 313 K. Based on the Langmuir isotherm plots, the maximum adsorption capacity value was calculated to be 0.415 mg g −1 at 293 K. Various thermodynamic parameters such as ∆ G °, ∆ H °, and ∆ S ° were evaluated with results indicating that this system was an exothermic spontaneous reaction and kinetically suited to the pseudo-second-order model. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0869-7 Authors Ömer Saltabaş, Ceha Jewellery & Chemistry Co., Molla Fenari Mah., Gazi Sinan Paşa Sok, No: 18/1, Cağaloğlu-Fatih, 34420 Istanbul, Turkey Murat Teker, Department of Chemistry, Sakarya University, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey Aslı Döver, Department of Chemistry, Sakarya University, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey Eylem Serpil Atay, Department of Chemistry, Sakarya University, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Since swine wastewater is used by farmers for soil fertilization, evaluation of toxic compounds or micro-contaminants of separate streams is required. This paper uses the toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedure for the physicochemical and ecotoxicological characterization of swine wastewater. To distinguish the most important toxic compounds, a physicochemical characterization and phase I-TIE procedure were performed. The acute toxic effect of swine wastewater and treated fractions (phase II-TIE) were evaluated using Daphnia magna determining 48-h LC 50 . Results show a high level of conductivity (23.5 μS cm −1 ), which is explained as due to the concentration of ions, such as ammonium (NH 4 + –N 1.6 g L −1 ), sulfate (SO 4 2−  397.3 mg L −1 ), and chlorine (Cl −  1,230.0 mg L −1 ). The acute toxicity of the swine wastewater was evaluated on D. magna (48-h LC 50  = 3.4%). Results of the different water treatments indicate that anionic exchange treatments could reduce 22.5% of swine wastewater’s acute toxicity by reducing chlorine (to around 51%) and conductivity (8.5%). On the other hand, cationic exchange treatment increased acute toxicity on D. magna (% RT = −624.4%), by reducing NH 4 + –N (around 100%) and total nitrogen (95.5%). This finding suggests that part of the toxicity comes from anionic compounds, such as chlorine. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0864-z Authors C. Alejandra Villamar, Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group, Environmental Science Center EULA—Chile, University of Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, Chile Teresa Cañuta, Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group, Environmental Science Center EULA—Chile, University of Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, Chile Marisol Belmonte, Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group, Environmental Science Center EULA—Chile, University of Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, Chile Gladys Vidal, Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group, Environmental Science Center EULA—Chile, University of Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, Chile Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding different rates of diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 mmol kg −1 ) and ethylenediamine disuccinate (EDDS) at 0, 5, 7.5, and 10 mmol kg −1 on the capacity of Brussels sprouts plants to take up Se from soils contaminated with 0, 5, 10, and 15 mg kg −1 NaSeO 4 , under a greenhouse conditions. Results indicated that the application of DTPA and EDDS to Se-contaminated soils significantly affect plant Se concentration, Se uptake, and dry matter yield of plants. Se concentration in the plant leaves, stems, and roots increased with increase in DTPA and EDDS application doses, but total Se uptake increased from 0 to 1.0 and 7.5 mmol kg −1 DTPA and EDDS application doses, respectively, and decreased after those levels due to toxic Se concentration for plant. Most plant available fractions and the carbonate, metal oxide, and organic matter-bound fractions increased linearly with Se application. At all DTPA and EDDS application rates, the Se concentrations in the leaves were about two to three times higher than those in the roots and about three to four times higher than those in the stems. This study suggests that the above-ground organs like leaf and shoots of Brussels sprouts can effectively be used in the removal of Se from soils contaminated with Se. Under the conditions in this experiment, Brussels sprouts were capable of removing 0.9–1.8 mg Se pot −1 when harvested at maturity without any chelating agent take into consideration one growing season per year. Based on the data of present experiment, it would be necessary to approximately 57–67 growing seasons without EDDS and EDTA to remove all total Se from polluted soil. Selenium removal can be further increased 12- to 20-fold with 7.5 mmol kg −1 EDDS and 1.0 mmol kg −1 DTPA application, respectively. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0863-0 Authors Aslıhan Esringü, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum, 25240 Turkey Metin Turan, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum, 25240 Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Field experiments were conducted to assess the influence of plant growth and amendment addition on phytostabilisation of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) along highway soil in southwest British Columbia, Canada. The plant species tested were Lolium perenne L (perennial rye grass), Festuca rubra L. (creeping red fescue) and Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) and the amendments, lime and phosphate. The treatment efficiencies were assessed during different seasons as a completely randomized factorial experiment in split plot design. The research tasks involved: (1) quantifying the seasonal extent of metal accumulation in soil and assessing the seasonal impact on metal speciation for different soil amendments and plant species; (2) determining seasonal accumulation differences between sampling periods in plant parts; and (3) assessing the influence of root–soil interactions on metal dynamics. The amendments decreased the exchangeable fraction and plant uptake of all four metals. The lowest mobile fractions (exchangeable and carbonate bound) were found in soils growing Festuca for Cu, Lolium for Mn and a Lolium/Poa/Festuca combination for Pb and Zn. Metal accumulation and metal dynamics in the rhizosphere soil are compared with those of the bulk soil. The final outcome was the development of a remediation strategy for all four metals involving suitable plants and amendments and incorporating seasonal and rhizosphere influences. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-18 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0843-4 Authors Prabha K. Padmavathiamma, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada Loretta Y. Li, Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    One of the main environmental impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations is the soil degradation in vicinity with the livestock breeding facilities due to substances such as ammonia emitted from the various stages of the process. Owing to the high temperatures of the Mediterranean ecosystems, the evolution of gasses is more extensive and the soil degradation is consequently more severe than those obtained in northern Europe. In this research, the soil degradation effects of a large meat-producing, processing, and packaging unit have been investigated. The investigated intensive hog farming operation (IHFO) is located at a limestone soil coastal area with sea to the north and hills to the south. Soil samples of the upper mineral soil were taken in various distances and directions from the IHFO boundaries. Thirteen experimental cycles were carried out in the duration of 1.5 years starting in March 2009 until October 2010. The soil samples were analyzed on pH and electrical conductivity (EC) values as well as NH 4 + and NO 3 − concentrations. Significantly higher concentrations of the two nitrogen forms were observed on samples at increasing proximity downwind from the farm (south). Southern soil average NH 4 + and NO 3 − concentrations ranged between 0.4–118 μg NH 4 + -N g −1 soil and 6.1–88.4 μg NO 3 − -N g −1 soil, respectively. The variation of emitted gasses depositions was clearly reflected in the average pH and EC values. Average pH and EC values downwind from IHFO boundaries varied between 7.1–8.2 and 140–268 μS/cm, respectively. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0848-z Authors Stylianos Liodakis, Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Athens, 157 80 Greece Charalampos Michalopoulos, Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Athens, 157 80 Greece Elpida Efthymiou, Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Athens, 157 80 Greece Georgios Katsigiannis, Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Athens, 157 80 Greece Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Tributyltin (TBT) is a very effective biocide and an active ingredient in antifouling paints. Screening along the Indian coast yielded 49 bacterial isolates capable of TBT assimilation. The screening was done based on the ability of bacteria to grow in mineral salt medium (MSM) containing TBT as the sole source of carbon. All the isolates produced exopolysaccharides (biosurfactants) in the medium which aid in emulsification and thus ease bioavailability of TBT. Five isolates were identified as potent TBT degraders (namely, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes , Pseudomonas stutzeri , Pseudomonas mendocina , Pseudomonas putida , and Pseudomonas balearica ) based on their biomass production in MSM containing TBT as the sole source of carbon. In addition to evaluating the potential of individual bacterial strains, the study also focused on using a consortium of bacteria to explore their synergistic effect when grown on TBT. Further tests like growth profile, rhamnolipid secretion profile, extracellular protein secretion profile, and detection of siderophores were performed on these isolates when grown in MSM supplemented with 2 mM TBT concentration. Emulsification activity of the crude extracellular polysaccharides against kerosene was evaluated. It can be therefore inferred that TBT degradation by these marine pseudomonads is a two-step process: (a) dispersion of TBT in the aqueous phase and (b) tin–carbon bond cleavage by siderophores affecting debutylation of TBT. The consortium of bacteria may be effective in the treatment of TBT-contaminated waste water in dry docks. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0842-5 Authors Ramya Sampath, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Velachery-Tambaram Main Road, Pallikaranai, Chennai, 600100 India Harish Venkatakrishnan, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Velachery-Tambaram Main Road, Pallikaranai, Chennai, 600100 India Vijaya Ravichandran, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Velachery-Tambaram Main Road, Pallikaranai, Chennai, 600100 India Rajat Roy Chaudhury, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Velachery-Tambaram Main Road, Pallikaranai, Chennai, 600100 India Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Mercury bioaccumulation kinetics of two important macrobenthic species, the polychaete Hediste diversicolor and the bivalve Scrobicularia plana , were evaluated following a dietary pathway (i.e. contaminated algae), through a mesocosm laboratory experiment. Both studied species presented a similar model of Hg bioaccumulation kinetics, a linear pattern of accumulation through time being the mercury accumulation in the organisms proportional to the mercury concentration in the food. Mercury bioaccumulation rates were higher in the polychaete H. diversicolor (reaching approximately 0.15 μg g −1 at the end of the experiment) than in the bivalve S. plana (≈0.07 μg g −1 ), which could be related to their feeding strategies, ingestion rates and assimilation efficiencies. Moreover, the mercury bioaccumulation revealed to be quite a fast process especially for the polychaete, and despite the fact that this species is not an edible organism, it is an important prey item, which can greatly contribute to the transport of contaminants to higher trophic levels. Therefore, the bioaccumulation of mercury by these important macrobenthic species, especially the bivalves, represents a non-negligible risk for humans. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0870-1 Authors Patricia G. Cardoso, IMAR–CMA–Marine and Environmental Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal Eduarda Pereira, CESAM–Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Tiago F. Grilo, CFE–Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal Armando C. Duarte, CESAM–Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Miguel A. Pardal, CFE–Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    This study examined patterns of stream sediment granulometry, organic matter (OM) and metal concentration, and surface water characteristics in a catchment in the Brazilian Iron Quadrangle that is highly impacted by surface iron mining and gully erosion. Sediment granulometry indicated fine sediment deposition at impacted stream sites, i.e., tendencies towards bimodal particle size distributions with an additional peak in the sand fraction at impacted stream sites that did not occur at pristine reference sites, as well as towards smaller mean sediment particle sizes at impacted sites than at reference sites. Impacted sites also had significantly lower sediment OM contents than reference sites. Sediment heavy metal and arsenic concentrations did not differ between impacted and reference sites and were generally below published target or threshold effect concentrations. Impacts on surface water characteristics occurred only locally at a site that received tailings pond effluent from an iron mine and had very low pH and conductivity values. Sediment characteristics exhibited substantial spatial variability in the studied tropical catchment, showing that land use impacts can hardly be detected in routine monitoring and impact assessment studies that adopt a before–after control-impact approach and do not consider pristine reference streams. These results underline the importance of high-resolution and long-term sediment monitoring as well as integrated basin-scale sediment management programs. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0866-x Authors Francisco L. Nascimento, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João del-Rei, Campus Tancredo Neves, Av. Visconde do Rio Preto, 36301-160 São João del-Rei, MG, Brazil Iola G. Boëchat, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João del-Rei, Campus Tancredo Neves, Av. Visconde do Rio Preto, 36301-160 São João del-Rei, MG, Brazil Alexandre O. Teixeira, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João del-Rei, Campus Tancredo Neves, Av. Visconde do Rio Preto, 36301-160 São João del-Rei, MG, Brazil Björn Gücker, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João del-Rei, Campus Tancredo Neves, Av. Visconde do Rio Preto, 36301-160 São João del-Rei, MG, Brazil Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    In this study, Gonium sp. was investigated for possible usage in dye-containing wastewater treatment. Trials were performed in media including triacontanol hormone, Reactive Orange 14, Reactive Red 120, Reactive Black 5, Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR), and also hormone against the controls. Algae could remove RBBR with the highest dye removal percentage (56%) among the tested dyes. The optimum pH was 9 in removing 50 mg L −1 RBBR at a dye removal percentage of 47.1%. The role of laccase activity of Gonium sp. was also investigated. This first attempt in the literature showed the involvement of the enzyme in the algal growth and bioremoval process. In the presence of the plant growth hormone in the culture, the activity showed a steady and significant increase up to nearly sixfold between 5th and 14th days of incubation. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0824-7 Authors Nur Koçberber Kılıç, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ankara, 06100 Beşevler, Ankara, Turkey Sevgi Ertuğrul Karatay, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ankara, 06100 Beşevler, Ankara, Turkey Ergin Duygu, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ankara, 06100 Beşevler, Ankara, Turkey Gönül Dönmez, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ankara, 06100 Beşevler, Ankara, Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy, combined with parallel factor analysis and measurements of UV absorption and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, was used to trace the footprints of industrial effluents discharged into the lower Kishon River (Israel). The lower Kishon River typifies streams that are affected by seawater tidal intrusion and represents an extreme case of severe long-term pollution caused mainly by a variety of industrial effluents. The industrial effluents may contribute about 90%, in terms of biochemical oxygen demand, of the total organic carbon discharged into the lower Kishon River. Water samples were collected along the river, including the points of effluent discharge from industrial plants, between November 2005 and September 2006. Two types of fluorescent components characterized the fluorescence of the lower Kishon River water: component I corresponded to humic-like matter and component II spectrally resembled material known to be associated with biological productivity, but different from typical tryptophan-like fluorophore. These fluorescent components and other substances that absorbed light at 254 nm contributed to the DOC pool that resisted riverine microbial degradation under laboratory conditions, and that constitutes up to 70% of the overall riverine DOC. The variations in DOC concentration, absorbance at 254 nm, and concentration of humic-like matter (characterized by component I) correlated with the distance from the sea and the water electrical conductivity, and were linked to seawater tidal intrusion. The increased concentration of component II, as well as its enlarged fraction in the overall riverine DOC pool, was found to be associated with the location of major inputs of the industrial effluents. These findings support the use of this fluorescent component as an indicator of industrial pollution in such severely contaminated riverine systems. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0821-x Authors Mikhail Borisover, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan, 50250 Israel Yael Laor, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay, 30095 Israel Ibrahim Saadi, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay, 30095 Israel Marcos Lado, Area of Soil Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of A Coruña, A Zapateira s/n, 15071 A Coruña, Spain Nadezhda Bukhanovsky, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan, 50250 Israel Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description: Author(s): Gregory P Asner Affiliation(s): Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

