Water Air and Soil Pollution

South Chattanooga has been home to foundries, coke furnaces, chemical, wood preserving, tanning and textile plants for over 100 years. Most of the industries were in place before any significant development of residential property in the area. During the 1950s and 1960s, however, the government purchased inexpensive property and constructed public housing projects in South Chattanooga. Many neighborhoods that surround the Chattanooga Creek were previous dumping grounds for industry. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprised the largest component of the dumping and airborne industrial emissions. To address the human exposure to these PAHs, a broad study of South Chattanooga soil contaminant concentrations was conducted on 20 sites across the city. Sixteen priority pollutant PAHs were quantified at two depths (0-10cm and 10-20cm) and compared against reference site soils, as well as to soils from industrially-impacted areas in Germany, China, and the US. From these data, the probability that people would encounter levels exceeding EPA Residential Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRG) was calculated. Results indicate that South Chattanooga soils have relatively high concentrations of total PAHs, specifically Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). These high concentrations of B[a]P were somewhat ubiquitous in South Chattanooga. Indeed, there is a high probability (88%) of encountering soil in South Chattanooga that exceeds the EPA PRG for B[a]P. However, there is a low probability (15%) of encountering a site with ∑PAHs exceeding EPA PRG guidelines.

Alkyl polyglucosides, due to their low toxicity and environmental compatibility, could be used in biodegradation of hydrophobic compounds. In this study, the influence of Lutensol GD 70 on the cell hydrophobicity and zeta potential was measured. The particle size distribution and surfactant biodegradation were also investigated. Microbacterium sp. strain E19, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain 9, and the same strain cultivated in stress conditions were used in studies. Adding surfactant to the diesel oil system resulted in an increase of the cell surface hydrophobicity and the formation of cell aggregates (a high polydispersity index). The correlation between cell hydrophobicity and zeta potential in examined samples was not found. The results showed a significant influence of Lutensol GD 70 on the changes in cell surface properties. Moreover, a high biodegradation of a surfactant (over 50 %) by tested strains was observed. The biodegradation of Lutensol GD 70 depends on the length of both polar and nonpolar chains. A long-term contact with diesel oil of stressed strain modifies not only cell surface properties but also its ability to a surfactant biodegradation.

Coastal lands around Bay of Bengal in Central Godavari Delta are mainly agriculture fields and two times annually paddy crops putting in the study area. Canals of Godavari River are the main source of water for irrigation. Geophysical and geochemical investigations were carried out in the study area to decipher subsurface geologic formation and assessing seawater intrusion. Electrical resistivity tomographic surveys carried out in the watershed-indicated low resistivity formation in the upstream area due to the presence of thick marine clays up to thickness of 20-25 m from the surface. Secondly, the lowering of resistivity may be due to the encroachment of seawater in to freshwater zones and infiltration during tidal fluctuation through mainly the Pikaleru drain, and to some extent rarely through Kannvaram and Vasalatippa drains in the downstream area. Groundwater quality analyses were made for major ions revealed brackish nature of groundwater water at shallow depth. The in situ salinity of groundwater is around 5,000 mg/l and there is no groundwater withdrawal for irrigation or drinking purpose in this area except Cairn energy pumping wells which is using for inject brackish water into the oil wells for easy exploration of oil. Chemical analyses of groundwater samples have indicated the range of salt concentrations and correlation of geophysical and borehole litholog data in the study area predicting seawater-contaminated zones and influence of in situ salinity in the upstream of study area. The article suggested further studies and research work that can lead to sustainable exploitation/use and management of groundwater resources in coastal areas.

Imidazolium salts are one of the most often used and investigated groups of ionic liquids (ILs). The research concerning their ecotoxicity comprised many test organisms representing different trophic levels; however, their impact on mixed cultures of microorganisms such as activated sludge has been hardly ever investigated. Thus, in this work, the effect of imidazolium ionic liquids on dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge was estimated. Three activated sludges of different properties and origin were tested. It occurred that 1-alkyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromides do not inhibit dehydrogenase activity of sludge, if the alkyl chain contains up to six carbon atoms. The values of IC50 for these ILs were above 100 mg l(-1). At the same time, the inhibitory effect on dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge increases with the increase in chain length of the alkyl substituent. The degree of inhibition of dehydrogenase activity of sludge microorganisms is dependent on activated sludge properties.

Air pollution emissions were not continually monitored in the Upper Silesian Industrial District (USID), southern Poland, and data is only available for the last 20 years. Long-lasting and severe tree ring reductions in pines growing 5-20 km north of the USID area recorded particularly high levels of air pollution emissions in the period 1950-1990. Especially high amounts of reductions and many missing rings were found in the period 1964-1981. At the same time, pines growing 60 km west of the USID do not record deep ring reductions; this proves that the phenomenon is of a regional nature. Increases in infant mortality and lung, bronchial, and tracheal cancer morbidity rates among males were also recorded in the USID during periods of high air pollution. Infant mortality rates increased several years after the tree ring reductions. Therefore, it may be possible to use tree ring reductions as an early indicator of the occurrence of adverse effects on human health.

Mining operations are potential sources of airborne metal and metalloid contaminants through both direct smelter emissions and wind erosion of mine tailings. The warmer, drier conditions predicted for the Southwestern US by climate models may make contaminated atmospheric dust and aerosols increasingly important, with potential deleterious effects on human health and ecology. Fine particulates such as those resulting from smelting operations may disperse more readily into the environment than coarser tailings dust. Fine particles also penetrate more deeply into the human respiratory system, and may become more bioavailable due to their high specific surface area. In this work, we report the size-fractionated chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosols sampled over a period of a year near an active mining and smelting site in Arizona. Aerosols were characterized with a 10-stage (0.054 to 18 μm aerodynamic diameter) multiple orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI), a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), and a total suspended particulate (TSP) collector. The MOUDI results show that arsenic and lead concentrations follow a bimodal distribution, with maxima centered at approximately 0.3 and 7.0 μm diameter. We hypothesize that the sub-micron arsenic and lead are the product of condensation and coagulation of smelting vapors. In the coarse size, contaminants are thought to originate as aeolian dust from mine tailings and other sources. Observation of ultrafine particle number concentration (SMPS) show the highest readings when the wind comes from the general direction of the smelting operations site.

