Friends Also Matter: Examining Friendship Adjustment Indices as Moderators of Anxious-Withdrawal and Trajectories of Change in Psychological Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markovic, Andrea; Bowker, Julie C.

2017-01-01

The present study evaluated whether 3 indices of friendship adjustment (mutual friendship involvement, friendship stability, friendship quality) are important, but overlooked, moderators of the impact of anxious-withdrawal on trajectories of psychological maladjustment during early adolescence. Participants included 271 young adolescents (51%…

Does Accreditation Matter? School Readiness Rates for Accredited versus Nonaccredited Child Care Facilities in Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winterbottom, Christian; Piasta, Shayne B.

2015-01-01

Accreditation is a widely accepted indicator of quality in early education and includes many of the components cited in broad conceptualizations of quality. The purpose of this study was to examine whether kindergarten readiness rates differed between Florida child care facilities that were and were not accredited by any relevant national…

Characterization of hydraulic fracturing flowback water in Colorado: Implications for water treatment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Yaal; Ferrer, Imma; Thurman, E. Michael; Sitterley, Kurban A.; Korak, Julie A.; Aiken, George R.; Linden, Karl G.

2015-01-01

A suite of analytical tools was applied to thoroughly analyze the chemical composition of an oil/gas well flowback water from the Denver–Julesburg (DJ) basin in Colorado, and the water quality data was translated to propose effective treatment solutions tailored to specific reuse goals. Analysis included bulk quality parameters, trace organic and inorganic constituents, and organic matter characterization. The flowback sample contained salts (TDS = 22,500 mg/L), metals (e.g., iron at 81.4 mg/L) and high concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOC = 590 mgC/L). The organic matter comprised fracturing fluid additives such as surfactants (e.g., linear alkyl ethoxylates) and high levels of acetic acid (an additives' degradation product), indicating the anthropogenic impact on this wastewater. Based on the water quality results and preliminary treatability tests, the removal of suspended solids and iron by aeration/precipitation (and/or filtration) followed by disinfection was identified as appropriate for flowback recycling in future fracturing operations. In addition to these treatments, a biological treatment (to remove dissolved organic matter) followed by reverse osmosis desalination was determined to be necessary to attain water quality standards appropriate for other water reuse options (e.g., crop irrigation). The study provides a framework for evaluating site-specific hydraulic fracturing wastewaters, proposing a suite of analytical methods for characterization, and a process for guiding the choice of a tailored treatment approach.

Assessing and monitoring soil quality at agricultural waste disposal areas-Soil Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doula, Maria; Kavvadias, Victor; Sarris, Apostolos; Lolos, Polykarpos; Liakopoulou, Nektaria; Hliaoutakis, Aggelos; Kydonakis, Aris

2014-05-01

The necessity of elaborating indicators is one of the priorities identified by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The establishment of an indicator monitoring system for environmental purposes is dependent on the geographical scale. Some indicators such as rain seasonality or drainage density are useful over large areas, but others such as soil depth, vegetation cover type, and land ownership are only applicable locally. In order to practically enhance the sustainability of land management, research on using indicators for assessing land degradation risk must initially focus at local level because management decisions by individual land users are taken at this level. Soils that accept wastes disposal, apart from progressive degradation, may cause serious problems to the surrounding environment (humans, animals, plants, water systems, etc.), and thus, soil quality should be necessarily monitored. Therefore, quality indicators, representative of the specific waste type, should be established and monitored periodically. Since waste composition is dependent on their origin, specific indicators for each waste type should be established. Considering agricultural wastes, such a specification, however, could be difficult, since almost all agricultural wastes are characterized by increased concentrations of the same elements, namely, phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, etc.; contain large amounts of organic matter; and have very high values of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and electrical conductivity. Two LIFE projects, namely AgroStrat and PROSODOL are focused on the identification of soil indicators for the assessment of soil quality at areas where pistachio wastes and olive mill wastes are disposed, respectively. Many soil samples were collected periodically for 2 years during PROSODOL and one year during AgroStrat (this project is in progress) from waste disposal areas and analyzed for 23 parameters. Results indicate that there are soil parameters that can be used as indictors to assess soil quality at such areas. For the two cases, i.e pistachio wastes and olive oil mill wastes, different soil parameters were identified as potential indicators. In specific, for OMW the proposed indicators are: organic matter, electrical conductivity, total N, total polyphenols, exchangeable K, DTPA-available Fe, available P and pH (for the cases of acid soils). For pistachio wastes, it seems that the most appropriate indictors are: organic matter, electrical conductivity, exchangeable Mg, DTPA-available Fe, DTPA-available Cu, available B. A monitoring system was developed which may assist authorities and policy makers to continuously monitor the disposal areas or areas where wastes are used for fertilization/irrigation. For this, soil parameters were mapped with respect to the depth, date and temporal variations of their spatial distribution (spatial surfaces). Interpolated surfaces based on the Inverse Distance Weighted method (IDW) were created and integrated within a geospatial web based map application tool.

SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION AND HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH PHOTODIODE ARRAY DETECTION OF CHEMICAL INDICATORS OF HUMAN FECAL CONTAMINATION IN WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Faster and more sensitive analysis of water that is contaminated by human fecal matter is very important for health. The current microbiological methods to assess water quality do not meet this need. Alternate non-microbial human fecal indicators have been proposed by various r...

On Examining the Transport and Transformation of Dissolved Organic Matter in The Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, NC USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, R. L.; Buonassissi, C. J.; Brown, M. M.; Reed, R. E.

2016-02-01

The Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) in eastern North Carolina is the second largest estuary and largest lagoonal system in the United States. Variation in the amount of dissolved organic matter (DOM) delivered to the APES was examined for the Neuse and Tar/Pamlico River estuaries, two major components of the APES, using absorption spectra of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM). The quality of DOM and transformations that occur during down estuary transport were assessed using the spectral parameters SUVA254, SUVA350, S275-295, S350-400, and Sr calculated from CDOM spectra. We present results from several field campaigns that obtained surface samples during different stages of river discharge, including samples taken following Hurricane Irene (2011), and discuss the utility of using these newer optical indices of DOM quality for examining DOM dynamics in river dominated coastal waters.

Studies on kinetics of water quality factors to establish water transparency model in Neijiang River, China.

PubMed

Li, Ronghui; Pan, Wei; Guo, Jinchuan; Pang, Yong; Wu, Jianqiang; Li, Yiping; Pan, Baozhu; Ji, Yong; Ding, Ling

2014-05-01

The basis for submerged plant restoration in surface water is to research the complicated dynamic mechanism of water transparency. In this paper, through the impact factor analysis of water transparency, the suspended sediment, dissolved organic matter, algae were determined as three main impactfactors for water transparency of Neijiang River in Eastern China. And the multiple regression equation of water transparency and sediment concentration, permanganate index, chlorophyll-a concentration was developed. Considering the complicated transport and transformation of suspended sediment, dissolved organic matter and algae, numerical model of them were developed respectively for simulating the dynamic process. Water transparency numerical model was finally developed by coupling the sediment, water quality, and algae model. These results showed that suspended sediment was a key factor influencing water transparency of Neijiang River, the influence of water quality indicated by chemical oxygen demand and algal concentration indicated by chlorophyll a were indeterminate when their concentrations were lower, the influence was more obvious when high concentrations are available, such three factors showed direct influence on water transparency.

Water quality characterisation of rainwater in tanks at different times and locations.

PubMed

Kus, B; Kandasamy, Jaya; Vigneswaran, S; Shon, H K

2010-01-01

Rainwater collected from ten domestic roofs in Sydney and from one in Wollongong, a town south of Sydney, Australia was analysed to determine the water quality and to compare against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) to determine its suitability as a potable water supply. The pollutants analysed were 13 heavy metals, 8 salts & minerals, pH, ammonia, orthophosphate, conductivity, water hardness, turbidity, total suspended solids, Total dissolved salts & Bicarbonate. The results indicate that the rainwater tested complied to most of the parameters specified in the ADWG. Molecular weight distribution of organic matter from one of the domestic rainwater tanks was analysed in terms of the effects of aging and roof contact. Molecular weight distribution of organic matter in rainwater showed prominent peaks at 37,500 daltons may be due to biopolymers, 850 Da to humic substances, 500 Da to building blocks, 220 Da to low MW acids, and less than 220 Da to amphiphilics. The findings also indicate that the first flush volumes that by-passed the tank can have a significant influence on the water quality in the rainwater tank.

Our science matters - and is recognized

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Presidential Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity listed five key indicators of rural prosperity: e-Connectivity for Rural America, Improving Quality of Life, Supporting a Rural Workforce, Harnessing Technological Innovation, and Economic Development (https://www.usda.gov/sites/default...

Comparison of biochar, zeolite and their mixture amendment for aiding organic matter transformation and nitrogen conservation during pig manure composting.

PubMed

Wang, Quan; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Li, Ronghua; Wang, Zhen; Chen, Hongyu; Wang, Meijing; Zhang, Zengqiang

2017-12-01

The aim of this work was to compare the impact of biochar, zeolite and their mixture on nitrogen conservation and organic matter transformation during pig manure (PM) composting. Four treatments were set-up from PM mixed with wheat straw and then applied 10% biochar (B), 10% zeolite (Z) and 10% biochar+10% zeolite (B+Z) into composting mixtures (dry weight basis), while treatment without additives applied used as control. Results indicated that adding B, Z and B+Z could obviously (p<0.05) improve the organic matter degradation and decrease the nitrogen loss. And combined addition of B and Z further promoted the organic matter humification and reduced the heavy metals mobility. Meanwhile the highest mitigation of ammonia (63.40%) and nitrogen dioxide (78.13%) emissions was observed in B+Z added treatment. Comparison of organic matter transformation, nitrogen conservation and compost quality indicated that the combined use of biochar and zeolite could be more useful for PM composting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological and biochemical soil quality indicators for agricultural management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongiorno, Giulia

2017-04-01

Soil quality is defined as the capacity of a soil to perform multiple functions. Agricultural soils can, in principle, sustain a wide range of functions. However, negative pressure exerted by natural and anthropogenic soil threats such as soil erosion, soil organic matter losses and soil compaction have the potential to permanently damage soil quality. Soil chemical, physical and biological parameters can be used as indicators of soil quality. The specific objective of this study is to assess the suitability of novel soil parameters as soil quality indicators. We focus on biological/biochemical parameters, due to the unique role of soil biota in soil functions and to their high sensitivity to disturbances. The novel indicators are assessed in ten European long-term field experiments (LTEs) with different agricultural land use (arable and permanent crops), management regimes and pedo-climatic characteristics. The contrasts in agricultural management are represented by conventional/reduced tillage, organic/mineral fertilization and organic matter addition/no organic matter addition. We measured two different pools of labile organic carbon (dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC)), and determined DOC quality through its fractionation in hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds. In addition, total nematode abundance has been assessed with qPCR. These parameters will be related to soil functions which have been measured with a minimum data set of indicators for soil quality (including TOC, macronutrients, and soil respiration). As a preliminary analysis, the Sensitivity Index (SI) for a given LTE was calculated for DOC and POXC according to Bolinder et al., 1999 as the ratio of the soil attribute under modified practices (e.g. reduced tillage) compared to the conventional practices (e.g. conventional tillage). The overall effect of the sustainable management on the indicators has been derived by calculating an average SI for those LTEs which included the sustainable management taken into account. A parametric t-test was used to determine the comprehensive significance of the average SI for a given indicator. Reduced tillage increased DOC and POXC in the 0-10 cm of soil (SI=1.19 and 1.18 respectively) compared to conventional tillage. Organic fertilization increased DOC and POXC in the 0-10 cm compared to mineral fertilization (SI=1.43 and 1.41) and compared to no fertilizer applications (SI=1.27 and 1.17). DOC was slightly more sensitive than POXC, however, the t-test resulted to be significant only for POXC. Preliminary tests revealed a significant correlation between POXC and DOC (Spearman ρ=0.53, p<0.001). POXC was more strongly correlated with TOC (ρ=0.8, p<0.001), soil respiration (ρ=0.5, p<0.001) and total nematode number (ρ=0.25, p<0.001), than DOC (ρ=0.37, p<0.001; ρ=0.28, p<0.001; ρ=0.04, p=0.5, respectively). These preliminary results could indicate the better suitability of POXC as soil quality indicator compared to DOC. Further analyses will be implemented to elucidate these relations (including DOC quality parameters and hot water extractable carbon). In the coming months, nematode community composition and abundance of specific groups will be assessed with molecular techniques (sequencing and qPCR). Together, the results will permit to assess the feasibility of the implementation of novel indicators to monitor the effects of agricultural management on soil functions.

Perceptions of healthcare quality in Ghana: Does health insurance status matter?

PubMed

Duku, Stephen Kwasi Opoku; Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward; Janssens, Wendy; Pradhan, Menno

2018-01-01

This study's objective is to provide an alternative explanation for the low enrolment in health insurance in Ghana by analysing differences in perceptions between the insured and uninsured of the non-technical quality of healthcare. It further explores the association between insurance status and perception of healthcare quality to ascertain whether insurance status matters in the perception of healthcare quality. Data from a survey of 1,903 households living in the catchment area of 64 health centres were used for the analysis. Two sample independent t-tests were employed to compare the average perceptions of the insured and uninsured on seven indicators of non-technical quality of healthcare. A generalised ordered logit regression, controlling for socio-economic characteristics and clustering at the health facility level, tested the association between insurance status and perceived quality of healthcare. The perceptions of the insured were found to be significantly more negative than the uninsured and those of the previously insured were significantly more negative than the never insured. Being insured was associated with a significantly lower perception of healthcare quality. Thus, once people are insured, they tend to perceive the quality of healthcare they receive as poor compared to those without insurance. This study demonstrated that health insurance status matters in the perceptions of healthcare quality. The findings also imply that perceptions of healthcare quality may be shaped by individual experiences at the health facilities, where the insured and uninsured may be treated differently. Health insurance then becomes less attractive due to the poor perception of the healthcare quality provided to individuals with insurance, resulting in low demand for health insurance in Ghana. Policy makers in Ghana should consider redesigning, reorganizing, and reengineering the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme to ensure the provision of better quality healthcare for both the insured and uninsured.

Origin, composition and quality of suspended particulate organic matter in relation to freshwater inflow in a South Texas estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebreton, Benoit; Beseres Pollack, Jennifer; Blomberg, Brittany; Palmer, Terence A.; Adams, Leslie; Guillou, Gaël; Montagna, Paul A.

2016-03-01

South Texas has a semi-arid climate with a large interannual variability of freshwater inflows. This study sought to define how changes in freshwater inflow affect the composition, quantity and quality of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) in a South Texas estuary: the Mission-Aransas estuary. The study was implemented 1.5 months after a large rain event in September 2010 and continued for 10 months of drought conditions. The composition of SPOM originating from rivers, the Gulf of Mexico and the estuary were determined using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S). The quantity and quality of SPOM were assessed using organic carbon content, chlorophyll a concentrations and C/chl a ratios. Our results demonstrated that autochthonous phytoplankton was the dominant component of SPOM in the Mission-Aransas estuary during droughts. Benthic organic matter from local primary producers (i.e., seagrass, salt marsh plants, benthic microalgae) did not influence SPOM composition, either as fresh material or as detritus. A comparison with a positive estuary (i.e., Sabine-Neches estuary, TX) indicates that decreases in freshwater inflow may lead to decreases of terrestrial organic matter inputs and to increase the ratio of autochtonous phytoplanktonic material in SPOM.

76 FR 5270 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Particulate Matter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... deposited on the ground and in the water, changing nutrient and chemical balances. IV. What comments were...). TSP is particulate up to 100 micrometers in diameter. Then in 1987, EPA changed the indicator to...

Secondary aerosol production from agricultural gas precursors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies of air quality indicate that agricultural emissions may impact particulate mass concentrations through both primary and secondary processes. Increasing evidence from both laboratory and field work suggests that not only does ammonia produce secondary particulate matter, but some volatile org...

Potential impact of particulate matter less than 10 micron (PM10) to ambient air quality of Jakarta and Palembang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agustine, I.; Yulinawati, H.; Gunawan, D.; Suswantoro, E.

2018-01-01

Particulate is a main urban air pollutant affects the environment and human wellbeing. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of particulate matter less than 10 micron (PM10) to ambient air quality of Jakarta and Palembang. The analysis is done with calendarPlot Function of openair model, which is based on the calculation of Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) or better known as Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI category of “moderate” dominates Jakarta’s calendar from 2015 to 2016, which indicates the impact of PM10 is the visibility reduction. There was one day with category “unhealthy” that indicates the impact of dust exposure everywhere in Jakarta during 2015. Similar to Jakarta, the AQI category “moderate” also dominates Palembang’s calendar during 2015. However, the AQI category “hazardous” happened for few days in September and October 2015 during forest fires, which indicates the more harmful impacts of PM10, such as reduced visibility, dust exposure everywhere, increased sensitivity in patients with asthma and bronchitis to respiratory illness in all exposed populations. During 2016, AQI category of Jakarta mostly “moderate”, while in Palembang was “good”. Dominant AQI category from 2015 to 2016 shows higher PM10 concentration occurred in Jakarta compared to Palembang.

Indoor Air Quality in Urban and Rural Preschools in Upper Silesia, Poland: Particulate Matter and Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Mainka, Anna; Zajusz-Zubek, Elwira

2015-07-08

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in preschools is an important public health challenge. Particular attention should be paid to younger children, because they are more vulnerable to air pollution than higher grade children and because they spend more time indoors. Among air pollutants, particulate matter (PM) is of the greatest interest mainly due to its acute and chronic effects on children's health. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels indicate ventilation conditions. In this paper, we present the concentrations of PM (PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and total-TSP) and CO2 monitored in four naturally ventilated nursery schools located in the area of Gliwice, Poland. The nursery schools were selected to characterize areas with different degrees of urbanization and traffic densities during the winter season. The results indicate the problem of elevated concentrations of PM inside the examined classrooms, as well as that of high levels of CO2 exceeding 1000 ppm in relation to outdoor air. The characteristics of IAQ were significantly different, both in terms of classroom occupation (younger or older children) and of localization (urban or rural). To evaluate the children's exposure to poor IAQ, indicators based on air quality guidelines were proposed to rank classrooms according to their hazard on the health of children.

Indoor Air Quality in Urban and Rural Preschools in Upper Silesia, Poland: Particulate Matter and Carbon Dioxide

PubMed Central

Mainka, Anna; Zajusz-Zubek, Elwira

2015-01-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in preschools is an important public health challenge. Particular attention should be paid to younger children, because they are more vulnerable to air pollution than higher grade children and because they spend more time indoors. Among air pollutants, particulate matter (PM) is of the greatest interest mainly due to its acute and chronic effects on children’s health. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels indicate ventilation conditions. In this paper, we present the concentrations of PM (PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and total—TSP) and CO2 monitored in four naturally ventilated nursery schools located in the area of Gliwice, Poland. The nursery schools were selected to characterize areas with different degrees of urbanization and traffic densities during the winter season. The results indicate the problem of elevated concentrations of PM inside the examined classrooms, as well as that of high levels of CO2 exceeding 1000 ppm in relation to outdoor air. The characteristics of IAQ were significantly different, both in terms of classroom occupation (younger or older children) and of localization (urban or rural). To evaluate the children’s exposure to poor IAQ, indicators based on air quality guidelines were proposed to rank classrooms according to their hazard on the health of children. PMID:26184249

Characterization of hydraulic fracturing flowback water in Colorado: implications for water treatment.

PubMed

Lester, Yaal; Ferrer, Imma; Thurman, E Michael; Sitterley, Kurban A; Korak, Julie A; Aiken, George; Linden, Karl G

2015-04-15

A suite of analytical tools was applied to thoroughly analyze the chemical composition of an oil/gas well flowback water from the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) basin in Colorado, and the water quality data was translated to propose effective treatment solutions tailored to specific reuse goals. Analysis included bulk quality parameters, trace organic and inorganic constituents, and organic matter characterization. The flowback sample contained salts (TDS=22,500 mg/L), metals (e.g., iron at 81.4 mg/L) and high concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOC=590 mgC/L). The organic matter comprised fracturing fluid additives such as surfactants (e.g., linear alkyl ethoxylates) and high levels of acetic acid (an additives' degradation product), indicating the anthropogenic impact on this wastewater. Based on the water quality results and preliminary treatability tests, the removal of suspended solids and iron by aeration/precipitation (and/or filtration) followed by disinfection was identified as appropriate for flowback recycling in future fracturing operations. In addition to these treatments, a biological treatment (to remove dissolved organic matter) followed by reverse osmosis desalination was determined to be necessary to attain water quality standards appropriate for other water reuse options (e.g., crop irrigation). The study provides a framework for evaluating site-specific hydraulic fracturing wastewaters, proposing a suite of analytical methods for characterization, and a process for guiding the choice of a tailored treatment approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE U.S. EPA PROMULGATES NEW STANDARDS FOR FINE PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will describe the following items: the process used by EPA to review the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particular Matter, indicator and levels for the new fine particle standards, important epidemiologic data establishing the need for new particulat...

Soil Quality of Restinga Forest: Organic Matter and Aluminum Saturation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues Almeida Filho, Jasse; Casagrande, José Carlos; Martins Bonilha, Rodolfo; Soares, Marcio Roberto; Silva, Luiz Gabriel; Colato, Alexandre

2013-04-01

The restinga vegetation (sand coastal plain vegetation) consists of a mosaic of plant communities, which are defined by the characteristics of the substrates, resulting from the type and age of the depositional processes. This mosaic complex of vegetation types comprises restinga forest in advanced (high restinga) and medium regeneration stages (low restinga), each with particular differentiating vegetation characteristics. Of all ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest, restinga is the most fragile and susceptible to anthropic disturbances. The purpose of this study was evaluating the organic matter and aluminum saturation effects on soil quality index (SQI). Two locations were studied: State Park of the Serra do Mar, Picinguaba, in the city of Ubatuba (23°20' e 23°22' S / 44°48' e 44°52' W), and State Park of Cardoso Island in the city of Cananéia (25°03'05" e 25°18'18" S / 47°53'48" e 48° 05'42" W). The soil samples were collect at a depth of 0-10 cm, where concentrate 70% of vegetation root system. Was studied an additive model to evaluate soil quality index. The shallow root system development occurs due to low calcium levels, whose disability limits their development, but also can reflect on delay, restriction or even in the failure of the development vegetation. The organic matter is kept in the soil restinga ecosystem by high acidity, which reduces the decomposition of soil organic matter, which is very poor in nutrients. The base saturation, less than 10, was low due to low amounts of Na, K, Ca and Mg, indicating low nutritional reserve into the soil, due to very high rainfall and sandy texture, resulting in high saturation values for aluminum. Considering the critical threshold to 3% organic matter and for aluminum saturation to 40%, the IQS ranged from 0.95 to 0.1 as increased aluminum saturation and decreased the soil organic matter, indicating the main limitation to the growth of plants in this type of soil, when deforested.

Changes in dissolved organic matter quality in a peatland and forest headwater stream as a function of seasonality and hydrologic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broder, Tanja; Knorr, Klaus-Holger; Biester, Harald

2017-04-01

Peatlands and peaty riparian zones are major sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM), but are poorly understood in terms of export dynamics and controls thereof. Thereby quality of DOM affects function and behavior of DOM in aquatic ecosystems, but DOM quality can also help to track DOM sources and their export dynamics under specific hydrologic preconditions. The objective of this study was to elucidate controls on temporal variability in DOM concentration and quality in stream water draining a bog and a forested peaty riparian zone, particularly considering drought and storm flow events. DOM quality was monitored using spectrofluorometric indices for aromaticity (SUVA254), apparent molecular size (SR) and precursor organic material (FI), as well as PARAFAC modeling of excitation emission matrices (EEMs). Indices for DOM quality exhibited major changes due to different hydrologic conditions, but patterns were also dependent on season. Stream water at the forested site with mineral, peaty soils generally exhibited higher variability in DOM concentrations and quality compared to the outflow of an ombrotrophic bog, where DOM was less susceptible to changes in hydrologic conditions. During snowmelt and spring events, near-surface protein-like DOM pools were exported. A microbial DOM fraction originating from groundwater and deep peat layers was increasing during drought, while a strongly microbially altered DOM fraction was also exported by discharge events with dry preconditions at the forested site. This might be due to accelerated microbial activity in the peaty riparian zone of the forested site under these preconditions. Our study demonstrated that DOM export dynamics are not only a passive mixing of different hydrological sources, but monitoring studies have to consider that DOM quality depends on hydrologic preconditions and season. Moreover, the forested peaty riparian zone generated the most variability in headwater DOM quantity and quality, as could be tracked by the used spectrofluorometric indices.

Seasonal quality profile and production of foliage from trees grown on degraded cropland in arid Uzbekistan, Central Asia.

PubMed

Lamers, J P A; Khamzina, A

2010-10-01

Feed shortages hamper livestock rearing and thus impede the development of rural livelihoods in Central Asia. The production and in vitro quality of foliage from Ulmus pumila, Elaeagnus angustifolia and Populus euphratica on degraded cropland were examined to determine the potential of these species to supplement diary cattle diets. Leaf dry matter (DM) production of the species, respectively, averaged 6, 8 and 17 t DM/ha, 4 years after planting. Over seasons and years, crude protein concentrations (g/kg DM) ranged within 151-257 for E. angustifolia, 70-241 for U. pumila and 92-187 for P. euphratica. The metabolizable energy concentrations (MJ/kg DM) were the highest in U. pumila and ranged within 9-10, followed by 7-10 of E. angustifolia and 7-9 of P. euphratica. The organic matter digestibility (%) ranged within 58-70, 54-66, and 51-66, respectively, for these species. These indicators combined denoted a medium-to-good feed quality of E. angustifolia and U. pumila leaves as a cheap protein supplement to roughages. The foliage of P. euphratica was the least suitable. The seasonal profile of in vitro indicators revealed the highest feed quality in spring but early fall seems most appropriate for forage collection given the peak leaf production and an adequate quality. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A novel approach combining self-organizing map and parallel factor analysis for monitoring water quality of watersheds under non-point source pollution

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yixiang; Liang, Xinqiang; Wang, Zhibo; Xu, Lixian

2015-01-01

High content of organic matter in the downstream of watersheds underscored the severity of non-point source (NPS) pollution. The major objectives of this study were to characterize and quantify dissolved organic matter (DOM) in watersheds affected by NPS pollution, and to apply self-organizing map (SOM) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to assess fluorescence properties as proxy indicators for NPS pollution and labor-intensive routine water quality indicators. Water from upstreams and downstreams was sampled to measure dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and excitation-emission matrix (EEM). Five fluorescence components were modeled with PARAFAC. The regression analysis between PARAFAC intensities (Fmax) and raw EEM measurements indicated that several raw fluorescence measurements at target excitation-emission wavelength region could provide similar DOM information to massive EEM measurements combined with PARAFAC. Regression analysis between DOC concentration and raw EEM measurements suggested that some regions in raw EEM could be used as surrogates for labor-intensive routine indicators. SOM can be used to visualize the occurrence of pollution. Relationship between DOC concentration and PARAFAC components analyzed with SOM suggested that PARAFAC component 2 might be the major part of bulk DOC and could be recognized as a proxy indicator to predict the DOC concentration. PMID:26526140

Promoting father involvement in early home visiting services for vulnerable families: Findings from a pilot study of "Dads matter".

PubMed

Guterman, Neil B; Bellamy, Jennifer L; Banman, Aaron

2018-02-01

Despite mounting evidence on the importance of fathers in children's development, evidence-based perinatal home visitation programs have largely overlooked fathers in the design and delivery of services. This paper describes the design, development, and pilot testing of the "Dads Matter" enhancement to standard home visiting services. Dads Matter is a manualized intervention package designed to fully incorporate fathers into perinatal home visiting services. Twenty-four families were enrolled in a pilot study to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of the intervention. Using a quasi-experimental time-lagged design, 12 families received standard home visiting services and completed baseline and four-month post-tests. Home visitor staff were then trained and supervised to implement the Dads Matter enhancement in addition to standard services. Twelve additional families were then enrolled and completed baseline and four-month post-tests. Implementation data indicated that Dads Matter was implemented as planned. Cohen's d scores on outcome measures indicate positive trends associated with Dads Matter in the quality of the mother-father relationship, perceived stress reported by both parents, fathers' involvement with the child, maltreatment indicators, and fathers' verbalizations toward the infant. Effect sizes generally ranged from moderate to large in magnitude and were larger than overall effect sizes of home visitation services alone reported in prior meta-analyses. Dads Matter appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and promising approach to improving fathers' engagement in home visiting services and promoting family and child well-being. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Effects of the different land use on soil labile organic matter and carbon management index in Junyun Mountain].

PubMed

Xu, Peng; Jiang, Chang-Sheng; Hao, Qing-Ju; Zhu, Tao

2013-10-01

The impacts of different land use on soil organic matter (SOM), soil labile organic matter (SLOM) and their efficiency ratios (ER), and soil carbon management index (CMI) were studied in this study. Subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (abbreviation: forest) , sloping farmland, orchard and abandoned land were selected and soils at the depths of 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 and 50-60 cm were sampled in the spring of 2011 to determine the contents of soil organic matter and labile organic matter. The results showed that the contents of soil organic matter and soil labile organic matter both decreased with the increase of soil depth under all four land use types; however, forest and orchard enriched SOM and SLOM contents in the 0-10 cm and 0-20 cm soil layers, respectively, while the contents of SOM and SLOM decreased evenly in sloping farmland and abandoned land. In the whole soil layer (0-60 cm) , the order of SOM and SLOM contents was abandoned land > forest > orchard > sloping farmland, indicating that at the conversion from forest into orchard or sloping farmland, SOM was reduced by 21.56% (P >0.05) and 55.90% (P <0.05), respectively, and at the conversion from sloping farmland into abandoned land, the low SLOM, middle SLOM and high SLOM increased by 144.2% (P<0.05) , 153.3% (P <0.05) and 242.7% (P <0.05), respectively. There was no significant difference in low ER, middle ER and high ER among the four land uses as suggested by ANOVA which showed that SRs were not sensible to the change of land use. All three CMis were in the order of abandoned land > forest > orchard > sloping farmland, revealing that forest reclamation resulted in the reduction of soil organic carbon storage and the decline of soil quality, and the abandonment of sloping farmland would increase soil carbon sink and improve soil quality. Three kinds of SLOM were all positively correlated with soil total nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium, while negatively correlated with soil density bulk, indicating that SLOM had close relationships with soil physical and chemical characters and could be used as an important index to reflect soil nutrient status and judge soil quality.

75 FR 16459 - Draft Document Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter AGENCY: Environmental... Review of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards--First External Review Draft (75... Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards--First External Review Draft (March 2010), please...

78 FR 23524 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Particulate Matter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Particulate Matter Ambient Air Quality Standards... revise the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) for particulate matter under the Clean Air Act. This submission contains the 24-hour fine particle National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) promulgated by...

Natural organic matter properties in Swedish agricultural streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieroza, Magdalena; Kyllmar, Katarina; Bergström, Lars; Köhler, Stephan

2016-04-01

We have analysed natural organic matter (NOM) properties in 18 agricultural streams in Sweden covering a broad range of environmental (climate, soil type), land use and water quality (nutrient and concentrations, pH, alkalinity) characteristics. Stream water samples collected every two weeks within an ongoing Swedish Monitoring Programme for Agriculture have been analysed for total/dissolved organic carbon, absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. A number of quantitative and qualitative spectroscopic parameters was calculated to help to distinguish between terrestrially-derived, refractory organic material and autochthonous, labile material indicative of biogeochemical transformations of terrestrial NOM and recent biological production. The study provides insights into organic matter properties and carbon budgets in agricultural streams and improves understanding of how agricultural catchments transform natural and anthropogenic fluxes of organic matter and nutrients to signals observed in receiving waters.

Organic matter in central California radiation fogs.

PubMed

Herckes, Pierre; Lee, Taehyoung; Trenary, Laurie; Kang, Gongunn; Chang, Hui; Collett, Jeffrey L

2002-11-15

Organic matter was studied in radiation fogs in the San Joaquin Valley of California during the California Regional Particulate Air Quality Study (CRPAQS). Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations ranged from 2 to 40 ppm of C. While most organic carbon was found in solution as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), 23% on average was not dissolved inside the fog drops. We observe a clear variation of organic matter concentration with droplet size. TOC concentrations in small fog drops (<17 microm) were a factor of 3, on average, higher than TOC concentrations in larger drops. As much as half of the dissolved organic matter was determined to have a molecular weight higher than 500 Da. Deposition fluxes of organic matter in fog drops were high (0.5-4.3 microg of C m(-2) min(-1)), indicating the importance of fog processing as a vector for removal of organic matter from the atmosphere. Deposition velocities of organic matter, however, were usually found to be lower than deposition velocities for fogwater, consistent with the enrichment of the organic matter in smaller fog drops with lower terminal settling velocities.

Spectroscopic characteristics of soil organic matter as a tool to assess soil physical quality in Mediterranean ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Recio Vázquez, Lorena; Almendros, Gonzalo; Knicker, Heike; López-Martín, María; Carral, Pilar; Álvarez, Ana

2014-05-01

In Mediterranean areas, the loss of soil physical quality is of particular concern due to the vulnerability of these ecosystems in relation to unfavourable climatic conditions, which usually lead to soil degradation processes and severe decline of its functionality. As a result, increasing scientific attention is being paid on the exploration of soil properties which could be readily used as quality indicators, including organic matter which, in fact, represents a key factor in the maintenance of soil physical status. In this line, the present research tackles the assessment of the quality of several soils from central Spain with the purpose of identifying the physical properties most closely correlated with the organic matter, considering not only the quantity but also the quality of the different C-forms. The studied attributes consist of a series of physical properties determined in field and laboratory conditions-total porosity, aggregate stability, available water capacity, air provision, water infiltration rate and soil hydric saturation-.The bulk organic matter was characterised by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy and the major organic fractions (lipids, free particulate organic matter, fulvic acids, humic acids and humin) were quantified using standard procedures. The humic acids were also analysed by visible and infrared spectroscopies. The use of multidimensional scaling to classify physical properties in conjunction with molecular descriptors of soil organic matter, suggested significant correlations between the two set of variables, which were confirmed with simple and canonical regression models. The results pointed to two well-defined groups of physical attributes in the studied soils: (i) those associated with organic matter of predominantly aromatic character (water infiltration descriptors), and (ii) soil physical variables related to organic matter with marked aliphatic character, high preservation of the lignin signature and comparatively low degree of humification (properties involved in the maintenance of physical support, water storage and air provision functions). From the practical viewpoint, the results support the idea that the detailed structural study of the different soil C-forms is useful for accurately monitoring soil physical status. The quantification of total soil organic carbon ought to be complemented with qualitative analyses of the organic matter, at least at the spectroscopic level, which can be used for the early diagnosis of possible degradation processes. Moreover, in already degraded soils, the knowledge of the sources of variability for each physical property provides valuable information for the restoration of these ecosystems by adapting inputs of organic matter with specific features (aliphatic nature, oxidation degree, humification stage, etc.) to particular soil degradation problems (i.e. soil compaction, waterlogging, water erosion, etc.).

Evaluating climatic and non-climatic stresses for declining surface water quality in Bagmati River of Nepal.

PubMed

Panthi, Jeeban; Li, Fengting; Wang, Hongtao; Aryal, Suman; Dahal, Piyush; Ghimire, Sheila; Kabenge, Martin

2017-06-01

Both climatic and non-climatic factors affect surface water quality. Similar to its effect across various sectors and areas, climate change has potential to affect surface water quality directly and indirectly. On the one hand, the rise in temperature enhances the microbial activity and decomposition of organic matter in the river system and changes in rainfall alter discharge and water flow in the river ultimately affecting pollution dilution level. On the other hand, the disposal of organic waste and channelizing municipal sewage into the rivers seriously worsen water quality. This study attempts to relate hydro-climatology, water quality, and impact of climatic and non-climatic stresses in affecting river water quality in the upper Bagmati basin in Central Nepal. The results showed that the key water quality indicators such as dissolved oxygen and chemical oxygen demand are getting worse in recent years. No significant relationships were found between the key water quality indicators and changes in key climatic variables. However, the water quality indicators correlated with the increase in urban population and per capita waste production in the city. The findings of this study indicate that dealing with non-climatic stressors such as reducing direct disposal of sewerage and other wastes in the river rather than emphasizing on working with the effects from climate change would largely help to improve water quality in the river flowing from highly populated urban areas.

Quality Matters Rubric Potential for Enhancing Online Foreign Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Zumor, Abdul Wahed Q.

2015-01-01

Quality Matters Program is designed to certify the quality of online courses in colleges and universities across and beyond the U.S. The Quality Matters Rubric (QMR) consists of eight general standards and 41 specific standards which are used to evaluate and design online and blended courses. The purpose of this study is to highlight the QMR…

Quality Matters[TM] Accessibility Survey: Institutional Practices and Policies for Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Barbara A.; King, Denise K.

2011-01-01

Quality Matters (QM) is a professional organization that offers a faculty-centered, peer review process to certify the quality of online and blended courses. The purpose of this white paper is to share the results of a Quality Matters accessibility benchmarking study administered to 84 subscriber institutions. The primary goal of the survey was to…

[Effects of air pollution on human health and their importance in Mexico City].

PubMed

Vallejo, Maite; Jáuregui-Renaud, Kathrine; Hermosillo, Antonio G; Márquez, Manlio F; Cárdenas, Manuel

2003-01-01

The impact of air pollution on human health is a complicated problem. In this review, we describe the main health effects of exposure to ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead and particulate matter. Geographical characteristics of the metropolitan area of Mexico City that favor pollutant persistence with adverse effects on the population are described; the use of the Indice Metropolitano de la Calidad del Aire (IMECA), current norms, and present programs to diminish this problem are discussed. Evidence shows that through these actions, air quality has improved. However, some pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, still exceed the standard. To further improve air quality in the city, existing programs should continue and multidisciplinary research, both basic and applied, is required.

