In this paper, the possible effect of surface ozone on soybean, wheat, rice, and maize crops in East Asia in 2000, 2005, and 2020 is estimated. Spatial distribution and temporal variation of surface ozone concentrations are simulated using the Models-3 Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System coupled with the Regional Emission Inventory in Asia (CMAQ/REAS). The effect of surface ozone on main crops in East Asia is evaluated based on accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb (AOT40 index) during a period of 3 months of the growing season. We demonstrate some of the implications for policy-making in air quality management for East Asia by highlighting the effect of elevated surface ozone concentrations on harvest losses and the corresponding value of the main crops. These concentrations are calculated based on three scenarios of emission reduction policies in 2020: policy success case (PSC), reference case (REF), and policy failure case (PFC). Assuming no future changes in land use or cropping patterns from 2000 to 2020, we find that the highest relative yield (RY) losses are in wheat and soybean in East Asia. The RY losses for wheat are estimated to range between 17 and 35 % in 2000, 21 and 49 % in 2005, 18 and 36 % in 2020 (PSC), 20 and 46 % in 2020 (REF), and 22 and 62 % in 2020 (PFC); the corresponding values for rice are 6 and 12 %, 6 and 17 %, 6 and 15 %, 6 and 17 %, and 7 and 20 %; for soybean, they are 12 and 16 %, 19 and 25 %, 18 and 33 %, 21 and 40 %, and 25 and 49 %; and for maize, they are 3 and 4 %, 5.7 and 6 %, 6 and 9 %, 9 and 11 %, and 12 and 14 %. Quantitatively, the estimated losses in production of wheat in East Asia in 2000, 2005, and 2020 (PSC, REF, and PFC scenarios) are 32.4, 44.3, 42.2, 54.0, and 72.3 t, respectively; for rice, 34.9, 39.4, 42.4, 46.5, and 54.6 mmt; for soybean, 1.9, 3.3, 3.6, 4.9, and 7.0 mmt; and for maize, 3.6, 8.1, 11.4, 15.4, and 21.5 mmt. The estimated values of crop losses in East Asia in 2000, 2005, and 2020 (PSC, REF, and PFC scenarios) are as follows: 13.8, 17.4, 18.2, 21.3, and 26.7 billion Int. $. Therefore, adaptation measures in the PSC scenario in contrast to the PFC scenario could save around 8.5 billion Int. $ across East Asian countries in 2020.

Agroindustrial by-products and residues from treatment of sewage sludge have been recently recycled as soil amendments. This study was aimed at assessing toxic potential of biosolid, obtained from a sewage treatment plant (STP), vinasse, a by-product of the sugar cane industry, and a combination of both residues using Allium cepa assay. Bioprocessing of these samples by a terrestrial invertebrate (diplopod Rhinocricus padbergi) was also examined. Bioassay assembly followed standards of the Brazilian legislation for disposal of these residues. After adding residues, 20 diplopods were placed in each terrarium, where they remained for 30 days. Chemical analysis and the A. cepa assay were conducted before and after bioprocessing by diplopods. At the end of the bioassay, there was a decrease in arsenic and mercury. For the remaining metals, accumulation and/or bioavailability varied in all samples but suggested bioprocessing by animals. The A. cepa test revealed genotoxic effects characterized by different chromosome aberrations. Micronuclei and chromosome breaks on meristematic cells and F₁ cells with micronuclei were examined to assess mutagenicity of samples. After 30 days, the genotoxic effects were significantly reduced in the soil + biosolid and soil + biosolid + vinasse groups as well as the mutagenic effects in the soil + biosolid + vinasse group. Similar to vermicomposting, bioprocessing of residues by diplopods can be a feasible alternative and used prior to application in crops to improve degraded soils and/or city dumps. Based on our findings, further studies are needed to adequately dispose of these residues in the environment.

Approximately 1.1 million deer–vehicle collisions occur in the United States each year. The predominant methods of disposing of these carcasses (landfill and burial) have several costly disadvantages, including long travel distances to landfills, increasing landfill restrictions, and lack of viable burial areas. Some states have found static compost windrows to be an easy and cost-effective carcass management technique. This type of composting involves the construction of passively aerated static piles, which do not require the materials turning needed with more traditional composting methods. In this study, deer mortality static compost windrows were monitored for 1 year. Windrows were analyzed for pathogen destruction and the degree to which underlying soil filtered leachate contaminants. In response to high windrow temperatures, indicator pathogens Escherichia coli and Salmonella were reduced by 99.99 % the first sampling day (day 7) and ascarids were deemed non-viable by day 77. Soil filtration of leachate was effective in reducing concentrations of ammonia, chloride, and total organic carbon. Nitrate, a contaminant of particular regulatory concern, had an estimated mass contaminant loss of 2.1 kg/ha, compared to the estimated 9 to 50 kg/ha loss from fertilizer application of common agronomic crops. Results of this study indicate that with properly constructed static compost windrows, (1) high temperatures effectively destroy indicator pathogens; (2) the natural filtration of leachate through soil reduces deer mortality contaminant concentrations; and (3) the low volume of leachate (i.e., two percent of the precipitation that fell on windrows) results in nominal losses of nitrate and other contaminants.