The number of Enterobacteriaceae, with particular attention given to the presence of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, was determined in hospital effluents and municipal wastewater after various stages of purification. The emission of these microorganisms to the ambient air near wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) facilities and to the river water, which is a receiver of the WWTP effluent, was also studied using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and cultivation methods. The number of Enterobacteriaceae determined by cultivation and fluorescence methods in different kinds of sewage sample ranged from 0.5 × 10(3) to 2.9 × 10(6) CFU/ml and from 2.2 × 10(5) to 1.3 × 10(8) cells/ml, respectively. Their removal rates during treatment processes were close to 99 %, but the number of these bacteria in the WWTP outflow was quite high and ranged from 5.9 × 10(3) to 3.5 × 10(4) CFU/ml and from 1.1 × 10(5) to 6.1 × 10(5) cells/ml, respectively. In the river water and the air samples, the number of Enterobacteriaceae was also high and ranged from 4.1 × 10(3) to 7.9 × 10(3) CFU/ml and from 3 to 458 CFU/m(3), respectively. The numbers of these microorganisms obtained from fluorescence and cultivation methods were statistically and significantly correlated; however, the analysis of the studied samples indicated that the FISH method gave values up to 10(3)-fold times greater than those obtained by the cultivation method. From a sanitary point of view, this means that the number of viable fecal bacteria is systematically underestimated by traditional culture-based methods. Thus, the FISH proves to be a method that could be used to estimate bacterial load, particularly in air samples and less contaminated river water.

Air pollution contributes substantially to global health burdens; however, less is known about pollution patterns in China and whether they differ from those elsewhere. We evaluated temporal and spatial heterogeneity of air pollution in Lanzhou, an urban Chinese city (April 2009-December 2012), and conducted a systematic review of literature on air pollution and health in Lanzhou. Average levels were 141.5, 42.3, and 47.2 µg/m(3) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm (PM10), NO2, and SO2, respectively. Findings suggest some seasonality, particularly for SO2, with higher concentrations during colder months relative to warmer months, although a longer time frame of data is needed to evaluate seasonality fully. Correlation coefficients generally declined with distance between monitors, while coefficients of divergence increased with distance. However, these trends were not statistically significant. PM10 levels exceeded Chinese and other health-based standards and guidelines. The review identified 13 studies on outdoor air pollution and health. Although limited, the studies indicate that air pollution is associated with increased risk of health outcomes in Lanzhou. These studies and the high air pollution levels suggest potentially serious health consequences. Findings can provide guidance to future epidemiological studies, monitor placement programs, and air quality policies.

Albendazole (ALB) belongs to a group of benzimidazoles-classified as antiparasitic pharmaceuticals. Its widespread application results in the presence of this pharmaceutical in natural environment (water and soil). In this paper a suitable pretreatment method was established including sampling, freeze-drying and extraction. Vicia faba was used as model organism. ALB accumulation by plant tissues was observed in hydroponic culture as well as in soil. The range of pharmaceutical concentrations was 1.7 × 10(-5) mol/L (in hydroponic culture) and 1.7 × 10(-5) to 1.7 × 10(-4) mol/kg air dry soil (in soil). Observations were conducted for 14 days. After this time biological material was freeze-dried and after homogenization, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extraction was performed. The recovery of ALB for the roots was 93 % while for the shoots 86 %. After cleaning, the samples were subjected to further analysis by HPLC system. Phosphate buffer and acetonitrile (50:50) were used as a mobile phase. Drug retention time was 6.3 min. Results obtained in this experiment indicate higher drug accumulation in roots rather than in the hypocotyl part of the plant, cultivated both in soil and in hydroponic culture.

During this study, we investigated the mineralogical characterization of technogenic magnetic particles (TMPs) contained in alkaline industrial dust and fly ash emitted by coal burning power plants and cement plants. The reaction of tested dust samples varied between values of pH 8 and pH 12. Their magnetic properties were characterized by measurement of magnetic susceptibility (χ), frequency dependence of magnetic susceptibility (χ(fd)), and temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses included scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, microprobe analysis and X-ray diffraction. The TMPs in fly ash from hard coal combustion have the form of typical magnetic spherules with a smooth or corrugated surface as well as a skeletal morphology, composed of iron oxides (magnetite, maghemite, and magnesioferrite) that occurred in the form of incrustation on the surface of mullite, amorphous silica, or aluminosilicate particles. The TMPs observed in fly ash from lignite combustion have a similar morphological form but a different mineralogical composition. Instead of magnetite and magnesioferrite, maghemite and hematite with lower χ values were the prevailing magnetic minerals, which explains the much lower magnetic susceptibility of this kind of ash in comparison with the ash from hard coal combustion, and probably results from the lower temperature of lignite combustion. Morphology and mineralogical composition of TMPs in cement dust is more diverse. The magnetic fraction of cement dust occurs mostly in the form of angular and octahedral grains of a significantly finer granulation (<20 μm); however, spherules are also present. A very characteristic magnetic form for cement dust is calcium ferrite (CaFe(3)O(5)). The greatest impact on the magnetic susceptibility of cement dust results from iron-bearing additives (often waste materials from other branches of industry), which should be considered the most dangerous to the environment. Stoichiometric analysis of micro-particles confirmed the presence of heavy metals such as Pb, Mn, Cd, and Zn connected with TMPs, which are carriers of magnetic signals in atmospheric dust. Therefore, in some cases, their presence in topsoil when detected by magnetic measurement can be treated as an indicator of inorganic soil contamination.

Despite the decreased emission loads of mercury, historical deposits of this metal in various compartments of the environment may become an additional diffuse source in the future. Global climate change manifests itself in the temperate zone in several ways: warmer winters, shorter icing periods, increased precipitation and heightened frequency of extreme events such as strong gales and floods, all of which cause disturbances in the rate and direction of mercury biogeochemical cycling. The present study was conducted at two sites, Oslonino and Gdynia Orlowo (both in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdansk), from which samples were collected once a month between January 2012 and December 2012. In the Southern Baltic region, climate changes can certainly enhance coast to basin fluxes of mercury and the transfer of bioavailable forms of this metal to the food web. They may also, in the future, contribute to uncontrollable increases of mercury in the seawater.

Stack dust from a large Cu smelter near Tacoma, Washington has contaminated soil with As, Sb, and Pb. Within 5 km of the smelter 380 ppm (dry weight) As, 200 ppm Sb, and 540 ppm Pb have been measured in the surface soil (0–3 cm). Plants grown in these soils may be affected and also the consumption of plants coated with this heavy metal rich dust may be of concern.

Imidacloprid, a water-soluble neonicotinoid pesticide used globally in many applications, has been the subject of numerous studies (1) to determine its sublethal effects (5-100 ppb, LD50 ∼200 ppb) on honeybees. This study was undertaken to determine, by ELISA assay, the presence of imidacloprid in water sources potentially frequented by honeybees in urban, suburban, and rural environments across the state of Maryland. Eighteen sites (six samples/site) were chosen which spanned diverse habitats including golf courses, nursery, livestock and crop farms, residential neighborhoods, and cityscapes. Hives were present either at or within 0.5 miles of each site. Imidacloprid was quantifiable in 8 % of the samples at sublethal levels (7-131 ppb). They were not clustered at any one type of site. Results for 13 % of the samples were at the threshold of detection; all others were below the detection limit of the assay (<0.2 ppb).