Linking groundwater dissolved organic matter to sedimentary organic matter from a fluvio-lacustrine aquifer at Jianghan Plain, China by EEM-PARAFAC and hydrochemical analyses.

PubMed

Huang, Shuang-bing; Wang, Yan-xin; Ma, Teng; Tong, Lei; Wang, Yan-yan; Liu, Chang-rong; Zhao, Long

2015-10-01

The sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater are important to groundwater chemistry and quality. This study examined similarities in the nature of DOM and investigated the link between groundwater DOM (GDOM) and sedimentary organic matter (SOM) from a lacustrine-alluvial aquifer at Jianghan Plain. Sediment, groundwater and surface water samples were employed for SOM extraction, optical and/or chemical characterization, and subsequent fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) and parallel factor analyses (PARAFAC). Spectroscopic properties of bulk DOM pools showed that indices indicative of GDOM (e.g., biological source properties, humification level, aromaticity and molecule mobility) varied within the ranges of those of two extracted end-members of SOM: humic-like materials and microbe-associated materials. The coexistence of PARAFAC compositions and the sustaining internal relationship between GDOM and extracted SOM indicate a similar source. The results from principal component analyses with selected spectroscopic indices showed that GDOM exhibited a transition trend regarding its nature: from refractory high-humification DOM to intermediate humification DOM and then to microbe-associated DOM, with decreasing molecular weight. Correlations of spectroscopic indices with physicochemical parameters of the groundwater suggested that GDOM was released from SOM and was modified by microbial diagenetic processes. The current study demonstrated the associations of GDOM with SOM from a spectroscopic viewpoint and provided new evidence supporting SOM as the source of GDOM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A REGIONAL MODEL FOR PCDD/F'S BASED ON A PHOTOCHEMICAL MODEL FOR AIR QUALITY AND PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

How important is gas to particle partitioning in predicting air concentrations and deposition of Poly-Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Furans (PCDD/F's)? Literature indicates that the fate of emissions changes because the summation of atmospheric processes has a different balanc...

Density and nest survival of golden-cheeked warblers: Spatial scale matters

Treesearch

Jennifer L. Reidy; Frank R., III Thompson; Lisa O' Donnell

2017-01-01

Conservation and management plans often rely on indicators such as species occupancy or density to define habitat quality, ignoring factors that influence reproductive success, and potentially limiting conservation achievements. We examined relationships between predicted density and nest survival with environmental features at multiple spatial scales for the golden-...

Perceptions of healthcare quality in Ghana: Does health insurance status matter?

PubMed Central

Duku, Stephen Kwasi Opoku

2018-01-01

This study’s objective is to provide an alternative explanation for the low enrolment in health insurance in Ghana by analysing differences in perceptions between the insured and uninsured of the non-technical quality of healthcare. It further explores the association between insurance status and perception of healthcare quality to ascertain whether insurance status matters in the perception of healthcare quality. Data from a survey of 1,903 households living in the catchment area of 64 health centres were used for the analysis. Two sample independent t-tests were employed to compare the average perceptions of the insured and uninsured on seven indicators of non-technical quality of healthcare. A generalised ordered logit regression, controlling for socio-economic characteristics and clustering at the health facility level, tested the association between insurance status and perceived quality of healthcare. The perceptions of the insured were found to be significantly more negative than the uninsured and those of the previously insured were significantly more negative than the never insured. Being insured was associated with a significantly lower perception of healthcare quality. Thus, once people are insured, they tend to perceive the quality of healthcare they receive as poor compared to those without insurance. This study demonstrated that health insurance status matters in the perceptions of healthcare quality. The findings also imply that perceptions of healthcare quality may be shaped by individual experiences at the health facilities, where the insured and uninsured may be treated differently. Health insurance then becomes less attractive due to the poor perception of the healthcare quality provided to individuals with insurance, resulting in low demand for health insurance in Ghana. Policy makers in Ghana should consider redesigning, reorganizing, and reengineering the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme to ensure the provision of better quality healthcare for both the insured and uninsured. PMID:29338032

Difference of performance in response to disease admissions between daily time air quality indices and those derived from average and entropy functions.

PubMed

Lai, Li-Wei; Cheng, Wan-Li

2017-06-01

Daily time air quality indices, which can reflect air quality in 1 day, are suitable for identifying daily exposure during conditions of poor air quality. The aim of this study is to compare the main effectiveness of four daily time indices in representing variation in the number of disease admissions. These indices include pollution standard index (PSI), air quality index (AQI) and their respective indices derived from mean and entropy functions: MEPSI and MEAQI. The hourly concentrations of fine particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter (PM 10 ), PM 2.5 , O 3 , CO, NO 2 and SO 2 from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 were obtained from 14 air quality monitoring stations owned by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in the Kaoping region, Taiwan.Instead of circulatory system disease admissions, the indices were correlative with the number of respiratory disease admissions with correlative coefficients of 0.49 to 0.56 (P < 0.05). The daily time air quality indices derived from mean and entropy functions improved their performance of reactive range and air pollution identification. The reactive range of MEPSI and MEAQI was 1.4-3 times that of the original indices. The MEPSI and MEAQI increased identification from 40 to 180 in index scale and revealed one to two additional categories of public health effect information. In comparison with other indices, MEAQI is more effective for application to pollution events with multiple air pollutants.

Using Learning Analytics to Enhance Student Learning in Online Courses Based on Quality Matters Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Ndoye, Abdou; Wilkins, Patricia

2016-01-01

Quality Matters is recognized as a rigorous set of standards that guide the designer or instructor to design quality online courses. We explore how Quality Matters standards guide the identification and analysis of learning analytics data to monitor and improve online learning. Descriptive data were collected for frequency of use, time spent, and…

SPRUCE Advanced Molecular Techniques Provide a Rigorous Method for Characterizing Organic Matter Quality in Complex Systems: Supporting Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, Rachel M; Tfaily, Malak M

These data are provided in support of the Commentary, Advanced molecular techniques provide a rigorous method for characterizing organic matter quality in complex systems, Wilson and Tfaily (2018). Measurement results demonstrate that optical characterization of peatland dissolved organic matter (DOM) may not fully capture classically identified chemical characteristics and may, therefore, not be the best measure of organic matter quality.

Instructional Design and Online Learning: A Quality Assurance Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, Rose M.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in the evaluations of online course quality using the Quality Matters model among four groups of reviewers: instructional designers, faculty with subject-matter expertise, peer faculty with no subject-matter expertise, and administrators. A causal-comparative design was utilized to…

Effects of alkyl polyglycoside (APG) on composting of agricultural wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Fabao; Gu Wenjie, E-mail: guwenjie1982@yahoo.cn; Xu Peizhi

2011-06-15

Composting is the biological degradation and transformation of organic materials under controlled conditions to promote aerobic decomposition. To find effective ways to accelerate composting and improve compost quality, numerous methods including additive addition, inoculation of microorganisms, and the use of biosurfactants have been explored. Studies have shown that biosurfactant addition provides more favorable conditions for microorganism growth, thereby accelerating the composting process. However, biosurfactants have limited applications because they are expensive and their use in composting and microbial fertilizers is prohibited. Meanwhile, alkyl polyglycoside (APG) is considered a 'green' surfactant. This study aims to determine whether APG addition into amore » compost reaction vessel during 28-day composting can enhance the organic matter degradation and composting process of dairy manure. Samples were periodically taken from different reactor depths at 0, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. pH levels, electrical conductivity (EC), ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, seed germination indices, and microbial population were determined. Organic matter and total nitrogen were also measured. Compared with the untreated control, the sample with APG exhibited slightly increased microbial populations, such as bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. APG addition increased temperatures without substantially affecting compost pH and EC throughout the process. After 28 days, APG addition increased nitrate nitrogen concentrations, promoted matter degradation, and increased seed germination indices. The results of this study suggest that the addition of APG provides more favorable conditions for microorganism growth, slightly enhancing organic matter decomposition and accelerating the composting process, improving the compost quality to a certain extent.« less

Effects of alkyl polyglycoside (APG) on composting of agricultural wastes.

PubMed

Zhang, Fabao; Gu, Wenjie; Xu, Peizhi; Tang, Shuanhu; Xie, Kaizhi; Huang, Xu; Huang, Qiaoyi

2011-06-01

Composting is the biological degradation and transformation of organic materials under controlled conditions to promote aerobic decomposition. To find effective ways to accelerate composting and improve compost quality, numerous methods including additive addition, inoculation of microorganisms, and the use of biosurfactants have been explored. Studies have shown that biosurfactant addition provides more favorable conditions for microorganism growth, thereby accelerating the composting process. However, biosurfactants have limited applications because they are expensive and their use in composting and microbial fertilizers is prohibited. Meanwhile, alkyl polyglycoside (APG) is considered a "green" surfactant. This study aims to determine whether APG addition into a compost reaction vessel during 28-day composting can enhance the organic matter degradation and composting process of dairy manure. Samples were periodically taken from different reactor depths at 0, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. pH levels, electrical conductivity (EC), ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, seed germination indices, and microbial population were determined. Organic matter and total nitrogen were also measured. Compared with the untreated control, the sample with APG exhibited slightly increased microbial populations, such as bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. APG addition increased temperatures without substantially affecting compost pH and EC throughout the process. After 28 days, APG addition increased nitrate nitrogen concentrations, promoted matter degradation, and increased seed germination indices. The results of this study suggest that the addition of APG provides more favorable conditions for microorganism growth, slightly enhancing organic matter decomposition and accelerating the composting process, improving the compost quality to a certain extent. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial community structure is affected by cropping sequences and poultry litter under long-term no-tillage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil microorganisms play essential roles in soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling in agroecosystems and have been used as soil quality indicators. The response of soil microbial communities to land management is complex and the long-term impacts of cropping systems on soil microbes is l...

75 FR 17894 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Particulate Matter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-08

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Particulate Matter Standards AGENCY: Environmental... matter standards in October 2006 by strengthening the 24-hour fine particulate standard and revoking the... standards to match the current Federal standards for particulate matter. DATES: Comments must be received on...

75 FR 65594 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Particulate Matter Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Particulate Matter Standards AGENCY: Environmental... in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3745-17, ``Particulate Matter Standards.'' The revisions were submitted by Ohio EPA to satisfy the State's 5-year review requirements. The particulate matter...

Survey of quality indicators in commercial dehydrated fruits.

PubMed

Megías-Pérez, Roberto; Gamboa-Santos, Juliana; Soria, Ana Cristina; Villamiel, Mar; Montilla, Antonia

2014-05-01

Physical and chemical quality parameters (dry matter, aw, protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C, 2-furoylmethyl amino acids, rehydration ratio and leaching loss) have been determined in 30 commercial dehydrated fruits (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, cherry, apple, grapefruit, mango, kiwifruit, pineapple, melon, coconut, banana and papaya). For comparison purposes, strawberry samples processed in the laboratory by freeze-drying and by convective drying were used as control samples. Overall quality of dehydrated fruits seemed to be greatly dependent on processing conditions and, in a cluster analysis, samples which were presumably subjected to osmotic dehydration were separated from the rest of fruits. These samples presented the lowest concentration of vitamin C and the highest evolution of Maillard reaction, as evidenced by its high concentration of 2-furoylmethyl amino acids. This is the first study on the usefulness of this combination of chemical and physical indicators to assess the overall quality of commercial dehydrated fruits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban air-quality assessment and source apportionment studies for Bhubaneshwar, Odisha

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahapatra, Parth Sarathi; Ray, Sanak; Das, Namrata; Mohanty, Ayusman; Ramulu, T. S.; Das, Trupti; Chaudhury, G. Roy; Das, S. N.

2013-04-01

Acid- and water-soluble component of suspended particulate matter was studied from January 2009 to December 2009 at Bhubaneshwar, an urban coastal location of eastern India, by high-volume sampler, environmental dust monitor using GRIMM®, and scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The water-soluble components accounted for 30-45 % of the total suspended particulate matter, and the major elements were observed to be ammonium and nitrate as the cationic and anionic species, respectively. The acid-soluble component like copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, and lead accounted for 5-15 % of the total particulate matter concentration. The composition of particulate matter shows a clear seasonal variation in relation to wind speed, wind direction, and trajectories of the air mass movement. The GRIMM spectrometer analysis shows higher concentration of fine particulate matter. Source apportionment and enrichment factor analysis indicated that except sodium and chloride, all other elements have emerged from different sources such as crustal as well as anthropogenic.

Dissolved organic matter in the Florida everglades: Implications for ecosystem restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aiken, G.R.; Gilmour, C.C.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.; Orem, W.

2011-01-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Florida Everglades controls a number of environmental processes important for ecosystem function including the absorption of light, mineral dissolution/precipitation, transport of hydrophobic compounds (e.g., pesticides), and the transport and reactivity of metals, such as mercury. Proposed attempts to return the Everglades to more natural flow conditions will result in changes to the present transport of DOM from the Everglades Agricultural Area and the northern conservation areas to Florida Bay. In part, the restoration plan calls for increasing water flow throughout the Everglades by removing some of the manmade barriers to flow in place today. The land- and water-use practices associated with the plan will likely result in changes in the quality, quantity, and reactivity of DOM throughout the greater Everglades ecosystem. The authors discuss the factors controlling DOM concentrations and chemistry, present distribution of DOM throughout the Everglades, the potential effects of DOM on key water-quality issues, and the potential utility of dissolved organic matter as an indicator of success of restoration efforts. Copyright ?? 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Z. D.; Song, K. S.; Zhao, Y.; Du, J.; Ma, J. H.

2016-02-01

Spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined in conjunction with environmental factors in the waters of rivers and terminal lakes within the Hulun Buir plateau, northeast China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) were significantly higher in terminal lakes than rivers waters (p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that non-water light absorption and anthropogenic nutrient disturbances were the likely causes of the diversity of water quality parameters. CDOM absorption in river waters was significantly lower than terminal lakes. Analysis of the ratio of absorption at 250 to 365 nm (E250 : 365), specific ultraviolet (UV) absorbance (SUVA254), and the spectral slope ratio (Sr) indicated that CDOM in river waters had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and vascular plant contribution than in terminal lakes. Furthermore, results showed that DOC concentration, CDOM light absorption, and the proportion of autochthonous sources of CDOM in plateau waters were all higher than in other freshwater rivers reported in the literature. The strong evapoconcentration, intense ultraviolet irradiance, and landscape features of the Hulun Buir plateau may be responsible for the above phenomenon. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the environmental variables total suspended matter (TSM), TN, and electrical conductivity (EC) had a strong correlation with light absorption characteristics, followed by total dissolved solid (TDS) and chlorophyll a. In most sampling locations, CDOM was the dominant non-water light-absorbing substance. Light absorption by non-algal particles often exceeded that by phytoplankton in the plateau waters. Study of these optical-physicochemical correlations is helpful in the evaluation of the potential influence of water quality factors on non-water light absorption in cold plateau water environments. The construction of a correlation between DOC concentration and water quality factors may help contribute to regional estimates of carbon sources and fate for catchment carbon budget assessments.

SF Box--a tool for evaluating the effects on soil functions in remediation projects.

PubMed

Volchko, Yevheniya; Norrman, Jenny; Rosén, Lars; Norberg, Tommy

2014-10-01

Although remediation is usually aimed at reducing the risks posed by contaminants to human health and the environment, it is also desirable that the remediated soil within future green spaces is capable of providing relevant ecological functions, e.g., basis for primary production. Yet while addressing a contamination problem by reducing contaminant concentration and/or amounts in the soil, the remedial action itself can lead to soil structure disturbances, decline in organic matter and nutrient deficiencies, and in turn affect a soil's capacity to carry out its ecological soil functions. This article presents the Soil Function Box (SF Box) tool that is aimed to facilitate integration of information from suggested soil quality indicators (SQIs) into a management process in remediation using a scoring method. The scored SQIs are integrated into a soil quality index corresponding to 1 of 5 classes. SF Box is applied to 2 cases from Sweden (Kvillebäcken and Hexion), explicitly taking into consideration uncertainties in the results by means of Monte Carlo simulations. At both sites the generated soil quality indices corresponded to a medium soil performance (soil class 3) with a high certainty. The main soil constraints at both Kvillebäcken and Hexion were associated with biological activity in the soil, as soil organisms were unable to supply plant-available N. At the Kvillebäcken site the top layer had a content of coarse fragment (ø > 2 mm) higher than 35%, indicating plant rooting limitations. At the Hexion site, the soil had limited amount of organic matter, thus poor aggregate stability and nutrient cycling potential. In contrast, the soil at Kvillebäcken was rich in organic matter. The soils at both sites were capable of storing a sufficient amount of water for soil organisms between precipitation events. © 2014 SETAC.

75 FR 30710 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Particulate Matter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Particulate Matter Standards; Withdrawal of Direct... were made to the particulate matter standards by adding fine particulate standards and revoking the..., Intergovernmental relations, Particulate matter. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Dated: May 14, 2010. Walter W...

Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in Southwestern Greenland Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osburn, C. L.; Giles, M. E.; Underwood, G. J. C.

2014-12-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important property of Arctic lake ecosystems, originating from allochthonous inputs from catchments and autochthonous production by plankton in the water column. Little is known about the quality of DOM in Arctic lakes that lack substantial inputs from catchments and such lakes are abundant in southwestern Greenland. Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), the fraction that absorbs ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, is the controlling factor for the optical properties of many surface waters and as well informs on the quality of DOM. We examined the quality of CDOM in 21 lakes in southwestern Greenland, from the ice sheet to the coast, as part of a larger study examining the role of DOM in regulating microbial communities in these lakes. DOM was size fractioned and absorbance and fluorescence was measured on each size fraction, as well as on bulk DOM. The specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) at 254 nm (SUVA254), computed by normalizing absorption (a254) to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, provided an estimate of the aromatic carbon content of DOM. SUVA values were generally <2, indicating low aromatic content. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of CDOM fluorescence was used to determine the relative abundance of allochthonous and autochthonous DOM in all size fractions. Younger lakes near the ice sheet and lakes near the coast had lower amounts of CDOM and appeared more microbial in quality. However, lakes centrally located between the ice sheet and the coast had the highest CDOM concentrations and exhibited strong humic fluorescence. Overall distinct differences in CDOM quality were observed between lake locations and among DOM size fractions.

Response of Benthic Foraminifera to Organic Matter Quantity and Quality and Bioavailable Concentrations of Metals in Aveiro Lagoon (Portugal)

PubMed Central

Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Silva, Frederico; Laut, Lazaro L. M.; Frontalini, Fabrizio; Clemente, Iara M. M. M.; Miranda, Paulo; Figueira, Rubens; Sousa, Silvia H. M.; Dias, João M. Alveirinho

2015-01-01

This work analyses the distribution of living benthic foraminiferal assemblages of surface sediments in different intertidal areas of Ria de Aveiro (Portugal), a polihaline and anthropized coastal lagoon. The relationships among foraminiferal assemblages in association with environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, Eh and pH), grain size, the quantity and quality of organic matter (enrichment in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids), pollution caused by metals, and mineralogical data are studied in an attempt to identify indicators of adaptability to environmental stress. In particular, concentrations of selected metals in the surficial sediment are investigated to assess environmental pollution levels that are further synthetically parameterised by the Pollution Load Index (PLI). The PLI variations allowed the identification of five main polluted areas. Concentrations of metals were also analysed in three extracted phases to evaluate their possible mobility, bioavailability and toxicity in the surficial sediment. Polluted sediment in the form of both organic matter and metals can be found in the most confined zones. Whereas enrichment in organic matter and related biopolymers causes an increase in foraminifera density, pollution by metals leads to a decline in foraminiferal abundance and diversity in those zones. The first situation may be justified by the existence of opportunistic species (with high reproduction rate) that can live in low oxic conditions. The second is explained by the sensitivity of some species to pressure caused by metals. The quality of the organic matter found in these places and the option of a different food source should also explain the tolerance of several species to pollution caused by metals, despite their low reproductive rate in the most polluted areas. In this study, species that are sensitive and tolerant to organic matter and metal enrichment are identified, as is the differential sensitivity/tolerance of some species to metals enrichment. PMID:25706860

Assessment of the natural sources of particulate matter on the opencast mines air quality.

PubMed

Huertas, J I; Huertas, M E; Cervantes, G; Díaz, J

2014-09-15

Particulate matter is the main air pollutant in open pit mining areas. Preferred models that simulate the dispersion of the particles have been used to assess the environmental impact of the mining activities. Results obtained through simulation have been compared with the particle concentration measured in several sites and a coefficient of determination R(2)<0.78 has been reported. This result indicates that in the open pit mining areas there may be additional sources of particulate matter that have not been considered in the modeling process. This work proposes that the unconsidered sources of emissions are of regional scope such as the re-suspension particulate matter due to the wind action over uncovered surfaces. Furthermore, this work proposes to estimate the impact of such emissions on air quality as a function of the present and past meteorological conditions. A statistical multiple regression model was implemented in one of the world's largest open pit coal mining regions which is located in northern Colombia. Data from 9 particle-concentration monitoring stations and 3 meteorological stations obtained from 2009 to 2012 were statistically compared. Results confirmed the existence of a high linear relation (R(2)>0.95) between meteorological variables and particulate matter concentration being humidity, humidity of the previous day and temperature, the meteorological variables that contributed most significantly in the variance of the particulate matter concentration measured in the mining area while the contribution of the AERMOD estimations to the short term TSP (Total Suspended Particles) measured concentrations was negligible (<5%). The multiple regression model was used to identify the meteorological condition that leads to pollution episodes. It was found that conditions drier than 54% lead to pollution episodes while humidities greater than 70% maintain safe air quality conditions in the mining region in northern Colombia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors That Matter to Low-Income and Racial/Ethnic Minority Mothers When Choosing a Pediatric Practice: a Mixed Methods Analysis.

PubMed

Goff, Sarah L; Mazor, Kathleen M; Guhn-Knight, Haley; Budway, Yara Youssef; Murphy, Lorna; White, Katharine O; Lagu, Tara; Pekow, Penelope S; Priya, Aruna; Lindenauer, Peter K

2017-12-01

Pediatric practices' scores on healthcare quality measures are increasingly available to the public. However, patients from low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations rarely use these data. We sought to understand potential barriers to using quality data by assessing what factors mattered to women when choosing a pediatric practice. As part of a randomized trial to overcome barriers to using quality data, we recruited women from a prenatal clinic serving an underserved population. Women reported how much 12 factors mattered when they chose a pediatric practice (5-point Likert scale), what other factors mattered to them, and which factors mattered the most. We assessed whether factor importance varied with selected participant characteristics and qualitatively analyzed the "other" factors named. Participants' (n = 367) median age was 23 years, and they were largely Hispanic (60.4%), white (21.2%), or black (16.9%). Insurance acceptance "mattered a lot" to the highest percentage of women (93.2%), while online information about what other parents think of a practice "mattered a lot" to the fewest (7.4%). Major themes from our qualitative analysis of "other" factors that mattered included physicians' interpersonal skills and pediatrician-specific traits. Factors related to access "mattered the most" to the majority of women. Pediatrician characteristics and factors related to access to care may be more important to low-income and racial/ethnic minority women than more commonly reported quality metrics. Aligning both the content and delivery of publicly reported quality data with women's interests may increase use of pediatric quality data. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01784575.

Distinctive effects of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter on CDOM spectra in a tropical lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pena Mello Brandão, Luciana; Silva Brighenti, Ludmila; Staehr, Peter Anton; Asmala, Eero; Massicotte, Philippe; Tonetta, Denise; Antônio Rodrigues Barbosa, Francisco; Pujoni, Diego; Fernandes Bezerra-Neto, José

2018-05-01

Despite the increasing understanding about differences in carbon cycling between temperate and tropical freshwater systems, our knowledge on the importance of organic matter (OM) pools on light absorption properties in tropical lakes is very scarce. We performed a factorial mesocosm experiment in a tropical lake (Minas Gerais, Brazil) to evaluate the effects of increased concentrations of allochthonous and autochthonous OM, and differences in light availability on the light absorption characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Autochthonous OM deriving from phytoplankton ( ˜ Chl a) was stimulated by addition of nutrients, while OM from degradation of terrestrial leaves increased allochthonous OM, and neutral shading was used to manipulate light availability. Effects of the additions and shading on DOC, Chl a, nutrients, total suspended solid concentrations (TSM) and spectral CDOM absorption were monitored every 3 days. CDOM quality was characterized by spectral indices (S250-450, S275-295, S350-450, SR and SUVA254). Effects of carbon sources and shading on the spectral CDOM absorption was investigated through principal component (PCA) and redundancy (RDA) analyses. The two different OM sources affected CDOM quality very differently and shading had minor effects on OM levels, but significant effects on OM quality, especially in combination with nutrient additions. Spectral indices (S250-450 and SR) were mostly affected by allochthonous OM addition. The PCA showed that enrichment by allochthonous carbon had a strong effect on the CDOM spectra in the range between 300 and 400 nm, while the increase in autochthonous carbon increased absorption at wavelengths below 350 nm. Our study shows that small inputs of allochthonous OM can have large effects on the spectral light absorption compared to large production of autochthonous OM, with important implications for carbon cycling in tropical lakes.

Characterization of chromophoric dissolved organic matter and relationships among PARAFAC components and water quality parameters in Heilongjiang, China.

PubMed

Cui, Hongyang; Shi, Jianhong; Qiu, Linlin; Zhao, Yue; Wei, Zimin; Wang, Xinglei; Jia, Liming; Li, Jiming

2016-05-01

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important optically active substance that can transports nutrients and pollutants from terrestrial to aquatic systems. Additionally, it is used as a measure of water quality. To investigate the source and composition of CDOM, we used chemical and fluorescent analyses to characterize CDOM in Heilongjiang. The composition of CDOM can be investigated by excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). PARAFAC identified four individual components that were attributed to microbial humic-like (C1) and terrestrial humic-like (C2-4) in water samples collected from the Heilongjiang River. The relationships between the maximum fluorescence intensities of the four PARAFAC components and the water quality parameters indicate that the dynamic of the four components is related to nutrients in the Heilongjiang River. The relationships between the fluorescence component C3 and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) indicates that component C3 makes a great contribution to BOD5 and it can be used as a carbon source for microbes in the Heilongjiang River. Furthermore, the relationships between component C3, the particulate organic carbon (POC), and the chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) show that component C3 and POC make great contributions to BOD5 and CODMn. The use of these indexes along with PARAFAC results would be of help to characterize the co-variation between the CDOM and water quality parameters in the Heilongjiang River.

Making The Case: A Fact Sheet on Children and Youth on Out-of-School Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wellesley Centers for Women, 2006

2006-01-01

Research on school-age children (those between the ages of 5 and 12) indicates that an estimated 4 million regularly spend time without adult supervision. There is growing evidence that quality out-of-school opportunities matter, complementing environments created by schools and families and providing important "nutrients" that deter failure and…

The Social Determinants of Depression in Elderly Korean Immigrants in Canada: Does Acculturation Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Wooksoo; Chen, Ya-Ling

2011-01-01

Depression in old age significantly decreases the quality of life and may lead to serious consequences, such as suicide. Existing literature indicates that elderly Korean immigrants may experience higher levels of depression than other racial ethnic group elders. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate factors that influence…

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Argumentation in a Model Rocketry Physics Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gürel, Cem; Süzük, Erol

2017-01-01

This study investigates the quality of argumentation developed by a group of pre-service physics teachers' (PSPT) as an indicator of subject matter knowledge on model rocketry physics. The structure of arguments and scientific credibility model was used as a design framework in the study. The inquiry of model rocketry physics was employed in…

Impacts of crop growth dynamics on soil quality at the regional scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobin, Anne

2014-05-01

Agricultural land use and in particular crop growth dynamics can greatly affect soil quality. Both the amount of soil lost from erosion by water and soil organic matter are key indicators for soil quality. The aim was to develop a modelling framework for quantifying the impacts of crop growth dynamics on soil quality at the regional scale with test case Flanders. A framework for modelling the impacts of crop growth on soil erosion and soil organic matter was developed by coupling the dynamic crop cover model REGCROP (Gobin, 2010) to the PESERA soil erosion model (Kirkby et al., 2009) and to the RothC carbon model (Coleman and Jenkinson, 1999). All three models are process-based, spatially distributed and intended as a regional diagnostic tool. A geo-database was constructed covering 10 years of crop rotation in Flanders using the IACS parcel registration (Integrated Administration and Control System). Crop allometric models were developed from variety trials to calculate crop residues for common crops in Flanders and subsequently derive stable organic matter fluxes to the soil. Results indicate that crop growth dynamics and crop rotations influence soil quality for a very large percentage. soil erosion mainly occurs in the southern part of Flanders, where silty to loamy soils and a hilly topography are responsible for soil loss rates of up to 40 t/ha. Parcels under maize, sugar beet and potatoes are most vulnerable to soil erosion. Crop residues of grain maize and winter wheat followed by catch crops contribute most to the total carbon sequestered in agricultural soils. For the same rotations carbon sequestration is highest on clay soils and lowest on sandy soils. This implies that agricultural policies that impact on agricultural land management influence soil quality for a large percentage. The coupled REGCROP-PESERA-ROTHC model allows for quantifying the impact of seasonal and year-to-year crop growth dynamics on soil quality. When coupled to a multi-annual crop rotation database both spatial and temporal analysis becomes possible and allows for decision support at both farm and regional level. The framework is therefore suited for further scenario analysis and impact assessment. The research is funded by the Belgian Science Policy Organisation (Belspo) under contract nr SD/RI/03A.

Physical Quality Indicators and Mechanical Behavior of Agricultural Soils of Argentina.

PubMed

Imhoff, Silvia; da Silva, Alvaro Pires; Ghiberto, Pablo J; Tormena, Cássio A; Pilatti, Miguel A; Libardi, Paulo L

2016-01-01

Mollisols of Santa Fe have different tilth and load support capacity. Despite the importance of these attributes to achieve a sustainable crop production, few information is available. The objectives of this study are i) to assess soil physical indicators related to plant growth and to soil mechanical behavior; and ii) to establish relationships to estimate the impact of soil loading on the soil quality to plant growth. The study was carried out on Argiudolls and Hapludolls of Santa Fe. Soil samples were collected to determine texture, organic matter content, bulk density, water retention curve, soil resistance to penetration, least limiting water range, critical bulk density for plant growth, compression index, pre-consolidation pressure and soil compressibility. Water retention curve and soil resistance to penetration were linearly and significantly related to clay and organic matter (R2 = 0.91 and R2 = 0.84). The pedotransfer functions of water retention curve and soil resistance to penetration allowed the estimation of the least limiting water range and critical bulk density for plant growth. A significant nonlinear relationship was found between critical bulk density for plant growth and clay content (R2 = 0.98). Compression index was significantly related to bulk density, water content, organic matter and clay plus silt content (R2 = 0.77). Pre-consolidation pressure was significantly related to organic matter, clay and water content (R2 = 0.77). Soil compressibility was significantly related to initial soil bulk density, clay and water content. A nonlinear and significantly pedotransfer function (R2 = 0.88) was developed to predict the maximum acceptable pressure to be applied during tillage operations by introducing critical bulk density for plant growth in the compression model. The developed pedotransfer function provides a useful tool to link the mechanical behavior and tilth of the soils studied.

Physical Quality Indicators and Mechanical Behavior of Agricultural Soils of Argentina

PubMed Central

Pires da Silva, Alvaro; Ghiberto, Pablo J.; Tormena, Cássio A.; Pilatti, Miguel A.; Libardi, Paulo L.

2016-01-01

Mollisols of Santa Fe have different tilth and load support capacity. Despite the importance of these attributes to achieve a sustainable crop production, few information is available. The objectives of this study are i) to assess soil physical indicators related to plant growth and to soil mechanical behavior; and ii) to establish relationships to estimate the impact of soil loading on the soil quality to plant growth. The study was carried out on Argiudolls and Hapludolls of Santa Fe. Soil samples were collected to determine texture, organic matter content, bulk density, water retention curve, soil resistance to penetration, least limiting water range, critical bulk density for plant growth, compression index, pre-consolidation pressure and soil compressibility. Water retention curve and soil resistance to penetration were linearly and significantly related to clay and organic matter (R2 = 0.91 and R2 = 0.84). The pedotransfer functions of water retention curve and soil resistance to penetration allowed the estimation of the least limiting water range and critical bulk density for plant growth. A significant nonlinear relationship was found between critical bulk density for plant growth and clay content (R2 = 0.98). Compression index was significantly related to bulk density, water content, organic matter and clay plus silt content (R2 = 0.77). Pre-consolidation pressure was significantly related to organic matter, clay and water content (R2 = 0.77). Soil compressibility was significantly related to initial soil bulk density, clay and water content. A nonlinear and significantly pedotransfer function (R2 = 0.88) was developed to predict the maximum acceptable pressure to be applied during tillage operations by introducing critical bulk density for plant growth in the compression model. The developed pedotransfer function provides a useful tool to link the mechanical behavior and tilth of the soils studied. PMID:27099925

Health status after cancer: does it matter which hospital you belong to?

PubMed

Fiva, Jon H; Haegeland, Torbjørn; Rønning, Marte

2010-07-13

Survival rates are widely used to compare the quality of cancer care. However, the extent to which cancer survivors regain full physical or cognitive functioning is not captured by this statistic. To address this concern we introduce post-diagnosis employment as a supplemental measure of the quality of cancer care. This study is based on individual level data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry (n = 46,720) linked with data on labor market outcomes and socioeconomic status from Statistics Norway. We study variation across Norwegian hospital catchment areas (n = 55) with respect to survival and employment five years after cancer diagnosis. To handle the selection problem, we exploit the fact that cancer patients in Norway (until 2001) have been allocated to local hospitals based on their place of residence. We document substantial differences across catchment areas with respect to patients' post-diagnosis employment rates. Conventional quality indicators based on survival rates indicate smaller differences. The two sets of indicators are only moderately correlated. This analysis shows that indicators based on survival and post-diagnosis employment may capture different parts of the health status distribution, and that using only one of them to capture quality of care may be insufficient.

78 FR 23492 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Particulate Matter Air...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Particulate Matter Air Quality Standards AGENCY... submission contains the 24-hour fine particle (PM 2.5 ) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS..., ``National primary and secondary ambient air quality standards for PM 2.5 .'' In the submission, IDEM has...

Mind over matter? The role of individual perceptions in understanding the social ecology of housing environments for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

PubMed

Townley, Greg; Kloos, Bret

2014-12-01

There is a disagreement in place-based research regarding whether objective indicators or individual perceptions of environments are better predictors of well-being. This study assessed environmental influences on well-being for 373 individuals with psychiatric disabilities living independently in 66 neighborhoods in the southeastern United States. Three questions were examined utilizing random effects models: (1) How much variance in personal and neighborhood well-being can be explained by neighborhood membership? (2) What is the relationship between participant perceptions of neighborhood quality and researcher ratings of neighborhood quality? and (3) What is the relative influence of individual perceptions, perceptions aggregated by neighborhood, and researcher ratings of neighborhood quality in predicting personal and neighborhood well-being? Results indicate that individual perceptions of neighborhood quality were more closely related to well-being than either aggregated perceptions or researcher ratings. Thus, participants' perceptions of their neighborhoods were more important indicators of their well-being than objective ratings made by researchers. Findings have implications for measurement approaches and intervention design in placed-based research.

Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Capacity and Quality of Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Products.

PubMed

Tolić, Mandica-Tamara; Jurčević, Irena Landeka; Krbavčić, Ines Panjkota; Marković, Ksenija; Vahčić, Nada

2015-06-01

Chokeberries ( Aronia melanocarpa ) are rarely used in diet in Croatia but they have high content of polyphenolic compounds and one of the highest in vitro antioxidant activities among fruits. The aim of this study is to compare the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of different chokeberry products (juices, powders, fruit tea, capsules and dried berries). It can be expected that processing influences antioxidant activity and phenolic content of final products reaching consumers. Characterisation of phenolic compounds was carried out by using spectroscopic methods (Folin-Ciocalteu and pH differential methods). Antioxidant activity of chokeberry products was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. The results show that the investigated products contain high amount of phenols (3002 to 6639 mg per L and 1494 to 5292 mg per 100 g of dry matter) and lower amount of total anthocyanins (150 to 1228 mg per L and 141 to 2468 mg per 100 g of dry matter). The examined juices and other chokeberry products possess high antioxidant capacity (12.09 to 40.19 mmol per L or 58.49 to 191.31 mmol per 100 g of dry matter, respectively) and reducing power (38.71 to 79.86 mmol per L or 13.50 to 68.60 mmol per 100 g of dry matter, respectively). On the basis of phenolic content and antioxidant activity, capsules and powders stand out among other products. The study indicates that there are significant differences (p<0.05) in the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity among examined products.

Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Capacity and Quality of Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Products

PubMed Central

Jurčević, Irena Landeka; Krbavčić, Ines Panjkota; Marković, Ksenija; Vahčić, Nada

2015-01-01

Summary Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) are rarely used in diet in Croatia but they have high content of polyphenolic compounds and one of the highest in vitro antioxidant activities among fruits. The aim of this study is to compare the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of different chokeberry products (juices, powders, fruit tea, capsules and dried berries). It can be expected that processing influences antioxidant activity and phenolic content of final products reaching consumers. Characterisation of phenolic compounds was carried out by using spectroscopic methods (Folin–Ciocalteu and pH differential methods). Antioxidant activity of chokeberry products was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. The results show that the investigated products contain high amount of phenols (3002 to 6639 mg per L and 1494 to 5292 mg per 100 g of dry matter) and lower amount of total anthocyanins (150 to 1228 mg per L and 141 to 2468 mg per 100 g of dry matter). The examined juices and other chokeberry products possess high antioxidant capacity (12.09 to 40.19 mmol per L or 58.49 to 191.31 mmol per 100 g of dry matter, respectively) and reducing power (38.71 to 79.86 mmol per L or 13.50 to 68.60 mmol per 100 g of dry matter, respectively). On the basis of phenolic content and antioxidant activity, capsules and powders stand out among other products. The study indicates that there are significant differences (p<0.05) in the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity among examined products. PMID:27904346

Application of soil quality indices to assess the status of agricultural soils irrigated with treated wastewaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morugán-Coronado, A.; Arcenegui, V.; García-Orenes, F.; Mataix-Solera, J.; Mataix-Beneyto, J.