Description: We introduce a simplified version of the soccer ball model (SBM) developed by Niedermeier et al (2014 Geophys. Res. Lett. 41 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058684] 736–741 ) into the Community Atmospheric Model version 5 (CAM5). It is the first time that SBM is used in an atmospheric model to parameterize the heterogeneous ice nucleation. The SBM, which was simplified for its suitable application in atmospheric models, uses the classical nucleation theory to describe the immersion/condensation freezing by dust in the mixed-phase cloud regime. Uncertain parameters (mean contact angle, standard deviation of contact angle probability distribution, and number of surface sites) in the SBM are constrained by fitting them to recent natural dust (Saharan dust) datasets. With the SBM in CAM5, we investigate the sensitivity of modeled cloud properties to the SBM parameters, and find significant seasonal and regional differences in the sensitivity among the...

Description: Despite a large body of legislation, high nutrient loads are still emitted in European inland waters. In the present study we evaluate a set of alternative scenarios aiming at reducing nitrogen and phosphorus emissions from anthropogenic activities to all European Seas. In particular, we tested the full implementation of the European Urban Waste Water Directive, which controls emissions from point source. In addition, we associated the full implementation of this Directive with a ban of phosphorus-based laundry detergents. Then we tested two human diet scenarios and their impacts on nutrient emissions. We also developed a scenario based on an optimal use of organic manure. The impacts of all our scenarios were evaluated using a statistical model of nitrogen and phosphorus fate (GREEN) linked to an agro-economic model (CAPRI). We show that the ban of phosphorus-based laundry detergents coupled with the full implementation of the Urban Waste Water Directive is the most effective ap...

Description: Description unavailable

Description: In the Alberta oil sands region, insufficient knowledge of pre-disturbance reference conditions has undermined the ability of the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP) to detect pollution of the Athabasca River, because sampling began three decades after the industry started and the river naturally erodes oil-bearing strata. Here, we apply a novel approach to characterize pre-industrial reference metal concentrations in river sediment downstream of Alberta oil sands development by analyzing metal concentrations in sediments deposited in floodplain lakes of the Athabasca Delta during 1700–1916, when they were strongly influenced by Athabasca River floodwaters. We compared results to metal concentrations in surficial bottom sediments sampled by RAMP (2010–2013) at downstream sites of the Athabasca River and distributaries. When normalized to lithium content, concentrations of vanadium (a metal of concern in the oil sands region) and other priority pollutants (Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, ...

Description: Amazon forests represent nearly half of all tropical vegetation biomass and, through photosynthesis and respiration, annually process more than twice the amount of estimated carbon (CO 2 ) from fossil fuel emissions. Yet the seasonality of Amazon canopy cover, and the extent to which seasonal fluctuations in water availability and photosynthetically available radiation influence these processes, is still poorly understood. Implementing six remotely sensed data sets spanning nine years (2003–2011), with reported field and flux tower data, we show that southern equatorial Amazon forests exhibit a distinctive seasonal signal. Seasonal timing of water availability, canopy biomass growth and net leaf flush are asynchronous in regions with short dry seasons and become more synchronous across a west-to-east longitudinal moisture gradient of increasing dry season. Forest cover is responsive to seasonal disparities in both water and solar radiation availability, temporally adjust...

Description: Estimates of global thunderstorm activity have been made predominately by direct measurements of lightning discharges around the globe, either by optical measurements from satellites, or using ground-based radio antennas. In this paper we propose a new methodology in which thunderstorm clusters are constructed based on the lightning strokes detected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) in the very low frequency range. We find that even with low lightning detection efficiency on a global scale, the spatial and temporal distribution of global thunderstorm cells is well reproduced. This is validated by comparing the global diurnal variations of the thunderstorm cells, and the currents produced by these storms, with the well-known Carnegie Curve, which represents the mean diurnal variability of the global atmospheric electric circuit, driven by thunderstorm activity. While the Carnegie Curve agrees well with our diurnal thunderstorm cluster variations, there is little...

Description: Climate change might impact crop yields considerably and anticipated transformations of agricultural systems are needed in the coming decades to sustain affordable food provision. However, decision-making on transformational shifts in agricultural systems is plagued by uncertainties concerning the nature and geography of climate change, its impacts, and adequate responses. Locking agricultural systems into inadequate transformations costly to adjust is a significant risk and this acts as an incentive to delay action. It is crucial to gain insight into how much transformation is required from agricultural systems, how robust such strategies are, and how we can defuse the associated challenge for decision-making. While implementing a definition related to large changes in resource use into a global impact assessment modelling framework, we find transformational adaptations to be required of agricultural systems in most regions by 2050s in order to cope with climate change. However,...

Description: Subgrid-scale variability is one of the main reasons why parameterizations are needed in large-scale models. Although some parameterizations started to address the issue of subgrid variability by introducing a subgrid probability distribution function for relevant quantities, the spatial structure has been typically ignored and thus the subgrid-scale interactions cannot be accounted for physically. Here we present a new statistical-physics-like approach whereby the spatial autocorrelation function can be used to physically capture the net effects of subgrid cloud interaction with radiation. The new approach is able to faithfully reproduce the Monte Carlo 3D simulation results with several orders less computational cost, allowing for more realistic representation of cloud radiation interactions in large-scale models.

Description: Unprecedented wet conditions are reported in the 2014 summer (December–March) in South-western Amazon, with rainfall about 100% above normal. Discharge in the Madeira River (the main southern Amazon tributary) has been 74% higher than normal (58 000 m 3 s −1 ) at Porto Velho and 380% (25 000 m 3 s −1 ) at Rurrenabaque, at the exit of the Andes in summer, while levels of the Rio Negro at Manaus were 29.47 m in June 2014, corresponding to the fifth highest record during the 113 years record of the Rio Negro. While previous floods in Amazonia have been related to La Niña and/or warmer than normal tropical South Atlantic, the 2014 rainfall and flood anomalies are associated with warm condition in the western Pacific-Indian Ocean and with an exceptionally warm Subtropical South Atlantic. Our results suggest that the tropical and subtropical South Atlantic SST gradient is a main driver for moisture transport from the Atlantic toward south-western A...

Description: Correcting biases in atmospheric variables prior to impact studies or dynamical downscaling can lead to new biases as dynamical consistency between the ‘corrected’ fields is not maintained. Use of these bias corrected fields for subsequent impact studies and dynamical downscaling provides input conditions that do not appropriately represent intervariable relationships in atmospheric fields. Here we investigate the consequences of the lack of dynamical consistency in bias correction using a measure of model consistency—the potential vorticity (PV). This paper presents an assessment of the biases present in PV using two alternative correction techniques—an approach where bias correction is performed individually on each atmospheric variable, thereby ignoring the physical relationships that exists between the multiple variables that are corrected, and a second approach where bias correction is performed directly on the PV field, thereby keeping the system dynamically coherent throug...

Description: Very large-fires (VLFs) have widespread impacts on ecosystems, air quality, fire suppression resources, and in many regions account for a majority of total area burned. Empirical generalized linear models of the largest fires (〉5000 ha) across the contiguous United States (US) were developed at ∼60 km spatial and weekly temporal resolutions using solely atmospheric predictors. Climate−fire relationships on interannual timescales were evident, with wetter conditions than normal in the previous growing season enhancing VLFs probability in rangeland systems and with concurrent long-term drought enhancing VLFs probability in forested systems. Information at sub-seasonal timescales further refined these relationships, with short-term fire weather being a significant predictor in rangelands and fire danger indices linked to dead fuel moisture being a significant predictor in forested lands. Models demonstrated agreement in capturing the observed spatial and temporal variability incl...

Description: The IPCC Guidelines propose 3 Tier levels for greenhouse gas monitoring within the forest land category with a hierarchical order in terms of accuracy, data requirements and complexity. Due to missing data and/or capacities, many developing countries, potentially interested in the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation scheme, have to rely on Tier 1 default values with highest uncertainties. A possible way to increase the credibility of uncertain estimates is to apply a conservative approach, for which standard statistical information is needed. However, such information is currently not available for the IPCC values. In our study we combine a recent global forest mask, an ecological zoning map and the pan-tropical AGB datasets of Saatchi and Baccini to derive mean forest AGB values per ecological zone and continent as well as their corresponding confidence intervals. Such analysis can be considered transparent as the datasets/methodologies are well document...

Description: In permafrost soils, ‘excess ice’, also referred to as ground ice, exists in amounts exceeding soil porosity in forms such as ice lenses and wedges. Here, we incorporate a simple representation of excess ice in the Community Land Model (CLM4.5) to investigate how excess ice affects projected permafrost thaw and associated hydrologic responses. We initialize spatially explicit excess ice obtained from the Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground-Ice Conditions. The excess ice in the model acts to slightly reduce projected soil warming by about 0.35 °C by 2100 in a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario. The presence of excess ice slows permafrost thaw at a given location with about a 10 year delay in permafrost thaw at 3 m depth at most high excess ice locations. The soil moisture response to excess ice melt is transient and depends largely on the timing of thaw with wetter/saturated soil moisture conditions persisting slightly longer due to delayed post-thaw drainage. Based on ...

Description: There is increasing concern about water constraints limiting oil and gas production using hydraulic fracturing (HF) in shale plays, particularly in semiarid regions and during droughts. Here we evaluate HF vulnerability by comparing HF water demand with supply in the semiarid Texas Eagle Ford play, the largest shale oil producer globally. Current HF water demand (18 billion gallons, bgal; 68 billion liters, bL in 2013) equates to ∼16% of total water consumption in the play area. Projected HF water demand of ∼330 bgal with ∼62 000 additional wells over the next 20 years equates to ∼10% of historic groundwater depletion from regional irrigation. Estimated potential freshwater supplies include ∼1000 bgal over 20 yr from recharge and ∼10 000 bgal from aquifer storage, with land-owner lease agreements often stipulating purchase of freshwater. However, pumpage has resulted in excessive drawdown locally with estimated declines of ∼100–200 ft in ∼6% of the western play area since HF bega...