Sustainable remediation comprises soil and groundwater risk-management actions that are selected, designed, and operated to maximize net environmental, social, and economic benefit (while assuring protection of human health and safety). This paper describes a benchmarking exercise to comparatively assess potential differences in environmental management decision making resulting from application of different sustainability appraisal tools ranging from simple (qualitative) to more quantitative (multi-criteria and fully monetized cost-benefit analysis), as outlined in the SuRF-UK framework. The appraisal tools were used to rank remedial options for risk management of a subsurface petroleum release that occurred at a petrol filling station in central England. The remediation options were benchmarked using a consistent set of soil and groundwater data for each tier of sustainability appraisal. The ranking of remedial options was very similar in all three tiers, and an environmental management decision to select the most sustainable options at tier 1 would have been the same decision at tiers 2 and 3. The exercise showed that, for relatively simple remediation projects, a simple sustainability appraisal led to the same remediation option selection as more complex appraisal, and can be used to reliably inform environmental management decisions on other relatively simple land contamination projects.

To elucidate the influence of airborne materials on the ecosystem of Japan's Yakushima Island, we determined the elemental compositions and Sr and Nd isotope ratios in streamwater, soils, vegetation, and rocks. Streamwater had high Na and Cl contents, low Ca and HCO(3) contents, and Na/Cl and Mg/Cl ratios close to those of seawater, but it had low pH (5.4 to 7.1), a higher Ca/Cl ratio than seawater, and distinct (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios that depended on the bedrock type. The proportions of rain-derived cations in streamwater, estimated by assuming that Cl was derived from sea salt aerosols, averaged 81 % for Na, 83 % for Mg, 36 % for K, 32 % for Ca, and 33 % for Sr. The Sr value was comparable to the 28 % estimated by comparing Sr isotope ratios between rain and granite bedrock. The soils are depleted in Ca, Na, P, and Sr compared with the parent materials. At Yotsuse in the northwestern side, plants and the soil pool have (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios similar to that of rainwater with a high sea salt component. In contrast, the Sr and Nd isotope ratios of soil minerals in the A and B horizons approach those of silicate minerals in northern China's loess soils. The soil Ca and P depletion results largely from chemical weathering of plagioclase and of small amounts of apatite and calcite in granitic rocks. This suggests that Yakushima's ecosystem is affected by large amounts of acidic precipitation with a high sea salt component, which leaches Ca and its proxy (Sr) from bedrock into streams, and by Asian dust-derived apatite, which is an important source of P in base cation-depleted soils.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soil contamination with tri- and hexavalent chromium and soil application of compost, zeolite, and CaO on the mass of oats and content of nitrogen compounds in different organs of oats. The oats mass and content of nitrogen compounds in the crop depended on the type and dose of chromium and alleviating substances incorporated to soil. In the series without neutralizing substances, Cr(VI), unlike Cr(III), had a negative effect on the growth and development of oats. The highest doses of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) stimulated the accumulation of total nitrogen but depressed the content of N-NO3 (-) in most of organs of oats. Among the substances added to soil in order to alleviate the negative impact of Cr (VI) on the mass of plants, compost had a particularly beneficial effect on the growth and development of oats. The application of compost, zeolite, and CaO to soil had a stronger effect on the content of nitrogen compounds in grain and straw than in roots. Soil enrichment with either of the above substances usually raised the content of nitrogen compounds in oats grain and straw, but decreased it in roots.

The concentrations of selected metals—Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb—were determined in the samples of Hypogymnia physodes lichen and Pleurozium schreberi moss collected in Polish and Czech Euroregions Praded and Glacensis. More specifically, the samples were collected in Bory Stobrawskie, Bory Niemodlińskie, and Kotlina Kłodzka (Poland) and in Jeseniki (Czech Republic). The concentration of metals in the samples was measured using the atomic absorption spectrometry (flame AAS technique and electrothermal atomization AAS technique). The results were used to calculate the comparison factor (CF) that quantifies the difference in concentration of a given bioavailable analyte × accumulated in lichens and mosses: CF = 2 (c x,lichen − c x,moss) (c x,lichen + c x,moss)−1. The values of CF greater than 0.62 indicate the most probable location of heavy metals deposited in the considered area. In this work, the method was used to show a significant contribution of urban emissions to the deposition of heavy metals in the area of Bory Stobrawskie and in the vicinity of Kłodzko City.

Groundwater withdrawal and contaminant concentration data are routinely collected for pump-and-treat operations conducted at hazardous waste sites. These data sets can be mined to produce a wealth of information to support enhanced site characterization, optimization of remedial system operations, and improved decision making regarding long-term site management and closure. Methods that may be used to analyze and interpret pump-and-treat data to produce such assessments are presented, along with a brief illustration of their application to a site. The results presented herein illustrate that comprehensive analysis of pump-and-treat data is a powerful, cost-effective method for providing higher-resolution, value-added characterization of contaminated sites.

Normative regulations on benzene in fuels and urban management strategies are expected to improve air quality. The present study deals with the application of self-organizing maps (SOMs) in order to explore the spatiotemporal variations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene levels in an urban atmosphere. Temperature, wind speed, and concentration values of these four volatile organic compounds were measured after passive sampling at 21 different sampling sites located in the city of Trieste (Italy) in the framework of a multi-year long-term monitoring program. SOM helps in defining pollution patterns and changes in the urban context, showing clear improvements for what concerns benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene concentrations in air for the 2001-2008 timeframe.

Limnologists have regarded temporal coherence (synchrony) as a powerful tool for identifying the relative importance of local-scale regulators and regional climatic drivers on lake ecosystems. Limnological studies on Asian reservoirs have emphasized that climate and hydrology under the influences of monsoon are dominant factors regulating seasonal patterns of lake trophic status; yet, little is known of synchrony or asynchrony of trophic status in the single reservoir ecosystem. Based on monthly monitoring data of chlorophyll a, transparency, nutrients, and nonvolatile suspended solids (NVSS) during 1-year period, the present study evaluated temporal coherence to test whether local-scale regulators disturb the seasonal dynamics of trophic state indices (TSI) in a giant dendritic reservoir, China (Three Gorges Reservoir, TGR). Reservoir-wide coherences for TSI(CHL), TSI(SD), and TSI(TP) showed dramatic variations over spatial scale, indicating temporal asynchrony of trophic status. Following the concept of TSI differences, algal productivity in the mainstream of TGR and Xiangxi Bay except the upstream of the bay were always limited by nonalgal turbidity (TSI(CHL)-TSI(SD) <0) rather than nitrogen and phosphorus (TSI(CHL)-TSI(TN) <0 and TSI(CHL)-TSI(TP) <0). The coherence analysis for TSI differences showed that local processes of Xiangxi Bay were the main responsible for local asynchrony of nonalgal turbidity limitation levels. Regression analysis further proved that local temporal asynchrony for TSI(SD) and nonalgal turbidity limitation levels were regulated by local dynamics of NVSS, rather than geographical distance. The implications of the present study are to emphasize that the results of trophic status obtained from a single environment (reservoir mainstream) cannot be extrapolated to other environments (tributary bay) in a way that would allow its use as a sentinel site.