2012-12-01

The supply of water is limited in some parts of the Mediterranean region, such as southeastern Spain. The use of treated wastewater for the irrigation of agricultural soils is an alternative to using better-quality water, especially in semi-arid regions. On the other hand, this practice can modify some soil properties, change their relationships, the equilibrium reached and influence soil quality. In this work two soil quality indices were used to evaluate the effects of irrigation with treated wastewater in soils. The indices were developed studying different soil properties in undisturbed soils in SE Spain, and the relationships between soil parameters were established using multiple linear regressions. This study was carried out in three areas of Alicante Province (SE Spain) irrigated with wastewater, including four study sites. The results showed slight changes in some soil properties as a consequence of irrigation with wastewater, the obtained levels not being dangerous for agricultural soils, and in some cases they could be considered as positive from an agronomical point of view. In one of the study sites, and as a consequence of the low quality wastewater used, a relevant increase in soil organic matter content was observed, as well as modifications in most of the soil properties. The application of soil quality indices indicated that all the soils of study sites are in a state of disequilibrium regarding the relationships between properties independent of the type of water used. However, there were no relevant differences in the soil quality indices between soils irrigated with wastewater with respect to their control sites for all except one of the sites, which corresponds to the site where low quality wastewater was used.

Tactical Approaches for Trading Science Objectives Against Measurements and Mission Design: Science Traceability Techniques at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nash, A. E., III

2017-12-01

The most common approaches to identifying the most effective mission design to maximize science return from a potential set of competing alternative design approaches are often inefficient and inaccurate. Recently, Team-X at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory undertook an effort to improve both the speed and quality of science - measurement - mission design trade studies. We will report on the methodology & processes employed and their effectiveness in trade study speed and quality. Our results indicate that facilitated subject matter expert peers are the keys to speed and quality improvements in the effectiveness of science - measurement - mission design trade studies.

Potentials for Soil Enzyme as Indicators of Ecological Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Senwo, Z. N.; Manu, A.; Coleman, T. L.

1997-01-01

Activity measurements of selected soil enzymes (cellulase, glucosidase, amidohydrolase, phosphatase, arylsulfatase) involved in carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycling in the biosphere, hold potential as early and sensitive indicators of soil ecological stress and restoration, These measurements are advantageous because the procedures are simple, rapid, and reproducible over time. Enzyme activities are sensitive to short-term changes in soil and kind-use management. Enzyme activities have also been observed to be closely related to soil organic matter proposed as an index of soil quality.

Water quality of small seasonal wetlands in the Piedmont ecoregion, South Carolina, USA: Effects of land use and hydrological connectivity.

PubMed

Yu, Xubiao; Hawley-Howard, Joanna; Pitt, Amber L; Wang, Jun-Jian; Baldwin, Robert F; Chow, Alex T

2015-04-15

Small, shallow, seasonal wetlands with short hydroperiod (2-4 months) play an important role in the entrapment of organic matter and nutrients and, due to their wide distribution, in determining the water quality of watersheds. In order to explain the temporal, spatial and compositional variation of water quality of seasonal wetlands, we collected water quality data from forty seasonal wetlands in the lower Blue Ridge and upper Piedmont ecoregions of South Carolina, USA during the wet season of February to April 2011. Results indicated that the surficial hydrological connectivity and surrounding land-use were two key factors controlling variation in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in these seasonal wetlands. In the sites without obvious land use changes (average developed area <0.1%), the DOC (p < 0.001, t-test) and TDN (p < 0.05, t-test) of isolated wetlands were significantly higher than that of connected wetlands. However, this phenomenon can be reversed as a result of land use changes. The connected wetlands in more urbanized areas (average developed area = 12.3%) showed higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) (DOC: 11.76 ± 6.09 mg L(-1), TDN: 0.74 ± 0.22 mg L(-1), mean ± standard error) compared to those in isolated wetlands (DOC: 7.20 ± 0.62 mg L(-1), TDN: 0.20 ± 0.08 mg L(-1)). The optical parameters derived from UV and fluorescence also confirmed significant portions of protein-like fractions likely originating from land use changes such as wastewater treatment and livestock pastures. The average of C/N molar ratios of all the wetlands decreased from 77.82 ± 6.72 (mean ± standard error) in February to 15.14 ± 1.58 in April, indicating that the decomposition of organic matter increased with the temperature. Results of this study demonstrate that the water quality of small, seasonal wetlands has a direct and close association with the surrounding environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of air pollution and health impacts in Malaysia.

PubMed

Afroz, Rafia; Hassan, Mohd Nasir; Ibrahim, Noor Akma

2003-06-01

In the early days of abundant resources and minimal development pressures, little attention was paid to growing environmental concerns in Malaysia. The haze episodes in Southeast Asia in 1983, 1984, 1991, 1994, and 1997 imposed threats to the environmental management of Malaysia and increased awareness of the environment. As a consequence, the government established Malaysian Air Quality Guidelines, the Air Pollution Index, and the Haze Action Plan to improve air quality. Air quality monitoring is part of the initial strategy in the pollution prevention program in Malaysia. Review of air pollution in Malaysia is based on the reports of the air quality monitoring in several large cities in Malaysia, which cover air pollutants such as Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM). The results of the monitoring indicate that Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) are the predominant pollutants. Other pollutants such as CO, O(x), SO2, and Pb are also observed in several big cities in Malaysia. The air pollution comes mainly from land transportation, industrial emissions, and open burning sources. Among them, land transportation contributes the most to air pollution. This paper reviews the results of the ambient air quality monitoring and studies related to air pollution and health impacts.

Characterizing chromophoric dissolved organic matter in Lake Tianmuhu and its catchment basin using excitation-emission matrix fluorescence and parallel factor analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunlin; Yin, Yan; Feng, Longqing; Zhu, Guangwei; Shi, Zhiqiang; Liu, Xiaohan; Zhang, Yuanzhi

2011-10-15

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important optically active substance that transports nutrients, heavy metals, and other pollutants from terrestrial to aquatic systems and is used as a measure of water quality. To investigate how the source and composition of CDOM changes in both space and time, we used chemical, spectroscopic, and fluorescence analyses to characterize CDOM in Lake Tianmuhu (a drinking water source) and its catchment in China. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) identified three individual fluorophore moieties that were attributed to humic-like and protein-like materials in 224 water samples collected between December 2008 and September 2009. The upstream rivers contained significantly higher concentrations of CDOM than did the lake water (a(350) of 4.27±2.51 and 2.32±0.59 m(-1), respectively), indicating that the rivers carried a substantial load of organic matter to the lake. Of the three main rivers that flow into Lake Tianmuhu, the Pingqiao River brought in the most CDOM from the catchment to the lake. CDOM absorption and the microbial and terrestrial humic-like components, but not the protein-like component, were significantly higher in the wet season than in other seasons, indicating that the frequency of rainfall and runoff could significantly impact the quantity and quality of CDOM collected from the catchment. The different relationships between the maximum fluorescence intensities of the three PARAFAC components, CDOM absorption, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration in riverine and lake water indicated the difference in the composition of CDOM between Lake Tianmuhu and the rivers that feed it. This study demonstrates the utility of combining excitation-emission matrix fluorescence and PARAFAC to study CDOM dynamics in inland waters. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students Matter: Quality Measurements in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2016-01-01

Quality Matters (QM) is a peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. It has generated widespread interest and received national recognition for its peer-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement in online education. While the entire QM online course design process is…

Effect of land management on soil properties in flood irrigated citrus orchards in Eastern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morugán-Coronado, A.; García-Orenes, F.; Cerdà, A.

2015-01-01

Agricultural land management greatly affects soil properties. Microbial soil communities are the most sensitive and rapid indicators of perturbations in land use and soil enzyme activities are sensitive biological indicators of the effects of soil management practices. Citrus orchards frequently have degraded soils and this paper evaluates how land management in citrus orchards can improve soil quality. A field experiment was performed in an orchard of orange trees (Citrus Sinensis) in the Alcoleja Experimental Station (Eastern Spain) with clay-loam agricultural soils to assess the long-term effects of herbicides with inorganic fertilizers (H), intensive ploughing and inorganic fertilizers (P) and organic farming (O) on the soil microbial properties, and to study the relationship between them. Nine soil samples were taken from each agricultural management plot. In all the samples the basal soil respiration, soil microbial biomass carbon, water holding capacity, electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, aggregate stability, cation exchange capacity, pH, texture, macronutrients (Na, Ca and Mg), micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu), calcium carbonate equivalent, calcium carbonate content of limestone and enzimatic activities (urease, dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase) were determined. The results showed a substantial level of differentiation in the microbial properties, which were highly associated with soil organic matter content. The management practices including herbicides and intensive ploughing had similar results on microbial soil properties. O management contributed to an increase in the soil biology quality, aggregate stability and organic matter content.

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadimi-Goki, Mandana; Bini, Claudio; Haefele, Stephan; Abooei, Monireh

2013-04-01

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems Soil quality, by definition, reflects the capacity to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health. Soil quality assessment is an essential issue in soil management for agriculture and natural resource protection. This study was conducted to detect the effects of four crop rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) on soil quality indicators (soil moisture, porosity, bulk density, water-filled pore space, pH, extractable P, CEC, OC, OM, microbial respiration, active carbon) in paddy soils of Verona area, Northern Italy. Four adjacent plots which managed almost similarly, over five years were selected. Surface soil samples were collected from each four rotation systems in four times, during growing season. Each soil sample was a composite of sub-samples taken from 3 points within 350 m2 of agricultural land. A total of 48 samples were air-dried and passed through 2mm sieve, for some chemical, biological, and physical measurements. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Statistical results revealed that frequency distribution of most data was normal. The lowest CV% was related to pH. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and comparison test showed that there are significant differences in soil quality indicators among crop rotation systems and sampling times. Results of multivariable regression analysis revealed that soil respiration had positively correlation coefficient with soil organic matter, soil moisture and cation exchange capacity. Overall results indicated that the rice rotation with legumes such as bean and soybean improved soil quality over a long time in comparison to rice-fallow rotation, and this is reflected in rice yield. Keywords: Soil quality, Crop Rotation System, Paddy Soils, Italy

77 FR 61276 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Mississippi; 110(a)(1) and (2) Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-09

... and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental...-hour fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Section 110(a..., Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate matter, Reporting and...

77 FR 59755 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Alabama 110(a)(1) and (2) Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

... 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental Protection... 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Section 110..., Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate matter, Reporting and...

LANDSAT digital data for water pollution and water quality studies in Southern Scandinavia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hellden, U.; Akersten, I.

1977-01-01

Spectral diagrams, illustrating the spectral characteristics of different water types, were constructed by means of simple statistical analysis of the various reflectance properties of water areas in Southern Scandinavia as registered by LANDSAT-1. There were indications that water whose spectral reproduction is dominated by chlorophyllous matter (phytoplankton) can be distinguished from water dominated by nonchlorophyllous matter. Differences between lakes, as well as the patchiness of individual lakes, concerning secchi disc transparency could be visualized after classification and reproduction in black and white and in color by means of line printer, calcomp plotter (CRT), and ink jet plotter respectively.

Changes in postharvest quality of Swiss chard grown using 3 organic preharvest treatments.

PubMed

Daiss, N; Lobo, M G; Gonzalez, M

2008-08-01

Using storage conditions recommended for conventional chard (4 degrees C, 90% RH and 7 d), the chard treated with some organic preharvest treatments [effective microorganisms, a fermented mixture of effective microorganisms with organic matter (EM-Bokashi + EM), and an auxiliary soil product] lost considerable water (> 2%) and weight (> 25%). These results indicate that organic methods tested produce a vegetable that can not sustain its quality when commercialized through the conventional supply chain. Nevertheless, respiration, color, pH, and titratable acidity practically remained constant during conservation. Ascorbic acid content was constant in chard treated with the different preharvest treatments and collected at 8 wk after sowing (normal harvest). However, the ascorbic acid content of the control chard decreased 60% after 7 d of storage. This vitamin diminished (35%) in chard collected after 19 wk after sowing (late harvest) during the postharvest conservation. The greatest difference in chard quality was registered between sampling dates since chard collected during the late harvest had higher levels of dry matter, sugars, acids, proteins, and ascorbic acid than chard collected during the normal harvest.

Spatiotemporal variability and meteorological control of particulate matter pollution in a large open-pit coal mining region in Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales Rincon, L. A.; Jimenez-Pizarro, R.; Porras-Diaz, H.

2012-12-01

Luis Morales-Rincon (1), Hernan Porras-Diaz (1), Rodrigo Jiménez (2,*) (1) Geomatic Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Santander 680002, Colombia; (2) Air Quality Research Group, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, DC 111321, Colombia *Corresponding author: phone +57-1-316-5000 ext. 14099, fax +57-1-316-5334, e-mail rjimenezp@unal.edu.co The semi-desertic area of Central Cesar, Colombia, produced approximately 44 million tons of coal in 2011. This mining activity has been intensively developed since 2005. There are currently 7 large-scale mining projects in that area. The coal industry has strongly impacted not only the ecosystems, but also the neighboring communities around the coal mines. The main goal of the research work was to characterize spatial and temporal variations of particulate matter (total suspended particulates - TSP - and particulate matter below 10 μm - PM10) as measured at various air quality monitoring stations in Cesar's coal industry region as well as to study the relationship between these variability and meteorological factors. The analysis of the meteorological time series of revealed a complex atmospheric circulation in the region. No clear repetitive diurnal circulation patterns were observed, i.e. statistical mean patterns do not physically represent the actual atmospheric circulation. We attribute this complexity to the interdependence between local and synoptic phenomena over a low altitude, relatively flat area. On the other hand, a comparison of air quality in the mining area with a perimeter station indicates that coal industry in central Cesar has a mayor effect on the levels of particulate matter in the region. Particulate matter concentration is highly variable throughout the year. The strong correlation between TSP and PM10 indicates that secondary aerosols are of minor importance. Furthermore, particle concentrations are the highest in January and February, being the correlation between the TSP and PM10 measurements not as strong during this time period. This could be associated with the spatial and temporal variability of wet deposition as well as a larger mechanical and eolic resuspension of particles. We found that precipitation drastically reduces the levels of particulate matter. In order to describe the effect of wet deposition, a mathematical model was developed based on a first order relaxation proportional to the precipitation rate. Daily average concentrations and daily accumulated precipitation were used in this model, which showed high concentration reductions even for low precipitation levels essentially for all stations. Monthly precipitation values showed a better correlation with TSP concentrations. Finally, we found evidence of a significant decrease in global radiation due to particulate matter, particularly during the dry season, which could potentially affect farming and agricultural activities in the region.

The past, present, and future of urgent matters: lessons learned from a decade of emergency department flow improvement.

PubMed

McClelland, Mark Stephen; Lazar, Danielle; Sears, Vickie; Wilson, Marcia; Siegel, Bruce; Pines, Jesse M

2011-12-01

Over the past decade, emergency departments (ED) have encountered major challenges due to increased crowding and a greater public focus on quality measurement and quality improvement. Responding to these challenges, many EDs have worked to improve their processes and develop new and innovative models of care delivery. Urgent Matters has contributed to ED quality and patient flow improvement by working with hospitals throughout the United States. Recognizing that EDs across the country are struggling with many of the same issues, Urgent Matters-a program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)-has sought to identify, develop, and disseminate innovative approaches, interventions, and models to improve ED flow and quality. Using a variety of techniques, such as learning networks (collaboratives), national conferences, e-newsletters, webinars, best practices toolkits, and social media, Urgent Matters has served as a thought leader and innovator in ED quality improvement initiatives. The Urgent Matters Seven Success Factors were drawn from the early work done by program participants and propose practical guidelines for implementing and sustaining ED improvement activities. This article chronicles the history, activities, lessons learned, and future of the Urgent Matters program. © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

INFLUENCE OF ALTERNATE INDICATORS OF EXPOSURE TO PM (OR PM COMPONENTS) IN STATISTICAL CORRELATIONS OF EXPOSURE WITH MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY (PHILADELPHIA DATA BASE)

EPA Science Inventory

At the time the 1996 Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter Criteria Document was prepared there were several epidemiologic studies using multiple years of TSP and PM10 data for the exposure estimate but only one epidemiologic study using multiple years of PM2.5 data. That ...

Biomass Burning Smoke Climatology of the United States: Implications for Particulate Matter Air Quality.

PubMed

Kaulfus, Aaron S; Nair, Udaysankar; Jaffe, Daniel; Christopher, Sundar A; Goodrick, Scott

2017-10-17

We utilize the NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke product for the period of 2005 to 2016 to develop climatology of smoke occurrence over the Continental United States (CONUS) region and to study the impact of wildland fires on particulate matter air quality at the surface. Our results indicate that smoke is most frequently found over the Great Plains and western states during the summer months. Other hotspots of smoke occurrence are found over state and national parks in the southeast during winter and spring, in the Gulf of Mexico southwards of the Texas and Louisiana coastline during spring season and along the Mississippi River Delta during the fall season. A substantial portion (20%) of the 24 h federal standard for particulate pollution exceedance events in the CONUS region occur when smoke is present. If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations continue to reduce anthropogenic emissions, wildland fire emissions will become the major contributor to particulate pollution and exceedance events. In this context, we show that HMS smoke product is a valuable tool for analysis of exceptional events caused by wildland fires and our results indicate that these tools can be valuable for policy and decision makers.

Relationship between soybean yield/quality and soil quality in a major soybean-producing area based on a 2D-QSAR model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Ming; Li, Shiwei

2017-05-01

Based on experimental data of the soybean yield and quality from 30 sampling points, a quantitative structure-activity relationship model (2D-QSAR) was established using the soil quality (elements, pH, organic matter content and cation exchange capacity) as independent variables and soybean yield or quality as the dependent variable, with SPSS software. During the modeling, the full data set (30 and 14 compounds) was divided into a training set (24 and 11 compounds) for model generation and a test set (6 and 3 compounds) for model validation. The R2 values of the resulting models and data were 0.826 and 0.808 for soybean yield and quality, respectively, and all regression coefficients were significant (P < 0.05). The correlation coefficient R2pred of observed values and predicted values of the soybean yield and soybean quality in the test set were 0.961 and 0.956, respectively, indicating that the models had a good predictive ability. Moreover, the Mo, Se, K, N and organic matter contents and the cation exchange capacity of soil had a positive effect on soybean production, and the B, Mo, Se, K and N contents and cation exchange coefficient had a positive effect on soybean quality. The results are instructive for enhancing soils to improve the yield and quality of soybean, and this method can also be used to study other crops or regions, providing a theoretical basis to improving the yield and quality of crops.

40 CFR 52.1476 - Control strategy: Particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter. (1) NAQR Article 7.2.7, Particulate Matter; Table 4.2, Emissions Inventory Summary for Particulates and Table 5.2, Summary of Control Strategy... 24, 1979. (2) Nevada Air Quality Regulations, Article 4, Rule 4.34, (Visible Emission from Stationary...

Feasibility of CO/sub 2/ monitoring to assess air quality in mines using diesel equipment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniel, J.H. Jr.

1987-01-01

The methodology includes: (1) establishing pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios for in-service equipment, (2) estimating pollutant concentrations from the ratios and in-mine CO/sub 2/ measurements, and (3) using an air quality index to combine the pollutants into a single number, which indicates the health hazard associated with the pollutants. For the methodology to be valid, the pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios must remain constant if engine operating conditions do not significantly change. However, due to the complex dynamics of the fuel injection system, the fuel-air combustion process, and the engine speed-load governing system, the pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios maymore » vary during repetitive, but transient engine speed-and-load operation. These transient effects were investigated. In addition, the influence of changing engine conditions due to engine maladjustment, and a practical means to evaluate engine condition were investigated to advance the methodology. The laboratory investigation determined that CO/sub 2/ is an effective indicator of engine exhaust pollutants. It was shown that the exhaust concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter do not significantly vary among repetitive, but transient engine speed-and-load duty cycles typical of in-service equipment. Based on an air quality index and threshold limit values, particulate matter exhibited the greatest adverse effect on air quality. Particulate mass was separated into volatile (organic soluble fraction) and nonvolatile (insoluble carbon fraction) components. Due to particulate concentrations, the engine operating conditions of overfueling and advanced injector timing had greater adverse effects on air quality than the conditions of retarded injector timing, intake air restriction, and Federal certification specifications.« less

Terrestrial carbohydrates support freshwater zooplankton during phytoplankton deficiency.

PubMed

Taipale, Sami J; Galloway, Aaron W E; Aalto, Sanni L; Kahilainen, Kimmo K; Strandberg, Ursula; Kankaala, Paula

2016-08-11

Freshwater food webs can be partly supported by terrestrial primary production, often deriving from plant litter of surrounding catchment vegetation. Although consisting mainly of poorly bioavailable lignin, with low protein and lipid content, the carbohydrates from fallen tree leaves and shoreline vegetation may be utilized by aquatic consumers. Here we show that during phytoplankton deficiency, zooplankton (Daphnia magna) can benefit from terrestrial particulate organic matter by using terrestrial-origin carbohydrates for energy and sparing essential fatty acids and amino acids for somatic growth and reproduction. Assimilated terrestrial-origin fatty acids from shoreline reed particles exceeded available diet, indicating that Daphnia may convert a part of their dietary carbohydrates to saturated fatty acids. This conversion was not observed with birch leaf diets, which had lower carbohydrate content. Subsequent analysis of 21 boreal and subarctic lakes showed that diet of herbivorous zooplankton is mainly based on high-quality phytoplankton rich in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of low-quality diets (bacteria and terrestrial particulate organic matter) was <28% of the assimilated carbon. Taken collectively, the incorporation of terrestrial carbon into zooplankton was not directly related to the concentration of terrestrial organic matter in experiments or lakes, but rather to the low availability of phytoplankton.

Terrestrial carbohydrates support freshwater zooplankton during phytoplankton deficiency

PubMed Central

Taipale, Sami J.; Galloway, Aaron W. E.; Aalto, Sanni L.; Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Strandberg, Ursula; Kankaala, Paula

2016-01-01

Freshwater food webs can be partly supported by terrestrial primary production, often deriving from plant litter of surrounding catchment vegetation. Although consisting mainly of poorly bioavailable lignin, with low protein and lipid content, the carbohydrates from fallen tree leaves and shoreline vegetation may be utilized by aquatic consumers. Here we show that during phytoplankton deficiency, zooplankton (Daphnia magna) can benefit from terrestrial particulate organic matter by using terrestrial-origin carbohydrates for energy and sparing essential fatty acids and amino acids for somatic growth and reproduction. Assimilated terrestrial-origin fatty acids from shoreline reed particles exceeded available diet, indicating that Daphnia may convert a part of their dietary carbohydrates to saturated fatty acids. This conversion was not observed with birch leaf diets, which had lower carbohydrate content. Subsequent analysis of 21 boreal and subarctic lakes showed that diet of herbivorous zooplankton is mainly based on high-quality phytoplankton rich in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of low-quality diets (bacteria and terrestrial particulate organic matter) was <28% of the assimilated carbon. Taken collectively, the incorporation of terrestrial carbon into zooplankton was not directly related to the concentration of terrestrial organic matter in experiments or lakes, but rather to the low availability of phytoplankton. PMID:27510848

Linking optical properties of dissolved organic matter to multiple processes at the coastal plume zone in the East China Sea.

PubMed

Jiang, Yulin; Zhao, Jianfu; Li, Penghui; Huang, Qinghui

2016-10-12

Because of the significance in photosynthesis, nutrient dynamics, trophodynamics and biological activity, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important to the microbial community in the coastal plume zone. In this study, we investigated the hydrodynamic processes, photodegradation and biodegradation of DOM at the Yangtze River plume in the East China Sea through analyzing water quality and optical properties of DOM. Surface water samples were collected to examine water quality and fluorescence properties of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM). The results indicated that dilution was the key factor in the multiple processes, and the mixing process gradually increased from nearshore to offshore in coastal water. Four components of FDOM representing humic-like substances (C1 & C4) and protein-like substances (C2 & C3) were identified, and all components showed nearly conservative behaviors. Protein-like substances were more mutable compared to humic-like substances. The photodegradation of humic-like substances caused brown algae blooms to some extent. The molecular weight of humic substances gradually decreased along the mixing process. FDOM in the plume zone was both of terrigenous and autochthonous origins, and the characteristic of terrigenous origin was obvious compared to that of autochthonous origin.

Understanding Particulate Matter Dynamics in the San Joaquin Valley during DISCOVER-AQ, 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhakar, G.; Zhang, X.; Kim, H.; Parworth, C.; Pusede, S. E.; Wooldridge, P. J.; Cohen, R. C.; Zhang, Q.; Cappa, C. D.

2015-12-01

Air quality in the California San Joaquin Valley (SJV) during winter continues to be the worst in the state, failing EPA's 24-hour standard for particulate matter. Despite our improved understanding of the sources of particulate matter (PM) in the valley, air-quality models are unable to predict PM concentrations accurately. We aim to characterize periods of high particulate matter concentrations in the San Joaquin Valley based on ground and airborne measurements of aerosols and gaseous pollutants, during the DISCOVER-AQ campaign, 2013. A highly instrumented aircraft flew across the SJV making three transects in a repeatable pattern, with vertical spirals over select locations. The aircraft measurements were complemented by ground measurements at these locations, with extensive chemically-speciated measurements at a ground "supersite" at Fresno. Hence, the campaign provided a comprehensive three-dimensional view of the particulate and gaseous pollutants around the valley. The vertical profiles over the different sites indicate significant variability in the concentrations and vertical distribution of PM around the valley, which are most likely driven by differences in the combined effects of emissions, chemistry and boundary layer dynamics at each site. The observations suggest that nighttime PM is dominated by surface emissions of PM from residential fuel combustion, while early morning PM is strongly influenced by mixing of low-level, above-surface, nitrate-rich layers formed from dark chemistry overnight to the surface.

Response of organic matter quality in permafrost soils to warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaza, C.; Pegoraro, E.; Schuur, E.

2016-12-01

Global warming is predicted to thaw large quantities of the perennially frozen organic matter stored in northern permafrost soils. Upon thaw, this organic matter will be exposed to lateral export to water bodies and to microbial decomposition, which may exacerbate climate change by releasing significant amounts of greenhouse gases. To gain an insight into these processes, we investigated how the quality of permafrost soil organic matter responded to five years of warming. In particular, we sampled control and experimentally warmed soils in 2009 and 2013 from an experiment established in 2008 in a moist acidic tundra ecosystem in Healy, Alaska. We examined surface organic (0 to 15 cm), deep organic (15 to 35 cm), and mineral soil layers (35 to 55 cm) separately by means of stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. Compared to the control, the experimental warming did not affect the isotopic and molecular composition of soil organic matter across the depth profile. However, we did find significant changes with time. In particular, in the surface organic layer, δ13C decreased and alkyl/O-alkyl ratio increased from 2009 to 2013, which indicated variations in soil organic sources (e.g., changes in vegetation) and accelerated decomposition. In the deep organic layer, we found a slight increase in δ15N with time. In the mineral layer, δ13C values decreased slightly, whereas alkyl C/O-alkyl ratio increased, suggesting a preferential loss of relatively more degraded organic matter fractions probably by lateral transport by water flowing through the soil. Acknowledgements: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 654132. Web site: http://vulcan.comule.com

Analysis of airborne particulate matter pollution in Timisoara city urban area and correlations between measurements and meteorological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lungu, Mihai; Lungu, Antoanetta; Stefu, Nicoleta; Neculae, Adrian; Strambeanu, Nicolae

2017-01-01

Air pollution is known to have many adverse effects, among which those on human health are considered the most important. Healthy people of all ages can be adversely affected by high levels of air pollutants. Nanoparticles can be considered among the most harmful of all pollutants as they can penetrate straight into the lungs and blood stream. Their role in the aging process has also recently been revealed. In Romania, practically in all important urban areas (Bucureşti, Iaşi, Timişoara, Braşov, Baia Mare, etc.) the daily limit values for airborne particulate matter are exceeded, so more efforts in controlling air quality are required, along with more research and policies with positive impact on reducing the pollutants concentration in air. The approaches that have been developed to assess the air quality and health impacts of pollution sources are based on analytical methods such as source apportionment, factor analyses, and the measurement of source-relevant indicator compounds. The goal of the present study is to offer preliminary but relevant information on the particulate matter distribution in the city of Timisoara, Romania. Measurements of inhalable coarse and fine particles in two areas of the city, the most affected by industrial particulate emissions, were performed in days with various meteorological conditions. Meteorological parameters for the specific measurement days were recorded (wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, pressure, etc.) and the influence of these parameters on the particulate matter dispersion was studied. The results show that the meteorological conditions cause differences between airborne particulate matter distributions in different days in the same zones. Measurements were made in northern and southern areas of the city of Timisoara because previous results have shown high levels of airborne particulate matter in these areas.

Natural organic matter properties in Swedish agricultural streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieroza, Magdalena; Kyllmar, Katarina; Bergström, Lars; Köhler, Stephan

2017-04-01

The following paper shows natural organic matter (NOM) properties of stream water samples collected from 8 agricultural streams and 12 agricultural observational fields in Sweden. The catchments and observational fields cover a broad range of environmental (climate, soil type), land use and water quality (nutrient and concentrations, pH, alkalinity) characteristics. Stream water samples collected every two weeks within an ongoing Swedish Monitoring Programme for Agriculture have been analysed for total/dissolved organic carbon, absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. A number of quantitative and qualitative spectroscopic parameters was calculated to help to distinguish between terrestrially-derived, refractory organic material and autochthonous, labile material indicative of biogeochemical transformations of terrestrial NOM and recent biological production. The study provides insights into organic matter properties and carbon budgets in agricultural streams and improves understanding of how agricultural catchments transform natural and anthropogenic fluxes of organic matter and nutrients. The insights from the grab sampling are supported by high-frequency turbidity, fulvic-like and tryptophan-like fluorescence measurements with in situ optical sensor.

Cover crops and crop residue management under no-till systems improve soils and environmental quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sandeep; Wegner, Brianna; Vahyala, Ibrahim; Osborne, Shannon; Schumacher, Thomas; Lehman, Michael

2015-04-01

Crop residue harvest is a common practice in the Midwestern USA for the ethanol production. However, excessive removal of crop residues from the soil surface contributes to the degradation of important soil quality indicators such as soil organic carbon (SOC). Addition of a cover crop may help to mitigate these negative effects. The present study was set up to assess the impacts of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal and cover crops on various soil quality indicators and surface greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. The study was being conducted on plots located at the North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory (NCARL) in Brookings, South Dakota, USA. Three plots of a corn and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation under a no-till (NT) system are being monitored for soils and surface gas fluxes. Each plot has three residue removal (high residue removal, HRR; medium residue removal, MRR; and low residue removal, LRR) treatments and two cover crops (cover crops and no cover crops) treatments. Both corn and soybean are represented every year. Gas flux measurements were taken weekly using a closed static chamber method. Data show that residue removal significantly impacted soil quality indicators while more time was needed for an affect from cover crop treatments to be noticed. The LRR treatment resulted in higher SOC concentrations, increased aggregate stability, and increased microbial activity. The LRR treatment also increased soil organic matter (SOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations. Cover crops used in HRR (high corn residue removal) improved SOC (27 g kg-1) by 6% compared to that without cover crops (25.4 g kg-1). Cover crops significantly impacted POM concentration directly after the residue removal treatments were applied in 2012. CO2 fluxes were observed to increase as temperature increased, while N2O fluxes increased as soil moisture increased. CH4 fluxes were responsive to both increases in temperature and moisture. On average, soils under cover crop management had lower N2O fluxes than soils that did not have a cover crop. Results from this study concluded that it is important to allow crop residues to return to the soil as they help to improve soil quality indicators. The presence of cover crops also will contribute to the improvement of these indicators once established and may help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Use of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for environmental quality assessment of peri-urban agriculture.

PubMed

Weindorf, David C; Zhu, Yuanda; Chakraborty, Somsubhra; Bakr, Noura; Huang, Biao

2012-01-01

Urban expansion into traditional agricultural lands has augmented the potential for heavy metal contamination of soils. This study examined the utility of field portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry for evaluating the environmental quality of sugarcane fields near two industrial complexes in Louisiana, USA. Results indicated that PXRF provided quality results of heavy metal levels comparable to traditional laboratory analysis. When coupled with global positioning system technology, the use of PXRF allows for on-site interpolation of heavy metal levels in a matter of minutes. Field portable XRF was shown to be an effective tool for rapid assessment of heavy metals in soils of peri-urban agricultural areas.

Health Status After Cancer: Does It Matter Which Hospital You Belong To?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Survival rates are widely used to compare the quality of cancer care. However, the extent to which cancer survivors regain full physical or cognitive functioning is not captured by this statistic. To address this concern we introduce post-diagnosis employment as a supplemental measure of the quality of cancer care. Methods This study is based on individual level data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry (n = 46,720) linked with data on labor market outcomes and socioeconomic status from Statistics Norway. We study variation across Norwegian hospital catchment areas (n = 55) with respect to survival and employment five years after cancer diagnosis. To handle the selection problem, we exploit the fact that cancer patients in Norway (until 2001) have been allocated to local hospitals based on their place of residence. Results We document substantial differences across catchment areas with respect to patients' post-diagnosis employment rates. Conventional quality indicators based on survival rates indicate smaller differences. The two sets of indicators are only moderately correlated. Conclusions This analysis shows that indicators based on survival and post-diagnosis employment may capture different parts of the health status distribution, and that using only one of them to capture quality of care may be insufficient. PMID:20626866

Creation of Emergent Sandbar Habitat (ESH) in the Headwaters of Lewis and Clark Lake and the Impacts on Water Quality

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

probably tich in decayed vegetative matter (i.e., humus ) and seed stock. The richness of the matetial is indicated by its ctru·ker color as shown in...iron and manganese), humus and peat materials, plankton, weeds, and industrial wastes (APHA, 1998). “True color” is the color of water from which

The distribution of mercury in a forest floor transect across the central United States

Treesearch

Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Michael C. Amacher; William Cannon; Randall K. Kolka; Laurel Woodruff

2009-01-01

Mercury (Hg) stored in soil organic matter may be released when the forest floor is consumed by fire. Our objective is to document the spatial distribution of forest floor Hg for a transect crossing the central United States. Samples collected by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Inventory and Analysis Soil Quality Indicator were tested...

Long-term dynamics of organic matter and elements exported as coarse particulates from two Caribbean montane watersheds

Treesearch

T. Heartsill Scalley; F.N. Scatena; S. Moya; A.E. Lugo

2012-01-01

In heterotrophic streams the retention and export of coarse particulate organic matter and associated elements are fundamental biogeochemical processes that influence water quality, food webs and the structural complexity of forested headwater streams. Nevertheless, few studies have documented the quantity and quality of exported organic matter over multiple years and...

78 FR 19164 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Particulate Matter Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R05-OAR-2012-0088; FRL-9783-4] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Particulate Matter Standards AGENCY: Environmental... submitted a request to approve a section of its particulate matter (PM) rules on February 23, 2012. The PM...

GUIDANCE FOR THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL AIR QUALITY MODELING SYSTEMS FOR PARTICULATE MATTER AND VISIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter (PM) and the federal regional haze regulations place some emphasis on the assessment of fine particle (PM; 5) concentrations. Current air quality models need to be improved and evaluated against observations to a...

Absorption and fluorescence properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter: implications for the monitoring of water quality in a large subtropical reservoir.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaohan; Zhang, Yunlin; Shi, Kun; Zhu, Guangwei; Xu, Hai; Zhu, Mengyuan

2014-12-01

The development of techniques for real-time monitoring of water quality is of great importance for effectively managing inland water resources. In this study, we first analyzed the absorption and fluorescence properties in a large subtropical reservoir and then used a chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence monitoring sensor to predict several water quality parameters including the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and CDOM fluorescence parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) components in the reservoir. The CDOM absorption coefficient at 254 nm (a(254)), the humic-like component (C1), and the tryptophan-like component (C3) decreased significantly along a gradient from the northwest to the lake center, northeast, southwest, and southeast region in the reservoir. However, no significant spatial difference was found for the tyrosine-like component (C2), which contributed only four marked peaks. A highly significant linear correlation was found between the a(254) and CDOM concentration measured using the CDOM fluorescence sensor (r(2) = 0.865, n = 76, p < 0.001), indicating that CDOM concentrations could act as a proxy for the CDOM absorption coefficient measured in the laboratory. Significant correlations were also found between the CDOM concentration and TN, TP, COD, DOC, and the maximum fluorescence intensity of C1, suggesting that the real-time monitoring of CDOM concentrations could be used to predict these water quality parameters and trace the humic-like fluorescence substance in clear aquatic ecosystems with DOC <2 mg/L and total suspended matter (TSM) concentrations <15 mg/L. These results demonstrate that the CDOM fluorescence sensor is a useful tool for on-line water quality monitoring if the empirical relationship between the CDOM concentration measured using the CDOM fluorescence sensor and the water quality parameters is calibrated and validated.

Effect of Humic Acids and pesticides on Agricultural Soil Structure and Stability and Its Implication on Soil Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaonkar, O. D.; Nambi, I. M.; G, S. K.