Description: A nitrogen (N) budget for Denmark has been developed for the years 1990 to 2010, describing the inputs and outputs at the national scale and the internal flows between relevant sectors of the economy. Satisfactorily closing the N budgets for some sectors of the economy was not possible, due to missing or contradictory information. The budgets were nevertheless considered sufficiently reliable to quantify the major flows. Agriculture was responsible for the majority of inputs, though fisheries and energy generation also made significant contributions. Agriculture was the main source of N input to the aquatic environment, whereas agriculture, energy generation and transport all contributed to emissions of reactive N gases to the atmosphere. Significant reductions in inputs of reactive N have been achieved during the 20 years, mainly by restricting the use of N for crop production and improving livestock feeding. This reduction has helped reduce nitrate leaching by about half. Measu...

Description: The 30-year normalized-difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series from AVHRR/MODIS satellite sensors was used in this study to assess the regional vegetation dynamic changes in the Tao River Basin, which cuts across the Eastern Tibetan Plateau (ETP) and the Southwestern Loess Plateau (SLP). First, principal component and correlation analyses were carried out to determine the key climatic variables driving ecological change in the region. Then, regression models were tested to correlate NDVI with the selected climatic variables to determine their predictive power. Finally, Sen’s slope method was used to determine how terrestrial vegetation has responded to regional climate change in the region. The results indicated an average winter season NDVI value of 0.14 in the ETP but only 0.04 in the SLP. Primarily driven by increasing temperature, vegetation growth has generally been enhanced since 1981; spring NDVI increased by 0.03 every 10 years in the ETP and 0.02 in the SLP. Furth...

Description: Ammonia emissions from livestock production can have negative impacts on nearby protected sites and ecosystems that are sensitive to eutrophication and acidification. Trees are effective scavengers of both gaseous and particulate pollutants from the atmosphere making tree belts potentially effective landscape features to support strategies aiming to reduce ammonia impacts. This research used the MODDAS-THETIS a coupled turbulence and deposition turbulence model, to examine the relationships between tree canopy structure and ammonia capture for three source types—animal housing, slurry lagoon, and livestock under a tree canopy. By altering the canopy length, leaf area index, leaf area density, and height of the canopy in the model the capture efficiencies varied substantially. A maximum of 27% of the emitted ammonia was captured by tree canopy for the animal housing source, for the slurry lagoon the maximum was 19%, while the livestock under trees attained a maximum of 60% recaptu...

Description: It is known that carbon dioxide emissions cause the Earth to warm, but no previous study has focused on examining how long it takes to reach maximum warming following a particular CO 2 emission. Using conjoined results of carbon-cycle and physical-climate model intercomparison projects (Taylor et al 2012, Joos et al 2013), we find the median time between an emission and maximum warming is 10.1 years, with a 90% probability range of 6.6–30.7 years. We evaluate uncertainties in timing and amount of warming, partitioning them into three contributing factors: carbon cycle, climate sensitivity and ocean thermal inertia. If uncertainty in any one factor is reduced to zero without reducing uncertainty in the other factors, the majority of overall uncertainty remains. Thus, narrowing uncertainty in century-scale warming depends on narrowing uncertainty in all contributing factors. Our results indicate that benefit from avoided climate damage from avoided CO 2

Description:    Nitrogen fertilizers used in agriculture often cause nitrate leaching towards shallow groundwater, especially in lowland areas where the flat topography minimize the surface run off. In order to introduce good agricultural practices that reduce the amount of nitrate entering the groundwater system, it is important to quantify the kinetic control on nitrate attenuation capacity. With this aim, a series of anaerobic batch experiments, consisting of loamy soils and nitrate-contaminated groundwater, were carried out using acetate and natural dissolved organic matter as electron donors. Acetate was chosen because it is the main intermediate species in many biodegradation pathways of organic compounds, and it is a suitable carbon source for denitrification. Sorption of acetate was also determined, fitting a Langmuir isotherm in both natural and artificially depleted organic matter soils. Experiments were performed in quadruplicate to account for the spatial variability of soil parameters. The geochemical code PHREEQC (version 2) was used to simulate kinetic denitrification using Monod equation, equilibrium Langmuir sorption of acetate, and equilibrium reactions of gas and mineral phases (calcite). The reactive modeling results highlighted a rapid acetate and nitrate mineralization rate, suggesting that the main pathway of nitrate attenuation is through denitrification while calcite acted as a buffer for pH. However, in the absence of acetate, the natural content of organic matter did not allow to complete the denitrification process leading to nitrite accumulation. Reactive modeling is thought to be an efficient and robust tool to quantify the complex biogeochemical reactions which can take place in underground environments. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0817-6 Authors Micòl Mastrocicco, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat, 1, Ferrara, 44100 Italy Nicolò Colombani, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat, 1, Ferrara, 44100 Italy Enzo Salemi, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat, 1, Ferrara, 44100 Italy Giuseppe Castaldelli, LT Terra&Acqua Tech, HTN Emilia-Romagna, Via L. Borsari, 46, Ferrara, 44100 Italy Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Concrete grinding residue (CGR) is a by-product created by concrete pavement maintenance operations. The application of CGR to roadside soils is not consistently regulated by state agencies across the USA, which is partially due to the lack of science-based information on its impacts to soils and plants. The objectives of this research were to determine the impact of CGR additions to soil on both smooth brome ( Bromus inermis L.) biomass and plant and soil chemical parameters. In a greenhouse study, two soils were treated with two CGR by-products at 8% and 25% by weight. Shoot biomass was significantly influenced by the main effects (Soil, CGR, and Rate) and by all two-way interactions, but not consistently positively or negatively correlated. Trace metal concentrations in the shoot biomass were variable, but 68% of these metals had the same concentration or lower in the 25% CGR treatments compared with the controls. Soil pH and electrical conductivity were significantly influenced by the main effects and two-way interactions of Soil × Rate and CGR × Rate, and soil pH was significantly greater in the CGR-treated soils. Calcium, Na, Mg, Al, and S concentrations in soils were all influenced by additions of CGR, but trace metal levels in the treatments were all within the range for uncontaminated soils. Ecosystem impact of applying CGR will be dependent upon the quality of CGR and soil characteristics. Controlling the liming potential of CGR should be considered a best management practice. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0816-7 Authors Tom DeSutter, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University, 214 Walster Hall, P.O. Box 7680, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA Patricia Goosen-Alix, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University, 214 Walster Hall, P.O. Box 7680, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA Lyle Prunty, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University, 214 Walster Hall, P.O. Box 7680, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA Paul White, Sugarcane Research Unit, USDA ARS, 5883 USDA Road, Houma, LA, USA 70360 Frank Casey, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University, 214 Walster Hall, P.O. Box 7680, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Surface coastal sediments (0–10 cm) collected from three natural environments on the Spanish Northern Atlantic Coast were analyzed so as to determine concentrations of 6 marker polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 12 dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) and 17 polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). An analytical procedure based on Soxhlet extraction followed by an automated cleanup and final high-resolution gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry was applied for the determination of the persistent organic pollutants. Marker PCB levels ranged from 385.5 to 4,060.9 pg/g dry weight (d.w.) showing a similar congener pattern in all sediments dominated by the less volatile congeners PCB 153 and PCB 138. Linear correlations were found between marker and dl-PCBs. Toxicity equivalent values were calculated for PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs reaching its maximum at 0.52 pg WHO 1998 -TEQ/g d.w., with an average dl-PCBs contribution on the toxicity of the samples of 75%, and showing to be in good agreement with background levels in the North-East Atlantic Ocean Coasts of nearly 1 pg/g WHO 1998 -TEQ d.w. Dimensionless environmental quality criteria were much lower than 1 indicating the low probability to induce ecotoxicological impacts. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0790-0 Authors Sonia Gómez-Lavín, Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Química Inorgánica, ETSIIyT, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. de los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain Daniel Gorri, Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Química Inorgánica, ETSIIyT, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. de los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain Ángel Irabien, Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Química Inorgánica, ETSIIyT, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. de los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description: Author(s): Deniz Karman Affiliation(s): Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

