A study on the factors influencing nitrogen removal in waste water stabilization ponds was undertaken in an eight-pond series in Werribee, Australia. Nitrogen species including Kjeldahl nitrogen, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate were monitored monthly from March 1993 to January 1994. At the same time, pH, temperature, chlorophylla content and dissolved oxygen were also recorded. Highest nitrogen removal occurred during the period with highest levels of chlorophylla content and dissolved oxygen, but the rate of nitrogen removal was not related to temperature and pH. Enhanced photosynthetic activities resulting from an increased phytoplankton abundance due to prolonged detention time caused an increase in dissolved oxygen, and created an optimum condition for nitrification to occur. In this process, ammonia was oxidized to nitrite and nitrate which were subsequently reduced to elemental nitrogen. Apart from nitrification-denitrification which was the major nitrogen removal pathway in the study system, algal uptake of ammonium, nitrate and nitrite as nutrient sources also contributed to the nitrogen removal. The role of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the treatment process in waste stabilization ponds was discussed.

This paper reports the emissions of SO₂ from large coal under staged combustion without any additive. A stainless steel combustor, 2 m high and 0.3×0.3 m in cross section was used. Fluidizing air was supplied through a multihole distributor. An adjustable secondary air injector was used along the vertical axis of the combustor to introduce secondary air in the freeboard. From 0–40% of total air was injected in the freeboard above the bed. The experiments were carried out at fluidizing velocities of 1–2 m s⁻¹, bed temperatures of 1103–1153°K, 20–40% excess air, and bed particle sizes of 665μm. Bed temperature and level of air staging had the most significant effect on SO₂ emissions.

The movement of fly-ash particles in a sequence of Sphagnum moss was studied in laboratory experiments and field investigations. The data obtained in the laboratory show that only 0.8% of particles, placed on the surface of a 6–10 cm thick Sphagnum layer, were washed out with water (700–750 mm) during the 241 days of the experiment. The majority of added particles were fixed in the upper part (90% in 1–3 cm) of the moss layer. A SEM study indicates that sorption is slightly species-dependent due to the micromorphological parameters of the Sphagnum species. The storage of particles by Sphagnum mosses allows the use of natural sequences to study the history of atmospheric pollution. The distribution of particles in the upper part of moss layers in Viru Bog (50 km east of Tallinn, North Estonia) shows good agreement with the known air pollution history in Tallinn.

The effects of the organophosphate insecticide diazinon on selected population parameters of the freshwater cladoceran Moina macrocopa were studied. Survivorship and average longevity were affected by exposure to 1.00 μg L⁻¹ or higher concentrations. Exposure to diazinon had no effect on the time of first reproduction, but animals did not reproduce in 10.00 μg L⁻¹ and the number of offspring produced by a female during her entire life span was reduced in 1.00 μg L-1. The intrinsic rate of population growth and the generation time were not significantly affected by exposure to diazinon.

Huge areas of the Russian forests suffer from insufficient forest management. A scenario has been developed for an improved management program that would be implemented over the next 40 years. Possible options have been aggregated into three interlinked groups: increase in forest productivity through improvement of the forest conditions and the structure of the Forest Fund, decrease of carbon release by mitigation of disturbance regimes, and improvement of landscape management. One prerequisite in developing this scenario was that the cost of sequestering one ton of carbon should not exceed US$3 (1992 dollar value). In this article a simple model is described to illustrate the following possibilities for increased carbon fixation by improved forest management: large-scale reforestation and afforestation, replacement of stands with low productivity and replacement of so called soft deciduous species and “climax” stands, and implementation of rational silviculture (thinning). The results indicate a potential for an increase in carbon fixation in Russian forest ecosystems of 24.4 Pg over 100 years, after the first year that the actions discussed are implemented. The net sink of carbon was determined to be 16.5 Pg in the “low” estimate and 42.5 Pg in the “high” estimate. There are, however, many uncertainties in the data and there are difficulties in adequately modeling the possibilities for implementation under current conditions in Russia. In spite of these uncertainties, we conclude that there is great potential for economically justified increased carbon fixation through improved forest management in Russia.