2016-12-01

The functional and morphological aspects of soil structure determine the soil quality. The dispersion of colloidal soil particles, especially the clay fraction and rupture of soil aggregates, both of which play an important role in soil structure development, lead to degradation of soil quality. The main objective of this work was to determine the effect of behaviour of soil colloids on the agricultural soil structure and quality. The effect of commercial humic acid, organophosphate pesticides and soil natural organic matter on the electrical and structural properties of the soil colloids was also studied. Agricultural soil, belonging to the sandy loam texture class from northern part of India was considered in this study. In order to understand the changes in the soil quality in the presence and absence of humic acids, the soil fabric and structure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Electrical properties of natural soil colloids in aqueous suspensions were assessed by zeta potential measurements at varying pH values with and without the presence of humic acids and pesticides. The influence of natural organic matter was analyzed by oxidizing the natural soil organic matter with hydrogen peroxide. The zeta potential of the soil colloids was found to be negative in the pH range studied. The results indicated that hydrogen peroxide treatment lead to deflocculation of colloidal soil particles. In addition, the humic acids undergoes effective adsorption onto the soil surface imparting more negative zeta potential to the colloidal soil particles. The soil hydrophilicity decreased in the presence of humic acids which was confirmed by surface free energy determination. Thus, it can be concluded that the presence of humic acids altered the soil fabric and structure, thereby affecting the soil quality. This study assumes significance in understanding the soil aggregation and the interactions at soil solid-liquid interface.

The efficiency of home composting programmes and compost quality.

PubMed

Vázquez, M A; Soto, M

2017-06-01

The efficiency of home composting programmes and the quality of the produced compost was evaluated in eight rural areas carrying out home composting programmes (up to 880 composting bins) for all household biowaste including meat and fish leftovers. Efficiency was analysed in terms of reduction of organic waste collected by the municipal services. An efficiency of 77% on average was obtained, corresponding to a composting rate of 126kg/person·year of biowaste (or 380kg/composter·year). Compost quality was determined for a total of 90 composting bins. The operation of composting bins by users was successful, as indicated by a low C/N ratio (10-15), low inappropriate materials (or physical contaminant materials, mean of 0.27±0.44% dry matter), low heavy metal content (94% of samples met required standards for agricultural use) and high nutrient content (2.1% N, 0.6% P, 2.5% K, 0.7% Mg and 3.7% Ca on average, dry matter). The high moisture (above 70% in 48% of the samples) did not compromise the compost quality. Results of this study show that home composting of household organic waste including meat and fish leftovers is a feasible practice. Home composting helps individuals and families to reduce the amount of household waste at the same time gaining a fertiliser material (compost) of excellent quality for gardens or vegetable plots. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water Quality Monitoring Using Tryptophan-like Fluorescence.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, N.; Urquhart, G.; Baker, A.; Ward, D.; Reynolds, D.; Carliell-Marquet, C.

2006-12-01

The Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) test is recognised as being credible with over 90 years of application in water analysis. However it is easily affected by environmental constraints and requires the presence of a viable biological community. The BOD test takes 5-21 days and is laboratory based and so is unsuitable for rapid responses to potential pollution incidents. Analysis of fluorescence excitation emission matrices (EEM) of natural waters gives a rapid determination of the proportions of labile and refractory organic matter present. It facilitates a greater understanding of the oxygen depleting potential of organic matter in unfiltered samples in a shorter timescale than would be the case using BOD, the conventional water quality assessment method. The research presented assesses the relationship between 5-day BOD (BOD5) and the fluorescent amino acid tryptophan-like peak for a range of waters. The research is undertaken with a view to using fluorescence spectroscopy as an alternative to the BOD5 test for on-site monitoring or lab based, rapid indication of organic pollution in natural waters. A significant relationship is observed between the analytical parameters in line with the findings of previous research in which waste waters including synthetic sewage, and polluted surface waters were studied. This research demonstrates that for a large, variable data set tryptophan-like fluorescence is a strong indicator of BOD5 and may be used as a water quality monitoring tool particularly for high BOD5 samples.

Influence of land use on water quality in a tropical landscape: a multi-scale analysis

PubMed Central

Yackulic, Charles B.; Lim, Yili; Arce-Nazario, Javier A.

2015-01-01

There is a pressing need to understand the consequences of human activities, such as land transformations, on watershed ecosystem services. This is a challenging task because different indicators of water quality and yield are expected to vary in their responsiveness to large versus local-scale heterogeneity in land use and land cover (LUC). Here we rely on water quality data collected between 1977 and 2000 from dozens of gauge stations in Puerto Rico together with precipitation data and land cover maps to (1) quantify impacts of spatial heterogeneity in LUC on several water quality indicators; (2) determine the spatial scale at which this heterogeneity influences water quality; and (3) examine how antecedent precipitation modulates these impacts. Our models explained 30–58% of observed variance in water quality metrics. Temporal variation in antecedent precipitation and changes in LUC between measurements periods rather than spatial variation in LUC accounted for the majority of variation in water quality. Urbanization and pasture development generally degraded water quality while agriculture and secondary forest re-growth had mixed impacts. The spatial scale over which LUC influenced water quality differed across indicators. Turbidity and dissolved oxygen (DO) responded to LUC in large-scale watersheds, in-stream nitrogen concentrations to LUC in riparian buffers of large watersheds, and fecal matter content and in-stream phosphorus concentration to LUC at the sub-watershed scale. Stream discharge modulated impacts of LUC on water quality for most of the metrics. Our findings highlight the importance of considering multiple spatial scales for understanding the impacts of human activities on watershed ecosystem services. PMID:26146455

The use of amino acid indices for assessing organic matter quality and microbial abundance in deep-sea Antarctic sediments of IODP Expedition 318

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Stephanie A; Mills, Christopher T.; Mandernack, Kevin W

2016-01-01

The Adélie Basin, located offshore of the Wilkes Land margin, experiences unusually high sedimentation rates (~ 2 cm yr− 1) for the Antarctic coast. This study sought to compare depthwise changes in organic matter (OM) quantity and quality with changes in microbial biomass with depth at this high-deposition site and an offshore continental margin site. Sediments from both sites were collected during the International Ocean Drilling (IODP) Program Expedition 318. Viable microbial biomass was estimated from concentrations of bacterial-derived phospholipid fatty acids, while OM quality was assessed using four different amino acid degradation proxies. Concentrations of total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA) measured from the continental margin suggest an oligotrophic environment, with THAA concentrations representing only 2% of total organic carbon with relative proportions of non-protein amino acids β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid as high as 40%. In contrast, THAA concentrations from the near-shore Adélie Basin represent 40%–60% of total organic carbon. Concentrations of β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid were often below the detection limit and suggest that the OM of the basin as labile. DI values in surface sediments at the Adélie and margin sites were measured to be + 0.78 and − 0.76, reflecting labile and more recalcitrant OM, respectively. Greater DI values in deeper and more anoxic portions of both cores correlated positively with increased relative concentrations of phenylalanine plus tyrosine and may represent a change of redox conditions, rather than OM quality. This suggests that DI values calculated along chemical profiles should be interpreted with caution. THAA concentrations, the percentage of organic carbon (CAA%) and total nitrogen (NAA%) represented by amino acids at both sites demonstrated a significant positive correlation with bacterial abundance estimates. These data suggest that the selective degradation of amino acids, as indicated by THAA concentrations, CAA% or NAA% values may be a better proxy for describing the general changes in sedimentary bacterial abundances than total organic matter or bulk sedimentation rates.

Assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using fuzzy multiple-attribute decision making techniques.

PubMed

Singh, Ajit Pratap; Chakrabarti, Sumanta; Kumar, Sumit; Singh, Anjaney

2017-08-01

This paper deals with assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using two techniques. Initially, air quality indices were evaluated using a modified EPA method. The indices were also evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) method. The results obtained from the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were compared to that obtained from the modified EPA method. To illustrate the applicability of the methodology proposed herein, a case study has been presented. Air samples have been collected at 10 sampling sites located along Haora River. Six important air pollutants, namely, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter (SPM), PM 10 , and lead, were monitored continuously, and air quality maps were generated on the GIS platform. Comparison of the methodologies has clearly highlighted superiority and robustness of the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method in determining air quality indices under study. It has effectively addressed the inherent uncertainties involved in the evaluation, modeling, and interpretation of sampling data, which was beyond the scope of the traditional weighted approaches employed otherwise. The FCA method is robust and prepares a credible platform of air quality evaluation and identification, in face of the uncertainties that remain eclipsed in the traditional approaches like the modified EPA method. The insights gained through the present study are believed to be of pivotal significance in guiding the development and implementation of effective environmental remedial action plans in the study area.

Quality control considerations for size exclusion chromatography with online ICP-MS: a powerful tool for evaluating the size dependence of metal-organic matter complexation.

PubMed

McKenzie, Erica R; Young, Thomas M

2013-01-01

Size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which separates molecules based on molecular volume, can be coupled with online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to explore size-dependent metal-natural organic matter (NOM) complexation. To make effective use of this analytical dual detector system, the operator should be mindful of quality control measures. Al, Cr, Fe, Se, and Sn all exhibited columnless attenuation, which indicated unintended interactions with system components. Based on signal-to-noise ratio and peak reproducibility between duplicate analyses of environmental samples, consistent peak time and height were observed for Mg, Cl, Mn, Cu, Br, and Pb. Al, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Cd, Sn, and Sb were less consistent overall, but produced consistent measurements in select samples. Ultrafiltering and centrifuging produced similar peak distributions, but glass fiber filtration produced more high molecular weight (MW) peaks. Storage in glass also produced more high MW peaks than did plastic bottles.

Characterisation of dissolved organic matter in stormwater using high-performance size exclusion chromatography.

PubMed

Huang, Huiping; Chow, Christopher W K; Jin, Bo

2016-04-01

Understanding the complexity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in stormwater has drawn a lot of interest, since DOM from stormwater causes not only environmental impacts, but also worsens downstream aquatic quality associated with water supply and treatability. This study introduced and employed high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) coupled with an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diode array detector to assess changes in stormwater-associated DOM characteristics. Stormwater DOM was also analysed in relation to storm event characteristics, water quality and spectroscopic analysis. Statistical tools were used to determine the correlations within DOM and water quality measurements. Results showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) as conventional DOM parameters were found to be correlated well to the changes in stormwater quality during each of the three storm events studied. Both detector wavelengths (210 and 254 nm) and their ratio (A210/A254) were found to provide additional information on the physiochemical properties of stormwater-associated DOM. This study indicated that A210/A254 is an important parameter which could be used to estimate the DOM proportions of functional groups and conjugated carbon species. This study provided also an understanding of stormwater quality constituents through assessing variability and sensitivity for various parameters, and the additional information of rainfall characteristics on runoff quality data for a better understanding of parameter correlations and influences. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Organic matter quantity and quality, metals availability and foraminiferal assemblages as environmental proxy applied to the Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia).

PubMed

Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Helali, Mohamed Amine; Zaaboub, Noureddine; Boukef-BenOmrane, Imen; Frontalini, Fabrizio; Reis, Darlly; Portela, Helena; Clemente, Iara Martins Matos Moreira; Nogueira, Leandro; Pereira, Egberto; Miranda, Paulo; El Bour, Monia; Aleya, Lotfi

2016-04-15

This study analyzes the benthic trophic state of Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia) based on the total organic matter and the bioavailability of biopolymeric carbon including proteins (PTN), carbohydrates (CHO), lipids (LIP), chlorophyll a, as well as bacteria counts. The overall simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), and acid volatile sulfides (AVS) as well as the SEM/AVS ratio indicative of the toxicity of the sediments also were analyzed aiming to study their impact in the dimension, composition and structure of both dead and living benthic foraminiferal assemblages. In the studied sites TOC content is relatively high and the PTN/CHO values indicate that they can be considered as meso-eutrophic environments. The CHO/TOC and C/N values suggest that the OM which accumulated on the sediments surface has mainly natural origin despite the introduction of municipal and industrial effluents in the lagoon and the large bacterial pool. The living assemblages of benthic foraminifera of Bizerte Lagoon are quite different to other Mediterranean transitional systems studied until now. They are composed of typical lagoonal species but also include several marine and opportunistic species including significant numbers of bolivinids, buliminids, Nonionella/Nonionoides spp. and Cassidulina/Globocassidulina spp. These assemblages seem to benefitfrom the physicochemical parameters and the sediment stability. They may however face environmental stress in the lagoon related to the AVS production as a result of the organic matter degradation and toxicity in some areas due to the available concentrations of metals. Nonetheless statistical results evidence that the structure and dimension of assemblages are being controlled mostly by OM quantity and quality related mainly to the availability of PTN, CHO and chlorophyll a. Results of this work support the importance of considering OM quantity and quality in studies of environmental impact in coastal systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Matters Arising. Australian University Quality Agency Feedback in Relation to the Academic Engagement of International Students Enrolled in Onshore University Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossman, Joanna; Burdett, Jane

2012-01-01

It is now commonplace to find quality audit processes being applied in universities internationally as a means of assessing the quality of teaching and learning. This article draws upon a thematic analysis of 14 second-round Australian Universities Quality Agency reports in order to explore matters arising from the academic engagement of…

United States Pharmacopeial Convention

MedlinePlus

... Online USP Compounding USP Donor Portal Chromatographic Columns Social Media Linked In Twitter Facebook You Tube QualityMatters Blog ... Events & Training Get Involved Partner Volunteer Provide Input Social Media Linked In Twitter Facebook You Tube QualityMatters Blog ...

78 FR 882 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware, New Jersey, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-07

...)(2).) List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control... 2011 ambient air quality data, the Philadelphia-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE fine particulate matter (PM 2.5... 2011 ambient air quality data, the Philadelphia-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE fine particulate matter (PM 2.5...

Effect of mismanagement at the state of organic matter in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hladký, Jan; Elbl, Jakub; Kynický, Jindřich; Dvořáčková, Helena; Juřička, David; Pecina, Václav; Brtnický, Martin

2017-04-01

Organic matter is an essential part of the soil. It affects the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. It is therefore necessary to maintain organic matter in the soil and its quality as the prevention of soil degradation. Loss of organic matter is in the Czech Republic threatened up to 45% of arable soil. The most important reason for the loss of organic matter in the soil is poor management, especially improper crop rotation, cultivation of erosion-prone crops where erosion takes away valuable topsoil with nutrients and organic matter. The aim of our study was to verify the influence of inappropriate management on selected 5 plots in southern Moravia in the Czech Republic. It is the region with the highest incidence of water erosion in the Czech Republic. Were selected plots with significantly sloping, where corn was grown. Samples were taken in the autumn after the harvest, each of topsoil. The sampling sites were placed in positions on the slope where soil was not damaged by erosion, as well as the place greatest damage and the place where washed soil was accumulated. Soil average humus content was for undamaged position on the slope 1.93% and 0.84 quality, the most heavily damaged part of the slope humus content dropped to 1.35% and its quality at only 0.56. In the case of position of accumulated soils was found the average amount of humus 1.70% and 0.90 quality. Humus content and its quality is statistically significantly influenced by water erosion (α = 0.05). The study showed that bad management, when there is not crop rotation adapted to the given conditions and not subjected to any suitable soil-protecting technologies, there is significant damage to soils, which shows mainly organic matter decline and a decline in its quality. Continuation of our study will verify the possibility of stabilization of soil organic matter and draft appropriate technologies.

Water quality assessment of a small peri-urban river using low and high frequency monitoring.

PubMed

Ivanovsky, A; Criquet, J; Dumoulin, D; Alary, C; Prygiel, J; Duponchel, L; Billon, G

2016-05-18

The biogeochemical behaviors of small rivers that pass through suburban areas are difficult to understand because of the multi-origin inputs that can modify their behavior. In this context, a monitoring strategy has been designed for the Marque River, located in Lille Metropolitan area of northern France, that includes both low-frequency monitoring over a one-year period (monthly sampling) and high frequency monitoring (measurements every 10 minutes) in spring and summer. Several environmental and chemical parameters are evaluated including rainfall events, river flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, nutritive salts and dissolved organic matter. Our results from the Marque River show that (i) it is impacted by both urban and agricultural inputs, and as a consequence, the concentrations of phosphate and inorganic nitrogen have degraded the water quality; (ii) the classic photosynthesis/respiration processes are disrupted by the inputs of organic matter and nutritive salts; (iii) during dry periods, the urban sewage inputs (treated or not) are more important during the day, as indicated by higher river flows and maximal concentrations of ammonium; (iv) phosphate concentrations depend on oxygen contents in the river; (v) high nutrient concentrations result in eutrophication of the Marque River with lower pH and oxygen concentrations in summer. During rainfalls, additional inputs of ammonium, biodegradable organic matter as well as sediment resuspension result in anoxic events; and finally (vi) concentrations of nitrate are approximately constant over the year, except in winter when higher inputs can be recorded. Having better identified the processes responsible for the observed water quality, a more informed remediation effort can be put forward to move this suburban river to a good status of water quality.

Air quality impact assessment of multiple open pit coal mines in northern Colombia.

PubMed

Huertas, José I; Huertas, María E; Izquierdo, Sebastián; González, Enrique D

2012-01-01

The coal mining region in northern Colombia is one of the largest open pit mining regions of the world. In 2009, there were 8 mining companies in operation with an approximate coal production of ∼70 Mtons/year. Since 2007, the Colombian air quality monitoring network has reported readings that exceed the daily and annual air quality standards for total suspended particulate (TSP) matter and particles with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM₁₀) in nearby villages. This paper describes work carried out in order to establish an appropriate clean air program for this region, based on the Colombian national environmental authority requirement for modeling of TSP and PM(10) dispersion. A TSP and PM₁₀ emission inventory was initially developed, and topographic and meteorological information for the region was collected and analyzed. Using this information, the dispersion of TSP was modeled in ISC3 and AERMOD using meteorological data collected by 3 local stations during 2008 and 2009. The results obtained were compared to actual values measured by the air quality monitoring network. High correlation coefficients (>0.73) were obtained, indicating that the models accurately described the main factors affecting particle dispersion in the region. The model was then used to forecast concentrations of particulate matter for 2010. Based on results from the model, areas within the modeling region were identified as highly, fairly, moderately and marginally polluted according to local regulations. Additionally, the contribution particulate matter to the pollution at each village was estimated. Using these predicted values, the Colombian environmental authority imposed new decontamination measures on the mining companies operating in the region. These measures included the relocation of three villages financed by the mine companies based on forecasted pollution levels. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Daily concentrations trend and change point of particulate matter (PM10) in Pahang, Malaysia - A case study at Balok Baru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Sharifah Norhuda Syed; Ujang, Suriyati

2015-02-01

Daily concentration of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM10) could be very harmful to human health such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this paper is to describe on the experiences of air pollutants in the state of Pahang, Malaysia during the first quarter of year 2014. Data were gathered from available automatic air quality monitoring stations at Balok Baru, Pahang through the assistance from the Department of Environment. Cumulative sum technique shows that a change occurred at March, 8th with 88 μg/ m3, moderate air quality level. This change point indicated that the PM10 level started to have a potential in moderate or worse level. In addition, time series regression analysis shows that the trend of daily concentrations of Balok Baru station was an upward trend and for additional day, the PM10 level was increased by 0.1117 μg/ m3. It is hoped that this study will give a significant contribution for future researcher in the area of the study on the risk of PM10 or other types of air pollutant to air quality and also human health.

Organic matter controls of iron incorporation in growing sea ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janssens, Julie; Meiners, Klaus M.; Townsend, Ashley T.; Lannuzel, Delphine

2018-03-01

This study presents the first laboratory-controlled sea-ice growth experiment conducted under trace metal clean conditions. The role played by organic matter, in the incorporation of iron (Fe) into sea ice was investigated by means of laboratory ice-growth experiments using a titanium cold-finger apparatus. Experiments were also conducted to understand the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the enrichment of ammonium in sea ice. Sea ice was grown from several seawater solutions containing different quantities and qualities of particulate Fe (PFe), dissolved Fe (DFe) and organic matter. Sea ice and seawater were analyzed for particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, macro-nutrients, extracellular EPS, PFe and DFe, and particulate aluminium. The experiments showed that biogenic PFe is preferentially incorporated into sea ice compared to lithogenic PFe. Furthermore, sea ice grown from ultra-violet (UV) and non-UV treated seawaters exhibits contrasting incorporation rates of organic matter and Fe. Whereas the effects of UV-treatments were not always significant, we do find indications that the type or organic matter controls the enrichment of Fe in forming sea ice.. Specifically, we come to the conclusion that the incorporation of DFe is favored by the presence of organic ligands in the source solution.

Carbonaceous aerosols in fine particulate matter of Santiago Metropolitan Area, Chile.

PubMed

Toro Araya, Richard; Flocchini, Robert; Morales Segura, Rául G E; Leiva Guzmán, Manuel A

2014-01-01

Measurements of carbonaceous aerosols in South American cities are limited, and most existing data are of short term and limited to only a few locations. For 6 years (2002-2007), concentrations of fine particulate matter and organic and elemental carbon were measured continuously in the capital of Chile. The contribution of carbonaceous aerosols to the primary and secondary fractions was estimated at three different sampling sites and in the warm and cool seasons. The results demonstrate that there are significant differences in the levels in both the cold (March to August) and warm (September to February) seasons at all sites studied. The percent contribution of total carbonaceous aerosol fine particulate matter was greater in the cool season (53 ± 41%) than in the warm season (44 ± 18%). On average, the secondary organic carbon in the city corresponded to 29% of the total organic carbon. In cold periods, this proportion may reach an average of 38%. A comparison of the results with the air quality standards for fine particulate matter indicates that the total carbonaceous fraction alone exceeds the World Health Organization standard (10 µg/m(3)) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency standard (15 µg/m(3)) for fine particulate matter.

Litter quality versus soil microbial community controls over decomposition: a quantitative analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cleveland, Cory C.; Reed, Sasha C.; Keller, Adrienne B.; Nemergut, Diana R.; O'Neill, Sean P.; Ostertag, Rebecca; Vitousek, Peter M.

2014-01-01

The possible effects of soil microbial community structure on organic matter decomposition rates have been widely acknowledged, but are poorly understood. Understanding these relationships is complicated by the fact that microbial community structure and function are likely to both affect and be affected by organic matter quality and chemistry, thus it is difficult to draw mechanistic conclusions from field studies. We conducted a reciprocal soil inoculum × litter transplant laboratory incubation experiment using samples collected from a set of sites that have similar climate and plant species composition but vary significantly in bacterial community structure and litter quality. The results showed that litter quality explained the majority of variation in decomposition rates under controlled laboratory conditions: over the course of the 162-day incubation, litter quality explained nearly two-thirds (64 %) of variation in decomposition rates, and a smaller proportion (25 %) was explained by variation in the inoculum type. In addition, the relative importance of inoculum type on soil respiration increased over the course of the experiment, and was significantly higher in microcosms with lower litter quality relative to those with higher quality litter. We also used molecular phylogenetics to examine the relationships between bacterial community composition and soil respiration in samples through time. Pyrosequencing revealed that bacterial community composition explained 32 % of the variation in respiration rates. However, equal portions (i.e., 16 %) of the variation in bacterial community composition were explained by inoculum type and litter quality, reflecting the importance of both the meta-community and the environment in bacterial assembly. Taken together, these results indicate that the effects of changing microbial community composition on decomposition are likely to be smaller than the potential effects of climate change and/or litter quality changes in response to increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations or atmospheric nutrient deposition.

Indoor air quality in Portuguese schools: levels and sources of pollutants.

PubMed

Madureira, J; Paciência, I; Pereira, C; Teixeira, J P; Fernandes, E de O

2016-08-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters in 73 primary classrooms in Porto were examined for the purpose of assessing levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, particulate matter, ventilation rates and bioaerosols within and between schools, and potential sources. Levels of VOCs, aldehydes, PM2.5 , PM10 , bacteria and fungi, carbon dioxide (CO2 ), carbon monoxide, temperature and relative humidity were measured indoors and outdoors and a walkthrough survey was performed concurrently. Ventilation rates were derived from CO2 and occupancy data. Concentrations of CO2 exceeding 1000 ppm were often encountered, indicating poor ventilation. Most VOCs had low concentrations (median of individual species <5 μg/m(3) ) and were below the respective WHO guidelines. Concentrations of particulate matter and culturable bacteria were frequently higher than guidelines/reference values. The variability of VOCs, aldehydes, bioaerosol concentrations, and CO2 levels between schools exceeded the variability within schools. These findings indicate that IAQ problems may persist in classrooms where pollutant sources exist and classrooms are poorly ventilated; source control strategies (related to building location, occupant behavior, maintenance/cleaning activities) are deemed to be the most reliable for the prevention of adverse health consequences in children in schools. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical properties and hydrolytic enzyme activities for the characterisation of two-phase olive mill wastes composting.

PubMed

Cayuela, M L; Mondini, C; Sánchez-Monedero, M A; Roig, A

2008-07-01

Two-phase olive mill waste (TPOMW) is a semisolid sludge generated during the extraction of olive oil by the two-phase centrifugation system. Among all the available disposal options, composting is gaining interest as a sustainable strategy to recycle TPOMW for agricultural purposes. The quality of compost for agronomical use depends on the degree of organic matter stabilization, but despite several studies on the topic, there is not a single method available which alone can give a certain indication of compost stability. In addition, information on the biological and biochemical properties, including the enzymatic activity (EA) of compost, is rare. The aim of this work was to investigate the suitability of some enzymatic activities (beta-glucosidase, arylsulphatase, acid-phosphatase, alkaline-phosphatase, urease and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA)) as parameters to evaluate organic matter stability during the composting of TPOMW. These enzymatic indices were also compared to conventional stability indices. For this purpose two composting piles were prepared by mixing TPOMW with sheep manure and grape stalks in different proportions, with forced aeration and occasional turnings. The composting of TPOMW followed the common pattern reported previously for this kind of material with a reduction of 40-50% of organic matter, a gradual increase in pH, disappearance of phytotoxicity and formation of humic-like C. All EA increased during composting except acid-phosphatase. Significant correlations were found between EA and some important conventional stability indices indicating that EA can be a simple and reliable tool to determine the degree of stability of TPOMW composts.

Effect of land use and soil organic matter quality on the structure and function of microbial communities in pastoral soils: Implications for disease suppression

PubMed Central

O’Callaghan, Maureen; Condron, Leo M.; Kowalchuk, George A.; Van Nostrand, Joy D.; Zhou, Jizhong; Wakelin, Steven A.

2018-01-01

Cropping soils vary in extent of natural suppression of soil-borne plant diseases. However, it is unknown whether similar variation occurs across pastoral agricultural systems. We examined soil microbial community properties known to be associated with disease suppression across 50 pastoral fields varying in management intensity. The composition and abundance of the disease-suppressive community were assessed from both taxonomic and functional perspectives. Pseudomonas bacteria were selected as a general taxonomic indicator of disease suppressive potential, while genes associated with the biosynthesis of a suite of secondary metabolites provided functional markers (GeoChip 5.0 microarray analysis). The composition of both the Pseudomonas communities and disease suppressive functional genes were responsive to land use. Underlying soil properties explained 37% of the variation in Pseudomonas community structure and up to 61% of the variation in the abundance of disease suppressive functional genes. Notably, measures of soil organic matter quality, C:P ratio, and aromaticity of the dissolved organic matter content (carbon recalcitrance), influenced both the taxonomic and functional disease suppressive potential of the pasture soils. Our results suggest that key components of the soil microbial community may be managed on-farm to enhance disease suppression and plant productivity. PMID:29734390

Characterizing Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) Isolated From Specific Allochthonous and Autochthonous Sources in a North-Temperate Stream Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, J. C.; Williams, D.

2009-05-01

Detrital energy in temperate headwater streams is mainly derived from the annual input of leaf litter from the surrounding landscape. Presumably, its decomposition and other sources of autochthonous organic matter will change dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality. To investigate this, DOM was leached from two allochthonous sources: white birch (Betula papyrifera) and white cedar (Thuja occidentalis); and one autochthonous source, streambed biofilm, for a period of 7 days on 3 separate occasions in fall 2007. As a second treatment, microorganisms from the water column were filtered out. Deciduous leaf litter was responsible for high, short-term increases to DOC concentrations whereas the amounts leached from conifer needles were relatively constant in each month. Using UV spectroscopy, changes to DOM characteristics like aromaticity, spectral slopes, and molecular weight were mainly determined by source and indicated a preferential use of the labile DOM pool by the microorganisms. Excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) collected using fluorescence spectroscopy suggested that cedar litter was an important source of protein-like fluorescence and that the nature of the fluorescing DOM components changed in the presence of microorganisms. This study demonstrates that simultaneous examination of DOC concentrations and DOM quality will allow a better understanding of the carbon dynamics that connect terrestrial with aquatic ecosystems.

Effect of land use and soil organic matter quality on the structure and function of microbial communities in pastoral soils: Implications for disease suppression.

PubMed

Dignam, Bryony E A; O'Callaghan, Maureen; Condron, Leo M; Kowalchuk, George A; Van Nostrand, Joy D; Zhou, Jizhong; Wakelin, Steven A

2018-01-01

Cropping soils vary in extent of natural suppression of soil-borne plant diseases. However, it is unknown whether similar variation occurs across pastoral agricultural systems. We examined soil microbial community properties known to be associated with disease suppression across 50 pastoral fields varying in management intensity. The composition and abundance of the disease-suppressive community were assessed from both taxonomic and functional perspectives. Pseudomonas bacteria were selected as a general taxonomic indicator of disease suppressive potential, while genes associated with the biosynthesis of a suite of secondary metabolites provided functional markers (GeoChip 5.0 microarray analysis). The composition of both the Pseudomonas communities and disease suppressive functional genes were responsive to land use. Underlying soil properties explained 37% of the variation in Pseudomonas community structure and up to 61% of the variation in the abundance of disease suppressive functional genes. Notably, measures of soil organic matter quality, C:P ratio, and aromaticity of the dissolved organic matter content (carbon recalcitrance), influenced both the taxonomic and functional disease suppressive potential of the pasture soils. Our results suggest that key components of the soil microbial community may be managed on-farm to enhance disease suppression and plant productivity.

[Relationship between groundwater quality index of nutrition element and organic matter in riparian zone and water quality in river].

PubMed

Hua-Shan, Xu; Tong-Qian, Zhao; Hong-Q, Meng; Zong-Xue, Xu; Chao-Hon, Ma

2011-04-01

Riparian zone hydrology is dominated by shallow groundwater with complex interactions between groundwater and surface water. There are obvious relations of discharge and recharge between groundwater and surface water. Flood is an important hydrological incident that affects groundwater quality in riparian zone. By observing variations of physical and chemical groundwater indicators in riparian zone at the Kouma section of the Yellow River Wetland, especially those took place in the period of regulation for water and sediment at the Xiaolangdi Reservoir, relationship between the groundwater quality in riparian zone and the flood water quality in the river is studied. Results show that there will be great risk of nitrogen, phosphorus, nitrate nitrogen and organic matter permeating into the groundwater if floodplain changes into farmland. As the special control unit of nitrogen pollution between rivers and artificial wetlands, dry fanning areas near the river play a very important role in nitrogen migration between river and groundwater. Farm manure as base fertilizer may he an important source of phosphorus leak and loss at the artificial wetlands. Phosphorus leaks into the groundwater and is transferred along the hydraulic gradient, especially during the period of regulation for water and sediment at the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. The land use types and farming systems of the riparian floodplain have a major impact on the nitrate nitrogen contents of the groundwater. Nitrogen can infiltrate and accumulate quickly at anaerobic conditions in the fish pond area, and the annual nitrogen achieves a relatively balanced state in lotus area. In those areas, the soil is flooded and at anaerobic condition in spring and summer, nitrogen infiltrates and denitrification significantly, but soil is not flooded and at aerobic condition in the autumn and winter, and during these time, a significant nitrogen nitrification process occurs. In the area between 50 m and 200 m from the river bank, which is the efficient microbial nitrogen purification unit, nitrification-denitrification is intensive. Farm manure is an important source of organic matter loss at the artificial wetlands. Floodplain has sandy soil texture, with high infiltration capacity and low water and fertilizer conservation ability. Such features are prone for the loss of surface soil nutrition and organic matter if agricultural activities taken place in these areas change the land use of wetlands and apply extensive fertilizer. The infiltrated nutrition elements and organic matter can pollute the groundwater and the river. Compared with the losses of nutrition element and organic matter caused by surface runoff, the infiltrated process is even more prominent. As typical floodplain groundwater-river ecotone, the area between 50 m and 200 m from the river bank is a momentous pollution purification unit. Rational protection for this region is critical for the conservation of water quality in the river and groundwater.

Do inclusive work environments matter? Effects of community-integrated employment on quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Blick, Rachel N; Litz, Katherine S; Thornhill, Monica G; Goreczny, Anthony J

2016-01-01

More individuals with an intellectual disability now possess prerequisite skills and supports necessary for successful work force integration than did previous generations. The current study compared quality of life of community-integrated workers with those participating in sheltered vocational workshops and adult day care programs. We considered numerous indices of quality of life, including inclusion and community participation; satisfaction within professional services, home life, and day activities; dignity, rights, and respect received from others; fear; choice and control; and family satisfaction. Our data revealed several important differences in quality of life across daytime activities; participants involved in community-integrated employment tended to be younger, indicated a greater sense of community integration, and reported more financial autonomy than did those who participated in adult day care programs and sheltered workshops. However, individuals reported no differences in overall satisfaction across daytime activities. We discuss generational differences across employment status as well as possible explanations to account for high levels of satisfaction across daytime activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mimicking floodplain reconnection and disconnection using 15N mesocosm incubations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welti, N.; Bondar-Kunze, E.; Mair, M.; Bonin, P.; Wanek, W.; Pinay, G.; Hein, T.

2012-11-01

Floodplain restoration changes the nitrate delivery pattern and dissolved organic matter pool in backwaters, though the effects these changes have are not yet well known. We performed two mesocosm experiments on floodplain sediments to quantify the nitrate metabolism in two types of floodplains. Rates of denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anammox were measured using 15N-NO3 tracer additions in mesocosms of undisturbed floodplain sediments originating from (1) restored and (2) disconnected sites in the Alluvial Zone National Park on the Danube River downstream of Vienna, Austria. DNRA rates were an order of magnitude lower than denitrification and neither rate was affected by changes in nitrate delivery pattern or organic matter quality. Anammox was not detected at any of the sites. Denitrification was out-competed by assimilation, which was estimated to use up to 70% of the available nitrate. Overall, denitrification was higher in the restored sites, with mean rates of 5.7 ± 2.8 mmol N m-2 h-1 compared to the disconnected site (0.6 ± 0.5 mmol N m-2 h-1). In addition, ratios of N2O : N2 were lower in the restored site indicating a more complete denitrification. Nitrate addition had neither an effect on denitrification, nor on the N2O : N2 ratio. However, DOM (dissolved organic matter) quality significantly changed the N2O : N2 ratio in both sites. Addition of riverine-derived organic matter lowered the N2O : N2 ratio in the disconnected site, whereas addition of floodplain-derived organic matter increased the N2O : N2 ratio in the restored site. These results demonstrate that increasing floodplains hydrological connection to the main river channel increases nitrogen retention and decreases nitrous oxide emissions.

77 FR 66927 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Florida 110(a)(1) and (2) Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-08

... 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental Protection... particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Section 110(a) of the CAA...) for the 1997 8-Hour Ozone and PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards.'' and September 25, 2009...

The Impact of Quality Matters Professional Development on Teaching across Delivery Formats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Lorna R.; Mancilla, Rae

2017-01-01

This study explored the impact of professional development workshops for online course design on faculty's pedagogical practices in online, face-to-face (f2f), and blended instructional modes. It specifically focused on trainings offered by the Quality Matters (QM) organization on a rubric for assessing quality in online course development. A…

A COMPARISON OF THE UCD/CIT AIR QUALITY MODEL AND THE CMB SOURCE-RECEPTOR MODEL FOR PRIMARY AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER. (R831082)

EPA Science Inventory

Source contributions to primary airborne particulate matter calculated using the source-oriented UCD/CIT air quality model and the receptor-oriented chemical mass balance (CMB) model are compared for two air quality episodes in different parts of California. The first episode ...

Key Scientific and Policy- and Health-Relevant Findings from EPA's Particulate Matter Supersites Program and Related Studies: An Integration and Synthesis of Results.

EPA Science Inventory

In 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a major air quality program, known as the Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites Program. The Supersites Program was a multi year, $27 million air quality monitoring program consisting of eight regional air quality projects...

Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Oxides and Particulate Matter: Risk and Exposure Assessment Planning Document

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting a review of the air quality criteria and the secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter (PM). The major phases of the ...

Hospital quality of care: does information technology matter? The relationship between information technology adoption and quality of care.

PubMed

Menachemi, Nir; Chukmaitov, Askar; Saunders, Charles; Brooks, Robert G

2008-01-01

Hospitals have been slow to adopt information technology (IT) largely because of a lack of generalizable evidence of the value associated with such adoption. To explore the relationship between IT adoption and quality of care in acute-care hospitals. Primary data on hospital IT adoption were combined with secondary hospital discharge data. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between various measures of IT adoption and several quality indicators after controlling for confounders. Adoption of IT was measured using a previously validated method that considers clinical, administrative, and strategic IT capabilities of acute-care hospitals. Quality measures included the Inpatient Quality Indicators developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Data from 98 hospitals were available for analyses. Hospitals adopted an average of 11.3 (45.2%) clinical IT applications, 15.7 (74.8%) administrative IT applications, and 5 (50%) strategic IT applications. In multivariate regression analyses, hospitals that adopted a greater number of IT applications were significantly more likely to have desirable quality outcomes on seven Inpatient Quality Indicator measures, including risk-adjusted mortality from percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and acute myocardial infarction. An increase in clinical IT applications was also inversely correlated with utilization of incidental appendectomy, and an increase in the adoption of strategic IT applications was inversely correlated with risk-adjusted mortality from craniotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hospital adoption of IT is associated with desirable quality outcomes across hospitals in Florida. These findings will assist hospital leaders interested in understanding better the effect of costly IT adoption on quality of care in their institutions.