Description:    Lead (Pb) is known as an important aquatic contaminant with different toxic effects on various organisms. Until now, only few quantitative investigations have been published comparing Pb content in different organs of adult freshwater crabs. Their capacity to bioaccumulate other heavy metals is already known, and they can potentially transfer Pb to the terrestrial systems, as they are frequent trophic items of reptiles and birds, even humans. The objectives of this study were to assess Pb accumulation in the gills, carapace, digestive gland, and quela muscle of the freshwater crab Zilchiopsis oronensis , and to correlate bioaccumulation with morphometric data and sex. The crabs were manually caught in unpolluted ponds of the middle Paraná River alluvial valley (Santa Fe, Argentina). After the acclimation period, they were individually and randomly exposed per quadruplicate to three Pb experimental doses: 20, 40, and 80 mg Pb/L, in plastic cages during 15 days. After dissecting the crabs, the tissues were analyzed for lead in a Perkin Elmer Analyst 800 atomic absorption spectrometer. We found significant differences ( p  〈 0.05) between the control and each one of the treatments but not between treatments ( p  〉 0.05) and highly significant differences ( p  〈 0.0001) between Pb concentration in organs. The Tukey posttest showed significant differences ( p  〈 0.05) between gills–carapace, gills–digestive gland, and gills–quela muscle. The weight of the crabs only showed a negative correlation with Pb in the quela muscle ( r  = −0.53; p  = 0.03). Pb in the carapace (but not in the other tissues) was positively correlated with the width ( p  = 0.571) and length ( p  = 0.616). Males accumulated more Pb than females, though not significantly. The present paper is aimed to contribute to our knowledge on Pb accumulation in freshwater crabs and select the better indicator organisms for biomonitoring. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0887-5 Authors Ana María Gagneten, Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias, Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina Georgina Tumini, Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias, Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina Alba Imhof, Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias, Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina Susana Gervasio, INTEC–CONICET, Parque Tecnológico Litoral Centro, Ruta Nacional 168, Km 3.5, Paraje El Pozo, Santa Fe, Argentina Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Regional contamination by Pb and Zn in southern Moravia (south-east part of the Czech Republic) in the twentieth century was analysed in Brno Dam lake sediments and in floodplain sediments of the Morava River near Strážnice. The age model for the Brno Dam lake sediments has been obtained by 137 Cs (maxima corresponding to the nuclear tests in atmosphere and the 1986 Chernobyl accident) and the construction of the dam (1940); the time constraints for the Morava River sediments was the erection of flood defences (1930s) and 210 Pb dating. In the case of floodplain sediments, profiles exhibiting post-depositional mobilisation of heavy metals by pedogenic processes (gleying) must be excluded to reconstruct the history of contamination. There was a relatively fast joint onset of Pb and Zn load since the early stages of industrialisation in the first half of the twentieth century, but then the concentrations of these two metals developed in a different manner. Pb load only slightly increased till its peak in 1960s and 1970s. The increase of Zn load was rather stepwise: Soon before 1930s (Morava River floodplain) and in 1940s and 1950s (in Brno Lake), the relative contamination by Zn was much lower than during its peak in the 1970s to the present days. The offset of Pb and Zn contamination curves could have been caused by three different artificial sources of these heavy metals. The temporal shift of Pb and Zn loads can be used for dating sediments. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0898-2 Authors Tomáš Matys Grygar, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, v.v.i., 250 68 Řež, Czech Republic Jan Sedláček, Department of Geology, Palacký University, Tř. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Ondřej Bábek, Department of Geology, Palacký University, Tř. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Tereza Nováková, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, v.v.i., 250 68 Řež, Czech Republic Ladislav Strnad, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic Martin Mihaljevič, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The connection between nutrient input and algal blooms for inland water productivity is well known but not the spatial pattern of water nutrient loading and algae concentration. Remote sensing provides an effective tool to monitor nutrient abundances via the association with algae concentration. Twenty-one field campaigns have been conducted with samples collected under a diverse range of algal bloom conditions for three central Indiana drinking water bodies, e.g., Eagle Creek Reservoir (ECR), Geist Reservoir (GR), and Morse Reservoir (MR) in 2005, 2006, and 2008, which are strongly influenced anthropogenic activities. Total phosphorus (TP) was estimated through hyperspectral remote sensing due to its close association with chlorophyll a (Chl-a), total suspended matter, Secchi disk transparency (SDT), and turbidity. Correlation analysis was performed to determine sensitive spectral variables for TP, Chl-a, and SDT. A hybrid model combining genetic algorithms and partial least square (GA-PLS) was established for remote estimation of TP, Chl-a, and SDT with selected sensitive spectral variables. The result indicates that TP has close association with diagnostic spectral variables with R 2 ranging from 0.55 to 0.72. However, GA-PLS has better performance with an average R 2 of 0.87 for aggregated dataset. GA-PLS was applied to the airborne imaging data (AISA) to map spatial distribution of TP, Chl-a, and SDT for MR and GR. The eutrophic status was evaluated with Carlson trophic state index using TP, Chl-a, and SDT maps derived from AISA images. Mapping results indicated that most MR belongs to mesotrophic (48.6%) and eutrophic (32.7%), while the situation was more severe for GR with 57.8% belongs to eutrophic class, and more than 40% to hypereutrophic class due to the high turbidity resulting from dredging practices. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-22 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0959-6 Authors Kaishan Song, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Lin Li, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Shuai Li, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Lenore Tedesco, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Bob Hall, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Linhai Li, Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    This study reports on the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) atmospheric dynamics in the dense urban environment of downtown Paris (France). Eight PBDE congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-100, BDE-99, BDE-154, BDE-153, BDE-183 and BDE-209) were simultaneously analysed in bulk and wet atmospheric deposition, as well as in ambient air (gaseous/particulate phases), twice a month over a 12-month period (May 2008–May 2009). The total air concentration of Σ 8PBDEs ranged between 12 and 185 pg m −3 , and the seasonal variations of PBDE levels were controlled by air temperature (except for BDE-209). Regarding bulk deposition, Σ 8PBDE flux was in the range 5–94 ng m −2  day −1 , and it was positively correlated with atmospheric particulate phase PBDE concentrations. Meanwhile, the measured wet deposition flux of Σ 8PBDE ranged between 2 and 24 ng m −2  day −1 , and its median contribution to bulk deposition was 39% only, which highlights the importance of dry deposition. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0963-x Authors Khawla Tlili, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, CNRS/UPMC, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Pierre Labadie, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, CNRS/UPMC, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Fabrice Alliot, Laboratoire Hydrologie et Environnement EPHE, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Catherine Bourges, Laboratoire Hydrologie et Environnement EPHE, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Annie Desportes, Laboratoire Hydrologie et Environnement EPHE, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Marc Chevreuil, Laboratoire Hydrologie et Environnement EPHE, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Consumer demand for cleaned squid generates a substantial amount of waste that must be properly disposed of, creating an economic burden on processors. A potential solution to this problem involves converting squid by-products into an organic fertilizer, for which there is growing demand. Because fertilizer application to lawns can increase the risk of nutrient contamination of groundwater, we quantified leaching of NO 3 –N and PO 4 –P from perennial ryegrass turf ( Lolium perenne L.) amended with two types of fertilizer: squid-based (SQ) and synthetic (SY). Field plots were established on an Enfield silt loam, and liquid (L) and granular (G) fertilizer formulations of squid and synthetic fertilizers were applied at 0, 48, 146, and 292 kg N ha −1  year −1 . Levels of NO 3 –N and PO 4 –P in soil pore water from a depth of 60 cm were determined periodically during the growing season in 2008 and 2009. Pore water NO 3 –N levels were not significantly different among fertilizer type or formulation within an application rate throughout the course of the study. The concentration of NO 3 –N remained below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg L −1 until midSeptember 2009, when values above the MCL were observed for SQG at all application rates, and for SYL at the high application rate. Annual mass losses of NO 3 –N were below the estimated inputs (10 kg N ha −1  year −1 ) from atmospheric deposition except for the SQG and SYL treatments applied at 292 kg N ha −1  year −1 , which had losses of 13.2 and 14.9 kg N ha −1  year −1 , respectively. Pore water PO 4 –P levels ranged from 0 to 1.5 mg P L −1 and were not significantly different among fertilizer type or formulation within an application rate. Our results indicate that N and P losses from turf amended with squid-based fertilizer do not differ from those amended with synthetic fertilizers or unfertilized turf. Although organic in nature, squid-based fertilizer does not appear to be more—or less—environmentally benign than synthetic fertilizers. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0962-y Authors Joseph C. Fetter, Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA Rebecca N. Brown, Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA Josef H. Görres, Department of Plant and Soil Science, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA Chong Lee, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA José A. Amador, Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Microbiology, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Two types of hydrogels with different functional groups, trimethylamine on quaternary ammonium and dimethylethoxyamine on quaternary ammonium, were synthesized. Type 1 and type 2 hydrogels were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and zeta potential analysis. The anion selectivity of these two hydrogels was investigated. The surface charges of the type 2 hydrogel were lower than those of type 1, probably because of the presence of the hydroxyl group in the ethoxy group. The Cr(VI) removal capacity of type 2 hydrogel was, therefore, less than that of type 1 hydrogel, although their adsorption rates were similar. The anion selectivity of the hydrogels was found to have a similar order: Cr(VI) 〉 sulphate 〉 bromide 〉 As(V). Under the co-presence of Cr(VI) and sulphate conditions, type 2 hydrogel shows a higher selectivity towards Cr(VI). The higher hydrophobicity was caused by the presence of the ethoxy group on the quaternary ammonium in type 2 hydrogel and thus increased in selectivity towards monovalent ions (i.e. HCrO 4 − ). In addition, the hydrogels have a high reusability. Compared with type 1 hydrogel, type 2 hydrogel has an advantage for applications in Cr(VI) removal and recovery processes. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0977-4 Authors Samuel C. N. Tang, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China Irene M. C. Lo, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China Mark S. H. Mak, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Combinations of sequential anaerobic and aerobic process enhance the treatment of textile wastewater. The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment of diazo dye Reactive Black 5 (RB5)-containing wastewater using granular activated carbon (GAC)–biofilm sequencing batch reactor (SBR) as an integration of aerobic and anaerobic process in a single reactor. The GAC–biofilm SBR system demonstrated higher removal of COD, RB5 and aromatic amines. It was observed that the RB5 removal efficiency improved as the concentration of co-substrate in the influent increased. The alternative aeration introduced into the bioreactor enhanced mineralization of aromatic amines. Degradation of RB5 and co-substrate followed second-order kinetic and the constant ( k 2 ) values for COD and RB5 decreased from 0.002 to 0.001 and 0.004 to 0.001 l/mg h, respectively, as the RB5 concentration increased from 100 to 200 mg/l in the GAC–biofilm SBR system. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0969-4 Authors Soon-An Ong, School of Environmental Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis 02600, Malaysia Li-Ngee Ho, School of Material Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis 02600, Malaysia Yee-Shian Wong, School of Environmental Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis 02600, Malaysia Komalathevi Raman, School of Environmental Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis 02600, Malaysia Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The validity of the soil quality standard for copper (Cu) established by the Spanish legislation (Spanish Royal Decree 9/2005) is evaluated in representative agricultural Mediterranean soils under an accumulator crop ( Lactuca sativa L. var. Romaine cv. Long Green ), considering both the effect of the metal on crop growth (biomass production) and its accumulation in the edible part of the plant. For saline soils, such a soil quality standard seems not to be valid taking into account both of the aspects evaluated. For non-saline soils, the soil quality standard also seems not to be valid since, considering the metal accumulation in the edible part of the plant, the soil quality standard should be above such standard; but considering the productivity function of soil (biomass production), the standard should be much below, meaning that this function is being greatly affected by the presence of high concentrations of Cu. The soil quality standard for each soil considered should correspond to a value between its respective EC 50 and EC 10 values (effective concentrations of added Cu causing 50% and 10% inhibition on the biomass production), depending on the politicians and/or farmers' compromise with yield production and, therefore, with soil productivity. These threshold values were greater for the soil having more organic matter and clay content, showing that Cu toxicity also depends on these properties. Further research in other agricultural areas of the region would improve the basis for proposing adequate soil quality standards as highlighted by the European Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0960-0 Authors L. Recatalá, Departamento de Planificación Territorial, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación-CIDE, (CSIC-Universitat de València-Generalitat Valenciana), Carretera Moncada-Náquera km 4.5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain D. Sacristán, Departamento de Planificación Territorial, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación-CIDE, (CSIC-Universitat de València-Generalitat Valenciana), Carretera Moncada-Náquera km 4.5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain C. Arbelo, Departamento de Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38206 La Laguna (Tenerife), Islas Canarias, Spain J. Sánchez, Departamento de Planificación Territorial, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación-CIDE, (CSIC-Universitat de València-Generalitat Valenciana), Carretera Moncada-Náquera km 4.5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    A set of indices was developed in order to classify the vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses (LOS), setting a basis for the integrated water resources management in agricultural systems. To calibrate the indices using multiple regression analysis, the simulation results of Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems (GLEAMS) model for combinations of different soil properties, topography, and climatic conditions of a reference field crop were used as “observed values.” GLEAMS quantified (1) the annual losses of the percolated water beneath the root zone, (2) the annual losses of the surface runoff, (3) the annual losses of the nitrogen leaching beneath the root zone, and (4) the annual losses of nitrogen through the surface runoff, which were used to calibrate the following indices LOSW-P, LOSW-R, LOSN-PN, and LOSN-RN, respectively. All the simulations to gain the LOS indices were carried out for the same reference field crop, the same nitrogen fertilization, and the same irrigation practice, in order to obtain the intrinsic vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses. The LOS indices were also combined to derive nitrogen concentrations in the percolated and in the runoff water. Finally, the connection of LOS indices with the groundwater was performed using an additional equation, which determines the minimum transit time of the percolated water to reach the groundwater table. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0968-5 Authors V. G. Aschonitis, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece M. Mastrocicco, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy N. Colombani, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy E. Salemi, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy N. Kazakis, Geology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece K. Voudouris, Geology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece G. Castaldelli, Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Despite the importance of periphyton–metal interactions in bioremediation schemes and in phosphorus (P) cycling, the processes controlling metal accumulation in periphytic mats are still poorly understood. Iron (Fe) accumulation in periphytic mats was examined across a Fe settlement lagoon receiving mine drainage in Scotland, UK, between March and June 2008. Quantification and mapping of intracellular and extracellular Fe concentrations in periphyton samples using scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy suggested that Fe accumulation was dominated by the association of Fe-rich precipitates with the extracellular polymeric substances matrix, rather than biotic uptake. Intracellular Fe concentrations were significantly higher in periphyton samples exposed to the highest dissolved Fe concentrations. Neither intracellular nor extracellular Fe concentrations were significantly affected by light availability or cell density. While diatoms dominated the periphyton communities there was no significant association of diatom functional groups with Fe accumulation, indicating that community composition may not affect the function of periphytic mats with respect to Fe removal. Scale-up calculations based on the mean measured Fe accumulation rate by periphyton substrates of 0.021 g m −2  day −1 showed that exposure of large surface areas of periphyton substrate in the settlement lagoon would only increase the Fe removal efficiency of the lagoon by c.1%. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0961-z Authors Erin Letovsky, School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN UK Kate V. Heal, School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN UK Laurence Carvalho, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB UK Bryan M. Spears, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB UK Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Natural clinoptilolite was modified with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, a cationic surfactant, and then melt-mixed with polypropylene hollow fibres to produce polymer composites with adsorptive properties. The performance of the fabricated composites was evaluated by optimizing experimental parameters such as surfactant loading, contact time, pH and initial concentration for the adsorptive removal of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and ortho -nitrophenol ( o -NP). Based on the fourier transmission infrared spectra and scanning electron microscopy micrographs of as-received and surfactant-modified clinoptilolite, the modification of natural clinoptilolite was attained. The composites showed enhanced adsorption capability for TCP over o -NP with removal efficiencies of 84% and 46%. Loading the clinoptilolite with surfactant concentrations beyond 8 mM reduced the adsorption capacity. The removal of TCP and o -NP was found to depend critically on the pH of the solution, and the optimum ranges were 4–6 and 2–6 for compounds, respectively. The adsorption dynamics were determined with first- and second-order kinetics models, and the adsorption system for TCP and o -NP followed the first-order kinetics. Adsorption isotherm analysis revealed that the adsorption equilibrium data obeyed/fit the Freundlich isotherm. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0964-9 Authors Machawe M. Motsa, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028 South Africa Justice M. Thwala, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028 South Africa Titus A. M. Msagati, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028 South Africa Bhekie B. Mamba, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028 South Africa Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Assessing multielement adsorption of trace metals on materials having potential to be used as soil amendments is an essential stage for the remediation success, as soil contamination rarely occurs with a single element. This study evaluated mono-/multielement adsorption of Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb on aluminum (AMB) and iron mining by-products (IMB, used for comparison). Prior to adsorption, these products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, isoelectric point, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and microwave furnace digestion. Sorption experiments comprised: (1) pH adjustment (5.5, 6.5, and natural suspension pH), (2) mono- and multielement adsorption, and (3) desorption. Rising pH from 5.5 to natural suspension values (9.5) increased monoelement adsorption of Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb on AMB up to 3.8-, 1.4-, 6.2-, and 1.1-fold, whereas multielement adsorption was increased up to 17.3-, 2.0-, 20.3-, and 1.2-fold, respectively. Zinc and Cd were less adsorbed than Cu and Pb and more affected by competition. Multielement adsorption at 5.5 pH in AMB resulted in smaller adsorption of Zn (up to 4.6-fold), Cu (1.4-fold), Cd (3.3-fold), and Pb (1.1-fold) when compared with monoelement adsorption. The lower the pH, the smaller the adsorption and the higher the desorption. The AMB showed higher capacity to maintain the elements adsorbed than the IMB. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0973-8 Authors Enio Tarso de Souza Costa, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG CEP 37200-000, Brazil Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG CEP 37200-000, Brazil Guilherme Lopes, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG CEP 37200-000, Brazil Nilton Curi, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG CEP 37200-000, Brazil Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Over 5 days, Brassica juncea removed 54% of the highly toxic insecticide phorate from the medium with the formation of phorate sulfoxide in small quantity. The loss of phorate from the medium followed first-order kinetics. The half-life of phorate disappearance from water decreased by ~4.5-fold in the presence of B. juncea . Mild phorate phytotoxicity was evident from the elevated activities of the antioxidative enzymes like glutathione-disulfide reductase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the plants. Nevertheless, the ubiquitous antioxidative peroxidase was not significantly increased, nor the total glutathione content, due to phorate exposure. Phosphotriester bond hydrolysis and glutathione S-transferase-mediated conjugation seemed to be the key reactions for phorate metabolism by B. juncea . From the limited information available, for the first time, a tentative mapping of phytotransformation pathways was performed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0952-0 Authors Radha Rani, Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur, India Priyanka Padole, Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur, India Asha Juwarkar, Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur, India Tapan Chakrabarti, Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur, India Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The soil mobility and dissipation of two pesticides with different physicochemical properties, namely mefenoxam, a systemic fungicide, and pendimethalin a selective herbicide, were determined in bare and tobacco tilled soil columns, which were installed in field conditions for over 125 days. Soil samples were collected at specific time intervals for a 125-day period and the rate of pesticide dissipation and leaching through the soil column was studied. The dissipation half-lives of mefenoxam from the top soil layer in tilled and bare soil columns were estimated at 10.3 and 13.1 days, respectively, while the corresponding half-lives for pendimethalin were 26.7 and 27.5 days, respectively. The dissipation of mefenoxam and pendimethalin from the top soil in tobacco cultivation was faster in comparison with bare soil; however, 120 days after their application, both pesticide residues were detected in the soil. Maximum concentrations of mefenoxam and pendimethalin were observed on the 15 th and 33 rd day, respectively, in the soil layer of 5–10 cm depth and on the 30 th day and 63 rd day, respectively, in the soil layer of 10–15 cm depth. Higher concentrations were observed in bare soil columns. The leaching of both pesticides was simulated with the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) in series model. The simulated peak concentration and peak time for both pesticides fitted reasonably well to the experimental values. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0970-y Authors Vassilios Triantafyllidis, Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Products Enterprises, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, Greece Dimitra Hela, Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Products Enterprises, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, Greece Maria Papadaki, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, Greece Dimitrios Bilalis, Department of Crop Production, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece Ioannis Konstantinou, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, Greece Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the capacities of cattail ( Typha latifolia L.) and reed ( Phragmites australis L.) for heavy metal storage in the phytomass. Samples were studied in the fourth of the four interconnected natural lagooning basins of a constructed treatment wetland, developed as an integrated pilot system for the treatment of leachates in a domestic landfill site at Etueffont (Territoire de Belfort, France). The efficiency of the lagooning system was evaluated through physical and chemical parameter measurements over a period of three seasons. Anion/cation and heavy metal concentrations were sampled and analyzed in water flowing into and out of the lagooning basin. Simultaneously, reed and cattail biomass samples (roots/rhizomes, shoots) were collected at both inflow and outflow, and the biomass characteristics were determined. The average above-ground biomass of T. latifolia and P. australis varied, respectively, from 0.41 to 1.81 kg DW m −2 in the fall, 0.31 to 1.34 kg DW m −2 in winter, and 0.38 to 1.68 kg DW m −2 in spring, with significant seasonal variations. The greatest mean concentrations of heavy metals were found in the below-ground plant parts of the two species during the spring season. The average standing stock of heavy metals was higher in the below-ground than in the above-ground phytomass, whatever the season. With the exception of nickel, heavy metal concentrations in the inflow were correlated to the plant content of both species. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-19 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0978-3 Authors Elise Grisey, Chrono-Environment Laboratory UMR UFC/CNRS 6249, University of Franche Comté, Place Leclerc, 1, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Xavier Laffray, Chrono-Environment Laboratory UMR UFC/CNRS 6249, University of Franche Comté, Place Leclerc, 1, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Océane Contoz, Chrono-Environment Laboratory UMR UFC/CNRS 6249, University of Franche Comté, Place Leclerc, 1, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Eric Cavalli, SERAC, University of Franche Comté, Building O Route de Gray, 16, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Jacque Mudry, Chrono-Environment Laboratory UMR UFC/CNRS 6249, University of Franche Comté, Place Leclerc, 1, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Lotfi Aleya, Chrono-Environment Laboratory UMR UFC/CNRS 6249, University of Franche Comté, Place Leclerc, 1, 25030 Besançon cedex, France Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Lead is a well-known pollutant with documented toxicity. Lead-containing weights used to balance motor vehicle wheels are regularly lost from vehicles and enter the environment. Lead weights deposited on roadways in the vicinity of Trenton, NJ were gathered and measured from February 2006 to January 2009. Measurements included loss of mass from specific weights exposed to traffic. Extrapolation of the results to the entire state suggests that approximately 12 tons per year of lead in the form of wheel weights are deposited on New Jersey roadways, and that approximately 40 kg of lead enters the environment in the form of small particles formed from the abrasion and grinding action of traffic on weights deposited on roadways. This quantity of small particles is much less than the approximately 60 tons per year of lead estimated by an earlier study to enter New Jersey in precipitation, some of which may result from the combustion of leaded aviation fuel. The quantity is also likely small compared with the fluxes of lead into the environment that still continue from leaded paint and with the residue of finely dispersed lead from historical uses of leaded gas in motor vehicles that remains in the environment. The quantity of lead released to the environment in the form of wheel weights appears likely to decline in the future because of legislation, voluntary phase-outs by manufacturers, and new trends in wheel technology Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0979-2 Authors Michael Aucott, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ, USA Adriana Caldarelli, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    In recent years, moving bed systems have been shown as an efficient technology in wastewater treatment and particularly in the treatment of urban effluents. This paper presents the results obtained for three different carriers in organic matter removal, analysing the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and the filling ratio, as well as the kinetic constants of each carrier used. During the research, differences in the organic matter removal were observed under different conditions studied as a result of physical and geometrical characteristics of each carrier and their hydraulic behaviour. Two of the three carriers studied in this research had similar yields compared to the third carrier that presented lower rates of organic matter removal and lower kinetic constants than the other two. Carriers 1 and 2 obtained removal rates of organic matter in the form of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) above 50% for intermediate and higher filling ratios with HRTs of 15, 10 and 15 h, respectively. The maximum values obtained for carrier 1, 2 and 3 were 56.97%, 58.92% and 46.13%, respectively, under 15 h of HRT and 50% of filling ratio. The kinetic constants obtained by respirometry showed a similar trend to the values obtained from sCOD removal. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0976-5 Authors J. Martín-Pascual, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain C. López-López, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain A. Cerdá, Superior Council of Scientific Research, 30080 Murcia, Spain J. González-López, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain E. Hontoria, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain J. M. Poyatos, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The presence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in surface waters has to be considered a new type of hazard, still unknown, for the aquatic ecosystem, due to the potent pharmacological activities of all the illicit drugs. Our research was therefore aimed at evaluating the impact of illicit drugs on the aquatic fauna, till now still undervalued. To this aim, we verified the ability of the European eel ( Anguilla anguilla ), a well-known biomonitor of environmental contamination, to bioaccumulate cocaine, one of the most abundant illicit drugs found in surface waters. Silver eels were exposed to a nominal cocaine concentration of 20 ng/l for 1 month; at the same time, control, carrier, and post-exposure recovery groups were made. Brains, gills, liver, kidney, muscle, gonads, spleen, digestive tract, and sections of dorsal skin were assayed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Cocaine was found in the tissues of the treated eels and, at low concentrations, in almost all tissues of post-exposure recovery eels. These results indicate that cocaine is able to accumulate into the eel tissues; its presence suggests potential risks for eels since cocaine could affect their physiology and contribute to their decline, and for humans consuming contaminated fish. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-1010-7 Authors Anna Capaldo, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Flaminia Gay, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Massimo Maddaloni, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Salvatore Valiante, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Maria De Falco, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Mauro Lenzi, Lagoon Ecology and Aquaculture Laboratory, OPL srl. Via G. Leopardi 9, 58015 Orbetello, GR, Italy Vincenza Laforgia, Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role in the biodegradation of natural and xenobiotic organic compounds in soil. They can also alter heavy metal bioavailability and contribute to phytoremediation in the presence or absence of synthetic metal chelating agents. In this study, the inhibitory effect of Cd 2+ and Ni 2+ at different concentrations of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , and the influence of the widely used chelator EDTA on growth of the PGPR Pseudomonas brassicacearum in a mineral salt medium with a mixture of four main plant exudates (glucose, fructose, citrate, succinate) was investigated. Therefore, the bacteriostatic effect of Cd 2+ , Ni 2+ and EDTA on the maximum specific growth rate and the determination of EC50 values was used to quantify inhibitory impact. At high concentrations of Ca 2+ (800 μmol L -1 ) and Mg 2+ (1,250 μmol L -1 ), only a small inhibitory effect of Cd 2+ and Ni 2+ on growth of P. brassicacearum was observed (EC50 Cd 2+ , 18,849 ± 80 μmol L −1 ; EC50 Ni 2+ , 3,578 ± 1,002 μmol L −1 ). The inhibition was much greater at low concentrations of Ca 2+ (25 μmol L −1 ) and Mg 2+ (100 μmol L −1 ) (EC50 Cd 2+ , 85 ± 0.5 μmol L −1 and EC Ni 2+ , 62 ± 1.8 μmol L −1 ). For the chosen model system, a competitive effect of the ions Cd 2+ and Ca 2+ on the one hand and Ni 2+ and Mg 2+ on the other hand can be deduced. However, the toxicity of both, Cd 2+ and Ni 2+ , could be significantly reduced by addition of EDTA, but if this chelating agent was added in stoichiometric excess to the cations, it also exhibited an inhibitory effect on growth of P. brassicacearum . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0944-0 Authors Felix Krujatz, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Andreas Haarstrick, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Bernd Nörtemann, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Tillman Greis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    In this study, the role of Cyperus sp. was evaluated for removal of pollutants from swine wastewater. Vertical-flow pilot scale constructed wetlands (CWs) operating with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 72 h were monitored in a greenhouse, located in Viçosa, Brazil. Significant differences were observed for the following parameters: Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, alkalinity and electric conductivity, with averages removals of 37.5 and 28.5%, 55.9 and 44.4%, 30.2 and 25.6 and 26.1% and 22.9% (for planted and unplanted CWs, respectively). The rate of dry matter yield from Cyperu s sp. was 7.5 g m −2  day −1 , and the nutrient uptake capacities were 21.8, 2.1, 14.0 and 0.9 g m −2 of N, P, K and Na, respectively. Evapotranspiration (2.7 mm day −1 ) was statistically higher in the planted CWs. Plants in the CWs are important for achieving high nutrient removal. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0924-4 Authors Antover Panazzolo Sarmento, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Ave. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, 36.570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil Alisson Carraro Borges, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Ave. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, 36.570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil Antonio Teixeira Matos, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Ave. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, 36.570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    A novel system for organic waste stabilization and reuse, combined with production of nitrate-rich liquid fertilizer was developed by manure digestion followed by volatilization of ammonia-rich gas (originating in manure extract) and its nitrification and recovery. This approach has several advantages, including biowaste stabilization and high recovery (over 60%) of manure N mainly as nitrate which is a better N form for many plants as compared to ammonium as the sole fertilizer N. Moreover, the potential utilization of different wastes as N sources in organic horticulture is possible as well as removal of suspended particles and microorganisms (including pathogens) that might otherwise clog the irrigation system and pose health risks, respectively. In a pilot-scale study, the system yielded several hundred liters of nitrate-rich (ca. 11 g N L −1 ) liquid fertilizer using guano as substrate. In a fertilization experiment, lettuce fertigated with the nitrate-rich extract exhibited better growth and quality compared to the common organic practice of fertigation with guano extract. The resulting stabilized biowaste was estimated as “low-risk” according to current guidelines and may be used for liming or land application. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0938-y Authors Amit Gross, Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990 Israel Ofer Guy, Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990 Israel Roy Posmanik, Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990 Israel Pinchas Fine, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, ARO, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan, 50250 Israel Ali Nejidat, Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990 Israel Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The processing of natural resources in marine and freshwater ecosystems, directly operated by industries related to maritime sector, contributes annually to several million tons of waste. The reuse and economic recovery of this waste would be very desirable and profitable, either economically or environmentally. In this work, the remediation of hazardous divalent metal ions from aqueous solutions using biological apatites derived from marine residues was addressed. The biological apatite (calcium phosphate particles) was produced by heat treatment of fish bones. Experimental sorption studies of kinetics and equilibrium of the metal ions as well as an evaluation of competitive sorption behavior for lead immobilization were carried out in batch operation mode. The efficiency and mechanisms of lead sorption on two different particle sizes of calcium phosphate from aqueous solution were investigated. The results showed a high adsorption capacity of the biosorbent for Pb 2+ (above 370 mg/g ads. ), in opposition to Cd 2+ and Zn 2+ . For the case of low initial concentrations of the metal ion, reducing the biosorbent particles size increases the sorption rate. It was possible to verify that lead immobilization proceeds with a rapid surface complexation of the lead on the sorption sites before partial dissolution of calcium phosphate and formation of pyromorphite-like compounds. By the selectivity experiments, performed using binary systems—Pb/Cd and Pb/Zn—it was evidenced a competitive process between the divalent ions, which leads to a considerable decrease on the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent material for all the metals. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0918-2 Authors Eduardo A. Borges da Silva, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Carina A. E. Costa, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Vítor J. P. Vilar, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Cidália M. S. Botelho, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Mohamed B. Larosi, Department of Applied Physics, E.T.S.I Industrialis, University of Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende 9, 36310 Vigo, Spain Juan M. P. Saracho, Department of Applied Physics, E.T.S.I Industrialis, University of Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende 9, 36310 Vigo, Spain Rui A. R. Boaventura, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes from the forest floor and a boreal wetland were measured by a flux chamber technique coupled with an automatic mercury vapour analyser. The fluxes were measured at three sampling sites in southern Finland, 61°14′ N, 25°04′ E in summer 2007, with additionally in situ TGM concentrations in the air at one of the sites and mercury bulk deposition at another. Most of the flux data were collected during the daytime. At one of the sites, diurnal flux behaviour was studied, and a clear cycle with an afternoon maximum and a night minimum was observed. The highest emissions (up to 3.5 ng m −2  h −1 ) were observed at the forest floor site having a moss and grass cover. At the wetland and litter-rich forest floor sites, the emissions were below 1 ng m −2  h −1 and sometimes negative (down to −1.0 ng m −2  h −1 ), indicating mercury uptake. The measured average fluxes in August were 0.9 ± 1.1 and 0.2 ± 0.3 ng m −2  h −1 for the forest floor sites and wetland sites, respectively. The flux data were compared with the mercury bulk deposition, which proved to be of the same magnitude, but opposite in sign. At the mossy forest floor site, the extrapolated TGM emissions were 130% of the Hg deposition in August 2007. Comparison with other studies showed that the fluxes in background areas are relatively uniform, regardless of measurement site location and method used. Airborne TGM remained at the background level during the study, with an average value of 1.3 ± 0.2 ng m −3 ; it frequently showed a diurnal cycle pattern. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0935-1 Authors Katriina Kyllönen, Air Quality Department, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, 00101 Helsinki, Finland Hannele Hakola, Air Quality Department, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, 00101 Helsinki, Finland Heidi Hellén, Air Quality Department, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, 00101 Helsinki, Finland Markku Korhonen, Research Programme for Contaminants and Risks, Finnish Environment Institute, P.O. Box 140, 00251 Helsinki, Finland Matti Verta, Research Programme for Contaminants and Risks, Finnish Environment Institute, P.O. Box 140, 00251 Helsinki, Finland Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Nitrate contamination of groundwater represents a threat to human health. Many researchers have studied zerovalent iron as a mean to remediate nitrate contamination. However, the application of such method is limited by ammonium production. This work investigates the use of microscale iron particles in association with zeolitite, a natural material containing zeolite, to remove nitrate and ammonium from groundwater. The association of the two materials is shown to lower the nitrate concentration in both deionized water and groundwater under the limit suggested by the European Union and to significantly reduce the ammonium concentration. The method is potentially applicable in water filtration. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0926-2 Authors Silvia Comba, DITAG—Dipartimento del Territorio, dell’Ambiente e delle Geotecnologie, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy Maria Martin, Di.Va.P.R.A.—Dipartimento di Valorizzazione e Protezione delle Risorse Agroforestali, Facoltà di Agraria, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy Daniele Marchisio, DITAG—Dipartimento del Territorio, dell’Ambiente e delle Geotecnologie, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy Rajandrea Sethi, DITAG—Dipartimento del Territorio, dell’Ambiente e delle Geotecnologie, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy Elisabetta Barberis, Di.Va.P.R.A.—Dipartimento di Valorizzazione e Protezione delle Risorse Agroforestali, Facoltà di Agraria, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    A batch sorption method was used to study the removal of few toxic metals onto the Late Cretaceous clays of Aleg formation (Coniacian–Lower Campanian system), Tunisia, in single, binary and multi-component systems. The collected clay samples were used as adsorbents for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions. Results show that the natural clay samples were mainly composed of silica, alumina, iron and magnesium oxides. N 2 -adsorption measurements indicated mesoporous materials with modest specific surface area of 〈71 m 2 /g. Carbonate minerals were the most influencing parameters for heavy metal removal by natural clays in both single and multi-element systems. The affinity sequence was Pb(II)〉Cu(II)〉Zn(II)〉Cd(II) due to the variable physical properties of the studied metals. The maximum adsorption capacity reached 131.58 mg/g in single systems, but decreased to 〈50.10 mg/g in mixed systems. In single, binary and muti-element systems, the studied clay samples removed substantial amounts of heavy metals, showing better effectiveness than the relevant previous studies. These results suggest that the studied clay samples of the Late Cretaceous clays from Tunisia can be effectively used as natural adsorbents for the removal of toxic heavy metals in aqueous systems. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-0937-z Authors Ali Sdiri, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8572 Japan Teruo Higashi, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8572 Japan Rochdi Chaabouni, Laboratory of Water, Energy and Environment (L3E), National School of Engineers, University of Sfax, Sfax, 1173-3038 Tunisia Fakher Jamoussi, National Center for Material Sciences (CNRSM), Borj Cédria, Soliman, 273-8020 Tunisia Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    This study aimed at evaluating and comparing the removal of arsenic from solutions by a low-cost waste-based sorbent, produced by pyrolysing sewage sludge under appropriate conditions, and by a commercially activated carbon. Batch sorption experiments were performed under isothermal conditions (20°C), in order to evaluate the effect of pH on the arsenic sorption kinetics and on the equilibrium sorption capacity of the materials under study. Kinetic data revealed that the arsenic sorption was faster onto the activated carbon than onto the pyrolysed sludge. The sorption process was well described by both the pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order kinetics equations for both materials. Changes in the initial solution pH have distinct effects on the removal of arsenic onto pyrolysed sludge and activated carbon. While for pyrolysed sludge, pH affects essentially the equilibrium time, for activated carbon it affects the sorption capacity. Equilibrium results were well described by both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, although fittings corresponding to the Langmuir isotherm were slightly better. The Langmuir maximum sorption capacity determined for the pyrolysed sludge was 71 μg g −1 , while for activated carbon was 229 μg g −1 . Despite the relative lower capacity of the pyrolysed sludge, the considerable lower cost and the valorisation of the sludge may justify further research on its use for water decontamination. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-1025-0 Authors Daniela S. Tavares, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Cláudia B. Lopes, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal João P. Coelho, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Marta E. Sánchez, Institute of Natural Resources, University of León, Avenida de Portugal, 41, 24071 León, Spain Ana I. Garcia, Institute of Natural Resources, University of León, Avenida de Portugal, 41, 24071 León, Spain Armando C. Duarte, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Marta Otero, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Eduarda Pereira, CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    A novel tannin-based coagulant has been synthesized at lab scale. A multiparameter optimization was performed on the production process, and up to five variables were studied according to the response surface methodology in a face-centered design of experiments which included two temperatures, two pH levels, and the reaction time in the chemical process. The coagulant involved diethanolamine, formaldehyde, and a tannin extract from Acacia mearnsii de Wild. The results revealed an average optimum combination for dye and surfactant removal which was able to remove either Alizarin Violet 3R and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate efficiently from water effluents. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-011-1022-3 Authors Jesus Beltrán-Heredia, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain Jesus Sánchez-Martín, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain Leticia Martín-García, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    A novel kinetic-spectrophotometry method is developed for the determination of trace amounts of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in groundwater samples based on their catalytic effect on the oxidation of indigo carmine by hexacyanoferrate (III) in acetate-acetic acid medium. The absorbance was measured at 612 nm with the fixed-time method. The optimization of the operating conditions regarding concentrations of the reagents and interferences was investigated. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range 4.0–300 μg mL −1 of AgNPs with good precision and accuracy. The proposed method is a highly sensitive, selective, and relatively rapid assay of AgNPs at trace level. The method was applied to the determination of AgNPs in groundwater and a synthetic sample. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1118-4 Authors R. Sahraei, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran S. Abbasi, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran R. Hushmandfar, Faculty of Paraveterinary Medicine, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran H. Noorizadeh, Department of Chemistry, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran A. Farmany, Department of Chemistry, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Copper oxide nanoparticles were immobilized on quartz sand and their catalytic activity for the degradation of an organic dye was investigated. The use of nanoparticles as catalysts for non photo-induced oxidation of water contaminants is relatively new. The CuO catalyst has shown promising results when suspended in free form in batch systems. Because heterogeneous catalysis is often the preferred mode of operation for application of catalytic technology, we studied the effect of immobilization of the nanoparticles on quartz sand in a flow-through system and its implication for the catalytic process. The coated sand was packed in a column and its catalytic activity for the degradation of an organic dye was investigated in a series of flow-through experiments with hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. Control experiments with uncoated sand were also performed for comparison. The coated sand demonstrated high catalytic ability, achieving complete oxidation of the dye. During the reaction, CO 2 was produced, leading to a decrease in the water saturation in the column and reduced contact surface between the nano-CuO catalysts and the dye solution. The degradation was improved by enabling a longer residence time of the dye in the column, yielding up to 85% degradation of the dye. These results suggest that CuO nanoparticle-coated sand is an efficient catalyst for complete degradation of the organic dye. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1093-9 Authors Tal Ben-Moshe, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100 Ishai Dror, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100 Brian Berkowitz, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100 Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The present study was conducted to assess the suitability of sewage sludge amendment in soil for Beta vulgaris var . saccharifera (sugar beet) and Triticum aestivum (wheat) by evaluating the arsenic and selenium accumulation and physiological responses of plants grown at 10%, 25%, and 50% sewage sludge amendment rate. Sewage sludge amendment was modified by the physicochemical properties of soil, thus increasing the availability of heavy metals in the soil and consequently with higher accumulation in plant parts. The chlorophyll contents increased after the sewage sludge treatments except for 50%. The sewage sludge amendment led to a significant increase in arsenic and selenium concentrations of the soil. The heavy metal accumulation in the soil after the treatments did not exceed the limits for the land application of sewage sludge recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The increased concentration of heavy metals in the soil due to the sewage sludge amendment led to increases in heavy metal uptake in the leaves and root concentrations of arsenic and selenium in plants as compared to those grown on unamended soil. Accumulation was more in roots than shoots and leaves for most of the heavy metals. Concentrations of arsenic and selenium were more than the permissible limits of national standards in the edible portion of sugar beet and wheat grown on different sewage sludge amendments ratios. The study concludes that the sewage sludge amendment in the soil for growing sugar beet and wheat may not be a good option due to risk of contamination of arsenic and selenium. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1088-6 Authors Dilek Demirezen Yilmaz, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey Ayşegül Temizgül, Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sewerage Directorate, Kayseri, Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The mining exploitation of metallic sulphides, together with the activities associated to the mineral treatment and smelting, when maintained through centuries due to the wealth of the ores, generate important accumulations of wastes in structures of different kind of tailing dams and ponds, for instance. When no previous corrective steps are taken, as usually happens in old exploitations, this means a serious risk of environmental pollution, due to the mobilisation of heavy metals. The present study has been carried out in a mining district, actively exploited during the last two millennia, that was the first world’s producer of lead during some periods (Linares-La Carolina, southern Spain). In this district, the mining activity was associated to a philonian network of metallic sulphurs and ended by the 1980s of the past century. The ancient mining operations, mostly subterranean, have generated large accumulations of residues without any prior corrective action. Therefore, this work intends to characterise these mining dams and determine the influence of these mining wastes on the quality of surface and ground waters. With this goal, three structures that store the mining refuse of different mineralogical origin have been selected. First, a geochemical characterisation of the soil was performed in the area surrounding each of the structures. In all cases, high levels of trace elements (including Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Mn, As, Sb and Ba) were observed. A hydrochemical study revealed the mobilisation through the aqueous medium of certain contaminants from the leachate of these ancient accumulations; these contaminants will flow to the streams that drain the area or to the aquifers of the sector. The internal characterisation of these structures was performed with geophysical techniques, specifically electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). The six generated resistivity models have allowed the identification of the morphology of the structures, variations in the vertical and horizontal distribution of the deposited material, fracture zones, water content and reload–unload zones and the contact of the mining wastes with the substrate. Thus, the ERI study confirms the lack of impermeabilisation measures for the terrain in the spill zones in all three cases, which indicates a high risk of contamination of the soil and waters. The obtained images also permit the identification of the ideal positions to conduct future borehole controls. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1079-7 Authors J. Martínez, Department of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaén, 23700 Linares, Spain J. Rey, Department of Geology, Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaén, 23700 Linares, Spain M. C. Hidalgo, Department of Geology, Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaén, 23700 Linares, Spain J. Benavente, Water Research Institute, University of Granada, Ramón y Cajal, 4, 18071 Granada, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Soil pollution with heavy metals is a worldwide environmental problem. Phytoremediation through phytoextraction and phytostabilization appears to be a promising technology for the remediation of polluted soils. It is important to strongly emphasize that the ultimate goal of a heavy metal remediation process must be not only to remove the heavy metals from the soil (or instead to reduce their bioavailability and mobility) but also to restore soil quality. Soil quality is defined as the capacity of a given soil to perform its functions. Soil microbial properties are increasingly being used as biological indicators of soil quality due to their quick response, high sensitivity, and, above all, capacity to provide information that integrates many environmental factors. Indeed, microbial properties are among the most ecologically relevant indicators of soil quality. Consequently, microbial monitoring of the recovery of soil quality is often carried out during heavy metal phytoremediation processes. However, soil microbial properties are highly context dependent and difficult to interpret. For a better interpretation of microbial properties as indicators of soil quality, they may be grouped within categories of higher ecological relevance, such as soil functions, ecosystem health attributes, and ecosystem services. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1106-8 Authors María T. Gómez-Sagasti, Soil Microbial Ecology Group, NEIKER-Tecnalia, c/Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Spain Itziar Alkorta, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain José M. Becerril, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain Lur Epelde, Soil Microbial Ecology Group, NEIKER-Tecnalia, c/Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Spain Mikel Anza, Soil Microbial Ecology Group, NEIKER-Tecnalia, c/Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Spain Carlos Garbisu, Soil Microbial Ecology Group, NEIKER-Tecnalia, c/Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Of all groundwater pollution sources, septic systems are the second largest source of groundwater nitrate contamination in USA. This study investigated shallow groundwater (SGW) nutrient dynamics in septic areas at the northern part of the Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida, USA. Thirty-five SGW-monitoring wells, located at nine different urban areas served by septic systems, were used to collect the SGW samples seasonally and/or biweekly for a duration of 3 years from 2003 to 2006. Analytical results showed that there were 16 wells with nitrate concentrations exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water limit (10 mg L −1 ). There also were 11 and 14 wells with total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations, respectively, exceeding the ambient water quality criteria (0.9 mg L −1 for TKN and 0.04 mg L −1 for TP) recommended for rivers and streams in nutrient Ecoregion XII (Southeast USA). In general, site variations are much greater than seasonal variations in SGW nutrient concentrations. A negative correlation existed between nitrate/nitrite–nitrogen (NO x –N) and TKN as well as between NO x –N and ammonium ( NH 4 + ), whereas a positive correlation occurred between TKN and NH 4 + . Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between reduction and oxidation (redox) potential and water level, while no correlation was observed between potassium concentration and redox potential. This study demonstrates a need to investigate the potential adverse impacts of SGW nutrients from the septic areas upon the deeper groundwater quality due to the nutrient penetration and upon the surface water quality due to the nutrient discharge. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1100-1 Authors Ying Ouyang, USDA Forest Service, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research, 100 Stone Blvd., Thompson Hall, Room 309, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA Jia-En Zhang, Department of Ecology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou 510642, People’s Republic of China Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Over the summer and fall seasons, 2006–2010, we surveyed the fish and macroinvertebrate communities of the Tenmile Creek basin in southwestern Pennsylvania, an area undergoing accelerated extraction of energy resources—historically coal and more recently natural gas associated with the Marcellus formation. Tenmile Creek, its major South Fork (SF), and numerous tributaries drain a basin of 875 km 2 . The drainage network is characterized as warm-water, low-gradient, and net alkaline. The purpose was to provide synoptic baseline data on water quality and the resident aquatic communities in terms of species richness, stress tolerance, and trophic structure. Overall, we sampled 20 stations on the 2 main branches and 1 on each of the 12 tributaries. We collected 26,375 fishes representing nine families and 54 species/hybrids along with 989 macroinvertebrates from 25 separate taxa. The parameter which defines water quality here is specific conductance which ranges from natural background levels of about 400 μS/cm on the minimally impaired Tenmile mainstem to 4,500 μS/cm on its SF. Diverse fish and macroinvertebrate communities were documented at levels of specific conductance exceeding 1,000 μS/cm, well above the 300 μS/cm criterion to protect aquatic life proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency for streams in the Central Appalachian Region. South Fork fish communities exhibit impairment at levels of specific conductance approaching the maximum observed here. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1076-x Authors William G. Kimmel, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, California University of Pennsylvania, 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419, USA David G. Argent, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, California University of Pennsylvania, 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    N -nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is one of the most important disinfection by-products (DBPs) due to its carcinogenicity even at low concentrations which correspond to the levels occurring in drinking water and wastewater effluents. Therefore, NDMA is a candidate DBP that is expected to be regulated in the near future. However, the measurement of NDMA in the low nanogram per liter range is challenging because of the limitations of analytical techniques including both the sample preparation and the LC-MS/MS. Moreover, the accuracy of most of the current methods is only tested for drinking water and no information is present for other matrices. In this study, a combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and LC-MS/MS method that does not require high-resolution MS or advanced techniques for sample pretreatment is developed. Moreover, important factors that affect the optimization of the SPE method are provided to enable readers to optimize their own SPE procedures if necessary. The proposed method was validated for surface water, groundwater, and wastewater samples and the method quantification limit was 2 ng/L. In addition, the proposed method was used to determine the concentration of NDMA precursors measured as NDMA formation potential (NDMAFP) throughout a drinking water treatment plant at two different sampling periods. NDMAFP decreased by approximately 40 % in both samples. The concentrations ranged between 4 and 11.5 ng/L and the presence of these low concentrations underlines the need for an easy to use, yet sensitive method for the determination of NDMA in environmental matrices. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1315-1 Authors Emel Topuz, Department of Environmental Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul, 34469 Turkey Egemen Aydin, Department of Environmental Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul, 34469 Turkey Elif Pehlivanoglu-Mantas, Department of Environmental Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul, 34469 Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    This paper describes results of the first field demonstration conducted to evaluate an innovative in situ chemical reduction technology to rapidly degrade 81 m 2 of high concentrations of explosives contaminated soils at Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant, Ravenna, Ohio, USA. The primary explosives of concern and associated baseline levels of contamination were 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) (383 mg/kg), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) (180 mg/kg), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) (15 mg/kg). The in situ chemical treatment process involved selected reductant of sodium hydrosulfite (Na 2 S 2 O 4 ) at optimal pH (9–10) with appropriate buffers (e.g., sodium bicarbonate and potassium carbonate) that, when mixed with water, generate free radicals that react very rapidly to degrade nitroaromatics to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), formate (HCOO–), and gaseous nitrogen compounds (NOx). Significant reductions in TNT, RDX, and HMX (〉95 %) were observed within 24 h and achieved response complete in under 2 weeks after in situ application of the buffered sodium hydrosulfite. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1318-y Authors Chunhui Luo, PLANTECO Environmental Consultants, LLC, 337 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA 30605, USA Walter O’Niell, PLANTECO Environmental Consultants, LLC, 337 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA 30605, USA Valentine Nzengung, PLANTECO Environmental Consultants, LLC, 337 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA 30605, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description: Critical but Constructive Comments on a Paper by Hadibrata et al. (2012) (DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1095-7) Published in Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-3 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1317-z Authors C. K. Yap, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Nonpoint stormwater runoff remains a major threat to surface water quality in the USA. More effective stormwater control measures can be designed by understanding patterns in pollutant export with respect to the runoff hydrograph. In particular, nutrient concentrations in urban stormwater can cause deleterious effects in sensitive watersheds in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic USA. A year-long study captured stormwater samples from 36 storm events at two catchments (one primarily impermeable and the other substantially wooded) and analyzed for total suspended solids and various nutrient species. Using these data, the first flush effect (the assumption that the initial portion of a rainfall-runoff event is more polluted than the later portions) was evaluated based on several published methods and definitions. Based on an analysis of multiple methodologies, the ranking of first flush strength among the pollutants was total suspended solids (TSS) 〉 ammonia (NH 3 ) 〉 total Kjeldahl nitrogen 〉 NO 2 -NO 3 〉 total phosphorus 〉 orthophosphate (O-PO 4 ). Nitrogen species generally displayed a stronger first flush than phosphorus species, with O-PO 4 showing the weakest first flush effect. Various relationships ° climate, land use, and the first flush strength were also explored. Of the rainfall characteristics analyzed, total rainfall and runoff volume each inversely affected the first flush strength of TSS on the more impervious catchment. Although orthophosphate did not have a strong first flush effect, the relative first flush strength for O-PO 4 increased with increasing rainfall or runoff. Land use did not influence the first flush strength of the pollutants. On average, most pollutants exhibited a slight first flush effect, but substantial pollutant loading still occurred in the latter portion of the storm’s total runoff volume. Thus, treating the majority of a storm’s total pollutant load requires capturing a commensurate fraction of runoff volume. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1327-x Authors J. M. Hathaway, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA R. S. Tucker, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA J. M. Spooner, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA W. F. Hunt, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    To understand spatial and temporal variations of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) fluxes, we chose to measure N 2 O emissions from three plant stands ( Kobresia tibetica , Carex muliensis , and Eleocharis valleculosa stands) in an open fen on the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan plateau during the growing seasons from 2005 to 2007. The overall mean N 2 O emission rate was about 0.018 ± 0.056 mg N m −2  h −1 during the growing seasons from 2005 to 2007, with highly spatiotemporal variations. The hummock ( K. tibetica stand) emitted N 2 O at the highest rate about 0.025 ± 0.051 mg N m −2  h −1 , followed by the hollow stands: the E. valleculosa stand about 0.012 ± 0.046 mg N m −2  h −1 and the C. muliensis stand about 0.017 ± 0.068 mg N m −2  h −1 . Within each stand, we also noted significant variations of N 2 O emission. We also observed the significant seasonal and inter-annual variation of N 2 O fluxes during the study period. The highest N 2 O emission rate was all recorded in July or August in each year from 2005 to 2007. Compared with the mean value of 2005, we found the drought of 2006 significantly increased N 2 O emissions by 104 times in the E. valleculosa stand, 45 times in K. tibetica stand, and 18 times in the C. muliensis stand. Though there was no significant relation between standing water depths and N 2 O emissions, we still considered it related to the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil water regime under climate change. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1336-9 Authors Huai Chen, Lab for Ecological forecasting and global change, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China Yanfen Wang, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China Ning Wu, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Dan Zhu, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Wei Li, Lab for Ecological forecasting and global change, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China Yongheng Gao, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Qiu’an Zhu, Lab for Ecological forecasting and global change, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China Gang Yang, Lab for Ecological forecasting and global change, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China Changhui Peng, Institut des Sciences de l’Environnement, Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), 201 Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 3Y7, Canada Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Conifer forests in the Jizerské Mountains, Czech Republic have experienced widespread and long-lasting effects related to industrial SO 2 pollution. To explore the spatial and temporal impact of this phenomenon on Norway spruce stands, a transect of sites was sampled to the southeast of the Polish coal-fired power station Turów. Tree growth at all sites displayed a significant reduction around 1980, which could not be explained by climate alone. However, by incorporating both climate and SO 2 variables in multiple regression models, the chronology trends could be explained well. The lowest growth rates were found to coincide with the period of greatest atmospheric SO 2 concentrations and the degree of suppression decreased with increasing distance from the power station. The period of growth suppression in a Silver fir site appeared to be more severe and longer in duration than for the spruce, although differing site conditions prevented a direct comparison. Fir trees also appeared to be affected by SO 2 pollution earlier in the twentieth century compared to spruce. Growth of both species, however, did not return to predicted levels following the reduction of pollution levels in the 1990s. A comparison with spruce and fir data from the Bavarian Forest, a region also affected by pollution in the past, revealed a temporal difference in growth suppression, likely related to different timings and loadings of SO 2 emissions between both regions. This study highlights pollution as another potential causal factor for the ‘divergence problem’ and dendroclimatic reconstructions in polluted regions should be developed with caution. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-18 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1310-6 Authors Miloš Rydval, School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK Rob Wilson, School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The present study evaluated the short-term toxicity of seven selected pesticides: four insecticides (chlorpyrifos, dieldrin, diazinon and pirimiphos-methyl) and three herbicides (diuron, alachlor and atrazine). With this aim, a standard toxicity test with the highly sensitive early life stages (ELS) of a marine fish was used. The turbot, Psetta maxima , is abundant in shallow estuarine and costal habitats and is currently the most commonly cultivated fish species in Galicia, NW Spain. According to the turbot ELS test results, chlorpyrifos was the most toxic pesticide tested for both embryos and larvae and was followed in order of decreasing toxicity by dieldrin, pirimiphos-methyl, diazinon, alachlor, atrazine and diuron. Larvae were more sensitive than embryos to the seven pesticides. The median lethal concentrations of the selected pesticides during a 48- and a 96-h exposure for turbot embryos and larvae were, respectively (in micrograms per litre): chlorpyrifos, 116.6 and 94.65; dieldrin, 146 and 97; pirimiphos-methyl, 560 and 452; diazinon, 1,837 and 1,230; alachlor, 2,177 and 2,233; diuron, 10,076 and 7,826; and atrazine, 11,873 and 9,957. According to their acute toxicity, the insecticides were more toxic than the herbicides. Furthermore, all insecticides and herbicides appear to be teratogenic to turbot ELS. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1328-9 Authors Lazhar Mhadhbi, Estación de Ciencias Mariñas de Toralla (ECIMAT), 36331 Vigo, Galicia, Spain Ricardo Beiras, Estación de Ciencias Mariñas de Toralla (ECIMAT), 36331 Vigo, Galicia, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    In situ remediation with waste material is an inexpensive method to reduce contaminant availability in polluted soil. The experiments were done to investigate the effects of possible in situ application of two different amendments: inorganic material (marble sludge) and organic material (horticultural waste compost) on chemical and biological properties of abandoned metalliferous mine wastes. The results show that the application of inorganic material raises the pH above neutrality and the combination of inorganic and organic material would produce the highest ratio of biological activity. The reductions of available Zn, Pb and As in lime, organic and lime/organic amendments were favoured by incubation time. However, available Cd content increased after 275 days of incubation, except the treatment with inorganic amendment. This work denoted that the application of lime with organic amendments has a better effect than the lime alone because the addition of both amendments improves both soil chemical and biological properties. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1345-8 Authors Raquel Melgar-Ramírez, Unidad de Fertilización y Manejo de Residuos Orgánicos, IFAPA-La Cañada, Carretera De la Playa s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain Verónica González, Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, ESI CITE IIB, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain Juan Antonio Sánchez, Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, ESI CITE IIB, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain Inés García, Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, ESI CITE IIB, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The effects of a five-pesticide mixture on pesticide accumulation, phytohormone levels (indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid), pigment contents (total chlorophyll and carotenoid), antioxidant enzyme (catalase and guaiacol peroxidase) activities, lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde), and DNA profiles were investigated in the leaves of Veronica beccabunga . Laboratory-acclimatized plants were treated with a mix of five pesticides (atrazine, disulfoton, chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and ethion) in doses of 50 ppt, 1 ppb, 100 ppb, and 1 ppm for 1, 3, and 6 days. The accumulation of each pesticide, from highest to lowest, was as follows: chlorpyrifos, atrazine, metalaxyl, disulfoton, and ethion. The amounts of total chlorophyll and protein decreased with increased pesticide concentration. Antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde amount increased linearly with increasing pesticide exposure. However, the highest pesticide concentration caused decreases in guaiacol peroxidase (POD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content at all treatment times. Both jasmonic and salicylic acid levels increased with pesticide exposure and decreased gradually after. It was also determined that application of the pesticide mixture affected the DNA profiles of V . beccabunga . The most band changes were detected on the sixth day of treatment. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1350-y Authors Zeynep Banu Doganlar, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, 04200 Agri, Turkey Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    This review addresses the quantification of anthropogenic pollutants in lacustrine sediments by multidisciplinary analyses including: chronostratigraphy using radioisotopes ( 137 Cs) and radiocarbon dates ( 14 C), trace metal analysis, faecal indicator analysis, as well as antibiotic-resistant genes by molecular analysis. Sediment cores from lakes Lucerne and Geneva that are located at a distance of 150 km from each other reveal a synchronous increase in anthropogenic trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, and Mn) following the industrial revolution in Europe about 1850. In both lakes, the peak of water pollution by toxic metals due to discharge of industrial wastewaters was reached in the middle of the twentieth century. During the second part of the twentieth century, both sites show a decrease in metal pollution following the implementation of wastewater treatment plants. On the contrary, the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva where the treated wastewaters from the city of Lausanne are released since 1964 points out a dramatic increase in trace metal deposition. Later, a high increase in organic matter deposition, in bacteria ( Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis ) activity as well as antibiotic-resistant genes and bacteria occurred into the bay, simultaneously with the eutrophication of the large and deep perialpine lakes in the 1970s due to excessive external nutrient loading. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1347-6 Authors Florian Thevenon, Institut F.-A. Forel, Université de Genève, CP 416, 1290 Versoix, Suisse, Switzerland John Poté, Institut F.-A. Forel, Université de Genève, CP 416, 1290 Versoix, Suisse, Switzerland Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the adsorption characteristics of Co(II) and Ni(II) by 13× molecular sieves which are hydrothermally synthetic byproducts accompanied with preparation of potassium carbonate from insoluble potash ores. The response surface methodology technique was utilized to optimize the process conditions. The combined effects of the major parameters including pH, initial concentration of metal ions, and temperature on the adsorption were investigated using central composite design. The analysis of variance of the quadratic model suggested that the predicted values were in good agreement with experimental data. The optimum conditions were found to be: initial concentration of metal ions, 20 mg/L; temperature 40 °C for both the metals; and pH, 6.29 and 8.0 for Co(II) and Ni(II), respectively. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analyses testified to the obvious change of the surface morphology and the presence of metal on the sorbent after adsorption. The results from the sequential adsorption–desorption cycles showed that 13× molecular sieves adsorbent held good desorption and reusability. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1343-x Authors Yajun Wen, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098 China Yunhai Wu, Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development of Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098 China Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description: Erratum to: Occurrence and Environmental Fate of Veterinary Antibiotics in the Terrestrial Environment Content Type Journal Article Category Erratum Pages 1-2 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1316-0 Authors Kwon-Rae Kim, Climate Change and Agroecology Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, 150 Suin-ro, Kwonsun-gu, Suwon, 441-707 Republic of Korea Gary Owens, Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Adelaide, SA 5095, Australia Soon-Ik Kwon, Climate Change and Agroecology Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, 150 Suin-ro, Kwonsun-gu, Suwon, 441-707 Republic of Korea Kyu-Ho So, Climate Change and Agroecology Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, 150 Suin-ro, Kwonsun-gu, Suwon, 441-707 Republic of Korea Deog-Bae Lee, Climate Change and Agroecology Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, 150 Suin-ro, Kwonsun-gu, Suwon, 441-707 Republic of Korea Yong Sik Ok, Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701 Korea Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    In order to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the TiO 2 films, Co surface doped TiO 2 -SiO 2 composite films were synthesized by the improved sol-gel method, in which tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(OC 4 H 9 ) 4 ) and tetraethyl orthosilicate were chosen as the precursors and cobaltous nitrate hexahydrate (Co(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O) was chosen as cobalt source. The field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicated that the films were composed of nanoparticles or aggregates. The photoluminescence results revealed that the recombination rate of the photogenerated electrons and holes was prohibited via SiO 2 composite and Co doping in TiO 2 film. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller results showed that the surface area of the modified TiO 2 was 301.7 m 2  g −1 , while that of the pure TiO 2 was 68.4 m 2  g −1 . The photocatalytic activities of the films were evaluated by degradation of an organic dye in aqueous solution. With the SiO 2 composite and Co doping, the modified TiO 2 films with high photocatalytic activity and clearly responsive to the visible light were obtained. The mechanisms of photoactivity enhancement for composite films have also been discussed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1321-3 Authors Nan Zhao, Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing and Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 China Yao Yao, Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing and Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 China Ji-jun Feng, Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing and Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 China Ming-ming Yao, Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing and Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 China Fang Li, Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing and Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 China Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979

