Naphthenic acids (NA) have been identified as harmful environmental contaminants that influence survival, growth and development of wildlife. Amphibian larvae are particularly susceptible to waterborne contaminants, but little information exists regarding exposure of amphibian embryos or tadpoles to NA. Our results demonstrate that embryos of Lithobates pipiens and Silurana tropicalis exposed to 2–4 mg/l of a commercial NA blend suffer significant reductions (32% and 25%, respectively) in growth and development upon hatching. Increased incidences of deformities were observed in exposed individuals of both species, but were only significant in L. pipiens. Embryos suffered 100% mortality following exposure to 6 mg/l NAs, and narcosis at lower concentrations. LC50 estimates were 4.10 mg/l for 72-h exposure in L. pipiens and 4.13, 3.51, and 2.95 mg/l for 24-, 48-, and 72-h exposure in S. tropicalis. These data suggest that exposure to NAs at environmentally realized concentrations may negatively affect tadpole populations.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition and [CO₂] are increasing and represent environmental problems. Planting fast-growing species is prospering to moderate these environmental impacts by fixing CO₂. Therefore, we examined the responses of growth, photosynthesis, and defense chemical in leaves of Eucalyptus urophylla (U) and the hybrid of E. deglupta × E. camadulensis (H) to different CO₂ and nitrogen levels. High nitrogen load significantly increased plant growth, leaf N, net photosynthetic rate (Agᵣₒwₜₕ), and photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE). High CO₂ significantly increased Agᵣₒwₜₕ, photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) and WUE. Secondary metabolite (SM, i.e. total phenolics and condensed tannin) was specifically altered; as SM of U increased by high N load but not by elevated [CO₂], and vice versa for SM of H.

For more than 50 years perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have found worldwide industrial and household uses. Some PFASs are presumed to be persistent and bioaccumulative. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are thought to be a suitable bioindicator for the accumulation of organic xenobiotics. Due to the ubiquitous nature of PFASs in the environment a retrospective study on temporal trends was carried out. A total of 110 deer liver pools collected from 1989 to 2010 in Germany were analyzed for their levels of PFASs. The highest concentrations were measured for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (median 6.3 μg/kg). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were detected with median concentrations of 0.5 μg/kg, 1.2 μg/kg and 0.3 μg/kg, respectively, while concentrations of the other PFASs were below the limit of quantification. PFOS concentrations decreased significantly (rₛ = −0.741; p = <0.0001) from 9.2 μg/kg in 2000 to 1.8 μg/kg in 2010.

Two common (semi-) natural temperate grassland species, Dactylis glomerata and Ranunculus acris, were grown in competition and exposed to two watering regimes: well-watered (WW, 20–40% v/v) and reduced-watered (RW, 7.5–20% v/v) in combination with eight ozone treatments ranging from pre-industrial to predicted 2100 background levels. For both species there was a significant increase in leaf damage with increasing background ozone concentration. RW had no protective effect against increasing levels of ozone-induced senescence/injury. In high ozone, based on measurements of stomatal conductance, we propose that ozone influx into the leaves was not prevented in the RW treatment, in D. glomerata because stomata were a) more widely open than those in less polluted plants and b) were less responsive to drought. Total seasonal above ground biomass was not significantly altered by increased ozone; however, ozone significantly reduced root biomass in both species to differing amounts depending on watering regime.

∑₃₀PAH gas phase concentrations (13–86 and 22–40 ng m⁻³ in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, respectively) dominated the atmospheric levels due to the high contribution of phenanthrene, dibenzothiophene and their alkylated derivates. The high variability of PAH atmospheric concentrations in the different sub-basins is due to several factors (i.e. air-mass trajectory, proximity to sources and losses by deposition). The ∑₃₀PAH atmospheric deposition (dominated by low MW PAH net air–water diffusive fluxes) is estimated to be ∼3100 ton y⁻¹ (Mediterranean) and ∼500 ton y⁻¹ (Black Sea). Net volatilization for certain PAHs was estimated. Deposition fluxes (1–2 orders of magnitude higher than reported PAH settling fluxes in the water column) confirm an important depletion/sink of water column PAH in the photic zone, especially for low MW PAHs. Degradation processes in the water column may be responsible for this decoupling. Conversely, high MW PAHs dry deposition fluxes are similar to their settling fluxes.