Organic and inorganic matter in Louisiana coastal waters: Vermilion, Atchafalaya, Terrebonne, Barataria, and Mississippi regions.

PubMed

Schaeffer, Blake A; Conmy, Robyn N; Aukamp, Jessica; Craven, George; Ferer, Erin J

2011-02-01

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) spectral absorption, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and the particulate fraction of inorganic (PIM) and organic matter (POM) were measured in Louisiana coastal waters at Vermilion, Atchafalaya, Terrebonne, Barataria, and Mississippi River locations, in 2007-2008. The range of CDOM was 0.092 m⁻¹ at Barataria in June 2008 to 11.225 m⁻¹ at Mississippi in February 2008. An indicator of organic matter quality was predicted by the spectral slope of absorption coefficients from 350 to 412nm which was between 0.0087 m⁻¹ at Mississippi in May 2008 and 0.0261 m⁻¹ at Barataria in June 2008. CDOM was the dominant component of light attenuation at Terrebonne and Barataria. Detritus and CDOM were the primary components of light attenuation at Vermilion, Atchafalaya, and Mississippi. DOC ranged between 65 and 1235 μM. PIM ranged between 1.1 and 426.3 mg L⁻¹ and POM was between 0.3 and 49.6 mg L⁻¹. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Organic Matter Quality and its Influence on Carbon Turnover and Stabilization in Northern Peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turetsky, M. R.; Wieder, R. K.

2002-12-01

Peatlands cover 3-5 % of the world's ice-free land area, but store about 33 % of global terrestrial soil carbon. Peat accumulation in northern regions generally is controlled by slow decomposition, which may be limited by cold temperatures and water-logging. Poor organic matter quality also may limit decay, and microbial activity in peatlands likely is regulated by the availability of labile carbon and/or nutrients. Conversely, carbon in recalcitrant soil structures may be chemically protected from microbial decay, particularly in peatlands where carbon can be buried in anaerobic soils. Soil organic matter quality is controlled by plant litter chemical composition and the susceptibility of organic compounds to decomposition through time. There are a number of techniques available for characterizing organic quality, ranging from chemical proximate or elemental analysis to more qualitative methods such as nuclear magenetic resonance, pyrolysis/mass spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We generally have relied on proximate analysis for quantitative determination of several organic fractions (i.e., water-soluble carbohydrates, soluble nonpolars, water-soluble phenolics, holocellulose, and acid insoluble material). Our approaches to studying organic matter quality in relation to C turnover in peatlands include 1) 14C labelling of peatland vegetation along a latitudinal gradient in North America, allowing us to follow the fate of 14C tracer in belowground organic fractions under varying climates, 2) litter bag studies focusing on the role of individual moss species in litter quality and organic matter decomposition, and 3) laboratory incubations of peat to explore relationships between organic matter quality and decay. These studies suggest that proximate organic fractions vary in lability, but that turnover of organic matter is influenced both by plant species and climate. Across boreal peatlands, measures of soil recalcitrance such as acid insoluble material (AIM) and AIM/N were significant predictors of decomposition. However, when limited to individual peatland features or bryophyte species, soluble proximate fractions were better predictors of organic matter decay. This suggests that decomposition within single litter or peat types is controlled by the size of relatively small, labile carbon pools. As peatlands store the majority of soil carbon in the boreal forest, the influences of peat quality on carbon storage and turnover should be considered in understanding the fate of carbon in northern ecosystems.

Soil degradation effect on biological activity in Mediterranean calcareous soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roca-Pérez, L.; Alcover-Sáez, S.; Mormeneo, S.; Boluda, R.

2009-04-01

Soil degradation processes include erosion, organic matter decline, compaction, salinization, landslides, contamination, sealing and biodiversity decline. In the Mediterranean region the climatological and lithological conditions, together with relief on the landscape and anthropological activity are responsible for increasing desertification process. It is therefore considered to be extreme importance to be able to measure soil degradation quantitatively. We studied soil characteristics, microbiological and biochemical parameters in different calcareous soil sequences from Valencia Community (Easter Spain), in an attempt to assess the suitability of the parameters measured to reflect the state of soil degradation and the possibility of using the parameters to assess microbiological decline and soil quality. For this purpose, forest, scrubland and agricultural soil in three soil sequences were sampled in different areas. Several sensors of the soil biochemistry and microbiology related with total organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, microorganism number and enzyme activities were determined. The results show that, except microorganism number, these parameters are good indicators of a soil biological activity and soil quality. The best enzymatic activities to use like indicators were phosphatases, esterases, amino-peptidases. Thus, the enzymes test can be used as indicators of soil degradation when this degradation is related with organic matter losses. There was a statistically significant difference in cumulative O2 uptake and extracellular enzymes among the soils with different degree of degradation. We would like to thank Spanish government-MICINN for funding and support (MICINN, project CGL2006-09776).

THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC MATTER QUALITY ON THE TOXICITY AND PARTIONING OF SEDIMENT-ASSOCIATED FLUORANTHENE

EPA Science Inventory

Organic matter in sediment is derived from many sources, including dead plants and animals, fecal matter, and flocculated colloidal organic matter. hemical partitioning and toxicity of nonpolar organic contaminants is strongly affected by the quantity of sediment organic matter. ...

RNA Extraction from Animal and Human's Cancerous Tissues: Does Tissue Matter?

PubMed

Samadani, Ali Akbar; Nikbakhsh, Novin; Fattahi, Sadegh; Pourbagher, Roghayeh; Aghajanpour Mir, Seyyed Mohsen; Mousavi Kani, Narges; Abedian, Zeinab; Akhavan-Niaki, Haleh

2015-01-01

The reliability of gene expression profiling, based technologies and methods to find transcriptional differences representative of the original samples is influenced by the quality of the extracted RNA. Hence, RNA extraction is the first step to investigate the gene expression and its function. Consequently, the quality of extracted RNA is really significant. Correspondingly, this research was accomplished to optimize the RNA extraction methods and compare the amounts of tissue or quality of tissue. Relatively, the cancerous tissue of human stomach in fresh and frozen conditions and also the mouse fresh tissue were studied. Some factors like the amount of samples, efficacy differences of diverse extraction buffers (TriPure, Trizol) and also the efficacy of b-mercaptoethanol were compared and investigated. The results indicated that the less amount (1-2 mg) compared to other amounts (2-5 mg, 5-15 mg) yielded the best quality and the RNA bands (5S, 18S, 28S) were observed perfectly. Relatively, comparing and measuring some kinds of buffers (Trizol, TriPure) indicated no difference in RNA extraction quality. The last investigated factor was the effect of b- mercaptoethanol which was used along with TriPure to remove the RNAse. Conclusively, no effective impression was observed.

Effect of different crops on soil organic matter and biological activity in Oxisols under three different crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toledo, Diana Marcela; Arzuaga, Silvia; Dalurzo, Humberto; Zornoza, Raúl; Vazquez, Sara

2015-04-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate changes in soil organic matter in Oxisols under different crops compared to native rainforest, and to assess if acid phosphatase activity (APA) could be a good indicator for SOC changes and soil quality. The experimental design consisted of four completely randomized blocks with four treatments: subtropical rainforest (F); yerba mate crop (I) (Ilex paraguariensis SH.); citrus crop (C) (Citrus unshiu Marc); and tobacco crop (T) (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Soil samples were taken at 0-10; 10-20 and 20-30 cm depths. The variables measured were soil organic carbon (SOC), APA, clay content, pH, total nitrogen (Nt), available phosphorus (P) and CO2 emissions. All data were analyzed by ANOVA to assess the effects of land-use changes. The treatment means were compared through Duncan's multiple range tests (p<0.05). The relationship between variables was determined with a simple correlation analysis and with a multiple linear regression analysis through the stepwise method. These soils showed an acid reaction and their clay content was over 650 g kg-1 for the three depths. SOC and N contents were higher in native soils, intermediate for the citrus crop, and lower under both tobacco and yerba mate crops. CO2 emissions were higher in the rainforest (47.32 kg ha-1 of CO2) than in cultivated soils, which indicates that biological activity is enhanced in rainforest soils where substrates for soil biota and fauna are more readily available. The variability of 76% in APA was explained by total nitrogen, which is closely related to soil organic matter, and by available P. Conversion of subtropical rainforests into agricultural lands reduced SOC content and acid phosphatase activity, thereby lowering soil quality. In this study, acid phosphatase activity proved to be a sensitive indicator to detect changes from pristine to cropped soils, but it failed to distinguish differences among crop systems.

Household indoor air quality and its associations with childhood asthma in Shanghai, China: On-site inspected methods and preliminary results.

PubMed

Huang, Chen; Wang, Xueying; Liu, Wei; Cai, Jiao; Shen, Li; Zou, Zhijun; Lu, Rongchun; Chang, Jing; Wei, Xiaoyang; Sun, Chanjuan; Zhao, Zhuohui; Sun, Yuexia; Sundell, Jan

2016-11-01

Few studies were conducted for associations of home environment with childhood health by on-site inspection in China. During 2013-2014, we conducted a case-control study with home inspection among 454 children (186 asthma children and 268 non-asthma children) in Shanghai, China. In this paper, we detailedly described the inspected methods and analyzed the preliminarily collected data. Except in winter, most residences meet the national standard for indoor temperature and relative humidity. Most living rooms had ≤1000ppm CO 2 , whereas over half of the child's bedrooms had slightly >1000ppm CO 2 during night. Most residences had notably lower than 2500cfu/m 3 airborne culturable fungi and ≤100μg/m 3 formaldehyde. More than 70% of the child's bedrooms had ≤75μg/m 3 PM 2.5 and ≤150μg/m 3 PM 10 . Indoor and outdoor concentrations of particulate matters had strong linear correlations (r=0.891-0.922; p-value <0.001). Most differences between cases and controls were not significant with respect to CO 2 , culturable fungi, formaldehyde, and particulate matters. Before and after adjusted for potential confounders, indoor averaged concentration of CO 2 and particulate matters generally had negative associations with childhood history of doctor-diagnosed asthma in spring, summer, and autumn. Only in winter, indoor CO 2 concentration was significantly associated with the increased odds of childhood asthma. Our results indicated that air quality among most residences in Shanghai could meet the national standard for indoor air quality in warm seasons; but household air quality and ventilation status in winter should be greatly improved. We suspected that those "unexpected" negative associations could exist due to changes in lifestyle behaviors regarding indoor air quality after the child being diagnosed asthma by a doctor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Awake craniotomy for brain tumor: indications, technique and benefits.

PubMed

Dziedzic, Tomasz; Bernstein, Mark

2014-12-01

Increasing interest in the quality of life of patients after treatment of brain tumors has led to the exploration of methods that can improve intraoperative assessment of neurological status to avoid neurological deficits. The only method that can provide assessment of all eloquent areas of cerebral cortex and white matter is brain mapping during awake craniotomy. This method helps ensure that the quality of life and the neuro-oncological result of treatment are not compromised. Apart from the medical aspects of awake surgery, its economic issues are also favorable. Here, we review the main aspects of awake brain tumor surgery. Neurosurgical, neuropsychological, neurophysiological and anesthetic issues are briefly discussed.

What really matters to healthcare consumers.

PubMed

Jennings, Bonnie Mowinski; Heiner, Stacy L; Loan, Lori A; Hemman, Eileen A; Swanson, Kristen M

2005-04-01

Consumer satisfaction with healthcare is an important quality and outcome indicator. Satisfaction may be at the crux of survival for healthcare delivery systems because it creates the competitive edge in healthcare. To better understand patient satisfaction by examining consumer healthcare experiences and expectations, a study was conducted. An important concept identified in the data, MY CARE, refers to a constellation of quality healthcare features that were wished for by all participants and realized by only some of them. The features of MY CARE offer lessons for all healthcare leaders to use when making improvements in care delivery systems-improvements that could create a more patient-centered healthcare system and boost patient satisfaction.

40 CFR Appendix K to Part 50 - Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter K Appendix K to Part 50 Protection of Environment... STANDARDS Pt. 50, App. K Appendix K to Part 50—Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

40 CFR Appendix K to Part 50 - Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter K Appendix K to Part 50 Protection of Environment... STANDARDS Pt. 50, App. K Appendix K to Part 50—Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

40 CFR Appendix K to Part 50 - Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter K Appendix K to Part 50 Protection of Environment... STANDARDS Pt. 50, App. K Appendix K to Part 50—Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

40 CFR Appendix K to Part 50 - Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter K Appendix K to Part 50 Protection of Environment... STANDARDS Pt. 50, App. K Appendix K to Part 50—Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

Asthma and Air Quality in the Presence of Fires - A Foundation for Public Health Policy in Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crosson, William; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad; Estes, Maurice, Jr.; Estes, Sue; Luvall, Jeffrey; Sifford, Cody; Young, Linda

2012-01-01

Outdoor air quality and its associated impacts on respiratory problems in Florida are of public health significance. Air quality in Florida can be poor during the extended wildfire season, threatening persons with compromised respiratory systems each year. Studies have demonstrated that particulate matter, which is generally elevated in the vicinity of wildfires, is associated with increases in hospital admissions and occurrences of acute asthma exacerbations. However, few studies have examined the modifying effect of socio-demographic characteristics of cities or regional areas on the relationship between air quality and health outcomes. In an ongoing university/multi-agency project, asthma hospital/emergency room (patient) data are being used to create a health outcome indicator of human response to environmental air quality. Environmental data are derived from satellite measurements, with special attention being given to the effect of wildfires and prescribed burns on air quality. This presentation will focus on the environmental data sets particulate matter, location of fires, smoke plumes that are being collected and processed for linkage with health data. After this linkage has been performed, space-time models of asthma rates as a function of air quality data and socio-demographic variables will be developed and validated. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) will work with county health department staff and representatives from the medical community to establish a protocol with triggers for issuing public health advisories/alerts based on the developed and validated health outcome indicators. From this effort, a science-based policy for issuing public health advisories/alerts for asthma relating to air quality will be developed, giving FDOH the ability to (1) predict, with stated levels of uncertainty, case load of hospital admissions based on air quality, (2) reduce asthma exacerbations by forewarning asthmatics to limit outside activities on poor air quality days, (3) apply management practices on the rates of hospital/emergency room visits for asthma, and (4) provide information that would help translate interventions into policy decisions, thereby reducing the economic burden and increasing well being of asthmatics. Further, the results of the study will be incorporated into Florida s Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) EPHT network.

Evaluation of metal enrichment and trophic status on the basis of biogeochemical analysis of shelf sediments of the southeastern Arabian Sea, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheriyan, Eldhose; Sreekanth, Athira; Mrudulrag, S. K.; Sujatha, C. H.

2015-10-01

The present study investigated the distribution of environmentally relevant metals and organic matter in the shelf sediments of the southeastern Arabian Sea using biogeochemical proxies for the assessment of environmental quality and trophic status. The distribution of metals in the study site followed the order: Fe>Mg>Pb>Ni>Mn>Co>Cu>Zn>Cd. High biological productivity associated with upwelling leads to significant accumulation of Cd higher than crustal abundance in the shelf region. The enrichment factor (EF) of metals demonstrate enrichment of Pb and Co which suggests the anthropogenic influence and not redox conditions. The sediment quality guidelines (SQG) in comparison with metal concentration revealed adverse effects, possibly occurring in marine benthic species. The spatial trend of metal enrichment along transects is appreciably controlled by the adsorption to fine grained sediments. The multivariate statistical analyses, such as correlations and principal component analysis (PCA) clearly indicated the control of texture, association of clay minerals in the degree of trace metal (Cd, Pb, Ni and Co) contamination from anthropogenic as well as natural sources. Low levels of Zn, preferably display scavenging by Fe/Mn metal oxides. Biochemical descriptors in sediments indicated meso-oligotrophic conditions prevailing in the summer monsoon. The ratios among various biogeochemical parameters such as total organic carbon/total nitrogen (TOC/TN<10), protein/carbohydrate (PRT/CHO<1) displayed that the organic matter deposited of marine origin which is relatively old with potentially low nutritional value. The close relationship between biochemical components and phytopigments suggest a major contribution of autochthonous phytodetritus derived organic matter. The study provides important information about sediment biogeochemistry and metal contamination from a potential fishery zone of Indian exclusive economic zone.

Operationalizing the Measuring What Matters Spirituality Quality Metric in a Population of Hospitalized, Critically Ill Patients and Their Family Members.

PubMed

Aslakson, Rebecca A; Kweku, Josephine; Kinnison, Malonnie; Singh, Sarabdeep; Crowe, Thomas Y

2017-03-01

Measuring What Matters (MWM) quality indicators support measurement of the percentage of patients who have spiritual discussions, if desired. The objective of this study was to 1) determine the ease of, and barriers to, prospectively collecting MWM spirituality quality measure data and 2) further explore the importance of spirituality in a seriously ill, hospitalized population of critically ill patients and their family members. Electronic medical record (EMR) review and cross-sectional survey of intensive care unit (ICU) patients and their family members from October to December 2015. Participants were in four adult ICUs totaling 68 beds at a single academic, urban, tertiary care center which has ICU-assigned chaplains and an in-house, 24-hour, on-call chaplain. All patients had a "Spiritual Risk Screen" which included two questions identifying patient religion and whether a chaplain visit was desired. Approximately 2/3 of ICU patients were eligible, and there were 144 respondents (50% female; 57% patient and 43% family member), with the majority being Caucasian or African American (68% and 21%, respectively). Common religious identifications were Christian or no faith tradition (76% and 11%, respectively). Approximately half of patients had an EMR chaplain note although it did not document presence of a "spiritual discussion." No study patients received palliative care consultation. A majority (85%) noted that spirituality was "important to them" and that prevalence remained high across respondent age, race, faith tradition, or admitting ICU. Operationalizing the MWM spirituality quality indicator was challenging as elements of a "spiritual screening" or documentation of a "spiritual discussion" were not clearly documented in the EMR. The high prevalence of spirituality among respondents validates the importance of spirituality as a potential quality metric. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MULTISCALE AIR QUALITY SIMULATION PLATFORM (MAQSIP): INITIAL APPLICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE FOR TROPOSPHERIC OZONE AND PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

This manuscript provides an overview of the formulation, process considerations, and performance for simulating tropospheric ozone and particulate matter distributions of the Multiscale Air Quality Simulation Platform (MAQSIP). MAQSIP is a comprehensive atmospheric chemistry/tran...

Northern Gulf of Mexico estuarine coloured dissolved organic matter derived from MODIS data

EPA Science Inventory

Coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is relevant for water quality management and may become an important measure to complement future water quality assessment programmes. An approach to derive CDOM using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was developed...

Better diet quality relates to larger brain tissue volumes: The Rotterdam Study.

PubMed

Croll, Pauline H; Voortman, Trudy; Ikram, M Arfan; Franco, Oscar H; Schoufour, Josje D; Bos, Daniel; Vernooij, Meike W

2018-05-16

To investigate the relation of diet quality with structural brain tissue volumes and focal vascular lesions in a dementia-free population. From the population-based Rotterdam Study, 4,447 participants underwent dietary assessment and brain MRI scanning between 2005 and 2015. We excluded participants with an implausible energy intake, prevalent dementia, or cortical infarcts, leaving 4,213 participants for the current analysis. A diet quality score (0-14) was calculated reflecting adherence to Dutch dietary guidelines. Brain MRI was performed to obtain information on brain tissue volumes, white matter lesion volume, lacunes, and cerebral microbleeds. The associations of diet quality score and separate food groups with brain structures were assessed using multivariable linear and logistic regression. We found that better diet quality related to larger brain volume, gray matter volume, white matter volume, and hippocampal volume. Diet quality was not associated with white matter lesion volume, lacunes, or microbleeds. High intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, dairy, and fish and low intake of sugar-containing beverages were associated with larger brain volumes. A better diet quality is associated with larger brain tissue volumes. These results suggest that the effect of nutrition on neurodegeneration may act via brain structure. More research, in particular longitudinal research, is needed to unravel direct vs indirect effects between diet quality and brain health. © 2018 American Academy of Neurology.

Development and application of a soil organic matter-based soil quality index in mineralized terrane of the Western US

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blecker, S.W.; Stillings, Lisa L.; Amacher, M.C.; Ippolito, J.A.; DeCrappeo, N.M.

2013-01-01

Soil quality indices provide a means of distilling large amounts of data into a single metric that evaluates the soil’s ability to carry out key ecosystem functions. Primarily developed in agroecosytems, then forested ecosystems, an index using the relation between soil organic matter and other key soil properties in more semi-arid systems of the Western US impacted by different geologic mineralization was developed. Three different sites in two different mineralization types, acid sulfate and Cu/Mo porphyry in California and Nevada, were studied. Soil samples were collected from undisturbed soils in both mineralized and nearby unmineralized terrane as well as waste rock and tailings. Eight different microbial parameters (carbon substrate utilization, microbial biomass-C, mineralized-C, mineralized-N and enzyme activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and fluorescein diacetate) along with a number of physicochemical parameters were measured. Multiple linear regression models between these parameters and both total organic carbon and total nitrogen were developed, using the ratio of predicted to measured values as the soil quality index. In most instances, pooling unmineralized and mineralized soil data within a given study site resulted in lower model correlations. Enzyme activity was a consistent explanatory variable in the models across the study sites. Though similar indicators were significant in models across different mineralization types, pooling data across sites inhibited model differentiation of undisturbed and disturbed sites. This procedure could be used to monitor recovery of disturbed systems in mineralized terrane and help link scientific and management disciplines.

The Use of Remote Sensing Data for Modeling Air Quality in the Cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putrenko, V. V.; Pashynska, N. M.

2017-12-01

Monitoring of environmental pollution in the cities by the methods of remote sensing of the Earth is actual area of research for sustainable development. Ukraine has a poorly developed network of monitoring stations for air quality, the technical condition of which is deteriorating in recent years. Therefore, the possibility of obtaining data about the condition of air by remote sensing methods is of great importance. The paper considers the possibility of using the data about condition of atmosphere of the project AERONET to assess the air quality in Ukraine. The main pollution indicators were used data on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) content in the atmosphere. The main indicator of air quality in Ukraine is the air pollution index (API). We have built regression models the relationship between indicators of NO2, which are measured by remote sensing methods and ground-based measurements of indicators. There have also been built regression models, the relationship between the data given to the land of NO2 and API. To simulate the relationship between the API and PM2.5 were used geographically weighted regression model, which allows to take into account the territorial differentiation between these indicators. As a result, the maps that show the distribution of the main types of pollution in the territory of Ukraine, were constructed. PM2.5 data modeling is complicated with using existing indicators, which requires a separate organization observation network for PM2.5 content in the atmosphere for sustainable development in cities of Ukraine.

AIR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR PARTICULATE MATTER, VOLUMES I-III

EPA Science Inventory

There is no abstract available for these documents. If further information is requested, please refer to the bibliographic citation and contact the Technical Information Staff at the number listed below.

• Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter, Volume I - EP...

• Bio-optical water quality dynamics observed from MERIS in Pensacola Bay, Florida

  EPA Science Inventory

  Observed bio-optical water quality data collected from 2009 to 2011 in Pensacola Bay, Florida were used to develop empirical remote sensing retrieval algorithms for chlorophyll a (Chla), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and suspended particulate matter (SPM). Time-series ...

• [Evaluation of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria in port water and of health risks related to harbour activities: port of Otranto (Italy)].

  PubMed

  De Donno, Antonella; Bagordo, Francesco; Rollo, Maria Concetta; Quattrocchi, Manuela; Campa, Annamaria; Guido, Marcello

  2006-01-01

  The aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality of the port of Otranto (Italy), through a combined approach which integrates monitoring of traditional microbiological parameters and studying the dynamics of some autochthonous bacterial communities. The fecal contamination indicators, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci were measured to evaluate the sanitary aspects, while the presence of organic matter was considered as a parameter strictly related to dumping. In addition, being the port of Otranto especially exposed to hydrocarbon pollution, hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria were evaluated. Fecal contamination indicators were consistently found to be below the threshold values set by the Italian legislative decree N. 470/82 for bathing waters, indicating a good microbiological quality of these waters. A higher density of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria was found at mooring and craft transit areas. This parameter was therefore found to be useful for evaluating port water hydrocarbon pollution.

• Most Courses Are Not Born Digital: An Overview of the Quality Matters Peer Review Process for Online Course Design

  ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

  Varonis, Evageline Marlos

  2014-01-01

  Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design…

• Non-Destructive High-Resolution Organic Matter Record on Lake Sediment using Steady-State Solid Phase Fluorescence: Organic Matter Quality and Quantity Assessment.

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Quiers, M.; Perrette, Y.; Etienne, D.; Develle, A. L.; Jacq, K.

  2017-12-01

  The use of organic proxies increases in paleoenvironmental reconstructions from natural archives. Major advances have been achieved by the development of new highly informative molecular proxies usually linked to specific compounds. While studies focused on targeted compounds, offering a high information degree, advances on bulk organic matter are limited. However, this bulk is the main contributor to carbon cycle and has been shown to be a driver of many mineral or organic compounds transfer and record. Development of target proxies need complementary information on bulk organic matter to understand biases link to controlling factors or analytical methods, and provide a robust interpretation. Fluorescence methods have often been employed to characterize and quantify organic matter. However, these technics are mainly developed for liquid samples, inducing material and resolution loss when working on natural archives (either stalagmite or sediments). High-resolution solid phase fluorescence (SPF) was developed on speleothems. This method allows now to analyse organic matter quality and quantity if procedure to constrain the optical density are adopted. In fact, a calibration method using liquid phase fluorescence (LPF) was developed for speleothem, allowing to quantify organic carbon at high-resolution. We report here an application of such a procedure SPF/LPF measurements on lake sediments. In order to avoid sediment matrix effects on the fluorescence signal, a calibration using LPF measurements was realised. First results using this method provided organic matter quality record of different organic matter compounds (humic-like, protein-like and chlorophylle-like compounds) at high resolution for the sediment core. High resolution organic matter fluxes are obtained in a second time, applying pragmatic chemometrics model (non linear models, partial least square models) on high resolution fluorescence data. SPF method can be considered as a promising tool for high resolution record on organic matter quality and quantity. Potential application of this method will be evocated (lake ecosystem dynamic, changes in trophic levels)

• The state of ambient air quality in Pakistan--a review.

  PubMed

  Colbeck, Ian; Nasir, Zaheer Ahmad; Ali, Zulfiqar

  2010-01-01

  Pakistan, during the last decade, has seen an extensive escalation in population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, together with a great increase in motorization and energy use. As a result, a substantial rise has taken place in the types and number of emission sources of various air pollutants. However, due to the lack of air quality management capabilities, the country is suffering from deterioration of air quality. Evidence from various governmental organizations and international bodies has indicated that air pollution is a significant risk to the environment, quality of life, and health of the population. The Government has taken positive steps toward air quality management in the form of the Pakistan Clean Air Program and has recently established a small number of continuous monitoring stations. However, ambient air quality standards have not yet been established. This paper reviews the data being available on the criteria air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and lead. Air pollution studies in Pakistan published in both scientific journals and by the Government have been reviewed and the reported concentrations of PM, SO(2), O(3), CO, NO(2), and Pb collated. A comparison of the levels of these air pollutants with the World Health Organization air quality guidelines was carried out. Particulate matter was the most serious air pollutant in the country. NO(2) has emerged as the second high-risk pollutant. The reported levels of PM, SO(2), CO, NO(2), and Pb were many times higher than the World Health Organization air quality guidelines. Only O(3) concentrations were below the guidelines. The current state of air quality calls for immediate action to tackle the poor air quality. The establishment of ambient air quality standards, an extension of the continuous monitoring sites, and the development of emission control strategies are essential.

• Influence of agricultural management on chemical quality of a clay soil of semi-arid Morocco

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Ibno Namr, Khalid; Mrabet, Rachid

  2004-06-01

  Morocco's semi-arid lands are characterized by unique challenges. The most important obstacles to the development of durable agriculture are (1) limited and unpredictable supply of soil moisture and (2) low soil quality. Intensive use of soil throughout history has led to depletion in soil quality, leading in return to reduced yields because of the consequent reduced organic matter. Recognizing the need to recover soil quality and production decline, INRA scientists began, in the early 1980s, research on the effects of crop rotations, tillage and residue management on the productivity and quality of cropped soils. The present study concerns the short-term effect of rotation, tillage and residue management on selected quality indices of a calcixeroll (organic matter, nitrogen, particulate organic carbon (Cpom), particulate organic nitrogen (Npom) and pH). Hence, three rotations (wheat-wheat, WW; fallow-wheat, FW; and fallow-wheat-barley, FWB), two tillage systems (conventional offset disking, CT and no-tillage, NT), and three levels of residue in the NT system (NT 0 = no-residue cover, NT 50 = half surface residue cover, NT 100 = full surface residue cover) were selected. Three surface horizons were sampled (0-2.5, 2.5-7 and 7-20 cm). The study results showed an improvement of measured soil chemical properties under NT compared to CT, at the surface layer. No-tillage system helped sequestration of carbon and nitrogen, build-up of particulate organic carbon and nitrogen and sensible reduction of pH only at the surface layer. Continuous wheat permitted a slight improvement of soil quality, mainly at the 0-2.5 cm depth. Effects of rotation, tillage and residue level were reduced with depth of measurements.

• Predicting organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations in runoff from peat extraction sites using partial least squares regression

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Tuukkanen, T.; Marttila, H.; Kløve, B.

  2017-07-01

  Organic matter and nutrient export from drained peatlands is affected by complex hydrological and biogeochemical interactions. Here partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to relate various soil and catchment characteristics to variations in chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in runoff. Peat core samples and water quality data were collected from 15 peat extraction sites in Finland. PLSR models constructed by cross-validation and variable selection routines predicted 92, 88, and 95% of the variation in mean COD, TN, and TP concentration in runoff, respectively. The results showed that variations in COD were mainly related to net production (temperature and water-extractable dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), hydrology (topographical relief), and solubility of dissolved organic matter (peat sulfur (S) and calcium (Ca) concentrations). Negative correlations for peat S and runoff COD indicated that acidity from oxidation of organic S stored in peat may be an important mechanism suppressing organic matter leaching. Moreover, runoff COD was associated with peat aluminum (Al), P, and sodium (Na) concentrations. Hydrological controls on TN and COD were similar (i.e., related to topography), whereas degree of humification, bulk density, and water-extractable COD and Al provided additional explanations for TN concentration. Variations in runoff TP concentration were attributed to erosion of particulate P, as indicated by a positive correlation with suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and factors associated with metal-humic complexation and P adsorption (peat Al, water-extractable P, and water-extractable iron (Fe)).

• The removal characteristics of natural organic matter in the recycling of drinking water treatment sludge: Role of solubilized organics.

  PubMed

  Zhou, Zhiwei; Yang, Yanling; Li, Xing; Ji, Siyang; Zhang, Hao; Wang, Shuai; Zeng, Qingping; Han, Xinghang

  2016-01-01

  To clarify the role of solubilized organics derived from drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) in the elimination of natural organic matter (NOM) in the DWTS recycling process, a probe sonoreactor at a frequency of 25 kHz was used to solubilize the organics at varied specific energies. The coagulation behavior related to NOM removal in recycling the sonicated DWTS with and without solubilized organics was evaluated, and the effect on organic fractionations in coagulated water was determined. The study results could provide useful implications in designing DWTS recycling processes that avoid the enrichment of organic matter. Our results indicate that DWTS was disrupted through a low release of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and proteins, which could deteriorate the coagulated water quality under the specific energy of 37.87-1212.1 kW h/kg TS. The optimal coagulation behavior for NOM removal was achieved by recycling the sonicated DWTS without solubilized organics at 151.5 kW h/kg TS specific energy. Recycling the sonicated DWTS could increase the enrichment potential of weakly hydrophobic acid, hydrophilic matter, and <3 kDa fractions; the enrichment risks could be reduced by discharging the solubilized organics. Fluorescent characteristic analysis indicated that when recycling the sonicated DWTS without solubilized organics, the removal of humic-like substances was limited, whereas removal of protein-like substances was enhanced, lowering the enrichment potential of protein-like substances. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

• Assessing quality and quantity of groundwater DOC in relation to plant export from different over-winter green-cover treatments in tillage farming systems

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Premrov, Alina; Coxon, Catherine; Hackett, Richard; Richards, Karl

  2010-05-01

  The biogeochemistry of nitrogen is often connected to carbon and C/N dynamics. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) electron donor availability can be related to groundwater denitrification (Buss, et al. 2005). Therefore groundwater nitrate attenuation processes are also frequently linked to carbon availability. In recent years the role of over-winter green cover in tillage farming has been studied extensively. Nevertheless further research on the biogeochemical effect of green cover on soil/sediment and groundwater quality is still needed. In particular plant roots are known to exude different types of organic compounds, but their role in groundwater quality has not been investigated in depth. According to Cannavo et al. (2004a,b), in addition to quantity, the quality of water-extractable soil organic matter (e.g. molecular size/weight) has also an important role for microbial activity. In this study we investigate the effect of over-winter green-cover on potential DOC export to shallow groundwater (2 - 5 m below ground level), located on tillage land in Oak Park, Carlow, Ireland. The experiment includes three over-winter green-cover treatments: natural green-cover, mustard and no-cover (sprayed with herbicide following harvest); and is underlain by a sand and gravel aquifer. The site is equipped with 4 shallow piezometers per treatment (total no. of piezometers is 20, including treatments and surrounding piezometers). In addition to monitoring the quantity of DOC concentrations in shallow groundwater under different green cover treatments over time, an attempt was made to evaluate the quality of dissolved organic matter in shallow groundwater using Excitation Emission Fluorescence Matrix (EEFM) profiles obtained from analyses performed on a Varian Fluorescence Spectrophotometer of a single batch of samples (from all 20 installed piezometers in September 2009). To evaluate the quality of dissolved organic matter in shallow groundwater, computation of the humification index (HIX) was performed. Computation of HIX was adapted from the methodology described in Zsolnay (2003) and Cannavo et al. (2004b) using emission spectra from excitation at 245nm, and the HIX was expressed as the H/L ratio. H/L is defined as the ratio between the area of the higher and lower usable quarter of emission spectrum peak [i.e. H (352 - 382nm), L (450 - 480nm)], corresponding to the pools of high (H) and low (L) organic molecule sizes (Cannavo et al., 2004b). Quantitatively the results showed generally low DOC values (< 3mg/L). However, the groundwater DOC concentrations under mustard-cover were higher if compared to two other treatments, which indicated possible mustard plant DOC export to shallow groundwater (Premrov et al., 2009). Qualitative analyses showed an EEFM profile pattern typical for water extractable organic matter. Mean HIX values were generally low (< 2), as expected for shallow groundwater, corresponding to small organic molecules. The HIX levels obtained in this study were also generally comparable to the low HIX values found by Cannavo (2004b) (e.g. HIX of c. 2 at 1- 2 m unsaturated zone depth). Despite slightly higher mean HIX values under mustard-cover, no clear trend was observed in the quality of dissolved organic matter in groundwater in relation to different green cover treatments: i.e. mean groundwater HIX value under mustard treatment (n=4 per treatment) was 1.84, std.err.= 0.19; while the mean value for natural regeneration was 1.62 (std.err.=0.15) and that for the no-cover treatment was 1.60 (std.err.=0.16). The results indicate the importance of further studies using EEFM analysis to assess the quality of dissolved organic matter in shallow groundwater. Acknowledgements This work was funded by a Teagasc Walsh Fellowship and a Trinity College Dublin One-year Postgraduate Student Award. The authors thank Dr. Norman Allot and Dr. Carlos Rocha from Trinity College Dublin for their support and suggestions regarding the Fluorescence Spectrophotometrical analysis. Literature: Buss, S.R., Rivett, M.O., Morgan, P., Bemment, C.D., 2005. Using science to create a better place: Attenuation of nitrate in the sub-surface environment. Science Report SC030155/SR2. Environment Agency, UK. Cannavo, P., Richaume, A., Lafolie, F., 2004a. Fate of nitrogen and carbon in the vadose zone: in situ and laboratory measurements of seasonal variations in aerobic respiratory and denitrifying activities. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 36, p. 463-478. Cannavo, P., Dudal, Y., Boudenne, J.L., Lafolie, F., 2004b. Potential for Fluorescence Spectroscopy To Assess the Quality of Soil Water-Extracted Organic Matter. Soil Science 169, p. 688-696. Premrov, A., Coxon, C.E., Hackett, R., Brennan D., Sills, P. & Richards, K. 2009. Over-winter green cover in a spring barley system: Role in exporting dissolved organic carbon to shallow groundwater and implications for denitrification. 16th Nitrogen Workshop: Connecting different scales of nitrogen use in agriculture. Turin, Italy. (Eds.: Grignani, C., Acutis, M., Zavattaro, L., Bechini, L., Bertora, C., Gallina, P. M. and Sacco, D.), p. 11-12. Zsolnay, Á., 2003. Dissolved organic matter: artefacts, definitions, and functions. Geoderma 113, p. 187-209.

• Strategies for soil quality assessment using VNIR gyperspectral spectroscopy in a western Kenya Chronosequence

  USGS Publications Warehouse

  Kinoshita, Rintaro; Moebius-Clune, Bianca N.; van Es, Harold M.; Hively, W. Dean; Bilgilis, A. Volkan

  2012-01-01

  Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIRS) is a rapid and nondestructive method that can predict multiple soil properties simultaneously, but its application in multidimensional soil quality (SQ) assessment in the tropics still needs to be further assessed. In this study, VNIRS (350–2500 nm) was employed to analyze 227 air-dried soil samples of Ultisols from a soil chronosequence in western Kenya and assess 16 SQ indicators. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was validated using the full-site cross-validation method by grouping samples from each farm or forest site. Most suitable models successfully predicted SQ indicators (R2 ≥ 0.80; ratio of performance to deviation [RPD] ≥ 2.00) including soil organic matter (OMLOI), active C, Ca, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and clay. Moderately-well predicted indicators (0.50 ≤ R2 pwp), and field capacity (Θfc). Poorly predicted indicators (R2 < 0.50; RPD < 1.40) were EC, S, P, available water capacity (AWC), K, Zn, and penetration resistance. Combining VNIRS with selected field- and laboratory-measured SQ indicator values increased predictability. Furthermore, VNIRS showed moderate to substantial agreement in predicting interpretive SQ scores and a composite soil quality index (CSQI) especially when combined with directly measured SQ indicator values. In conclusion, VNIRS has good potential for low cost, rapid assessment of physical and biological SQ indicators but conventional soil chemical tests may need to be retained to provide comprehensive SQ assessments.