A novel dye degrading bacterium capable of decolorizing and mineralizing four different dyes (Methyl red, Orange II, Direct red 80, and Direct blue 71) was isolated from textile industrial wastewater using the selective enrichment technique. The bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. More than 80 % decolorization of Direct red 80 was obtained under microaerophilic conditions in 48 h, whereas only 10 % color removal was obtained under oxic conditions at the same time. Subsequent aeration of the decolorized medium resulted in the mineralization of the metabolic intermediates generated after azo bond cleavage by P. aeruginosa as confirmed by total organic carbon content and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses. The degradation products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques whereas the biotoxicity profile of the samples were evaluated using the brine shrimp lethality test assay. Data from this study provide evidence of dye mineralization and detoxification by a monoculture of P. aeruginosa in successive microaerophilic/oxic stages. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Domestic water is abstracted from its sources in raw form with a high content of dissolved and suspended material. Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) is a cationic polyelectrolyte used in the initial water clarification process. However, its residues in treated water pose a health risk as they react with chlorine to produce a carcinogenic compound. There is a need to determine the concentration of the polyelectrolyte cations that pass through the flocculation stage before the chlorine disinfection process in water treatment plants to ascertain the safety of water to consumers. The cationic polymer is UV inactive, and previously available methods for determining the concentrations of polyelectrolytes are unsatisfactory due to poor detection limits. This paper describes a UV-Visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry method for the determination of residual polyDADMAC as an epoxide. The novelty method lies on the epoxidation of polyDADMAC using 20 % sodium hydroxide dissolved in 30 % hydrogen peroxide to produce a UV-Vis active compound. The epoxidation was confirmed by UV-Vis, FTIR and 1H NMR techniques. Dilute solutions of varying concentrations of polyDADMAC (0.2-1.0 mg L-1) were treated with a basic solution of hydrogen peroxide then analysed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The wavelength at maximum absorption (λmax) was found to be 313 nm, and a linear calibration curve with a correlation coefficient (R 2) of 0.993 was used for quantification purposes. The detection limit measured as three times the signal of the blank and was found to be 2.1 × 10-4 mg L-1. The method was applied to determine the concentration of polyDADMAC spiked in water samples collected from a pool as a model for environmental matrix. The results obtained agreed with the quantities spiked in the solution, thus qualified the method to be suitable for the determination of polyDADMAC in treated waters at trace levels. The method was also used to investigate the adsorption capacity of polyDADMAC on sand filters. The adsorption method was found to be in accordance with Langmuir with an adsorption capacity of 2.068 mg g-1. © 2013 The Author(s).

This paper addresses the geochemical evolution, volumetric water content, and temperature of porewater when constructing different soil layers to improve the surface acidic conditions on a slope at a closed mine. Three cases were set under different layer systems. Case 1 was solely composed of surface-weathered rocks. A vegetation layer was constructed on the surface rocks in case 2, whereas a top vegetation and bottom low-permeable layers were constructed on the rocks in case 3. In both cases, a soil–cement layer was constructed to prevent landslides. Porewater sampling systems and soil sensors were set at different depths to collect porewater and measure the volumetric water content and temperature. The results showed that, when no layers were applied (case 1), high concentrations of heavy metals and low pH values were observed regardless of the depth and season. When a vegetation layer (case 2) was applied, a dramatic decrease in heavy metal concentrations was observed, similar to the results in case 3. In both cases, pH values were circumneutral. Moreover, the addition of the low-permeable layer reduced the infiltration of rainfall through the layers by considering the changes in volumetric water content. Also, the results of case 1 were compared with those obtained at a flat surface under similar conditions. On the slope, the pH was more acidic, and heavy metal concentrations were higher. These suggest that the dissolution of heavy metals from the weathered rocks into the porewater is enhanced on the sloping surface due to a longer solid–liquid interaction time.