Alveolar and tracheobronchial-deposited submicrometer particle number and surface area data received by different age groups in Australia are shown. Activity patterns were combined with microenvironmental data through a Monte Carlo method. Particle number distributions for the most significant microenvironments were obtained from our measurement survey data and people activity pattern data from the Australian Human Activity Pattern Survey were used. Daily alveolar particle number (surface area) dose received by all age groups was equal to 3.0 × 10¹⁰ particles (4.5 × 10² mm²), varying slightly between males and females. In contrast to gender, the lifestyle was found to significantly affect the daily dose, with highest depositions characterizing adults. The main contribution was due to indoor microenvironments. Finally a comparison between Italian and Australian people in terms of received particle dose was reported; it shows that different cooking styles can affect dose levels: higher doses were received by Italians, mainly due to their particular cooking activity.

To advance the knowledge of environmental fate of nanomaterials, we systematically investigated the dissolution of polymer-coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) under UV (254 nm) irradiation. The environmental effects (i.e., irradiation intensity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and humic acid), as well as the coating effects on dissolution kinetics of QDs were investigated. Our results showed that higher irradiation intensity and temperature increased ion release rates (Cd²⁺, SeO₄ ²⁻, and Zn²⁺), whereas the different polymer coatings varied the dissolution rates. The absence of dissolved oxygen inhibited the dissolution of QDs, and we further demonstrated that the dissolution was a photo-oxidative process involved superoxide radical formation. Humic acid had a twofold effect on dissolution due to its photosensitization and photoabsorption for UV irradiation. Finally, an empirical kinetic law was proposed to interpret the above environmental effects. This study lays groundwork to better understand the environmental fate of QDs.

Total cadmium (Cd) concentrations in four ornithogenic coral-sand sedimentary profiles displayed a strong positive correlation with guano-derived phosphorus, but had no correlation with plant-originated organic matter in the top sediments. These results indicate that the total Cd distributions were predominantly controlled by guano input. Bioavailable Cd and zinc (Zn) had a greater input rate in the top sediments with respect to total Cd and total Zn, and a positive correlation with total organic carbon (TOC) derived from plant humus. Multi-regression analysis showed that the total Cd and TOC explained over 80% of the variation of bioavailable Cd, suggesting that both guano and plant inputs could significantly influence the distribution of bioavailable Cd, and that plant biocycling processes contribute more to the recent increase of bioavailable Cd. A pollution assessment indicates that the Yongle archipelago is moderately to strongly polluted with guano-derived Cd.

This review paper concentrates on carbon dioxide emissions, discussing its agricultural sources and the possibilities for minimizing emissions from these sources in wheat production in Canterbury, New Zealand. This study was conducted over 35,300 ha of irrigated and dryland wheat fields in Canterbury. Total CO₂ emissions were 1032 kg CO₂/ha in wheat production. Around 52% of the total CO₂ emissions were released from fertilizer use and around 20% were released from fuel used in wheat production. Nitrogen fertilizers were responsible for 48% (499 kg CO₂/ha) of CO₂ emissions. The link between nitrogen consumption, CO₂ emissions and crop production showed that reducing the CO₂ emissions would decrease crop production and net financial benefits to farmers.

The present study tests the effect of antiparasitic compound ivermectin in a constructed food-web system, a soil multi-species (SMS) higher tier test system. Mutualism, competition and predation within the SMS system were introduced by the addition of five collembolan species, one enchytraeid and a predatory mite species. Bait lamina sticks were incorporated as a measure of functional toxicity, attempting to the integrated feeding activity of the invertebrates. The study showed that on the community level all treatments were significantly affecting the community abundance and composition and that the decrease in abundance corresponded well with increasing exposure concentration for all species. Since all concentrations had significant adverse effect on the community structure, the community-based no-effect-concentration is below the lowest test concentration of 0.25 mg kg⁻¹, whereas the EC10 for the individual species were as low as 0.05 mg kg⁻¹. The bait lamina respond was only affected at the highest exposure concentration.