• Friendship, perceived mattering and happiness: a study of American and Turkish college students.

  PubMed

  Demir, Melikşah; Ozen, Ayça; Doğan, Aysun

  2012-01-01

  Although it is well established that friendship is a consistent correlate of happiness, less is known about how friendship experiences might promote happiness. The current investigation addressed this gap by testing a mediational model proposing that perceived mattering explains the association of friendship quality with happiness among college students in Turkey and the United States. An alternative model suggesting friendship quality as the mediator was also tested to enhance confidence in the proposed model. SEM analyses revealed that perceived mattering mediated the association of friendship with happiness only in the American sample. In the Turkish sample, friendship quality mediated the association between mattering and happiness. Findings highlight the importance of cross-cultural research and suggest that the underlying processes and psychological mechanisms related to the friendship-happiness link might be different in different cultures.

• Integrating plant litter quality, soil organic matter stabilization, and the carbon saturation concept

  USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

  Recent research suggests labile plant litters promote the stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) in physico-chemically protected fractions with relatively slow turnover. However, the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is inconsistent. Labile, ‘high quality’ litters characterized by hi...

• STATUS OF RESEARCH ON AIR QUALITY: MERCURY, TRACE ELEMENTS, AND PARTICULATE MATTER. (R827649)

  EPA Science Inventory

  The Air Quality Conference reviewed the state of science and policy on the pollutants mercury, trace elements, and particulate matter (PM) in the environment. Critical issues dealing with impacts on health and ecosystems, emission prevention and control, measurement methods, a...

• Stable isotope analysis of larval mosquito diets in agricultural wetlands in the coastal plain of Georgia, U.S.A.

  PubMed

  Young, Gina Botello; Golladay, Stephen; Covich, Alan; Blackmore, Mark

  2014-12-01

  Previous studies have used C and N isotope ratios to investigate the use of different food resources such as plant and animal detritus by container-breeding mosquitoes. This study is the first to report on the potential food resources assimilated by larval mosquitoes in agricultural and reference wetlands. Larval mosquitoes (Diptera: Culcidae) were sampled, along with their potential food resources, from agricultural and reference wetland habitats throughout a seasonal hydroperiod. IsoSource mixing model results indicated that food resources had greater δ(15) N isotope values in agricultural wetlands compared with cypress-gum swamps. In February, Aedes vexans (Meigen) and Culex territans Walker larvae fed primarily on lower quality food resources (coarse particulate organic matter and sediment) based on C:N. In contrast, higher quality food resources (fine particulate organic matter) were utilized by Anopheles spp. throughout the study and by Psorophora columbiae (Dyer and Knab) in May. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the food resources available and assimilated by larval mosquitoes in agricultural wetlands. © 2014 The Society for Vector Ecology.

• 40 CFR 1508.19 - Matter.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

  2012-07-01

  ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Matter. 1508.19 Section 1508.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX § 1508.19 Matter. Matter includes for purposes of part 1504: (a) With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed...

• 40 CFR 1508.19 - Matter.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

  2010-07-01

  ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Matter. 1508.19 Section 1508.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX § 1508.19 Matter. Matter includes for purposes of part 1504: (a) With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed...

• 40 CFR 1508.19 - Matter.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

  2013-07-01

  ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Matter. 1508.19 Section 1508.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX § 1508.19 Matter. Matter includes for purposes of part 1504: (a) With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed...

• 40 CFR 1508.19 - Matter.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

  2014-07-01

  ... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Matter. 1508.19 Section 1508.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX § 1508.19 Matter. Matter includes for purposes of part 1504: (a) With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed...

40 CFR 1508.19 - Matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Matter. 1508.19 Section 1508.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX § 1508.19 Matter. Matter includes for purposes of part 1504: (a) With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed...

Analysis of impacts of urban land use and land cover on air quality in the Las Vegas region using remote sensing information and ground observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Xian, G.

2007-01-01

Urban development in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada (USA) has expanded rapidly over the past 50 years. The air quality in the valley has suffered owing to increases from anthropogenic emissions of carbon monoxide, ozone and criteria pollutants of particular matter. Air quality observations show that pollutant concentrations have apparent heterogeneous characteristics in the urban area. Quantified urban land use and land cover information derived from satellite remote sensing data indicate an apparent local influence of urban development density on air pollutant distributions. Multi‐year observational data collected by a network of local air monitoring stations specify that ozone maximums develop in the May and June timeframe, whereas minimum concentrations generally occur from November to February. The fine particulate matter maximum occurs in July. Ozone concentrations are highest on the west and northwest sides of the valley. Night‐time ozone reduction contributes to the heterogeneous features of the spatial distribution for average ozone levels in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Decreased ozone levels associated with increased urban development density suggest that the highest ozone and lowest nitrogen oxides concentrations are associated with medium to low density urban development in Las Vegas.

Fungal–bacterial dynamics and their contribution to terrigenous carbon turnover in relation to organic matter quality

PubMed Central

Fabian, Jenny; Zlatanovic, Sanja; Mutz, Michael; Premke, Katrin

2017-01-01

Ecological functions of fungal and bacterial decomposers vary with environmental conditions. However, the response of these decomposers to particulate organic matter (POM) quality, which varies widely in aquatic ecosystems, remains poorly understood. Here we investigated how POM pools of substrates of different qualities determine the relative contributions of aquatic fungi and bacteria to terrigenous carbon (C) turnover. To this end, surface sediments were incubated with different POM pools of algae and/or leaf litter. 13C stable-isotope measurements of C mineralization were combined with phospholipid analysis to link the metabolic activities and substrate preferences of fungal and bacterial heterotrophs to dynamics in their abundance. We found that the presence of labile POM greatly affected the dominance of bacteria over fungi within the degrader communities and stimulated the decomposition of beech litter primarily through an increase in metabolic activity. Our data indicated that fungi primarily contribute to terrigenous C turnover by providing litter C for the microbial loop, whereas bacteria determine whether the supplied C substrate is assimilated into biomass or recycled back into the atmosphere in relation to phosphate availability. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the role of fungi and bacteria in terrestrial–aquatic C cycling in relation to environmental conditions. PMID:27983721

Relationships between stability, maturity, water-extractable organic matter of municipal sewage sludge composts and soil functionality.

PubMed

Sciubba, Luigi; Cavani, Luciano; Grigatti, Marco; Ciavatta, Claudio; Marzadori, Claudio

2015-09-01

Compost capability of restoring or enhancing soil quality depends on several parameters, such as soil characteristics, compost carbon, nitrogen and other nutrient content, heavy metal occurrence, stability and maturity. This study investigated the possibility of relating compost stability and maturity to water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) properties and amendment effect on soil quality. Three composts from municipal sewage sludge and rice husk (AN, from anaerobic wastewater treatment plants; AE, from aerobic ones; MIX, from both anaerobic and aerobic ones) have been analysed and compared to a traditional green waste compost (GM, from green manure, solid waste and urban sewage sludge). To this aim, WEOMs were characterized through chemical analysis; furthermore, compost stability was evaluated through oxygen uptake rate calculation and maturity was estimated through germination index determination, whereas compost impact on soil fertility was studied, in a lab-scale experiment, through indicators as inorganic nitrogen release, soil microbial biomass carbon, basal respiration rate and fluorescein di-acetate hydrolysis. The obtained results indicated that WEOM characterization could be useful to investigate compost stability (which is related to protein and phenol concentrations) and maturity (related to nitrate/ammonium ratio and degree of aromaticity) and then compost impact on soil functionality. Indeed, compost stability resulted inversely related to soil microbial biomass, basal respiration rate and fluorescein di-acetate hydrolysis when the products were applied to the soil.

Heavy metals in industrially emitted particulate matter in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogundele, Lasun T; Owoade, Oyediran K; Hopke, Philip K; Olise, Felix S

2017-07-01

Iron and steel smelting facilities generate large quantities of airborne particulate matter (PM) through their various activities and production processes. The resulting PM that contains a variety of heavy metals has potentially detrimental impacts on human health and the environment. This study was conducted to assess the potential health effects of the pollution from the heavy metals in the airborne PM sampled in the vicinity of secondary smelting operations in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine the elemental concentration of Pb, Cr, Cd, Zn, Mn, As, Fe, Cu, and Ni in the size-segregated PM samples. Pollution Indices (PI) consisting of Contamination Factor (CF), Degree of Contamination (DC) and Pollution Index Load (PLI) and Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) were employed to assess the pollution risk associated with the heavy metals in the PM. CF, DC and PLI values were 3< CF <6, >32 and >1, respectively for the three sites, indicating deterioration of the ambient air quality in the vicinity of the smelter. The heavy metals in the airborne PM pose a severe health risk to people living in vicinity of the facility and to its workers. The diminished air quality with the associated health risks directly depends on the industrial emissions from steel production and control measures are recommended to mitigate the likely risks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the Myths of Indicator Species: Issues and Further Consideration in the Use of Static Concepts for Ecological Applications

PubMed Central

Zettler, Michael L.; Proffitt, C. Edward; Darr, Alexander; Degraer, Steven; Devriese, Lisa; Greathead, Clare; Kotta, Jonne; Magni, Paolo; Martin, Georg; Reiss, Henning; Speybroeck, Jeroen; Tagliapietra, Davide; Van Hoey, Gert; Ysebaert, Tom

2013-01-01

The use of static indicator species, in which species are expected to have a similar sensitivity or tolerance to either natural or human-induced stressors, does not account for possible shifts in tolerance along natural environmental gradients and between biogeographic regions. Their indicative value may therefore be considered at least questionable. In this paper we demonstrate how species responses (i.e. abundance) to changes in sediment grain size and organic matter (OM) alter along a salinity gradient and conclude with a plea for prudency when interpreting static indicator-based quality indices. Six model species (three polychaetes, one amphipod and two bivalves) from the North Sea, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea region were selected. Our study demonstrated that there were no generic relationships between environment and biota and half of the studied species showed different responses in different seas. Consequently, the following points have to be carefully considered when applying static indicator-based quality indices: (1) species tolerances and preferences may change along environmental gradients and between different biogeographic regions, (2) as environment modifies species autecology, there is a need to adjust indicator species lists along major environmental gradients and (3) there is a risk of including sibling or cryptic species in calculating the index value of a species. PMID:24147123

Measures of Water Quality in Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge Impoundments and Adjacent Indian River Lagoon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blum, Linda K.

2000-01-01

The goal of this project was to conduct preliminary investigations to determine appropriate sampling strategies to measure the flux of dissolved nutrients (specifically, NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, and PO4(3-)) and suspended particulate matter (TSS) between impoundments and the IRL in preparation for an intensive three-year monitoring program. In addition to nutrients and TSS, a variety of common water quality indicators were also measured during these preliminary studies. Six impoundments and a single restored marsh were selected for study. Over a month long period, water samples were collected weekly at selected impoundment culverts. Water was collected in duplicate as independent grab samples from both the lagoon side and within the perimeter ditch directly adjacent to the culverts. Water quality indicators inside and outside the marsh impoundments were different. Ammonium, salinity, bacteria, and chlorophyll-a were higher inside the impoundments as expected possibly as a result of the great affect of evaporation on impoundment water. Water quality indicators responded rapidly both inside and outside the impoundments as exemplified by the increase in NH4(+)-N concentrations during a horseshoe crab die-off. Water quality indicators were high variable during the month in which water samples were collected. Because the impoundments are widely spaced it is logistically unrealistic to sample each of the impoundments and associated seagrass beds on a single day, sampling must be stratified to allow patterns of material movement and the annual flux of materials to and from the impoundments to be determined.

Technical evaluation of a tank-connected food waste disposer system for biogas production and nutrient recovery.

PubMed

Davidsson, Å; Bernstad Saraiva, A; Magnusson, N; Bissmont, M

2017-07-01

In this study, a tank-connected food waste disposer system with the objective to optimise biogas production and nutrient recovery from food waste in Malmö was evaluated. The project investigated the source-separation ratio of food waste through waste composition analyses, determined the potential biogas production in ground food waste, analysed the organic matter content and the limiting components in ground food waste and analysed outlet samples to calculate food waste losses from the separation tank. It can be concluded that the tank-connected food waste disposer system in Malmö can be used for energy recovery and optimisation of biogas production. The organic content of the collected waste is very high and contains a lot of energy rich fat and protein, and the methane potential is high. The results showed that approximately 38% of the food waste dry matter is collected in the tank. The remaining food waste is either found in residual waste (34% of the dry matter) or passes the tank and goes through the outlet to the sewer (28%). The relatively high dry matter content in the collected fraction (3-5% DM) indicates that the separation tank can thicken the waste substantially. The potential for nutrient recovery is rather limited considering the tank content. Only small fractions of the phosphorus (15%) and nitrogen (21%) are recyclable by the collected waste in the tank. The quality of the outlet indicates a satisfactory separation of particulate organic matter and fat. The organic content and nutrients, which are in dissolved form, cannot be retained in the tank and are rather led to the sewage via the outlet. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of Malaysian Medical Journals

PubMed Central

Abrizah, Abdullah

2016-01-01

Indexation status matters for scholarly journal prestige and trust. The performance of Malaysian medical journals at the international level is gauged through the global citation databases, and at the national level through MyCite, a national citation indexing system. The performance indicators include journals publication productivity, the citations they garner, and their scores on other bibliometric indices such as journal impact factor (IF), and h-index. There is a growing consciousness amongst journal editorials to improve quality and increase chances of getting indexed in MyCite. Although it is now possible to gauge journal performance within Malaysia, through MyCite, the government and public are concerned about journal performance in international databases. Knowing the performance of journals in MyCite will help the editors and publishers to improve the quality and visibility of Malaysian journals and strategise to bring their journal to the international level of indexation. PMID:27547108

A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF MODELS-3 CMAQ USING PARTICULATE MATTER DATA FROM THE IMPROVE NETWORK

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Air Act and its Amendments require the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and to assess current and future air quality regulations designed to protect human health and wel...

Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter and Sulfur Oxides (Final Report, 1982)

EPA Science Inventory

Particulate matter and sulfur oxides are two of six major air pollutants regulated by National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) under the U.S. Clean Air Act. As mandated by the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must periodically review the scienti...

IBSTPI, Quality Matters, and Online Learning: What's Right and What Needs Changing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bose, Eric V.

2012-01-01

This study sought to examine and extend the existing knowledge of IBSTPI competencies of instructional design (International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction, 2000), the instructional rubric standard expectations of Quality Matters (2010), the identified categories of online learning affordances (Kirschner, Strijbos,…

Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (Final Report, 2004)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has completed the process of updating and revising, where appropriate, its Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (PM) as issued in 1996 (usually referred to as the Criteria Document). Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act require that EPA carry out a periodic revi...

O3, CO2 and chemical fractionation in ponderosa pine saplings

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental factors can affect plant tissue quality which is important for quality of organic matter inputs into soil food webs and decomposition of soil organic matter. Thus the effects of increases in CO2 and O3 and their interactions were determined for various chemical fra...

AIR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR PARTICULATE MATTER, VOLUMES I-III, (EXTERNAL REVIEW DRAFT, 1995)

EPA Science Inventory

There is no abstract available for these documents.

If further information is requested, please refer to the bibliographic citation and contact the Technical Information Staff at the number listed above.

• Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter, Volume I, Extern...

• Source apportionment of visual impairment during the California regional PM 10/PM 2.5 air quality study

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Chen, Jianjun; Ying, Qi; Kleeman, Michael J.

  2009-12-01

  Gases and particulate matter predictions from the UCD/CIT air quality model were used in a visibility model to predict source contributions to visual impairment in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), the southern portion of California's Central Valley, during December 2000 and January 2001. Within the SJV, daytime (0800-1700 PST) light extinction was dominated by scattering associated with airborne particles. Measured daytime particle scattering coefficients were compared to predicted values at approximately 40 locations across the SJV after correction for the increased temperature and decreased relative humidity produced by "smart heaters" placed upstream of nephelometers. Mean fractional bias and mean fractional error were -0.22 and 0.65, respectively, indicating reasonable agreement between model predictions and measurements. Particulate water, nitrate, organic matter, and ammonium were the major particulate species contributing to light scattering in the SJV. Daytime light extinction in the SJV averaged between December 25, 2000 and January 7, 2001 was mainly associated with animal ammonia sources (28%), diesel engines (18%), catalyst gasoline engines (9%), other anthropogenic sources (9%), and wood smoke (7%) with initial and boundary conditions accounting for 13%. The source apportionment results from this study apply to wintertime conditions when airborne particulate matter concentrations are typically at their annual maximum. Further study would be required to quantify source contributions to light extinction in other seasons.

• Banana leaf and glucose mineralization and soil organic matter in microhabitats of banana plantations under long-term pesticide use.

  PubMed

  Blume, Elena; Reichert, José Miguel

  2015-06-01

  Soil organic matter (SOM) and microbial activity are key components of soil quality and sustainability. In the humid tropics of Costa Rica 3 pesticide regimes were studied-fungicide (low input); fungicide and herbicide (medium input); and fungicide, herbicide, and nematicide (high input)-under continuous banana cultivation for 5 yr (young) or 20 yr (old) in 3 microhabitats-nematicide ring around plants, litter pile of harvested banana, and bare area between litter pile and nematicide ring. Soil samples were incubated sequentially in the laboratory: unamended, amended with glucose, and amended with ground banana leaves. Soil organic matter varied with microhabitat, being greatest in the litter pile, where microbes had the greatest basal respiration with ground banana leaf, whereas microbes in the nematicide ring had the greatest respiration with glucose. These results suggest that soil microbes adapt to specific microhabitats. Young banana plantations had similar SOM compared with old plantations, but the former had greater basal microbial respiration in unamended and in glucose-amended soil and greater first-order mineralization rates in glucose-amended soil, thus indicating soil biological quality decline over time. High pesticide input did not decrease microbial activity or mineralization rate in surface soil. In conclusion, microbial activity in tropical volcanic soil is highly adaptable to organic and inorganic inputs. © 2015 SETAC.

• Particulate matter air quality assessment over southeast United States using satellite and ground measurements

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Gupta, Pawan

  Fine particles (PM2.5, particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 mum) can penetrate deep inside the human lungs and recent scientific studies have shown thousands of deaths occur each year around the world, prematurely, due to a high concentration of particulate matter. Therefore, monitoring and forecasting of surface level fine particulate matter air quality is very important. Typically air quality measurements are made from ground stations. In recent years, linear regression relationships between satellite derived aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and surface measured PM2.5 mass concentration are formed and used to estimate PM2.5 in the areas where surface measurements are not available. This type of simple linear relationships varies with regions and seasons, and does not provide accurate enough estimation of surface level pollution and many studies have shown that AOT alone is not sufficient for PM2.5 mass concentration estimations. Furthermore, AOT represents aerosol loading in the entire column of the atmosphere whereas PM2.5 is measured at the surface; hence, the knowledge of vertical distribution of aerosols coupled with meteorology becomes critical in PM2.5 estimations. In this dissertation I used three years (2004-2006) of coincident hourly PM2.5, MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived AOT, and Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) analyzed meteorological fields to assess PM2.5 air quality in the Southeast United States. I explored the use of two-variate (TVM), multi-variate (MVM) and artificial neural network (ANN) methods for estimating PM2.5 over 85 stations in the region. First, satellite data were analyzed for sampling biases, quality, and impact of clouds. Results show that MODIS-Terra AOT data was available only about 50% of the days in any given month due to cloud over and unfavorable surface conditions, but this produced a sampling bias of less than 2 mugm-3. Results indicate that there is up to three fold improvements in the correlation coefficients (R) while using MVM (that includes meteorology) over different regions and seasons when compared to the TVM and further improvements were noticed when ANN method is applied. The improvement in absolute percentage error of estimation ranges from 5% to 50% over different seasons and regions when compared with TVM models. Overall ANN models performed better than TVM and MVM models. Based on these results, we recommend using meteorological variables along with satellite observations for improving particulate matter air quality assessment from satellite observations in the region.

• 15 CFR 280.212 - Matter protected against disclosure.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

  2013-01-01

  ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Matter protected against disclosure... PROGRAMS FASTENER QUALITY Enforcement § 280.212 Matter protected against disclosure. (a) Protective... containing the classified or sensitive matter need to be made available to a party to avoid prejudice, the...

• 15 CFR 280.212 - Matter protected against disclosure.

  Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

  2011-01-01

  ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Matter protected against disclosure... PROGRAMS FASTENER QUALITY Enforcement § 280.212 Matter protected against disclosure. (a) Protective... containing the classified or sensitive matter need to be made available to a party to avoid prejudice, the...

15 CFR 280.212 - Matter protected against disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Matter protected against disclosure... PROGRAMS FASTENER QUALITY Enforcement § 280.212 Matter protected against disclosure. (a) Protective... containing the classified or sensitive matter need to be made available to a party to avoid prejudice, the...

15 CFR 280.212 - Matter protected against disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Matter protected against disclosure... PROGRAMS FASTENER QUALITY Enforcement § 280.212 Matter protected against disclosure. (a) Protective... containing the classified or sensitive matter need to be made available to a party to avoid prejudice, the...

Effects of Sewage Discharge on Trophic State and Water Quality in a Coastal Ecosystem of the Gulf of California

PubMed Central

Vargas-González, Héctor Hugo; Arreola-Lizárraga, José Alfredo; Mendoza-Salgado, Renato Arturo; Méndez-Rodríguez, Lía Celina; Lechuga-Deveze, Carlos Hernando; Padilla-Arredondo, Gustavo; Cordoba-Matson, Miguel

2014-01-01

This paper provides evidence of the effects of urban wastewater discharges on the trophic state and environmental quality of a coastal water body in a semiarid subtropical region in the Gulf of California. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic matter from urban wastewater primary treatment were estimated. La Salada Cove was the receiving water body and parameters measured during an annual cycle were temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. The effects of sewage inputs were determined by using Trophic State Index (TRIX) and the Arid Zone Coastal Water Quality Index (AZCI). It was observed that urban wastewater of the city of Guaymas provided 1,237 ton N yr−1 and 811 ton P yr−1 and TRIX indicated that the receiving water body showed symptoms of eutrophication from an oligotrophic state to a mesotrophic state; AZCI also indicated that the environmental quality of the water body was poor. The effects of urban wastewater supply with insufficient treatment resulted in symptoms of eutrophication and loss of ecological functions and services of the coastal ecosystem in La Salada Cove. PMID:24711731

Polychaete response to fresh food supply at organically enriched coastal sites: Repercussion on bioturbation potential and trophic structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venturini, N.; Pires-Vanin, A. M. S.; Salhi, M.; Bessonart, M.; Muniz, P.

2011-12-01

We investigated the vertical distribution, abundance, specific and functional structure of polychaete assemblages at four organically enriched sites. The effects of fresh organic matter input from the water column driving by upwelling were evaluated. Temperature and salinity values indicate the intrusion of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) in spring, a nutrient-rich water mass. The dominance of the conveyor belt transport (CONV) in the station influenced by SACW, in the spring survey, is associated with fresh organic matter input as indicated by higher amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conversely, the predominance of the diffusive mixing (DIFF) bioturbation category, in the sites without SACW influence is related to the preferential accumulation of more refractive food resources as indicated by higher concentrations of short chain saturated fatty acids. At the site influenced by SACW, the changes in polychaete assemblages were not all evident during proceeding upwelling conditions, but may persist at the end of the upwelling. Polychaetes in the study area seemed to be limited by the quality but not the quantity of food. The delay in polychaete response to fresh food supply may be related to the organic enrichment and the prevalence of refractory material in the sediments.

Short-term effects of air quality and thermal stress on non-accidental morbidity-a multivariate meta-analysis comparing indices to single measures.

PubMed

Lokys, Hanna Leona; Junk, Jürgen; Krein, Andreas

2018-01-01

Air quality and thermal stress lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Studies on morbidity and the combined impact of air pollution and thermal stress are still rare. To analyse the correlations between air quality, thermal stress and morbidity, we used a two-stage meta-analysis approach, consisting of a Poisson regression model combined with distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) and a meta-analysis investigating whether latitude or the number of inhabitants significantly influence the correlations. We used air pollution, meteorological and hospital admission data from 28 administrative districts along a north-south gradient in western Germany from 2001 to 2011. We compared the performance of the single measure particulate matter (PM10) and air temperature to air quality indices (MPI and CAQI) and the biometeorological index UTCI. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), it can be shown that using air quality indices instead of single measures increases the model strength. However, using the UTCI in the model does not give additional information compared to mean air temperature. Interaction between the 3-day average of air quality (max PM10, max CAQI and max MPI) and meteorology (mean air temperature and mean UTCI) did not improve the models. Using the mean air temperature, we found immediate effects of heat stress (RR 1.0013, 95% CI: 0.9983-1.0043) and by 3 days delayed effects of cold stress (RR: 1.0184, 95% CI: 1.0117-1.0252). The results for air quality differ between both air quality indices and PM10. CAQI and MPI show a delayed impact on morbidity with a maximum RR after 2 days (MPI 1.0058, 95% CI: 1.0013-1.0102; CAQI 1.0068, 95% CI: 1.0030-1.0107). Latitude was identified as a significant meta-variable, whereas the number of inhabitants was not significant in the model.

Short-term effects of air quality and thermal stress on non-accidental morbidity—a multivariate meta-analysis comparing indices to single measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lokys, Hanna Leona; Junk, Jürgen; Krein, Andreas

2018-01-01

Air quality and thermal stress lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Studies on morbidity and the combined impact of air pollution and thermal stress are still rare. To analyse the correlations between air quality, thermal stress and morbidity, we used a two-stage meta-analysis approach, consisting of a Poisson regression model combined with distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) and a meta-analysis investigating whether latitude or the number of inhabitants significantly influence the correlations. We used air pollution, meteorological and hospital admission data from 28 administrative districts along a north-south gradient in western Germany from 2001 to 2011. We compared the performance of the single measure particulate matter (PM10) and air temperature to air quality indices (MPI and CAQI) and the biometeorological index UTCI. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), it can be shown that using air quality indices instead of single measures increases the model strength. However, using the UTCI in the model does not give additional information compared to mean air temperature. Interaction between the 3-day average of air quality (max PM10, max CAQI and max MPI) and meteorology (mean air temperature and mean UTCI) did not improve the models. Using the mean air temperature, we found immediate effects of heat stress (RR 1.0013, 95% CI: 0.9983-1.0043) and by 3 days delayed effects of cold stress (RR: 1.0184, 95% CI: 1.0117-1.0252). The results for air quality differ between both air quality indices and PM10. CAQI and MPI show a delayed impact on morbidity with a maximum RR after 2 days (MPI 1.0058, 95% CI: 1.0013-1.0102; CAQI 1.0068, 95% CI: 1.0030-1.0107). Latitude was identified as a significant meta-variable, whereas the number of inhabitants was not significant in the model.

Co-benefits of mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions for future air quality and human health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, Jason; Smith, Steven J.; Silva, Raquel

2013-10-01

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions also influences air quality. We simulate the co-benefits of global GHG reductions on air quality and human health via two mechanisms: a) reducing co-emitted air pollutants, and b) slowing climate change and its effect on air quality. Relative to a reference scenario, global GHG mitigation in the RCP4.5 scenario avoids 0.5±0.2, 1.3±0.6, and 2.2±1.6 million premature deaths in 2030, 2050, and 2100, from changes in fine particulate matter and ozone. Global average marginal co-benefits of avoided mortality are $40-400 (ton CO2)-1, exceeding marginal abatement costs in 2030 and 2050, and within the low range ofmore » costs in 2100. East Asian co-benefits are 10-80 times the marginal cost in 2030. These results indicate that transitioning to a low-carbon future might be justified by air quality and health co-benefits.« less

77 FR 45958 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Tennessee 110(a)(1) and (2) Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-02

... 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental Protection... Act) for the 1997 annual and 2006 24- hour fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) national ambient air... National Ambient Air Quality Standards.'' \\1\\ Two elements identified in section 110(a)(2) are not governed...

Measuring the Impact of the Quality Matters Rubric™: A Discussion of Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legon, Ron

2015-01-01

In countless discussions over the past ten years with educators considering the adoption of the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric™, the most common question asked is, "Can you prove that applying the QM Rubric to an online course improves outcomes--retention, grades, learner satisfaction?" This question seems necessary, reasonable, and even…

Revisiting the Age-Old Question: Does Money Matter in Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.

2012-01-01

This policy brief revisits the long and storied literature on whether money matters in providing a quality education. Increasingly, political rhetoric adheres to the unfounded certainty that money doesn't make a difference in education, and that reduced funding is unlikely to harm educational quality. Such proclamations have even been used to…

Teacher Quality. Education Policy White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Suzanne, Ed.

2009-01-01

Good teaching matters. There is persuasive evidence that students benefit from high quality instruction and that these benefits are cumulative for students who have good teachers for several years. Teacher effectiveness matters so much that low-income students lucky enough to have three very good teachers in a row in elementary school earn test…

Tracking cotton fiber quality and foreign matter through a stripper harvester

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The main objective of this project was to track cotton fiber quality and foreign matter content throughout the harvesting units and conveying/cleaning systems on a brush-roll stripper harvester. Seed cotton samples were collected at six locations in 2011 and five in 2012 including: 1) hand-picked fr...

How Will Air Quality Change in South Asia by 2050?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Rajesh; Barth, Mary C.; Pfister, G. G.; Delle Monache, L.; Lamarque, J. F.; Archer-Nicholls, S.; Tilmes, S.; Ghude, S. D.; Wiedinmyer, C.; Naja, M.; Walters, S.

2018-02-01

Exposure to unhealthy air causes millions of premature deaths and damages crops sufficient to feed a large portion of the South Asian population every year. However, little is known about how future air quality in South Asia will respond to changing human activities. Here we examine the combined effect of changes in climate and air pollutant emissions projected by the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 and RCP6.0 on air quality of South Asia in 2050 using a state-of-the-science Nested Regional Climate model with Chemistry (NRCM-Chem). RCP8.5 and RCP6.0 are selected to represent scenarios of highest and lowest air pollution in South Asia by 2050. NRCM-Chem shows the ability to capture observed key features of variability in meteorological parameters, ozone and related gases, and aerosols. NRCM-Chem results show that surface ozone and particulate matter of less than 2.5 μm in diameter will increase significantly by midcentury in South Asia under the RCP8.5 but remain similar to present day under RCP6.0. No RCP suggest an improvement in air pollution in South Asia by midcentury. Under RCP8.5, the frequency of air pollution events is predicted to increase by 20-120 days per year in 2050 compared to the present-day conditions, with particulate matter of less than 2.5 μm in diameter predicted to breach the World Health Organization ambient air quality guidelines on an almost daily basis in many parts of South Asia. These results indicate that while the RCP scenarios project a global improvement in air quality, they generally result in degrading air quality in South Asia.

Diel fluctuations in natural organic matter quality in an oligotrophic cave system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, T.; Engel, A. S.; Pfiffner, S. M.

2016-12-01

Transformations of natural organic matter (NOM) and effects of photochemical degradation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality in recharge can be readily studied in cave systems with hydrologic connections between the surface and subsurface. Specifically, diel controls on photodegradation, fresh NOM production, and microbial C cycling were examined from recharge to resurgence of an oligotrophic cave stream in Kentucky. We used NOM isolation and spectroscopic analysis to concentrate and characterize DOM, and lipid profiling to evaluate microbial community structure. A hydrophilic fraction of DOM was isolated from bulk waters in the field using diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) weak anion exchange column chromatography, and isolates were characterized with FTIR spectroscopy to identify differences in macromolecular structure between surface and subsurface (downstream) DOM. Lipids from colloidal NOM (retained on 0.2 µm filter) and stream sediments were extracted using a modified Bligh Dyer method, segregated into classes, and converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) for quantification and identification by GC-MS. During a late summer, low flow, 24-hour sampling event, the quality of surface water DOM recharged at night was 40% richer in aliphatic esters, 30% richer in phenols and alkanes, and elevated in polysaccharides compared with DOM recharged during daylight. IR absorptivity in nocturnal DOM isolates was an order of magnitude lower in the cave stream, with recalcitrant DOM interpreted from bands of aliphatic esters, alkanes, and organo-silicates. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles indicated that the abundance of polyunsaturated PLFA associated with algae, fungi, and higher plants decreased along the flowpath. Cave microbes exhibited elevated trans:cis ratios relative to surface communities, and the ratio increased at night. This suggested that downstream microbial communities existed in a state of reduced activity without inputs of photosynthates at night.

Size Matters — Determinants of Modern, Community-Oriented Mental Health Services

PubMed Central

Ala-Nikkola, Taina; Pirkola, Sami; Kontio, Raija; Joffe, Grigori; Pankakoski, Maiju; Malin, Maili; Sadeniemi, Minna; Kaila, Minna; Wahlbeck, Kristian

2014-01-01

Governances, structures and contents of mental health services are being reformed across countries. There is a need for data to support those changes. The aim of this study was to explore the quality, i.e., diversity and community orientation, and quantity, i.e., personnel resources, of mental health and substance abuse services (MHS) and evaluate correlation between population needs and quality and quantity of MHS. The European Service Mapping Schedule—Revised (ESMS-R) was used to classify mental health and substance abuse services in southern Finland. Municipal-level aggregate data, local data on unemployment rate, length of education, age of retirement, proportion of single households, alcohol sales and a composite mental health index were used as indicators of population mental health needs. Population size correlated strongly with service diversity, explaining 84% of the variance. Personnel resources did not associate with diversity or community orientation. The indicators of mental health services need did not have the expected association with quality and quantity of services. In terms of service organization, the results may support larger population bases, at least 150,000 adult inhabitants, when aiming for higher diversity. PMID:25153471

75 FR 45075 - Federal Implementation Plans To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-02

... Matter and Ozone AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public hearings... Implementation Plans to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone'' (Transport Rule) which... matter (PM 2.5 ) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Public hearing...

Basics of Sterile Compounding: Particulate Matter.

PubMed

Akers, Michael J

2017-01-01

This article focuses on the requirements for particulate matter in sterile products. Topics include particles and quality, particulate matter standards (large- and small-volume injectables), development of the small-volume injectable test, electronic (light obscuration) and microscope testing, and special requirements for particulate matter in biopharmaceutical preparations. Copyright© by International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, Inc.

77 FR 39205 - Public Hearings for Proposed Rules-National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-02

... Matter AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Announcement of public hearings. SUMMARY... Standards for Particulate Matter,'' that is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on June 29... standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM) to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare...

Urban tree effects on fine particulate matter and human health

Treesearch

David J. Nowak

2014-01-01

Overall, city trees reduce particulate matter and provide substantial health benefits; but under certain conditions, they can locally increase particulate matter concentrations. Urban foresters need to understand how trees affect particulate matter so they can select proper species and create appropriate designs to improve air quality. This article details trees'...

The Effects of Permafrost Thaw on Organic Matter Quality and Availability Along a Hill Slope in Northeastern Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, C. T.; Spawn, S.; Ludwig, S.; Schade, J. D.; Natali, S.

2014-12-01

Climate warming and permafrost thaw in northeastern Siberia are expected to change the quantity and quality of organic matter (OM) transported through watersheds, releasing previously frozen carbon (C) to biologically available pool. Hill slopes have shown to influence the distribution of OM, resulting in a downhill accumulation of available C and nutrients relative to uphill. Here we examine how future permafrost thaw will change OM quality and availability along a hill slope in a larch-dominated watershed. We collected soils from the thawed organic and mineral layers, and 1m deep permafrost cores for dissolved organic C (DOC) and total dissolved N (TDN), C composition from measures of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), DOC lability from biodegradable DOC (BDOC) incubations, C and nutrient availability from extracellular-enzyme assays (EEA's), and microbial respiration from aerobic soil incubations. Here we show that organic soils (O), in comparison to mineral soils (M) and permafrost (P) are the most abundant source of C (avg O DOC: 51.6mg/L), exhibiting low molecular complexity (avg O SUVA254: 4.05) and high quality. Evidence suggests permafrost OM may be an equally abundant, and more labile source of C than mineral soils (highest P DOC: 16.1 mg/L, lowest P SUVA254: 6.32; median M DOC: 18.5 mg/L, median M SUVA254: 24.0). Furthermore, we demonstrate that there may be a positive relationship in the rate of C mineralization and distance downhill, showing 15-30% greater CO2 production/gC downhill relative to uphill. Evidence also supports a similar relationship in permafrost DOC content and molecular complexity, showing more DOC of a lower complexity further downhill. This indicates DOC transport may have been occurring through the active layer and downhill during ice-rich permafrost formation, and may supply a labile source of carbon to lowland areas and adjacent stream networks upon thaw.