Increasing environmental pollution is connected with broad applications of dyes and imperfection of dyeing technology. Decolourization of triphenylmethane brilliant green and disazo Evans blue by bacterial and fungal strains and toxicity (phyto- and zootoxicity) of degradation by-products were investigated. Influence of incubation method on dyes removal was evaluated (static, semi-static, shaken). Dead biomass was used for sorption estimation. Toxicity of treated dyes was measured to estimate possible influence on aquatic ecosystems. The zootoxicity test was done with Daphnia magna and phytotoxicity with Lemna minor. Samples were classified according to ACE 89/BE 2/D3 Final Report Commission EC. The best results of removal for all tested strains were reached in shaken samples. In opposite to fungi, bacterial strains decolourized brilliant green more effectively than Evans blue. The most effective bacterial strain was Erwinia spp. (s12) and fungal strains were Polyporus picipes (RWP17) and Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH and MB). Decolourization of brilliant green was connected with decrease of zootoxicity (D. magna) and phytotoxicity (L. minor). Removal of Evans blue was connected with no changes in zootoxicity and decrease of phytotoxicity in most of samples.

The capability of environmental microorganisms to biodegrade simazine-an active substance of 2-chloro-s-triazine herbicides (pesticide waste since 2007)-was assessed. An enormous metabolic potential of microorganisms impels to explore the possibilities of using them as an alternative way for thermal and chemical methods of utilization. First, the biotope rich in microorganisms resistant to simazine was examined. Only the higher dose of simazine (100 mg/l) had an actual influence on quantity of bacteria and environmental fungi incubated on substrate with simazine. Most simazine-resistant bacteria populated activated sludge and biohumus (vermicompost); the biggest strain of resistant fungi was found in floral soil and risosphere soil of maize. Compost and biohumus were the sources of microorganisms which biodegraded simazine, though either of them was the dominant considering the quantity of simazine-resistant microorganisms. In both cases of periodic culture (microorganisms from biohumus and compost), nearly 100% of simazine (50 mg/l) was degraded (within 8 days). After the repeated enrichment culture with simazine, the rate of its degradation highly accelerated, and just after 24 h, the significant decrease of simazine (20% in compost and 80% in biohumus) was noted. Although a dozen attempts of isolating various strains responsible for biodegradation of simazine from compost and biohumus were performed, only the strain identified as Arthrobacter urefaciens (NC) was obtained, and it biodegraded simazine with almost 100% efficiency (within 4 days).

Both groundwater flow and mercury concentrations in pore water and seawater were quantified in the groundwater seeping site of the Bay of Puck, southern Baltic Sea. Total dissolved mercury (HgTD) in pore water ranged from 0.51 to 4.90 ng l(-1). Seawater samples were characterized by elevated HgTD concentrations, ranging from 4.41 to 6.37 ng l(-1), while HgTD concentrations in groundwater samples ranged from 0.51 to 1.15 ng l(-1). High HgTD concentrations in pore water of the uppermost sediment layers were attributed to seawater intrusion into the sediment. The relationship between HgTD concentrations and salinity of pore water was non-conservative, indicating removal of dissolved mercury upon mixing seawater with groundwater. The mechanism of dissolved mercury removal was further elucidated by examining its relationships with both dissolved organic matter, dissolved manganese (Mn II), and redox potential. The flux of HgTD to the Bay of Puck was estimated to be 18.9 ± 6.3 g year(-1). The submarine groundwater discharge-derived mercury load is substantially smaller than atmospheric deposition and riverine discharge to the Bay of Puck. Thus, groundwater is a factor that dilutes the mercury concentrations in pore water and, as a result, dilutes the mercury concentrations in the water column.

This study compares a traditional agricultural approach to minimise N pollution of groundwater (incorporation of crop residues) with applications of small amounts of biodiesel co-product (BCP) to arable soils. Loss of N from soil to the aqueous phase was shown to be greatly reduced in the laboratory, mainly by decreasing concentrations of dissolved nitrate-N. Increases in soil microbial biomass occurred within 4 days of BCP application-indicating rapid adaptation of the soil microbial community. Increases in biomass-N suggest that microbes were partly mechanistic in the immobilisation of N in soil. Straw, meadow-grass and BCP were subsequently incorporated into experimental soil mesocosms of depth equal to plough layer (23 cm), and placed in an exposed netted tunnel to simulate field conditions. Leachate was collected after rainfall between the autumn of 2009 and spring of 2010. Treatment with BCP resulted in less total-N transferred from soil to water over the entire period, with 32.1, 18.9, 13.2 and 4.2 mg N kg(-1) soil leached cumulatively from the control, grass, straw and BCP treatments, respectively. More than 99 % of nitrate leaching was prevented using BCP. Accordingly, soils provided with crop residues or BCP showed statistically significant increases in soil N and C compared to the control (no incorporation). Microbial biomass, indicated by soil ATP concentration, was also highest for soils given BCP (p < 0.05). These results indicate that field-scale incorporation of BCP may be an effective method to reduce nitrogen loss from agricultural soils, prevent nitrate pollution of groundwater and augment the soil microbial biomass.