Description:    The main goal of the study was the analysis of the parameters of wastewater generated during the ex situ underground coal gasification (UCG) experiments on lignite from Belchatow, and hard coal from Ziemowit and Bobrek coal mines, simulated in the ex situ reactor. The UCG wastewater may pose a potential threat to the groundwater since it contains high concentrations of inorganic (i.e., ammonia nitrogen, nitrites, chlorides, free and bound cyanides, sulfates and trace elements: As, B, Cr, Zn, Al, Cd, Co, Mn, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Hg, Se, Ti, Fe) and organic (i.e., phenolics, benzene and their alkyl derivatives, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) contaminants. The principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis enabled to effectively explore the similarities and dissimilarities between the samples generated in lignite and hard coal oxygen gasification process in terms of the amounts and concentrations of particular components. The total amount of wastewater produced in lignite gasification process was higher than the amount generated in hard coal gasification experiments. The lignite gasification wastewater was also characterized by the highest contents of acenaphthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene, whereas hard coal gasification wastewater was characterized by relatively higher concentrations of nitrites, As, Cr, Cu, benzene, toluene, xylene, benzo( a )anthracene, chrysene, benzo( b )fluoranthene, benzo( k )fluoranthene, and benzo( a )pyrene. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11270-012-1311-5 Authors Adam Smoliński, Department of Energy Saving and Air Protection, Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland Krzysztof Stańczyk, Department of Energy Saving and Air Protection, Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland Krzysztof Kapusta, Department of Energy Saving and Air Protection, Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland Natalia Howaniec, Department of Energy Saving and Air Protection, Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland Journal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Online ISSN 1573-2932 Print ISSN 0049-6979