Influence of management regime and harvest date on the forage quality of rangelands plants: the importance of dry matter content

PubMed Central

Bumb, Iris; Garnier, Eric; Bastianelli, Denis; Richarte, Jean; Bonnal, Laurent; Kazakou, Elena

2016-01-01

In spite of their recognized ecological value, relatively little is known about the nutritional value of species-rich rangelands for herbivores. We investigated the sources of variation in dry matter digestibility (DMD), neutral detergent fibre content (NDF) and nitrogen concentration (NC) in plants from species-rich Mediterranean rangelands in southern France, and tested whether the dry matter content (DMC) was a good predictor of the forage quality of different plant parts. Sixteen plant species with contrasting growth forms (rosette, tussock, extensive and stemmed-herb) were studied, representative of two management regimes imposed in these rangelands: (i) fertilization and intensive grazing and (ii) non-fertilization and moderate grazing. Among the 16 plant species, four species were found in both treatments, allowing us to assess the intraspecific variability in forage quality and DMC across the treatments. The components of nutritional value (DMD, NDF and NC) as well as the DMC of leaves, stems and reproductive plant parts, were assessed at the beginning of the growing season and at peak standing biomass. All components of nutritional value and DMC were affected by species growth form: rosettes had higher DMD and NC than tussocks; the reverse being found for NDF and DMC. As the season progressed, DMD and NC of the different plant parts decreased while NDF and DMC increased for all species. DMC was negatively related to DMD and NC and positively to NDF, regardless of the source of variation (species, harvest date, management regime or plant part). Path analysis indicated that NDF was the main determinant of DMD. Better assessment of forage quality in species-rich systems requires consideration of their growth form composition. DMC of all plant parts, which is closely related to NDF, emerged as a good predictor and easily measured trait to estimate DMD in these species-rich systems. PMID:27339049

Long-term purification efficiency of a wetland constructed to treat runoff from peat extraction.

PubMed

Karjalainen, Satu M; Heikkinen, Kaisa; Ihme, Raimo; Kløve, Bjørn

2016-01-01

Peat extraction increases the phosphorus, nitrogen, organic matter, suspended solids, and iron concentrations in runoff, resulting in negative effects on downstream water bodies. Wetlands are commonly used as natural cost-effective solutions to mitigate these negative effects. This study analyzed changes in the quality of runoff water from peat extraction areas and the long-term efficiency of constructed wetlands. The results indicate that the quality of runoff water changed after the initial drainage and during peat extraction. Nitrogen leached at high concentrations in the early stages of peat extraction following drainage, whereas the leaching of iron and phosphorus increased after peat extraction from deeper layers. Comparison of water quality and impurities retained immediately after treatment wetland construction and 14 years later showed that the treatment wetland remained functional, with good retention capacity, over a long period.

The quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter as supplementary carbon source impacts the pesticide-degrading activity of a triple-species bacterial biofilm.

PubMed

Horemans, Benjamin; Vandermaesen, Johanna; Breugelmans, Philip; Hofkens, Johan; Smolders, Erik; Springael, Dirk

2014-01-01

Effects of environmental dissolved organic matter (eDOM) that consists of various low concentration carbonic compounds on pollutant biodegradation by bacteria are poorly understood, especially when it concerns synergistic xenobiotic-degrading consortia where degradation depends on interspecies metabolic interactions. This study examines the impact of the quality and quantity of eDOM, supplied as secondary C-source, on the structure, composition and pesticide-degrading activity of a triple-species bacterial consortium in which the members synergistically degrade the phenylurea herbicide linuron, when grown as biofilms. Biofilms developing on 10 mg L⁻¹ linuron showed a steady-state linuron degradation efficiency of approximately 85 %. The three bacterial strains co-localized in the biofilms indicating syntrophic interactions. Subsequent feeding with eDOM or citrate in addition to linuron resulted into changes in linuron-degrading activity. A decrease in linuron-degrading activity was especially recorded in case of co-feeding with citrate and eDOM of high quality and was always associated with accumulation of the primary metabolite 3,4-dichloroaniline. Improvement of linuron degradation was especially observed with more recalcitrant eDOM. Addition of eDOM/citrate formulations altered biofilm architecture and species composition but without loss of any of the strains and of co-localization. Compositional shifts correlated with linuron degradation efficiencies. When the feed was restored to only linuron, the linuron-degrading activity rapidly changed to the level before the mixed-substrate feed. Meanwhile only minor changes in biofilm composition and structure were recorded, indicating that observed eDOM/citrate effects had been primarily due to repression/stimulation of linuron catabolic activity rather than to biofilm characteristics.

Textile wastewater reuse after additional treatment by Fenton's reagent.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Marília Cleto Meirelles; Starling, Maria Clara V M; Leão, Mônica Maria Diniz; de Amorim, Camila Costa

2017-03-01

This study verifies textile wastewater reuse treated by the conventional activated sludge process and subjected to further treatment by advanced oxidation processes. Three alternative processes are discussed: Fenton, photo-Fenton, and UV/H 2 O 2 . Evaluation of treatments effects was based on factorial experiment design in which the response variables were the maximum removal of COD and the minimum concentration of residual H 2 O 2 in treated wastewater. Results indicated Fenton's reagent, COD/[H 2 O 2 ]/[Fe 2+ ] mass ratio of 1:2:2, as the best alternative. The selected technique was applied to real wastewater collected from a conventional treatment plant of a textile mill. The quality of the wastewater before and after the additional treatment was monitored in terms of 16 physicochemical parameters defined as suitable for the characterization of waters subjected to industrial textile use. The degradation of the wastewater was also evaluated by determining the distribution of its molecular weight along with the organic matter fractionation by ultrafiltration, measured in terms of COD. Finally, a sample of the wastewater after additional treatment was tested for reuse at pilot scale in order to evaluate the impact on the quality of dyed fabrics. Results show partial compliance of treated wastewater with the physicochemical quality guidelines for reuse. Removal and conversion of high and medium molecular weight substances into low molecular weight substances was observed, as well as the degradation of most of the organic matter originally present in the wastewater. Reuse tests indicated positive results, confirming the applicability of wastewater reuse after the suggested additional treatment. Graphical abstract Textile wastewater samples after additional treatment by Fenton's reagent, photo-Fenton and H 2 O 2 /UV tested in different conditions.

Evaluating the ameliorative effect of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality on copper toxicity to Daphnia magna: improving the BLM.

PubMed

Al-Reasi, Hassan A; Smith, D Scott; Wood, Chris M

2012-03-01

Various quality predictors of seven different natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) and humic substances were evaluated for their influence on protection of Daphnia magna neonates against copper (Cu) toxicity. Protection was examined at 3 and 6 mg l(-1) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of each DOM isolate added to moderately hard, dechlorinated water. Other water chemistry parameters (pH, concentrations of DOC, calcium, magnesium and sodium) were kept relatively constant. Predictors included absorbance ratios Abs(254/365) (index of molecular weight) and Abs-octanol(254)/Abs-water(254) (index of lipophilicity), specific absorption coefficient (SAC(340); index of aromaticity), and fluorescence index (FI; index of source). In addition, the fluorescent components (humic-like, fulvic-like, tryptophan-like, and tyrosine-like) of the isolates were quantified by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Up to 4-fold source-dependent differences in protection were observed amongst the different DOMs. Significant correlations in toxicity amelioration were found with Abs(254/365), Abs-octanol(254)/Abs-water(254), SAC(340), and with the humic-like fluorescent component. The relationships with FI were not significant and there were no relationships with the tryptophan-like or tyrosine-like fluorescent components at 3 mg C l(-1), whereas a negative correlation was seen with the fulvic-like component. In general, the results indicate that larger, optically dark, more lipophilic, more aromatic DOMs of terrigenous origin, with higher humic-like content, are more protective against Cu toxicity. A method for incorporating SAC(340) as a DOM quality indicator into the Biotic Ligand Model is presented; this may increase the accuracy for predicting Cu toxicity in natural waters.

Comparison of E. coli, enterococci, and fecal coliform as indicators for brackish water quality assessment.

PubMed

Jin, Guang; Jeng, Huei-Wang; Bradford, Henry; Englande, A J

2004-01-01

Escherichia coli (E. coli), enterococci, and fecal coliform data were collected and compared as potential indicators for swimmablility assessment of a brackish waterbody (Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana). These indicators were measured during lake background conditions, in stormwater runoff (before dilution with lake water), and in the outfall plume within the lake following storm events. Microbial indicator titers associated with suspended particles and lake-bottom sediments were also investigated. Overall reduction rate constants for fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci in lake water and sediment were measured and reported. Attachment of microbial indicators to suspended matter and subsequent sedimentation appeared to be a significant fate mechanism. A slower reduction rate of indicator organisms in sediment further suggested that bottom sediment may act as a reservoir for prolonging indicator organism survival and added concern of recontamination of overlaying waters due to potential solids resuspension. Results indicated that enterococci might be a more stable indicator than E. coli and fecal coliform and, consequently, a more conservative indicator under brackish water conditions.

A 3D high resolution ex vivo white matter atlas of the common squirrel monkey (saimiri sciureus) based on diffusion tensor imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yurui; Parvathaneni, Prasanna; Schilling, Kurt G.; Wang, Feng; Stepniewska, Iwona; Xu, Zhoubing; Choe, Ann S.; Ding, Zhaohua; Gore, John C.; Chen, Li min; Landman, Bennett A.; Anderson, Adam W.

2016-03-01

Modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain atlases are high quality 3-D volumes with specific structures labeled in the volume. Atlases are essential in providing a common space for interpretation of results across studies, for anatomical education, and providing quantitative image-based navigation. Extensive work has been devoted to atlas construction for humans, macaque, and several non-primate species (e.g., rat). One notable gap in the literature is the common squirrel monkey - for which the primary published atlases date from the 1960's. The common squirrel monkey has been used extensively as surrogate for humans in biomedical studies, given its anatomical neuro-system similarities and practical considerations. This work describes the continued development of a multi-modal MRI atlas for the common squirrel monkey, for which a structural imaging space and gray matter parcels have been previously constructed. This study adds white matter tracts to the atlas. The new atlas includes 49 white matter (WM) tracts, defined using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in three animals and combines these data to define the anatomical locations of these tracks in a standardized coordinate system compatible with previous development. An anatomist reviewed the resulting tracts and the inter-animal reproducibility (i.e., the Dice index of each WM parcel across animals in common space) was assessed. The Dice indices range from 0.05 to 0.80 due to differences of local registration quality and the variation of WM tract position across individuals. However, the combined WM labels from the 3 animals represent the general locations of WM parcels, adding basic connectivity information to the atlas.

A 3D high resolution ex vivo white matter atlas of the common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) based on diffusion tensor imaging

PubMed Central

Gao, Yurui; Parvathaneni, Prasanna; Schilling, Kurt G.; Wang, Feng; Stepniewska, Iwona; Xu, Zhoubing; Choe, Ann S.; Ding, Zhaohua; Gore, John C.; Chen, Li Min; Landman, Bennett A.; Anderson, Adam W.

2016-01-01

Modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain atlases are high quality 3-D volumes with specific structures labeled in the volume. Atlases are essential in providing a common space for interpretation of results across studies, for anatomical education, and providing quantitative image-based navigation. Extensive work has been devoted to atlas construction for humans, macaque, and several non-primate species (e.g., rat). One notable gap in the literature is the common squirrel monkey – for which the primary published atlases date from the 1960’s. The common squirrel monkey has been used extensively as surrogate for humans in biomedical studies, given its anatomical neuro-system similarities and practical considerations. This work describes the continued development of a multi-modal MRI atlas for the common squirrel monkey, for which a structural imaging space and gray matter parcels have been previously constructed. This study adds white matter tracts to the atlas. The new atlas includes 49 white matter (WM) tracts, defined using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in three animals and combines these data to define the anatomical locations of these tracks in a standardized coordinate system compatible with previous development. An anatomist reviewed the resulting tracts and the inter-animal reproducibility (i.e., the Dice index of each WM parcel across animals in common space) was assessed. The Dice indices range from 0.05 to 0.80 due to differences of local registration quality and the variation of WM tract position across individuals. However, the combined WM labels from the 3 animals represent the general locations of WM parcels, adding basic connectivity information to the atlas. PMID:27064328

Enzymatic biofilm digestion in soil aggregates facilitates the release of particulate organic matter by sonication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Büks, Frederick; Kaupenjohann, Martin

2016-10-01

The stability of soil aggregates against shearing and compressive forces as well as water-caused dispersion is an integral marker of soil quality. High stability results in less compaction and erosion and has been linked to enhanced water retention, dynamic water transport and aeration regimes, increased rooting depth, and protection of soil organic matter (SOM) against microbial degradation. In turn, particulate organic matter is supposed to support soil aggregate stabilization. For decades the importance of biofilm extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) regarding particulate organic matter (POM) occlusion and aggregate stability has been canonical because of its distribution, geometric structure and ability to link primary particles. However, experimental proof is still missing. This lack is mainly due to methodological reasons. Thus, the objective of this work is to develop a method of enzymatic biofilm detachment for studying the effects of EPSs on POM occlusion. The method combines an enzymatic pre-treatment with different activities of α-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, DNAse and lipase with a subsequent sequential ultrasonic treatment for disaggregation and density fractionation of soils. POM releases of treated samples were compared to an enzyme-free control. To test the efficacy of biofilm detachment the ratio of bacterial DNA from suspended cells and the remaining biofilm after enzymatic treatment were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Although the enzyme treatment was not sufficient for total biofilm removal, our results indicate that EPSs may attach POM within soil aggregates. The tendency to additional POM release with increased application of enzymes was attributed to a slight loss in aggregate stability. This suggests that an effect of agricultural practices on soil microbial populations could influence POM occlusion/aggregate stability and thereby carbon cycle/soil quality.

A 3D high resolution ex vivo white matter atlas of the common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) based on diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Gao, Yurui; Parvathaneni, Prasanna; Schilling, Kurt G; Wang, Feng; Stepniewska, Iwona; Xu, Zhoubing; Choe, Ann S; Ding, Zhaohua; Gore, John C; Chen, Li Min; Landman, Bennett A; Anderson, Adam W

2016-02-27

Modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain atlases are high quality 3-D volumes with specific structures labeled in the volume. Atlases are essential in providing a common space for interpretation of results across studies, for anatomical education, and providing quantitative image-based navigation. Extensive work has been devoted to atlas construction for humans, macaque, and several non-primate species (e.g., rat). One notable gap in the literature is the common squirrel monkey - for which the primary published atlases date from the 1960's. The common squirrel monkey has been used extensively as surrogate for humans in biomedical studies, given its anatomical neuro-system similarities and practical considerations. This work describes the continued development of a multi-modal MRI atlas for the common squirrel monkey, for which a structural imaging space and gray matter parcels have been previously constructed. This study adds white matter tracts to the atlas. The new atlas includes 49 white matter (WM) tracts, defined using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in three animals and combines these data to define the anatomical locations of these tracks in a standardized coordinate system compatible with previous development. An anatomist reviewed the resulting tracts and the inter-animal reproducibility (i.e., the Dice index of each WM parcel across animals in common space) was assessed. The Dice indices range from 0.05 to 0.80 due to differences of local registration quality and the variation of WM tract position across individuals. However, the combined WM labels from the 3 animals represent the general locations of WM parcels, adding basic connectivity information to the atlas.

The UV-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy indicators for monitoring the evolution of green waste composts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mounier, Stéphane; Abaker, Madi; Domeizel, Mariane; Rapetti, Nicola

2014-05-01

The maturity process of compost goes through several phases that have to be monitored in order to optimize the production process which in turn assure a good quality product and less time consumption. In order to estimate rapidly the phase where the compost is present and to measure the cellulose, the ratio C:N and the Stability Index Organic Matter (ISMO) a crucial parameter that needs to be monitored and controlled is the temperature. However, the temperature is not really a good indicator for the maturity of the compost because it is not constant and it depends on the mixing and environmental processes. The final measurements are performed at the end of the production process after certain time period that is subjectively determined by the producer. The work presented here is based on the optical properties of the organic matter that are observed each month for a period of six months. The organic matter of 5 composts was extracted by water and analyzed by UV-VIS spectroscopic technique [1] and 3D fluorescence emission technique [2]. The usual indexes were calculated (E2/E3, E4/E6, EBZ/EET, SUVA254), but also the PARAFAC decomposition of the 3D fluorescence response by Milori [3] and the Hx indexes [4]. The comparison of these results and the cellulose composition with the corresponding ISMO index indicates that the maturity process occurs more rapidly then the expectation of the producers. Further, the combination of the indicators gives useful information about different processes that take place during the maturity of the compost such as aromatization, the condensation and the stabilization of the parameters.

Variation of Water Quality Parameters with Siltation Depth for River Ichamati Along International Border with Bangladesh Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, P. K.; Pal, S.; Banerjee, G.; Biswas Roy, M.; Ray, D.; Majumder, A.

2014-12-01

River is considered as one of the main sources of freshwater all over the world. Hence analysis and maintenance of this water resource is globally considered a matter of major concern. This paper deals with the assessment of surface water quality of the Ichamati river using multivariate statistical techniques. Eight distinct surface water quality observation stations were located and samples were collected. For the samples collected statistical techniques were applied to the physico-chemical parameters and depth of siltation. In this paper cluster analysis is done to determine the relations between surface water quality and siltation depth of river Ichamati. Multiple regressions and mathematical equation modeling have been done to characterize surface water quality of Ichamati river on the basis of physico-chemical parameters. It was found that surface water quality of the downstream river was different from the water quality of the upstream. The analysis of the water quality parameters of the Ichamati river clearly indicate high pollution load on the river water which can be accounted to agricultural discharge, tidal effect and soil erosion. The results further reveal that with the increase in depth of siltation, water quality degraded.

Dissolved Organic Carbon and Disinfection By-Product Precursor Release from Managed Peat Soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fleck, J.A.; Bossio, D.A.; Fujii, R.

2004-01-01

A wetland restoration demonstration project examined the effects of a permanently flooded wetland on subsidence of peat soils. The project, started in 1997, was done on Twitchell Island, in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California. Conversion of agricultural land to a wetland has changed many of the biogeochemical processes controlling dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release from the peat soils, relative to the previous land use. Dissolved organic C in delta waters is a concern because it reacts with chlorine, added as a disinfectant in municipal drinking waters, to form carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs), including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). This study explores the effects of peat soil biogeochemistry on DOC and DBP release under agricultural and wetland management. Results indicate that organic matter source, extent of soil organic matter decomposition, and decomposition pathways all are factors in THM formation. The results show that historical management practices dominate the release of DOC and THM precursors. However, within-site differences indicate that recent management decisions can contribute to changes in DOC quality and THM precursor formation. Not all aromatic forms of carbon are highly reactive and certain environmental conditions produce the specific carbon structures that form THMs. Both HAA and THM precursors are elevated in the DOC released under wetland conditions. The findings of this study emphasize the need to further investigate the roles of organic matter sources, microbial decomposition pathways, and decomposition status of soil organic matter in the release of DOC and DBP precursors from delta soils under varying land-use practices.

Using In-Situ Optical Sensors to Understand the Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter Across a Stream Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wymore, Adam S.; Potter, Jody; Rodríguez-Cardona, Bianca; McDowell, William H.

2018-04-01

The advent of high-frequency in situ optical sensors provides new opportunities to study the biogeochemistry of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic ecosystems. We used fDOM (fluorescent dissolved organic matter) to examine the spatial and temporal variability in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) across a heterogeneous stream network that varies in NO3- concentration. Across the ten study streams fDOM explained twice the variability in the concentration of DOC (r2 = 0.82) compared to DON (r2 = 0.39), which suggests that the N-rich fraction of DOM is either more variable in its sources or more bioreactive than the more stable C-rich fraction. Among sites, DON molar fluorescence was approximately 3x more variable than DOC molar fluorescence and was correlated with changes in inorganic N, indicating that DON is both more variable in composition as well as highly responsive to changes in inorganic N. Laboratory results also indicate that the fDOM sensors we used perform as well as the excitation-emission wavelength pair generally referred to as the "tryptophan-like" peak when measured under laboratory conditions. However, since neither the field sensor not the laboratory measurements explained a large percentage of variation in DON concentrations, challenges still remain for monitoring the ambient pool of dissolved organic nitrogen. Sensor networks provide new insights into the potential reactivity of DOM and the variability in DOC and DON biogeochemistry across sites. These insights are needed to build spatially explicit models describing organic matter dynamics and water quality.

How and Why do Teacher Credentials Matter for Student Achievement? NBER Working Paper No. 12828

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clotfelter, Charles T.; Ladd, Helen F.; Vigdor, Jacob L.

2007-01-01

Education researchers and policy makers agree that teachers differ in terms of quality and that quality matters for student achievement. Despite prodigious amounts of research, however, debate still persists about the causal relationship between specific teacher credentials and student achievement. In this paper, we use a rich administrative data…

77 FR 66398 - Partial Approval and Disapproval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Arizona; Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-05

... Ozone and Fine Particulate Matter AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule...- hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and the 1997 and 2006 NAAQS for fine..., 1997, EPA issued a revised NAAQS for ozone \\1\\ and a new NAAQS for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ).\\2...

Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (Fourth External Review Draft) [revised Chapter 9, August 2004

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is in the process of updating and revising, where appropriate, its Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (PM) as issued in 1996 (usually referred to as the Criteria Document). Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act require that EPA carry out a periodic review and re...

Development of the High-Order Decoupled Direct Method in Three Dimensions for Particulate Matter: Enabling Advanced Sensitivity Analysis in Air Quality Models

EPA Science Inventory

The high-order decoupled direct method in three dimensions for particular matter (HDDM-3D/PM) has been implemented in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to enable advanced sensitivity analysis. The major effort of this work is to develop high-order DDM sensitivity...

AIR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR PARTICULATE MATTER (FOURTH EXTERNAL REVIEW DRAFT) [REVISED CHAPTERS 7, 8, AND 9, JUNE 2004

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is in the process of updating and revising, where appropriate, its Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter as issued in 1996 (usually referred to as the Criteria Document). Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act require that EPA carry out a periodic review and revisio...

Lime and phosphogypsum impacts on soil organic matter pools in a tropical Oxisol under long-term no-till conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improving soil organic matter (SOM) quality in tropical acid soils is important for increasing the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. This research evaluated the effect of the surface application of lime and phosphogypsum on the quality and amount of SOM in a long-term crop rotation under no...

Variation of organic matter quantity and quality in streams at Critical Zone Observatory watersheds

Treesearch

Matthew P. Miller; Elizabeth W. Boyer; Diane M. McKnight; Michael G. Brown; Rachel S. Gabor; Carolyn Hunsaker; Lidiia Iavorivska; Shreeram Inamdar; Dale W. Johnson; Louis A. Kaplan; Henry Lin; William H. McDowell; Julia N. Perdrial

2016-01-01

The quantity and chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters influence ecosystem processes and anthropogenic use of freshwater. However, despite the importance of understanding spatial and temporal patterns in DOM, measures of DOM quality are not routinely included as part of large-scale ecosystem monitoring programs and variations in...

EVALUATION OF THE CMB AND PMF MODELS USING ORGANIC MOLECULAR MARKERS IN FINE PARTICULATE MATTER COLLECTED DURING THE PITTSBURGH AIR QUALITY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

This research investigated different strategies for source apportionment of airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) collected as part of the Pittsburgh Air Quality Study. Two source receptor models were used, the EPA Chemical Mass Balance 8.2 (CMB) and EPA Positive Matrix Facto...

SUMMARY OF EPA'S PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM: RESULTS THAT CAN BE USED TO PREPARE AND EVALUATE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPS)

EPA Science Inventory

In 1999, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a major air quality program referred to as the Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites Program. The PM Supersites Program is a multi-year, $27 million air quality program consisting of eight (8) regional air q...

76 FR 27973 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; State of Delaware; Regional Haze...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and the 1997 and 2006 fine particulate matter (PM 2... particle precursors react in the atmosphere to form fine particulate matter, which impairs visibility by... distance, in kilometers or miles, at which a dark object can be viewed against the sky. B. Background...

Quality of fresh organic matter affects priming of soil organic matter and substrate utilization patterns of microbes

PubMed Central

Wang, Hui; Boutton, Thomas W.; Xu, Wenhua; Hu, Guoqing; Jiang, Ping; Bai, Edith

2015-01-01

Changes in biogeochemical cycles and the climate system due to human activities are expected to change the quantity and quality of plant litter inputs to soils. How changing quality of fresh organic matter (FOM) might influence the priming effect (PE) on soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization is still under debate. Here we determined the PE induced by two 13C-labeled FOMs with contrasting nutritional quality (leaf vs. stalk of Zea mays L.). Soils from two different forest types yielded consistent results: soils amended with leaf tissue switched faster from negative PE to positive PE due to greater microbial growth compared to soils amended with stalks. However, after 16 d of incubation, soils amended with stalks had a higher PE than those amended with leaf. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) results suggested that microbial demand for carbon and other nutrients was one of the major determinants of the PE observed. Therefore, consideration of both microbial demands for nutrients and FOM supply simultaneously is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of PE. Our study provided evidence that changes in FOM quality could affect microbial utilization of substrate and PE on SOM mineralization, which may exacerbate global warming problems under future climate change. PMID:25960162

Quality of fresh organic matter affects priming of soil organic matter and substrate utilization patterns of microbes.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Boutton, Thomas W; Xu, Wenhua; Hu, Guoqing; Jiang, Ping; Bai, Edith

2015-05-11

Changes in biogeochemical cycles and the climate system due to human activities are expected to change the quantity and quality of plant litter inputs to soils. How changing quality of fresh organic matter (FOM) might influence the priming effect (PE) on soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization is still under debate. Here we determined the PE induced by two (13)C-labeled FOMs with contrasting nutritional quality (leaf vs. stalk of Zea mays L.). Soils from two different forest types yielded consistent results: soils amended with leaf tissue switched faster from negative PE to positive PE due to greater microbial growth compared to soils amended with stalks. However, after 16 d of incubation, soils amended with stalks had a higher PE than those amended with leaf. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) results suggested that microbial demand for carbon and other nutrients was one of the major determinants of the PE observed. Therefore, consideration of both microbial demands for nutrients and FOM supply simultaneously is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of PE. Our study provided evidence that changes in FOM quality could affect microbial utilization of substrate and PE on SOM mineralization, which may exacerbate global warming problems under future climate change.

Quality of fresh organic matter affects priming of soil organic matter and substrate utilization patterns of microbes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui; Boutton, Thomas W.; Xu, Wenhua; Hu, Guoqing; Jiang, Ping; Bai, Edith

2015-05-01

Changes in biogeochemical cycles and the climate system due to human activities are expected to change the quantity and quality of plant litter inputs to soils. How changing quality of fresh organic matter (FOM) might influence the priming effect (PE) on soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization is still under debate. Here we determined the PE induced by two 13C-labeled FOMs with contrasting nutritional quality (leaf vs. stalk of Zea mays L.). Soils from two different forest types yielded consistent results: soils amended with leaf tissue switched faster from negative PE to positive PE due to greater microbial growth compared to soils amended with stalks. However, after 16 d of incubation, soils amended with stalks had a higher PE than those amended with leaf. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) results suggested that microbial demand for carbon and other nutrients was one of the major determinants of the PE observed. Therefore, consideration of both microbial demands for nutrients and FOM supply simultaneously is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of PE. Our study provided evidence that changes in FOM quality could affect microbial utilization of substrate and PE on SOM mineralization, which may exacerbate global warming problems under future climate change.

Characteristics of water quality and streamflow, Passaic River basin above Little Falls, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Peter W.; Faust, Samuel Denton

1973-01-01

The findings of a problem-oriented river-system investigation of the water-quality and streamflow characteristics of the Passaic River above Little Falls, N.J. (drainage area 762 sq mi) are described. Information on streamflow duration, time-of-travel measurements, and analyses of chemical, biochemical, and physical water quality are summarized. This information is used to define relations between water quality, streamflow, geology, and environmental development in the basin's hydrologic system. The existence, nature, and magnitude of long-term trends in stream quality--as measured by dissolved solids, chloride, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia, nitrate, and turbidity--and in streamflow toward either improvement or deterioration are appraised at selected sites within the river system. The quality of streams in the upper Passaic River basin in northeastern New Jersey is shown to be deteriorating with time. For example, biochemical oxygen demand, an indirect measure of organic matter in a stream, is increasing at most stream-quality sampling sites. Similarly, the dissolved-solids content, a measure of inorganic matter, also is increasing. These observations suggest that the Passaic River system is being used more and more as a medium for the disposal of industrial and municipal waste waters. Dissolved oxygen, an essential ingredient for the natural purification of streams receiving waste discharges, is undersaturated (that is, below theoretical solubility levels) at all sampling sites and is decreasing with time at most sites. This is another indication of the general deterioration of stream quality in the upper basin. It also indicates that the ability of the river system to receive, transport, and assimilate wastes, although exceeded now only for short periods during the summer months, may be exceeded more continually in the future if present trends hold. Decreasing ratios of ammonia to nitrate in a downstream direction on the main stem Passaic River suggests that nitrification (the biochemical conversion of ammonia to nitrate) as well as microbiological decomposition of organic matter (waste waters) is contributing to the continued and increasing undersaturation of dissolved oxygen in the river system. Passaic River streams are grouped into five general regions of isochemical quality on the basis of predominant constituents and dissolved-solids content during low flows. The predominant cations in all but one region are calcium and magnesium (exceeding 50 percent of total cations) ; in that region, where man's activities probably have altered the natural stream waters, the percentage of sodium and potassium equals that of calcium and magnesium. In two of the five regions, the predominant anion is bicarbonate; a combination of sulfate, chloride, and nitrate is predominant in the other three regions. Dissolved-solids content during low flows generally ranges from 100 to 600 milligrams per liter. Several time-of-travel measurements within the basin are reported. These data provide reasonable estimates of the time required for soluble contaminants to pass through particular parts of the river system. For example, the peak concentration of a contaminant injected into the river system at Chatham during extreme low flow would be expected to travel to Little Falls, about 31 miles, in about 13 days; but at medium flow, in about 5 days.

Size and chemical characterization of airborne particulate matter in Spokane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haller, L.; Claiborn, C.; Westberg, H.

1996-12-31

Recent health effects studies suggest that the present air quality standard for aerosols, which is based upon respirable particles, does not adequately protect public health; Thus the standard is currently under review. In July, 1994, a comprehensive study was initiated in Spokane to study the relationship between various size fractions and chemical components of atmospheric aerosol and health effects. This study is one of the most comprehensive particulate matter studies conducted to date, and is one of a limited number of studies that have been conducted in the and west, where presumably a significant portion of the aerosol will bemore » derived from geological materials. Continuous fine and coarse particulate matter measurements are made at two location (one is in industrial area, and the other in residential area). At the residential site, particulate matter smaller than 1.0 {mu}m, and ultra fine particles are also continuously monitored, and analyzed for a variety of chemical species including elemental components, ionic species, soluble iron, elemental and organic carbon and acidity. Preliminary results indicate that the windblown dust enhances both the fine and coarse fractions of particulate matter in Spokane. Seasonal trends in chemical composition and size characterization will be examined. The relationships between the 24-hour average values and peak hourly values, as well as differences between weekday and weekend levels, will also be discussed.« less

A Novel Approach to Visualizing Dark Matter Simulations.

PubMed

Kaehler, R; Hahn, O; Abel, T

2012-12-01

In the last decades cosmological N-body dark matter simulations have enabled ab initio studies of the formation of structure in the Universe. Gravity amplified small density fluctuations generated shortly after the Big Bang, leading to the formation of galaxies in the cosmic web. These calculations have led to a growing demand for methods to analyze time-dependent particle based simulations. Rendering methods for such N-body simulation data usually employ some kind of splatting approach via point based rendering primitives and approximate the spatial distributions of physical quantities using kernel interpolation techniques, common in SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics)-codes. This paper proposes three GPU-assisted rendering approaches, based on a new, more accurate method to compute the physical densities of dark matter simulation data. It uses full phase-space information to generate a tetrahedral tessellation of the computational domain, with mesh vertices defined by the simulation's dark matter particle positions. Over time the mesh is deformed by gravitational forces, causing the tetrahedral cells to warp and overlap. The new methods are well suited to visualize the cosmic web. In particular they preserve caustics, regions of high density that emerge, when several streams of dark matter particles share the same location in space, indicating the formation of structures like sheets, filaments and halos. We demonstrate the superior image quality of the new approaches in a comparison with three standard rendering techniques for N-body simulation data.

Mathematical Analysis for the Optimization of Wastewater Treatment Systems in Facultative Pond Indicator Organic Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunarsih; Widowati; Kartono; Sutrisno

2018-02-01

Stabilization ponds are easy to operate and their maintenance is simple. Treatment is carried out naturally and they are recommended in developing countries. The main disadvantage of these systems is large land area they occupy. The aim of this study was to perform an optimization of the wastewater treatment systems in a facultative pond, considering a mathematical analysis of the methodology to determine the model constrains organic matter. Matlab optimization toolbox was used for non linear programming. A facultative pond with the method was designed and then the optimization system was applied. The analyse meet the treated water quality requirements for the discharge to the water bodies. The results show a reduction of hydraulic retention time by 4.83 days, and the efficiency of of wastewater treatment of 84.16 percent.

Dissolved organic matter signatures vary between naturally acidic, circumneutral and groundwater-fed freshwaters in Australia.

PubMed

Holland, Aleicia; Stauber, Jenny; Wood, Chris M; Trenfield, Melanie; Jolley, Dianne F

2018-06-15

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays important roles in both abiotic and biotic processes within aquatic ecosystems, and these in turn depend on the quality of the DOM. We collected and characterized chromophoric DOM (CDOM) from different Australian freshwater types (circumneutral, naturally acidic and groundwater-fed waterways), climatic regions and seasons. CDOM quality was characterized using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Excitation emission scans followed by parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis showed that CDOM was characterized by three main components: protein-like, fulvic-like and humic-like components commonly associated with various waters globally in the Openfluor database. Principal component analysis showed that CDOM quality varied between naturally acidic, circumneutral and groundwater-fed waters, with unique CDOM quality signatures shown for each freshwater type. CDOM quality also differed significantly within some sites between seasons. Clear differences in dominant CDOM components were shown between freshwater types. Naturally acidic waters were dominated by highly aromatic (as indicated by the specific absorbance co-efficient (SAC 340 ) and the specific UV absorbance (SUVA 254 ) values which ranged between 31 and 50 cm 2  mg -1 and 3.9-5.7 mg C -1  m -1 respectively), humic-like CDOM of high molecular weight (as indicated by abs 254/365 which ranged from 3.8 to 4.3). In contrast, circumneutral waters were dominated by fulvic-like CDOM of lower aromaticity (SAC 340 : 7-21 cm 2  mg -1 and SUVA 254 : 1.5-3.0 mg C -1  m -1 ) and lower molecular weight (abs 254/365 5.1-9.3). The groundwater-fed site had a higher abundance of protein-like CDOM, which was the least aromatic (SAC 340 : 2-5 cm 2  mg -1 and SUVA 254 : 0.58-1.1 mg C -1  m -1 ). CDOM was generally less aromatic, of a lower molecular weight and more autochthonous in nature during the summer/autumn sampling compared to winter/spring. Significant relationships were shown between various CDOM quality parameters and pH. This is the first study to show that different freshwater types (circumneutral, naturally acidic and groundwater-fed) contain distinct CDOM quality signatures in Australia, a continent with unique flora and geology. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term Changes in Extreme Air Pollution Meteorology and the Implications for Air Quality.

PubMed

Hou, Pei; Wu, Shiliang

2016-03-31

Extreme air pollution meteorological events, such as heat waves, temperature inversions and atmospheric stagnation episodes, can significantly affect air quality. Based on observational data, we have analyzed the long-term evolution of extreme air pollution meteorology on the global scale and their potential impacts on air quality, especially the high pollution episodes. We have identified significant increasing trends for the occurrences of extreme air pollution meteorological events in the past six decades, especially over the continental regions. Statistical analysis combining air quality data and meteorological data further indicates strong sensitivities of air quality (including both average air pollutant concentrations and high pollution episodes) to extreme meteorological events. For example, we find that in the United States the probability of severe ozone pollution when there are heat waves could be up to seven times of the average probability during summertime, while temperature inversions in wintertime could enhance the probability of severe particulate matter pollution by more than a factor of two. We have also identified significant seasonal and spatial variations in the sensitivity of air quality to extreme air pollution meteorology.

Effect of baking of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and frying of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) in olive and sunflower oil on their quality.

PubMed

Zotos, Anastasios; Kotaras, Akylas; Mikras, Emmanouil

2013-02-01

Quality changes due to oven-baking of sardine for 20, 40, 50 and 60 min and due to deep frying of anchovy for 2, 3, 4 and 5 min in olive and sunflower oil were studied. Linear increase in total losses with the time of processing was observed. A linear inverse relationship was observed between moisture/lipid and moisture/protein due to time of baking of sardines and time of frying of anchovies (wet matter). However, no changes were detected in sardine samples due to time of baking (dry matter), while a reduction in proteins and ash followed by an increase in lipids was detected in fried anchovies due to time of frying (dry matter). The fatty acid profiles indicated that a rich in EPA + DHA (33.16%) and in ω-3/ω-6 ratio (9.40) baked sardines can be produced in 20 min at 200 °C. The fatty acid profiles of fried anchovies tremendously changed, indicating entirely different products. Olive oil is probably a better medium to fry fish products, since either the two beneficial fatty acids (EPA and DHA) detected at higher concentrations in anchovies fried in olive oil or the ω-3/ω-6 ratio remained at higher values (0.71-2.56). An increase of cholesterol and squalene content with increasing the time of baking was detected in sardine samples, probably due to decline of moisture content. On the contrary, cholesterol significantly reduced due to frying of anchovy in olive oil. Simultaneously squalene concentration significantly and linearly increased, from 3.87 mg/100 g in the unprocessed anchovies to 73.25 mg/100 g in the samples fried for 5 min, indicating its existence at beneficial levels, besides low cholesterol concentration detected in fried olive oil and squalene concentration gradually and linearly decreased, confirming the absorption from the anchovy samples. Similar was the changes of cholesterol and squalene in anchovies samples fried in sunflower oil.