Rhizoremediation is a complex type of green clean-up technology that involves both plants and the rhizosphere-associated microorganisms to decompose hazardous compounds. The success of the strategy strongly depends on plant tolerance towards the pollutant, as well as plant's interactions with the rhizospheric microbes. The microorganisms may be stimulated by the secreted root exudates, which results in an increased breakdown of contaminants in the rhizosphere. The main goal of this study was to establish a potential rhizoremediation combination for a diesel-polluted site. Inoculation of plant roots or seeds with indigenous rhizospheric populations is a common approach in the rhizoremediation. However, we introduced hydrocarbon-degrading consortia (M10, R3, and K52) that were previously isolated from crude oil-contaminated soil instead of indigenous microbes. Bioaugmentation with these petroleum degraders was applied to screen four high biomass crop species (Indian mustard, alfalfa, high erucic acid rapeseed, HEAR, and low erucic acid rapeseed, LEAR) for their tolerance towards diesel oil. At no pollution, a promoting effect of M10 bacteria could be observed on germination and root elongation of all plant species. Moreover, M10 consortiums increased the germination index at 6,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram dry soil in the case of Indian mustard, alfalfa, and HEAR. The latter species was found to increment its dry weight upon bioaugmentation with M10 bacteria and all diesel oil treatments (6,000 and 24,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram dry soil). The initial results indicate HEAR and the M10 bacterial consortium as a promising plant–microbe tandem for a long-term rhizoremediation process. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11270-013-1676-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Air, soil, and vegetation samples taken in the vicinity of a lead smelter were examined for Pb and Cd. The results indicate that the plant is a source of Pb and that this pollution may ose a threat to grazing animals but probably not directly to the local residents. Although Cd results are higher than normal no Cd pollution is directly attributed to the smelter.

Mercury (Hg) stored in vegetation and soils is known to be released to the atmosphere during wildfires, increasing atmospheric stores and altering terrestrial budgets. Increased erosion and transport of sediments is well-documented in burned watersheds, both immediately post-fire and as the watershed recovers; however, understanding post-fire mobilization of soil Hg within burned watersheds remains elusive. The goal of the current study is to better understand the impact of wildfire on soil-bound Hg during the immediate post-fire period as well as during recovery, in order to assess the potential for sediment-driven transport to and within surface waters in burned watersheds. Soils were collected from three southern California watersheds of similar vegetation and soil characteristics that experienced wildfire. Sampling in one of these watersheds was extended for several seasons (1.5 years) in order to investigate temporal changes in soil Hg concentrations. Laboratory analysis included bulk soil total Hg concentrations and total organic carbon of burned and unburned samples. Soils were also fractionated into a subset of grain sizes with analysis of Hg on each fraction. Low Hg concentrations were observed in surface soils immediately post-fire. Accumulation of Hg coincident with moderate vegetative recovery was observed in the burned surface soils 1 year following the fire, and mobilization was also noted during the second winter (rainy) season. Hg concentrations were highest in the fine-grained fraction of unburned soils; however, in the burned soils, the distribution of soil-bound Hg was less influenced by grain size. The accelerated accumulation of Hg observed in the burned soils, along with the elevated risk of erosion, could result in increased delivery of organic- or particulate-bound Hg to surface waters in post-fire systems.

Spatial accuracy of hydrologic modeling inputs influences the output from hydrologic models. A pertinent question is to know the optimal level of soil sampling or how many soil samples are needed for model input, in order to improve model predictions. In this study, measured soil properties were clustered into five different configurations as inputs to the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) simulation of the Castor River watershed (11-km(2) area) in southern Quebec, Canada. SWAT is a process-based model that predicts the impacts of climate and land use management on water yield, sediment, and nutrient fluxes. SWAT requires geographical information system inputs such as the digital elevation model as well as soil and land use maps. Mean values of soil properties are used in soil polygons (soil series); thus, the spatial variability of these properties is neglected. The primary objective of this study was to quantify the impacts of spatial variability of soil properties on the prediction of runoff, sediment, and total phosphorus using SWAT. The spatial clustering of the measured soil properties was undertaken using the regionalized with dynamically constrained agglomerative clustering and partitioning method. Measured soil data were clustered into 5, 10, 15, 20, and 24 heterogeneous regions. Soil data from the Castor watershed which have been used in previous studies was also set up and termed "Reference". Overall, there was no significant difference in runoff simulation across the five configurations including the reference. This may be attributable to SWAT's use of the soil conservation service curve number method in flow simulation. Therefore having high spatial resolution inputs for soil data may not necessarily improve predictions when they are used in hydrologic modeling.

Silver, used in iodide form as a nucleating agent to increase precipitation, may be ingested with plant material by animals. Since ionic Ag is toxic to microorganisms, effects of AgI and of AgNO3 on cecal microflora of the cottontail rabbit were examined. Rabbits eliminated essentially all of an oral dose of AgI in an average of 6.3 days. However, 99% of the labeled Ag was passed within 3 days. Only 8 to 26% of the Ag entered the cecum. Chronic intake of AgI did not result in accumulation of Ag in the cecum. There was no evidence of absorption of Ag from the gastrointestinal tract and accumulation in body tissues. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) of a ration dosed with 4.2 ppm Ag as AgI complexes was not significantly different from DMD for a control ration. DMD of a ration dosed with 10 ppm Ag as AgNO3 was not significantly different from DMD for a control ration. Synthesis of folic acid by cecal microflora was not reduced by intake of 5 ppm Ag as AgI complexes in the diet. Results demonstrated that Ag compounds, at levels expected in areas of weather modification, will not inhibit cecal microflora. Exposure of the microorganisms to Ag is minimal, and the literature indicates that free Ag ions can be effectively detoxified in the digestive tract.

Mercury pollution in the Second Songhua River (SSR) was serious in the last century due to effluent from a chemical corporation. Effects of riverine self-purification on mercury removal were studied by comparing monitoring data of mercury concentrations varieties in water, sediment, and fish in the past, about 30 years. The present work suggested that a river of such a size like the SSR possessed the potential ability to recover from mercury pollution under the condition that mercury sources were cut off, though it needs a very long time, which might be several decades or even a century of years. During the 30 years with no effluent containing mercury input, total mercury (T-Hg) of water and sediment in some typical segments, mostly near the past effluent outlet, had decreased radically but still higher than the background values, though the decrease amplitudes were over 90% compared with that in 1975. T-Hg had decreased by more than 90% in most fishes, but some were still not suitable for consumption. Methylmercury concentrations (MeHg) of water, sediment, and fish were higher or close to the background levels in 2004. In the coming decades, the purification processes in the SSR would be steady and slow for a long period.

Hazards of Ag from weather modification to micro-organisms of the rumen were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Silver iodide complexes at a concentration of 38 ppm of Ag in dry alfalfa substrate did not affect substrate digestion in vitro. Inhibition of rumen microbial digestion was noted with 100 or more ppm of Ag, as Ag NO3, in an in vitro fermentation system. A chronic intake of 1 ppm of Ag in dry-matter intake did not produce gradual accumulation of Ag in the rumens of two goats. Silver passed from a goat rumen with a half time of 1.3 days. In two in vivo trials, neither suspensions of AgI complexes simulating 1 ppm of Ag in dry food intake nor solutions of AgNO3 simulating 100 ppm of Ag in dry food intake inhibited rumen digestion rates. An abundance of chloride ions, proteins, bacteria and other organic matter precludes persistence of Ag ions in the rumen. Based on these results, Ag in forages in areas where clouds are seeded with AgI complexes, including areas near AgI generators, where forages rarely contain more than 1 ppm of Ag in dry matter, will not affect rumen microbial digestion.