Traces of short- and long-lived fallout ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs were found in surface soil (volcanic ash soil) under a cool-temperate deciduous stand at Tomakomai Experimental Forest in Hokkaido, Japan after the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011. Most of them were present in the uppermost 5–6 cm of the soil. Mean concentrations of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs were found to be 2.4 (±0.3) and 89 (±2) Bq Kg⁻¹ in May, and 6.9 (±0.4) and 94 (±2) Bq Kg⁻¹ in November 2011, respectively. A small increase in radiocesium concentration may result from biological activity in the uppermost portion of the soil in which fallout nuclides derived from the Fukushima NPP would not have existed in May. They were supposed to be fallen down on the fresh litter layer in the previous year. The results of a sequential extraction experiment with 1 M CH₃COONH₄ solution showed that desorption of radiocesium from the soil was difficult and not simple ion exchange processes.

This research evaluated the effects of alkyl polyglucoside (APG), an environment-friendly surfactant, on the removal of anthracene (ANT), phenanthrene (PHE), and pyrene (PYR) from the soil cultivated with Scirpus triqueter, an aquatic native pioneer plant in the Yangtze estuarine wetland, China. Soils spiked with about 200 mg kg-1 of ANT, PHE, and PYR were individually irrigated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, and 150 mg L -1 of APG. Plant biomass yields, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) removal rates, soil microbial, and soil enzyme activities were quantified after 90 days' cultivation of Scirpus triqueter. Experiments demonstrated that APG has an ability to facilitate PAHs degradation at appropriate concentrations. The highest removal rate of the PAHs was observed in 40 mg L-1 APG treatment, and the removal rates increased 23, 54, and 52 %, respectively, compared to the non-amended control pots. However, the PAHs removal rate decreased to a certain extent when high concentrations of APG were added. The effect on PAHs removal in the soil could be explained by the changed levels of plant biomass, soil microbial populations, and soil enzymatic activity affected by the APG. The results suggested that the use of Scirpus triqueter combined with APG was an effective means for the phytoremediation of the PAH-contaminated soil. At the same time, APG's optimal concentration should be determined before the application in the PAH-contaminated wetlands. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Textile dye Victoria Blue-B (VB-B) was approached in two different ways: one to get rid of the color for its easy disposal to the environment, and the other is to reuse the decolorized water for coloring the same dye. Shewanella decolorationis (MBTD16) isolated from Dona Paula Bay, identified by 16S rRNA gene and its action over decolorization was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectrum, and a color scanner. Dye removal index increased L*, a*, and b* to 91.585, −2.856, and −0.132 against 62.29, −4.93, and −20.75 within 42 h as a first report. A maximum extent of decolorization (94.83 %) could be achieved with minimum dye concentration of 50 mg L⁻¹. The colored water treated by free and immobilized bacterial cells tested to reuse (VB-B dye) could give 35–50 % more color than the original. Process parameters optimized to achieve maximum decolorization indicated pH 7, temperature 32 ± 2 °C, inoculum size 8 % with co-substrates of glucose and yeast extract 5 g L⁻¹ for its supremacy. Synthesis of lignin peroxidase and tyrosinase augmented in strain S. decolorationis only after being exposed into the dye signifies the enzymes in decolorization, and it was confirmed through one-way ANOVA. Results obtain by this work could suggest that S. decolorationis can be used very well to decolorize the textile dye, and the same water could be recycled to get back its original color by adding around half the quantity of dye. Thus, by the use of water, dye and pollution levels could be minimized.

The presence of different kinds of leaf packs (native or alien) and environmental gradients can affect the composition and abundance of macroinvertebrate assemblages in freshwater ecosystems, but little is known about the interactive effects. Here, we investigated (1) how environmental gradients could influence leaf packs macroinvertebrates and (2) which was the chief factor (among water quality, mass loss of leaf packs, and flow regime) affecting macroinvertebrate assemblages in impaired streams. We analyzed leaf packs in six sites in impaired streams, characterized by wastewater discharges and dominated by pollution-tolerant macroinvertebrate species. Using principal component analysis, we defined two environmental gradients as follows: a water quality gradient, related to anthropogenic alteration, and a hydromorphological gradient, mostly related to the catchment features. Our results pointed out that, in the tested conditions, biological metrics, such as functional groups and taxa richness, were chiefly influenced by the water quality gradient, while different leaf types in packs influenced the total taxa richness, but did not cause significant variation in the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrate functional groups. On the contrary, the mass loss differed for different leaf types and was related to the stream and catchment features (mainly flow). This work showed that, in impaired streams, macroinvertebrate assemblages colonizing leaf packs are more influenced by water quality than by leaf types. Thus, the improvement of water quality should be the priority in restoration programs and should be achieved before any effort to restore native riparian vegetation.