It was recently reported that tetracycline could enhance the mobility of manure-derived Escherichia coli within saturated porous media (Walczak et al. (Water Research 45:1681-1690, 2011)). It was also shown, however, that E. coli from various sources could display marked variation in their mobility (Bolster et al. (Journal of Environmental Quality 35:1018-1025, 2009)). The focus of this research was to examine if the observed difference in the mobility of manure-derived tetracycline-resistant (tet(R)) and tetracycline-susceptible (tet(S)) E. coli strains was source-dependent. Specifically, E. coli were isolated from Lake Michigan, and the influence of tetracycline resistance on Lake Michigan-derived E. coli was investigated through column transport experiments. Additionally, a variety of cell morphology and surface properties were determined and related to the observed bacterial transport behavior. Our experimental results showed that, consistent with previous observations, the deposition rate coefficients of the tet(R)E. coli strain was ~20-100% higher than those of the tet(S)E. coli strain. The zeta potential of the tet(R)E. coli cells was ~25 mV more negative than the tet(S)E. coli cells. Because the surfaces of the E. coli cells and the quartz sands were negatively charged, the repulsive electrostatic double-layer interaction between the tet(R)E. coli cells and the quartz sands was stronger, and the mobility of the tet(R)E. coli cells in the sand packs was thus higher. The tet(R)E. coli cells were also more hydrophilic than the tet(S)E. coli cells. Results from migration to hydrocarbon phase (MATH) tests showed that about ~35% more tet(S)E. coli cells partitioned to the hydrocarbon phase. As it was previously shown that cell hydrophobicity could enhance the attachment of bacterial cells to quartz sand, the difference in cell hydrophobicity could also have contributed to the observed higher mobility of the tet(R)E. coli cells. The size of the tet(R) and tet(S)E. coli cells were similar, suggesting that the observed difference in their mobility was not size-related. Characterization of cell surface properties also showed that tet(R) and tetS E. coli cells differed slightly in cell-bound lipopolysaccharide contents and had distinct outer membrane protein profiles. Such difference could alter cell surface properties which in turn led to changes in cell mobility.

The goal of this study was to document if lakes in National Parks in Washington have exceeded critical levels of nitrogen (N) deposition, as observed in other Western States. We measured atmospheric N deposition, lake water quality, and sediment diatoms at our study lakes. Water chemistry showed that our study lakes were ultra-oligotrophic with ammonia and nitrate concentrations often at or below detection limits with low specific conductance (<100 μS/cm), and acid neutralizing capacities (<400 μeq/L). Rates of summer bulk inorganic N deposition at all our sites ranged from 0.6 to 2.4 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) and were variable both within and across the parks. Diatom assemblages in a single sediment core from Hoh Lake (Olympic National Park) displayed a shift to increased relative abundances of Asterionella formosa and Fragilaria tenera beginning in the 1969-1975 timeframe, whereas these species were not found at the remaining (nine) sites. These diatom species are known to be indicative of N enrichment and were used to determine an empirical critical load of N deposition, or threshold level, where changes in diatom communities were observed at Hoh Lake. However, N deposition at the remaining nine lakes does not seem to exceed a critical load at this time. At Milk Lake, also in Olympic National Park, there was some evidence that climate change might be altering diatom communities, but more research is needed to confirm this. We used modeled precipitation for Hoh Lake and annual inorganic N concentrations from a nearby National Atmospheric Deposition Program station, to calculate elevation-corrected N deposition for 1980-2009 at Hoh Lake. An exponential fit to this data was hindcasted to the 1969-1975 time period, and we estimate a critical load of 1.0 to 1.2 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) for wet deposition for this lake.

Column experiments were conducted using ideal natural sands and stainless-steel beads to examine the complete dissolution behavior of an organic immiscible liquid. Trichloroethene (TCE) was used as the representative organic liquid. The elution curves exhibited multi-step behavior, with multiple extended periods of relatively constant contaminant flux. These secondary steady-state stages occurred at concentrations several orders-of-magnitude below aqueous solubility for the well-sorted sands. In contrast, the secondary steady-state stages occurred within one log of aqueous solubility for the poorly-sorted sand. The nonideal behavior is hypothesized to result from constraints to hydraulic accessibility of the organic liquid to flowing water, which may be expected to be mediated by the pore-scale configuration of the flow field and the fluid phases.

Non-destructive measurements of contaminated soil core samples are desirable prior to destructive measurements because they allow obtaining gross information from the core samples without touching harmful chemical species. Medical X-ray computed tomography (CT) and time-domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry were applied to non-destructive measurements of sandy soil core samples from a real site contaminated with heavy oil. The medical CT visualized the spatial distribution of the bulk density averaged over the voxel of 0.31 × 0.31 × 2 mm3. The obtained CT images clearly showed an increase in the bulk density with increasing depth. Coupled analysis with in situ time-domain reflectometry logging suggests that this increase is derived from an increase in the water volume fraction of soils with depth (i.e., unsaturated to saturated transition). This was confirmed by supplementary analysis using high-resolution micro-focus X-ray CT at a resolution of ∼10 μm, which directly imaged the increase in pore water with depth. NMR transverse relaxation waveforms of protons were acquired non-destructively at 2.7 MHz by the Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence. The nature of viscous petroleum molecules having short transverse relaxation times (T2) compared to water molecules enabled us to distinguish the water-saturated portion from the oil-contaminated portion in the core sample using an M 0–T2 plot, where M 0 is the initial amplitude of the CPMG signal. The present study demonstrates that non-destructive core measurements by medical X-ray CT and low-field NMR provide information on the groundwater saturation level and oil-contaminated intervals, which is useful for constructing an adequate plan for subsequent destructive laboratory measurements of cores.

Decolorization of brilliant green (0.06 g/L), Evans blue (0.15 g/L), and their mixture (total concentration 0.08 g/L, proportion 1:1 w/w) by fungi was studied. Fungal strains [Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH), Gloeophyllum odoratum (DCa), and Fusarium oxysporum (G1)] were used separately and as a mixture of them. Zootoxicity (Daphnia magna) and phytotoxicity (Lemna minor) changes were estimated after the end of experiment. Mixtures of fungal strains were less effective in decolorization process than the same strains used separately (as a single strains). After 96 h of experiment, living biomass of strain BWPH removed up to 95.5 %; DCa, up to 84.6 %; G1, up to 79.2 % where mixtures BWPH + DCa removed up to 74.3 %; and BWPH + G1, only up to 32.2 % of used dyes. High effectiveness of dyes removal not always corresponded with decrease of toxicity. The highest decrease of zootoxicity and phytotoxicity (from V to III toxicity class or to even nontoxic) was noticed for single strains, while no changes or slight toxicity decrease was noticed in samples with strains mixtures.

The degradation of sodium p-cumenesulfonate (SCS) by electrochemical, photochemical, and photoelectrochemical methods in aqueous solution of NaClO4, NaCl, and NaClO has been studied. It was found that as a result of NaClO4 electroreduction and photodecomposition, the ions Cl(-) and ClO3 (-) are formed. These ions undergo transformations into radicals, mainly Cl(•), Cl2 (•-), ClO(•-), ClO2 (•-), and ClO3 (•-), due to electrochemical and photochemical reactions. It was shown that the interpretation of results of the studies over mineralization processes carried out in the presence of ClO4 (-) cannot be adequate without taking into consideration the reduction of ClO4 (-) to Cl(-) and ClO3 (-). Therefore, previous works presented in the literature should be rediscussed on the basis of the new data. Photoelectrochemical mineralization of substrate in NaCl solution at the concentration of 16 mmol L(-1) is comparable with the efficiency of the reaction in NaClO4 solution containing more than 8 mmol L(-1) of NaClO. Total SCS mineralization was obtained in the photoelectrochemical reactor with a UV immersion lamp with a power 15 W in the period of 135 min and current intensity of 350 mA. In such conditions, the power consumption was about 1.2 kWh per g of TOC removed.

The aim of the present study was the decolourisation of mixture of two dyes belonging to different groups by two Pseudomonas fluorescens strains (Sz6 and SDz3). Influence of different incubation conditions on decolourisation effectiveness was evaluated. Dyes used in the experiment were diazo Evans blue (EB) and triphenylmethane brilliant green (BG). Another goal of the experiment was the estimation of toxicity of process by-products. Incubation conditions had a significant influence on the rate of decolourisation. The best results were reached in shaken and semistatic samples (exception Evans blue). After 24 h of experiment in semistatic conditions, BG removal reached up to 95.4 %, EB 72.8 % and dyes mixture 88.9 %. After 120 h, all tested dyes were completely removed. In most cases, dyes were removed faster and better by strain Sz6 than SDz3. At the end of the experiment, in majority of the samples, decrease of phyto- and zootoxicity was observed.

This study aimed to decolourise different dyes using two Klebsiella strains (Bz4 and Rz7) in different concentrations and incubation conditions. Azo (Evans blue (EB)) and triphenylmethane (brilliant green (BG)) dyes were used individually and in mixture. The toxicity of the biotransformation products was estimated. Both strains had a significant potential to decolourise the dyes in the fluorone, azo and triphenylmethane classes. The type and concentration of dye affects the decolourisation effectiveness. Differences in the dye removal potential were observed particularly in the main experiment. The best results were obtained for Bz4 in the samples with EB (up to 95.4 %) and dye mixture (up to 99 %) and for Rz7 with BG (100 %). The living and dead biomass of the strain Bz4 highly absorbs the dyes. Significant effect of the process conditions was noticed for both strains. The best results were obtained in static and semistatic samples (89-99 %) for the removal of EB and a mixture of dyes and in static samples (100 %) for BG. The decrease in zootoxicity (from class IV/V) was noticed in all samples with living biomass of the strain Bz4 (to class III/IV) and in samples with single dyes for Rz7 (to class III/IV). The decrease in phytotoxicity (from class III/IV) was noticed for Bz4 in the samples with BG and a mixture (to class III) and for Rz7 in the samples with BG (to class III). The process conditions did not affect the changes in toxicity after the process.

Analytical method for the determination of six flame retardants (FRs) from two groups was proposed. These groups included the brominated flame retardants (BFRs) 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromophthalic anhydride (TBPA) and triester organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TBPP), ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP). Reversed phase ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with a UV detector, different chromatographic columns, different mobile phases and gradient elution programmes were used to obtain the best separations within the shortest possible time. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was examined as a pre-concentration step from distilled water. The column with the highest recoveries (the Bond Elut ENV column gave recoveries over 70 % for all compounds) was then tested on 1-L blank surface water samples. The proposed analytical procedure was applied for the determination of FRs in surface water samples. The concentrations of FRs found in water samples ranged from 0.03 (TPhP) to 3.10 μg L(-1) (HBCD). Method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 0.008 to 0.518 μg L(-1), and method quantification limits (MQLs) ranged from 0.023 to 1.555 μg L(-1) for all compounds.

The study focused on assessing the influence of rhamnolipids on the phytotoxicity of diesel oil-contaminated soil samples. Tests evaluating the seed germination and growth inhibition of four terrestrial plant species (alfalfa, sorghum, mustard and cuckooflower) were carried out at different rhamnolipid concentrations (ranging from 0 to 1.200 mg/kg of wet soil). The experiments were performed in soil samples with a different diesel oil content (ranging from 0 to 25 ml/kg of wet soil). It was observed that the sole presence of rhamnolipids may be phytotoxic at various levels, which is especially notable for sorghum (the germination index decreased to 41 %). The addition of rhamnolipids to diesel oil-contaminated soil samples contributed to a significant increase of their phytotoxicity. The most toxic effect was observed after a rhamnolipid-supplemented diesel oil biodegradation, carried out with the use of a hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria consortium. The supplemention of rhamnolipids (600 mg/kg of wet soil) resulted in a decrease of seed germination of all studied plant species and an inhibition of microbial activity, which was measured by the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride tests. These findings indicate that the presence of rhamnolipids may considerably increase the phytotoxicity of diesel oil. Therefore, their use at high concentrations, during in situ bioremediation processes, should be avoided in a terrestrial environment.

A series of column and flow-cell experiments was conducted to investigate the impact of non-uniform organic-liquid distribution on the relationship between reductions in contaminant mass discharge and reductions in source zone mass under conditions of enhanced-solubilization flushing. Trichloroethene was used as the model organic liquid, and SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and ethanol were used as representative enhanced-flushing reagents. The results were compared to those of water-flood control experiments. Concentrations of trichloroethene in the effluent exhibited multi-step behavior with time, wherein multiple secondary periods of quasi steady state were observed. This non-ideal behavior was observed for both the water-flood and enhanced-flushing experiments. For all flow-cell experiments, the later stage of mass removal was controlled by the more poorly- accessible mass associated with higher-saturation zones. The profiles relating reductions in contaminant mass discharge and reductions in mass exhibited generally similar behavior for both the water-flood and enhanced-flushing experiments. This indicates that while the rates and magnitudes of mass removal are altered by the presence of a solubilization-reagent solution, the fundamental mass-removal process is not. The profiles obtained for the flow-cell systems differed from those obtained for the column systems, highlighting the impact of source-zone heterogeneity on mass-removal behavior.

The mechanisms for translocation of heavy metals from soil to epigeal mosses were investigated. The first mechanism was demonstrated for (137)Cs and involved the uplifting of the pollutant-containing dust from the soil, followed by the local secondary deposition on surfaces of epigeal mosses and epiphytic lichens. The second mechanism involved the diffusion of metal cations from the soil through water wetting the moss into the gametophyte. The mechanism was demonstrated by measuring the electric conductance of wetted gametophytes with single ends immersed in solutions of Cu and Na salts. In addition, the concentrations of Cu and Cd were compared in moss samples exposed to the natural soil and to the soil contaminated with the metals. The exposition to the contaminated soil resulted in the statistically significant increase of metal concentrations in the gametophytes.

Department of Defense operational ranges may become contaminated by particles of explosives residues (ER) as a result of low-order detonations of munitions. The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which particles of ER could migrate through columns of sandy sediment, representing model aquifer materials. Transport experiments were conducted in saturated columns (2 × 20 cm) packed with different grain sizes of clean sand or glass beads. Fine particles (approximately 2 to 50 μm) of 2,6-dinitrotoluene (DNT) were used as a surrogate for ER. DNT particles were applied to the top 1 cm of sand or beads in the columns, and the columns were subsequently leached with artificial groundwater solutions. DNT migration occurred as both dissolved and particulate phases. Concentration differences between unfiltered and filtered samples indicate that particulate DNT accounted for up to 41% of the mass recovered in effluent samples. Proportionally, more particulate than dissolved DNT was recovered in effluent solutions from columns with larger grain sizes, while total concentrations of DNT in effluent were inversely related to grain size. Of the total DNT mass applied to the uppermost layer of the column, <3% was recovered in the effluent with the bulk remaining in the top 2 cm of the column. Our results suggest there is some potential for subsurface migration of ER particles and that most of the particles will be retained over relatively short transport distances.

Survival of the fattest contrasts with, but in some respects resembles, the suffering and premature deaths of the leanest humans. We refer here to the imbalance between affluent, resource consuming, globally polluting, and often wasteful and greedy humans as opposed to the hungry and impoverished people of the world who live on less than one or two dollars per day. The irony is that a life of excess is almost as damaging to the human animal as is a life of insufficiency. Still, the wealthy continue to seek more, presumably to guarantee that they will continue to live a “life of Riley”—a life of plenty. But in the process, they are endangering their own health, depriving their children of parental guidance and security, exasperating our environmental crises and ignoring the rights of others including those of their own offspring and all future generations. Theirs is the epitome, the embodiment, the quintessence of selfishness which eventually leads to health problems that have come to plague so many of us. Meanwhile, the impoverished one third of the human population lack access to the basic rights that a majority of us in the developed and semidemocratically governed countries normally take for granted.

The objective of this research was the evaluation of the effects of exogenous added surfactants on hydrocarbon biodegradation and on cell surface properties. Crude oil hydrocarbons are often difficult to remove from the environment because of their insolubility in water. The addition of surfactants enhances the removal of hydrocarbons by raising the solubility of these compounds. These surfactants cause them to become more vulnerable to degradation, thereby facilitating transportation across the cell membrane. The obtained results showed that the microorganism consortia of bacteria are useful biological agents within environmental bioremediation. The most effective amongst all, as regards biodegradation, were the consortia of Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus spp. strains. The results indicated that the natural surfactants (rhamnolipides and saponins) are more effective surfactants in hydrocarbon biodegradation as compared to Triton X-100. The addition of natural surfactants enhanced the removal of hydrocarbon and diesel oil from the environment. Very promising was the use of saponins as a surfactant in hydrocarbon biodegradation. This surfactant significantly increases the organic compound biodegradation. In the case of those surfactants that could be easily adsorbed on cells of strains (e.g., rhamnolipides), a change of hydrophobicity to ca. 30-40% was noted. As the final result, an increase in hydrocarbon biodegradation was observed.

We investigated sediments from 23 lakes situated in northeastern Poland and analyzed them for major constituents and selected heavy metals. Short sediment cores were collected from the deepest parts of the lakes, and subsequently, a surface layer (0-2 cm) and reference layer (50-52 cm) were sampled from each. In the collected samples, the content of the major constituents (organic matter, carbonates, and minerogenic material) and chosen heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was analyzed. In the reference layer, representing natural metal content, we identified quite a substantial diversity among lakes, making it difficult to pinpoint one geochemical background value for the whole region. A multivariate analysis of the interrelationships among elements and a comparison of the median values revealed no statistically significant differences between surface and reference levels. The ratio of the mean content in the surface and reference sediments ranged from 0.9 to 1.6, indicating the lack of or only slight anthropogenic pollution in surface sediments. From a spatial perspective, higher metal contents were observed in the eastern part of the study area, but this trend manifested in both surface and reference sediments. Thus, the inference is that the recently accumulated sediments are characterized by a content that is representative of the natural geochemical background for the selected metals.

The use of reclaimed wastewater in agriculture can be a solution for regions with water shortages or low rainfall periods; besides fulfilling the crop's water needs, it would also promote the recycle of nutrients. However, care should be taken regarding soil salinization, especially in closed environments such as greenhouses for the cultivation of ornamental plants. The domestic effluents are rich in sodium which can accumulate on soil and cause soil sealing. This study evaluated the use of effluents from anaerobic filters and intermittent sand filters in the production of rosebushes (Rosa hybrida "Ambiance"). The crop yield of the rosebushes irrigated with reclaimed wastewater exceeded the one obtained with traditional cultivation, reaching a value 31.8 % higher when employing nitrified effluent originated from intermittent sand filters, with no difference in the product quality. The salinity levels are below the critical limits found in the literature; however, there was a significant increase compared to the irrigation with drinking water.

Marine tar residues originate from natural and anthropogenic oil releases into the ocean environment and are formed after liquid petroleum is transformed by weathering, sedimentation, and other processes. Tar balls, tar mats, and tar patties are common examples of marine tar residues and can range in size from millimeters in diameter (tar balls) to several meters in length and width (tar mats). These residues can remain in the ocean environment indefinitely, decomposing or becoming buried in the sea floor. However, in many cases, they are transported ashore via currents and waves where they pose a concern to coastal recreation activities, the seafood industry and may have negative effects on wildlife. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on marine tar residue formation, transport, degradation, and distribution. Methods of detection and removal of marine tar residues and their possible ecological effects are discussed, in addition to topics of marine tar research that warrant further investigation. Emphasis is placed on benthic tar residues, with a focus on the remnants of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in particular, which are still affecting the northern Gulf of Mexico shores years after the leaking submarine well was capped.