Origins and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter in groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shen, Yuan; Chapelle, Francis H.; Strom, Eric W.; Benner, Ronald

2015-01-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater influences water quality and fuels microbial metabolism, but its origins, bioavailability and chemical composition are poorly understood. The origins and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and bioavailable DOM were monitored during a long-term (2-year) study of groundwater in a fractured-rock aquifer in the Carolina slate belt. Surface precipitation was significantly correlated with groundwater concentrations of DOC, bioavailable DOM and chromophoric DOM, indicating strong hydrological connections between surface and ground waters. The physicochemical and biological processes shaping the concentrations and compositions of DOM during its passage through the soil column to the saturated zone are conceptualized in the regional chromatography model. The model provides a framework for linking hydrology with the processes affecting the transformation, remineralization and microbial production of DOM during passage through the soil column. Lignin-derived phenols were relatively depleted in groundwater DOM indicating substantial removal in the unsaturated zone, and optical properties of chromophoric DOM indicated lower molecular weight DOM in groundwater relative to surface water. The prevalence of glycine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and d-enantiomers of amino acids indicated the DOM was highly diagenetically altered. Bioassay experiments were used to establish DOC-normalized yields of amino acids as molecular indicators of DOM bioavailability in groundwater. A relatively small fraction (8 ± 4 %) of DOC in groundwater was bioavailable. The relatively high yields of specific d-enantiomers of amino acids indicated a substantial fraction (15–34 %) of groundwater DOC was of bacterial origin.

Fecal-indicator bacteria in surface waters of the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages, North and South Carolina, 1995-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilhelm, Lance J.; Maluk, Terry L.

1998-01-01

IntroductionHigh levels of fecal-indicator bacteria in rivers and streams can indicate the possible presence of pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms. Cholera, typhoid fever, bacterial dysentery, infectious hepatitis, and cryptosporidiosis are some of the well known waterborne diseases that spread through water contaminated and fecal matter. Eye, ear, nose, and throat infections also can result from contact with contaminated water. In general, methods are not routinely used to detect pathogens in water. Instead, bacteria such as total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, Escherichia coli (E coli), and enterococci are used as indicators of sanitary water quality, because they are present in high numbers in fecal material and have been shown to be associated with some waterborne disease-causing organisms. Indicator bacteria usually are harmless, more plentiful, and easier to detect than pathogens. The concentration of bacteria in a sample of water is usually expressed as the number of bacterial colonies per 100 milliliters of water sample.As part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 145 samples were collected and analyzed for selected water-quality constituents, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci at 17 sites in North and South Carolina from October 1995 through September 1996. Of the original 17 sites, 4 in South Carolina were sampled for E. coli and total coliforms from April through September 1997. At two sites, this sampling continued from October 1997 through April 1998.

Physicochemical water quality of the Mfoundi River watershed at Yaoundé, Cameroon, and its relevance to the distribution of bacterial indicators of faecal contamination.

PubMed

Djuikom, E; Jugnia, L B; Nola, M; Foto, S; Sikati, V

2009-01-01

Water quality of the Mfoundi River and four of its tributaries was studied by assessing some physicochemical variables (temperature, pH, conductivity, chlorides, phosphates and nitrogen ammonia, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide, organic matter content and Biological Oxygen Demand) and their influence on the distribution of bacterial indicators of faecal contamination (total coliform, faecal coliform and faecal streptococci). For this, standard methods for the examination of physicochemical parameters in water were followed, and statistical analysis (Pearson correlations) used to establish any relationships between physicochemical and biological variables. Our results revealed that almost all of the examined physicochemical variables exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for recreational water. This was in agreement with a previous microbiological study indicating that these waters were not safe for human use or primary contact according to water quality standards established by the WHO. Results of our correlation analysis suggested that physicochemical and biological variables interact in complicated ways reflecting the complex processes occurring in the natural environment. It was also concluded that pollution in the Mfoundi River watershed poses an increased risk of infection for users and there exists an urgent need to control dumping of wastewater into this watershed.

Functional connectivity density mapping: comparing multiband and conventional EPI protocols.

PubMed

Cohen, Alexander D; Tomasi, Dardo; Shokri-Kojori, Ehsan; Nencka, Andrew S; Wang, Yang

2018-06-01

Functional connectivity density mapping (FCDM) is a newly developed data-driven technique that quantifies the number of local and global functional connections for each voxel in the brain. In this study, we evaluated reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity of both local functional connectivity density (lFCD) and global functional connectivity density (gFCD). We compared these metrics using the human connectome project (HCP) compatible high-resolution (2 mm isotropic, TR = 0.8 s) multiband (MB), and more typical, lower resolution (3.5 mm isotropic, TR = 2.0 s) single-band (SB) resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) acquisitions. Furthermore, in order to be more clinically feasible, only rs-fMRI scans that lasted seven minutes were tested. Subjects were scanned twice within a two-week span. We found sensitivity and specificity increased and reproducibility either increased or did not change for the MB compared to the SB acquisitions. The MB scans also showed improved gray matter/white matter contrast compared to the SB scans. The lFCD and gFCD patterns were similar across MB and SB scans and confined predominantly to gray matter. We also observed a strong spatial correlation of FCD between MB and SB scans indicating the two acquisitions provide similar information. These findings indicate high-resolution MB acquisitions improve the quality of FCD data, and seven minute rs-fMRI scan can provide robust FCD measurements.

The structure and origin of dissolved organic matter studied by UV-vis spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy in lake in arid and semi-arid region.

PubMed

Guo, Xu-jing; Xi, Bei-dou; Yu, Hui-bin; Ma, Wen-chao; He, Xiao-song

2011-01-01

To develop a proper indicator which could predict water quality and trace pollution sources is critically important for the management of sustainable aquatic ecosystem. In our study, seven water samples collected from Wuliangsuhai Lake in Inner Mongolia were used. UV-visible spectra and synchronous fluorescence spectra were applied to investigate the humification degree and aromatic structure of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from water samples. The results showed that both samples from W1 site and W3 site display lower humification degree and less aromatic structure, where industrial wastewater and domestic sewage, and reclaimed water of farmland irrigation, were accepted respectively. After computing the values of SUVA(254), A(280), A(250/365), A(253/203) and A(226-400), we reached the conclusion that they have a consistent trend (W4> W6> W5> W2> W7> W1> W3). Fluorescence index (f(450/500)) was always utilised to interpret the origin of organic matter in a complex aquatic environment system. Values of f(450/500) are closer to 1.60, indicating that humic substances derived from terrestrial sources and biological sources. Our study demonstrated that reclaimed water of farmland irrigation, industrial wastewater and domestic sewage will definitely influence the humification degree and amount of the aromatic structure of DOM.

Characteristics and sources analysis of riverine chromophoric dissolved organic matter in Liaohe River, China.

PubMed

Shao, Tiantian; Song, Kaishan; Jacinthe, Pierre-Andre; Du, Jia; Zhao, Ying; Ding, Zhi; Guan, Ying; Bai, Zhang

2016-12-01

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in riverine systems can be affected by environmental conditions and land-use, and thus could provide important information regarding human activities in surrounding landscapes. The optical properties of water samples collected at 42 locations across the Liaohe River (LHR, China) watershed were examined using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy to determine CDOM characteristics, composition and sources. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations at all sampling sites exceeded the GB3838-2002 (national quality standards for surface waters, China) standard for Class V waters of 2.0 mg N/L and 0.4 mg P/L respectively, while trophic state index (TSI M ) indicated that all the sites investigated were mesotrophic, 64% of which were eutrophic at the same time. Redundancy analysis showed that total suspended matter (TSM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and turbidity had a strong correlation with CDOM, while the other parameters (Chl a, TN, TP and TSI M ) exhibited weak correlations with CDOM absorption. High spectral slope values and low SUVA254 (the specific UV absorption) values indicated that CDOM in the LHR was primarily comprised of low molecular weight organic substances. Analysis of excitation-emission matrices contour plots showed that CDOM in water samples collected from upstream locations exhibited fulvic-acid-like characteristics whereas protein-like substances were most likely predominant in samples collected in estuarine areas and downstream from large cities. These patterns were interpreted as indicative of water pollution from urban and industrial activities in several downstream sections of the LHR watershed.

FEDERAL REFERENCE AND EQUIVALENT METHODS FOR MEASURING FINE PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

In the national ambient air quality standards specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Code of Federal Regulations, new standards were established for particulate matter on July 18, 1997. The new particulate matter standards specify mass concentration as the...

Modeling of episodic particulate matter events using a 3-D air quality model with fine grid: Applications to a pair of cities in the US/Mexico border

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Yu-Jin; Hyde, Peter; Fernando, H. J. S.

High (episodic) particulate matter (PM) events over the sister cities of Douglas (AZ) and Agua Prieta (Sonora), located in the US-Mexico border, were simulated using the 3D Eulerian air quality model, MODELS-3/CMAQ. The best available input information was used for the simulations, with pollution inventory specified on a fine grid. In spite of inherent uncertainties associated with the emission inventory as well as the chemistry and meteorology of the air quality simulation tool, model evaluations showed acceptable PM predictions, while demonstrating the need for including the interaction between meteorology and emissions in an interactive mode in the model, a capability currently unavailable in MODELS-3/CMAQ when dealing with PM. Sensitivity studies on boundary influence indicate an insignificant regional (advection) contribution of PM to the study area. The contribution of secondary particles to the occurrence of high PM events was trivial. High PM episodes in the study area, therefore, are purely local events that largely depend on local meteorological conditions. The major PM emission sources were identified as vehicular activities on unpaved/paved roads and wind-blown dust. The results will be of immediate utility in devising PM mitigation strategies for the study area, which is one of the US EPA-designated non-attainment areas with respect to PM.

Effects of Nitrogen Application Rate on the Yields, Nutritive Value and Silage Fermentation Quality of Whole-crop Wheat.

PubMed

Li, C J; Xu, Z H; Dong, Z X; Shi, S L; Zhang, J G

2016-08-01

Whole-crop wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as forage has been extensively used in the world. In this study, the effects of N application rates on the yields, nutritive value and silage quality were investigated. The N application rates were 0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 kg/ha. The research results indicated that the dry matter yield of whole-crop wheat increased significantly with increasing N rate up to 150 kg/ha, and then leveled off. The crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility of whole-crop wheat increased significantly with increasing N up to 225 kg/ha, while they no longer increased at N 300 kg/ha. On the contrary, the content of various fibers tended to decrease with the increase of N application. The content of lactic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid in silages increased with the increase of N rate (p<0.05). The ammonia-N content of silages with higher N application rates (≥225 kg/ha) was significantly higher than that with lower N application rates (≤150 kg/ha). Whole-crop wheat applied with high levels of N accumulated more nitrate-N. In conclusion, taking account of yields, nutritive value, silage quality and safety, the optimum N application to whole-crop wheat should be about 150 kg/ha at the present experiment conditions.

Ambient concentrations of total suspended particulate matter and its elemental constituents at the wider area of the mining facilities of TVX Hellas in Chalkidiki, Greece.

PubMed

Gaidajis, George

2003-01-01

To assess ambient air quality at the wider area of TVX Hellas mining facilities, the Total Suspended Particulate matter (TSP) and its content in characteristic elements, i.e., As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn are being monitored for more than thirty months as part of the established Environmental Monitoring Program. High Volume air samplers equipped with Tissue Quartz filters were employed for the collection of TSP. Analyses were effected after digestion of the suspended particulate with an HNO3-HCl solution and determination of elemental concentrations with an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy equipped with graphite furnace. The sampling stations were selected to record representatively the existing ambient air quality in the vicinity of the facilities and at remote sites not affected from industrial activities. Monitoring data indicated that the background TSP concentrations ranged from 5-60 microg/m3. Recorded TSP concentrations at the residential sites close to the facilities ranged between 20-100 microg/m3, indicating only a minimal influence from the mining and milling activities. Similar spatial variation was observed for the TSP constituents and specifically for Pb and Zn. To validate the monitoring procedures, a parallel sampling campaign took place with different High Volume samplers at days where low TSP concentrations were expected. The satisfactory agreement (+/- 11%) at low concentrations (50-100 microg/m3) clearly supported the reproducibility of the techniques employed specifically at the critical range of lower concentrations.

Relationships between dissolved organic matter and discharge: New insights from in-situ measurements in a northern forested watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellerin, B. A.; Shanley, J. B.; Saraceno, J.; Aiken, G.; Sebestyen, S. D.; Bergamaschi, B. A.

2012-12-01

Quantifying the fundamental linkages between hydrology and dissolved organic matter (DOM) dynamics in streams and rivers is critical for understanding carbon loads, ecosystem food webs and metal transport. Accurately assessing this relationship is difficult, however, given that rapid changes in water flow paths and associated DOM sources are often not captured by traditional discrete sampling intervals of weeks to months. We explored DOM - discharge relationships at Sleepers River below a 40.5 hectare USGS research watershed in northern Vermont by making 30 minute chromophoric DOM fluorescence (FDOM) measurements in-situ since October 2008 along with periodic discrete sampling for dissolved organic carbon. There is a tight coupling between the timing of increases in FDOM and discharge at Sleepers during events, but the ratio of FDOM to discharge exhibited considerable variability across seasons and events, as did FDOM-discharge hysteresis (FDOM variously peaked 1-4 hours after streamflow). Discrete DOM quality indicators (spectral slope, fluorescence index, SUVA) indicate DOM was predominantly terrestrial at all but the lowest flows, highlighting the important role of DOM-rich terrestrial flow paths as the primary source of stream DOM. Our results suggest that changes in flow paths are likely to be the primary drivers of future changes in DOM transport from this site rather than changes in DOM quality. Overcoming significant challenges inherent in continuous sensor deployments in watersheds (e.g. ice cover, suspended particles, remote communication and power) will allow for new insights into watershed biogeochemistry.

Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristic of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Z. D.; Song, K. S.; Zhao, Y.; Du, J.; Ma, J. H.

2015-06-01

Spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined in conjunction with environmental factors in the waters of 22 rivers and 26 terminal waters in Hulun Buir plateau, northeast China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) were significantly higher in terminal waters than rivers waters (p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that non-water light absorption and anthropogenic nutrient disturbances might be the causes of the diversity of water quality parameters in Hulun Buir plateau. CDOM absorption in river waters was significantly lower than terminal waters (p < 0.01). Analysis of ratio of absorption at 250-365 nm (E250 : 365), specific UV absorbance (SUVA254), and spectral slope ratio (Sr) indicated that CDOM in river waters had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and vascular plant contribution than in terminal waters. Furthermore, results showed that DOC concentration, CDOM light absorption, and the proportion of autochthonous sources of CDOM in plateau waters were all higher than in other freshwater rivers reported in the literature. The strong evapoconcentration, intense ultraviolet irradiance and landscape features of Hulun Buir plateau may be responsible for the above phenomenon. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the environmental variables TSM, TN, and EC had a strong correlation with light absorption characteristics, followed by TDS and chlorophyll a. In most sampling locations, CDOM was the dominant non-water light-absorbing substance. Light absorption by non-algal particles often exceeded that by phytoplankton in the plateau waters. Study of these optical-physicochemical correlations is helpful in the evaluation of the potential influence of water quality factors on non-water light absorption in cold plateau water environments. And the study on organic carbon in plateau lakes had a vital contribution to global carbon balance estimation.

Evaluating the effectiveness of mulch application to store carbon belowground: Short-term effects of mulch application on soluble soil and microbial C and N in agricultural soils with low and high organic matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Janet; Heiling, Maria; Resch, Christian; Gruber, Roman; Dercon, Gerd

2017-04-01

Agricultural soils have the potential to contain a large pool of carbon and, depending on the farming techniques applied, can either effectively store carbon belowground, or further release carbon, in the form of CO2, into the atmosphere. Farming techniques, such as mulch application, are frequently proposed to increase carbon content belowground and improve soil quality and can be used in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas levels, such as in the "4 per 1000" Initiative. To test the effectiveness of mulch application to store carbon belowground in the short term and improve soil nutrient quality, we maintained agricultural soils with low and high organic carbon content (disturbed top soil from local Cambisols and Chernozems) in greenhouse mesocosms (70 cm deep with a radius of 25 cm) with controlled moisture for 4 years. Over the 4 years, maize and soybean were grown yearly in rotation and mulch was removed or applied to soils once plant material was harvested at 2 ton/ha dry matter. In addition, soil disturbance was kept to a minimum, with only surface disturbance of a few centimeters to keep soil free from weeds. After 4 years, we measured effects of mulch application on soluble soil and microbial carbon and nitrogen in the mesocosms and compared effects of mulch application versus no mulch on soils from 0-5 cm and 5-15 cm with low and high organic matter. We predicted that mulch would increase soil carbon and nitrogen content and mulch application would have a greater effect on soils with low organic matter than soils with high organic matter. In soils with low organic carbon content and larger predicted potential to increase soil carbon, mulch application did not increase soluble soil or microbial carbon or nitrogen compared to the treatments without mulch application. However, mulch application significantly increased the δ13C of both microbial and soluble soil carbon in these soils by 1 ‰ each, indicating a shift in belowground processes, such as increased decomposition coupled with increased carbon inputs. In soils with more organic content and lower potential to increase soil carbon, mulch application decreased microbial carbon by 0.01 mg C g soil-1 and increased soluble soil nitrogen by 0.01 mg N g soil-1. Soluble soil carbon also decreased by 0.04 mg C g soil-1 and microbial nitrogen increased with mulch application by 0.006 mg N g soil-1, but only in 5-15 cm soil. Mulch application only decreased δ13C of soluble soil carbon by 1.5 ‰, likely indicating a decrease in decomposition. Contrary to our initial predictions, mulch did not increase soil carbon content and only increased nitrogen content in soils that already had relatively higher organic matter content. These results suggest that mulch application (with only soil surface disturbance) may not play a significant role in increasing soil carbon content and overall soil quality, at least in a short 4-year term.

Quality of soluble organic C, N, and P produced by different types and species of litter: root litter versus leaf litter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In forested ecosystems, the quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) produced by freshly senesced litter may differ by litter type and species, and these differences may influence the amount of DOM that is respired versus that which may either contribute to soil organic matter accumulation or be le...

Integrating Quality Matters into Hybrid Course Design: A Principles of Marketing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Mark R.

2014-01-01

Previous research supports the idea that the success of hybrid or online delivery modes is more a function of course design than delivery media. This article describes a case study of a hybrid Principles of Marketing course that implemented a comprehensive redesign based on design principles espoused by the Quality Matters Program, a center for…

Status Tracking and Reporting the Quality Matters Process at the University of North Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamson, Nina; Babb, David; Schmidt, Robert

2016-01-01

The University of North Georgia utilizes the internal Quality Matters (QM) process to review all their online courses. As our online course offerings have increased, the need to devise a system to track the QM process, ensure timely reviews, and begin recertification of previously reviewed courses was necessary. As a result, several reports have…

Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (Fourth External Review Draft) [revised Drafts of Chapters 7 and 8, December 2003

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is in the process of updating and revising, where appropriate, its Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter as issued in 1996 (usually referred to as the Criteria Document). Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act require that EPA carry out a periodic review an...

Riverine transport of terrestrial organic matter to the North Catalan margin, NW Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Higueras, Marina; Martí, Eugènia; Liquete, Camino; Calafat, Antoni; Kerhervé, Philippe; Canals, Miquel

2013-11-01

Rivers are the primary pathway for organic matter transport from the terrestrial to the marine environment and, thus, river fluxes are critical in regulating the quantity of terrestrial organic matter that reaches the coastal ecosystems. Hydrodynamic processes typical of the coastal zone can lead to the transport of terrestrial organic matter across the continental shelf and beyond. Such organic matter can eventually reach the deep margin and basin ecosystems. Riverine inputs of organic matter to the sea can be a significant food source to marine ecosystems contributing to carbon cycling in these ecosystems. In order to assess the marine carbon cycle it is essential to know the biogeochemical characteristics and temporal dynamics of the fluvial organic matter input discharged by rivers to the coastal zone. In this study we present a one and a half year long (November 2008 to May 2010) assessment on organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) inputs from the three main rivers discharging into the North Catalan margin (Tordera, Ter and Fluvià, from south to north). Furthermore, we investigate the characteristics of the particulate organic matter discharged by these rivers by means of stable isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) and grain size analyses. We found that the hydrological regime of the rivers is a relevant factor in regulating the quantity and mediating the quality of organic matter inputs to the North Catalan margin. Overall, the three main rivers discharging into the study area deliver 1266 and 159 tonnes of terrestrial OC and N per year, respectively, to the coastal zone. Most of the OC and N load is transported during floods, which indicates that the Mediterranean climate of the area, with a strong seasonal contrast in precipitation, determines the timing of the main inputs of OC and N to the sea. Therefore, the annual OC and N load experiences a high temporal variability associated to the number and magnitude of floods with in each hydrological year. In addition, we found that water reservoirs along the rivers act as traps for terrestrial organic matter, reducing its delivery and ultimate burial into marine sediments. River hydrology also affects the quality of organic matter that reaches the coastal zone (both in terms of C and N) by shifting the relative weight of the various sources of terrestrial organic matter. During low river discharge (i.e., in summer and early autumn) the main contributor to the organic matter pool is mostly associated with freshwater primary producers, whereas with relatively high water flows (i.e., in winter and spring) the main contributor is associated with erosion and release of soil organic matter. Furthermore, the impact of waste water treatment plants into the studied rivers results in the alteration of the isotopic signal of suspended N. The three studied rivers play a major role in transporting terrestrial organic matter to the North Catalan margin, but the fraction that is exported to the deep margin by high-energy episodic hydrodynamic events, such as large coastal storms, has a minor importance.

Composition and quality of coals in the Huaibei Coalfield, Anhui, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zheng, Lingyun; Liu, Gaisheng; Wang, L.; Chou, C.-L.

2008-01-01

The Huaibei Coalfield, Anhui Province, China, is one of the largest coalfields in China. The coals of Permian age are used mainly for power generation. Coal compositions and 47 trace elements of the No. 10 Coal of the Shanxi Formation, the No. 7, 5, and 4 Coals of the Lower Shihezi Formation, and the No. 3 Coal of the Upper Shihezi Formation from the Huaibei Coalfield were studied. The results indicate that the Huaibei coals have low ash, moisture, and sulfur contents, but high volatile matter and calorific value. The ash yield increases stratigraphically upwards, but the volatile matter and total sulfur contents show a slight decrease from the lower to upper seams. Magmatic intrusion into the No. 5 Coal resulted in high ash, volatile matter, and calorific value, but low moisture value in the coal. Among the studied 47 trace elements, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Th, U, V, and Zn are of environmental concerns. Four elements Hg, Mo, Zn, and Sb are clearly enriched in the coals as compared with the upper continental crust. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reconstruction of the Paleoenvironment of the Early Cambrian Yurtus Black Shale in the Tarim Basin, Northwestern China, and Its Control on Organic Matter Accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Ding, W.; Dong, L.

2017-12-01

The black shale in the early Cambrian Yurtus Formation (>521 Ma) in the Tarim basin, northwestern China, is characterized by its high TOC value (up to 16%) andgreat lateral continuity. It has been proven to be high-quality hydrocarbon source rocks. Abundant phytoplanktons and small shelly fossils have been reported from the lower Yurtus chert. However, recent biomarker discovery of aryl isoprenoid hydrocarbons suggests the existence of green sulfur bacteria, which indicates that the water column was stratified and the photic zone was prevailingly euxinic. These seemingly contradictory observations hamper our further understanding of the paleoenvironment in which the Yurtus shale was deposited and its control on the accumulation of organic matter. In this study, we systematically collected samples from the Yurtus Formation at the Kungaikuotan Section, and measured the organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions and the content of trace element Barium (Ba). The strong negative excursions of nitrogen isotope ( -13‰) in the lower and upper parts of the Yurtus Formation are likely attributed to the biological activity of green and purple sulfur bacteria, which is consistent with our organic carbon isotope data as well as previous biomarker discovery. As green sulfur bacteria can only live in euxinic photic zone, it may indicate that the water column above this euxinic zone contains prolific organic matters which consume all the dissolved oxidants in surface ocean. It is well accepted that Ba flux can be used as an indicator for surface ocean primary productivity. Significant increase of barium content (from <100 to 2000 ppm) is observed at the same horizon as where the negative excursion of δ15Norg occurs, suggesting the substantive organic matter in the early Cambrian surface ocean mainly result from extremely high primary productivity. The abundant phytoplankton fossil record from this time period also supports this interpretation. In summary, high TOC in the Yurtus shale may derive from the extremely high primary productivity of phytoplanktons. Organic matter consumes all the dissolved oxidants in the water and generates the euxinic zone, which facilitates the accumulation and preservation of the surplus organic matter. This study also shed light on the ecology of the surface ocean before Cambrian Explosion.

Vertical profiles and ground-based measurements of Black Carbon, Particulate matter and Optical properties over New Delhi during the foggy winters of 2015-16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, S.; Bisht, D. S.; Srivastava, A. K.; Hopke, P. K.; Chakrabarty, R. K.

2016-12-01

Ground level and vertical observations of particulate matter were made as part of a pilot experiment using an air-quality monitory tethered balloon flown in the lower troposphere (1000 m) during the foggy winters of New Delhi, India. Measurements of black carbon (BC), the dominant absorber of visible light, particulate matter (PM), and the particulate optical properties along with meteorological parameters were conducted during the winter of 2015-16 in Delhi. During the study period, the mean concentrations of PM2.5, BC370nm, and BC880nm were observed to be 144.0 ± 39.7, 25.3 ± 8.5, and 19.4 ± 6.9 μg/m3, respectively. The mean value of PM2.5 is 12 times higher than the daily US-EPA air quality standard. The contribution of BC370nm in PM2.5 is 18 %. During the foggy period, the ground level concentrations of fine (PM2.5) and soot (BC370nm) particles increased substantially (59% and 26%, respectively) in comparison to clear days. Also, the aerosol light extinction coefficient (σext) was much higher (mean: 610 Mm-1) indicating that atmosphere was not transparent resulting in lower visibility. High concentrations of PM2.5 (89 µg/m3) and BC880nm (25.7 µg/m3) were observed up to 200 m (fog persists in this layer) in January. The BC880nm and PM2.5 concentrations near 1 km were significantly higher ( 1.9 and 12 µg/m3), respectively. Direct radiative forcing (DRF) due to BC was estimated at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), surface (SFC), and atmospheric (ATM) and its resultant forcing were - 46.2 Wm-2 at SFC indicates the cooling effect. However, a positive value ( 20.8 Wm-2) of BC DRF at TOA indicates the warming effect over the study region. The resultant ATM DRF due to BC was positive (67.0 Wm-2) indicating a net warming effect in the atmosphere. The contribution of fossil fuel climate forcing due to BC was 79% and 21% was due to burning of biomass/biofuels. The higher mean atmospheric heating rate (2.05 K day-1) by BC in the winter season would probably strengthen the temperature inversion leading to poor dispersion and affecting the formation of clouds. Based on this study, serious detrimental impacts of high concentrations of BC and PM (especially PM2.5) on regional climate are likely, thereby highlighting the need for immediate, stringent measures to improve the regional air quality in northern India.

Are colorful males of great tits Parus major better parents? Parental investment is a matter of quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagani-Núñez, Emilio; Senar, Juan Carlos

2014-02-01

Given the known influence of parental investment on breeding success of great tits Parus major, females should be expected to use male parental quality as an essential criterion in mate choice. Since parental quality cannot usually be observed directly at the time of pairing, it has been suggested that females rely on male ornaments as indicative of their ability to provide parental care. This hypothesis, called the good parent hypothesis, has been tested repeatedly assessing only parental effort as the number of feedings made by parents. However, in evaluating parental investment, the focus should also be on the quality of prey captured rather than only on its quantity. We analyzed feeding rates and the provisioning of different prey in relation to both male yellow carotenoid-based breast coloration and the size of the black melanin-based stripe in a Mediterranean great tit population. We predicted that more carotenoid ornamented individuals would feed nestlings with a diet consisting of a higher proportion of caterpillars. However, and contrary to predictions, we found that males with higher values of hue in the yellow breast feathers, fed their offspring with a lower proportion of caterpillars and a higher proportion of spiders. In addition, nestlings that received a higher proportion of spiders showed an improved body condition after controlling for tarsus length and other variables. Male feeding rates correlated positively with brood size and tended to correlate negatively with date, although we did not find any effect of male coloration. Our data therefore support the good parent hypothesis, insofar as parental investment is also a matter of quality, and that, at least in the Mediterranean area, caterpillars are not the only key food source.

Construction and application of an intelligent air quality monitoring system for healthcare environment.

PubMed

Yang, Chao-Tung; Liao, Chi-Jui; Liu, Jung-Chun; Den, Walter; Chou, Ying-Chyi; Tsai, Jaw-Ji

2014-02-01

Indoor air quality monitoring in healthcare environment has become a critical part of hospital management and policy. Manual air sampling and analysis are cost-inhibitive and do not provide real-time air quality data and response measures. In this month-long study over 14 sampling locations in a public hospital in Taiwan, we observed a positive correlation between CO(2) concentration and population, total bacteria, and particulate matter concentrations, thus monitoring CO(2) concentration as a general indicator for air quality could be a viable option. Consequently, an intelligent environmental monitoring system consisting of a CO(2)/temperature/humidity sensor, a digital plug, and a ZigBee Router and Coordinator was developed and tested. The system also included a backend server that received and analyzed data, as well as activating ventilation and air purifiers when CO(2) concentration exceeded a pre-set value. Alert messages can also be delivered to offsite users through mobile devices.

Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Particulate matter (PM) is one of the air pollutants regulated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Reducing emissions of inhalable particles improves public health as well as visibility.

Assessment of indoor environmental quality in existing multi-family buildings in North-East Europe.

PubMed

Du, Liuliu; Prasauskas, Tadas; Leivo, Virpi; Turunen, Mari; Pekkonen, Maria; Kiviste, Mihkel; Aaltonen, Anu; Martuzevicius, Dainius; Haverinen-Shaughnessy, Ulla

2015-06-01

Sixteen existing multi-family buildings (94 apartments) in Finland and 20 (96 apartments) in Lithuania were investigated prior to their renovation in order to develop and test out a common protocol for the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) assessment, and to assess the potential for improving IEQ along with energy efficiency. Baseline data on buildings, as well as data on temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon, and microbial content in settled dust were collected from each apartment. In addition, questionnaire data regarding housing quality and health were collected from the occupants. The results indicated that most measured IEQ parameters were within recommended limits. However, different baselines in each country were observed especially for parameters related to thermal conditions and ventilation. Different baselines were also observed for the respondents' satisfaction with their residence and indoor air quality, as well as their behavior related to indoor environment. In this paper, we present some evidence for the potential in improving IEQ along with energy efficiency in the current building stock, followed by discussion of possible IEQ indicators and development of the assessment protocol. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between structural features and water chemistry in boreal headwater streams--evaluation based on results from two water management survey tools suggested for Swedish forestry.

PubMed

Lestander, Ragna; Löfgren, Stefan; Henrikson, Lennart; Ågren, Anneli M

2015-04-01

Forestry may cause adverse impacts on water quality, and the forestry planning process is a key factor for the outcome of forest operation effects on stream water. To optimise environmental considerations and to identify actions needed to improve or maintain the stream biodiversity, two silvicultural water management tools, BIS+ (biodiversity, impact, sensitivity and added values) and Blue targeting, have been developed. In this study, we evaluate the links between survey variables, based on BIS+ and Blue targeting data, and water chemistry in 173 randomly selected headwater streams in the hemiboreal zone. While BIS+ and Blue targeting cannot replace more sophisticated monitoring methods necessary for classifying water quality in streams according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC), our results lend support to the idea that the BIS+ protocol can be used to prioritise the protection of riparian forests. The relationship between BIS+ and water quality indicators (concentrations of nutrients and organic matter) together with data from fish studies suggests that this field protocol can be used to give reaches with higher biodiversity and conservation values a better protection. The tools indicate an ability to mitigate forestry impacts on water quality if the operations are adjusted to this knowledge in located areas.

Multi-criteria analysis for PM10 planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisoni, Enrico; Carnevale, Claudio; Volta, Marialuisa

To implement sound air quality policies, Regulatory Agencies require tools to evaluate outcomes and costs associated to different emission reduction strategies. These tools are even more useful when considering atmospheric PM10 concentrations due to the complex nonlinear processes that affect production and accumulation of the secondary fraction of this pollutant. The approaches presented in the literature (Integrated Assessment Modeling) are mainly cost-benefit and cost-effective analysis. In this work, the formulation of a multi-objective problem to control particulate matter is proposed. The methodology defines: (a) the control objectives (the air quality indicator and the emission reduction cost functions); (b) the decision variables (precursor emission reductions); (c) the problem constraints (maximum feasible technology reductions). The cause-effect relations between air quality indicators and decision variables are identified tuning nonlinear source-receptor models. The multi-objective problem solution provides to the decision maker a set of not-dominated scenarios representing the efficient trade-off between the air quality benefit and the internal costs (emission reduction technology costs). The methodology has been implemented for Northern Italy, often affected by high long-term exposure to PM10. The source-receptor models used in the multi-objective analysis are identified processing long-term simulations of GAMES multiphase modeling system, performed in the framework of CAFE-Citydelta project.

Spatial and temporal assessment of surface water quality in the Arka River, Akkar, Lebanon.

PubMed

Daou, Claude; Nabbout, Rony; Kassouf, Amine

2016-12-01

Surface water quality monitoring constitutes a crucial and important step in any water quality management system. Twenty-three physicochemical and microbiological parameters were assessed in surface water samples collected from the Arka River located in the Akkar District, north of Lebanon. Eight sampling locations were considered along the river and seven sampling campaigns were performed in order to evaluate spatial and temporal influences. The extraction of relevant information from this relatively large data set was done using principal component analysis (PCA), being a very well established chemometric tool in this field. In a first step, extracted PCA loadings revealed the implication of several physicochemical parameters in the discriminations and trends highlighted by PCA scores, mainly due to soil leaching and seawater intrusion. However, further investigations showed the implication of organic and bacterial parameters in the discrimination of stations in the Akkar flatland. These discriminations probably refer to anthropogenic pollution coming from the agricultural area and the surrounding villages. Specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA) indices confirmed these findings since values decreased for samples collected across the villages and the flatland, indicating an increase in anthropogenic dissolved organic matter. This study will hopefully help the national and local authorities to ameliorate the surface water quality management, enabling its proper use for irrigation purposes.

Influence of land use and land cover on the spatial variability of dissolved organic matter in multiple aquatic environments.

PubMed

Singh, Shatrughan; Dash, Padmanava; Silwal, Saurav; Feng, Gary; Adeli, Ardeshir; Moorhead, Robert J

2017-06-01

Water quality of lakes, estuaries, and coastal areas serves as an indicator of the overall health of aquatic ecosystems as well as the health of the terrestrial ecosystem that drains to the water body. Land use and land cover plays not only a significant role in controlling the quantity of the exported dissolved organic matter (DOM) but also influences the quality of DOM via various biogeochemical and biodegradation processes. We examined the characteristics and spatial distribution of DOM in five major lakes, in an estuary, and in the coastal waters of the Mississippi, USA, and investigated the influence of the land use and land cover of their watersheds on the DOM composition. We employed absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy including excitation-emission matrix (EEM) combined with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis modeling techniques to determine optical properties of DOM and its characteristics in this study. We developed a site-specific PARAFAC model to evaluate DOM characteristics resulting in five diverse DOM compositions that included two terrestrial humic-like (C1 and C3), two microbial humic-like (C2 and C5), and one protein-like (C4) DOM. Our results showed elevated fluorescence levels of microbial humic-like or protein-like DOM in the lakes and coastal waters, while the estuarine waters showed relatively high fluorescence levels of terrestrial humic-like DOM. The results also showed that percent forest and wetland coverage explained 68 and 82% variability, respectively, in terrestrial humic-like DOM exports, while 87% variability in microbially derived humiclike DOM was explained by percent agricultural lands. Strong correlations between microbial humic-like DOM and fluorescence-derived DOM indices such as biological index (BIX) and fluorescence index (FI) indicated autochthonous characteristics in the lakes, while the estuary showed largely allochthonous DOM of terrestrial origin. We also observed higher concentrations of total dissolved phosphorous (TDP) and ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N) in coastal waters potentially due to photodegradation of refractory DOM derived from the sediment-bound organic matter in the coastal wetlands. This study highlights the relationships between the DOM compositions in the water and the land use and land cover in the watershed. The spatial variability of DOM in three different types of aquatic environments enhances the understanding of the role of land use and land cover in carbon cycling through export of organic matter to the aquatic ecosystems..

Does size matter in aged care facilities? A literature review of the relationship between the number of facility beds and quality.

PubMed

Baldwin, Richard; Chenoweth, Lynnette; Dela Rama, Marie; Wang, Alex Y

Theory suggests that structural factors such as aged care facility size (bed numbers) will influence service quality. There have been no recent published studies in support of this theory, and consequently, the available literature has not been useful in assisting decision makers with investment decisions on facility size. The study aimed to address that deficit by reviewing the international literature on the relationships between the size of residential aged care facilities, measured by number of beds, and service quality. A systematic review identified 30 studies that reported a relationship between facility size and quality and provided sufficient details to enable comparison. There are three groups of studies based on measurement of quality-those measuring only resident outcomes, those measuring care and resident outcomes using composite tools, and those focused on regulatory compliance. The overall findings support the posited theory to a large extent, that size is a factor in quality and smaller facilities yield the most favorable results. Studies using multiple indicators of service quality produced more consistent results in favor of smaller facilities, as did most studies of regulatory compliance. The theory that aged care facility size (bed numbers) will influence service quality was supported by 26 of the 30 studies reviewed. The review findings indicate that aged care facility size (number of beds) may be one important factor related to service quality. Smaller facilities are more likely to result in higher quality and better outcomes for residents than larger facilities. This has implications for those who make investment decisions concerning aged care facilities. The findings also raise implications for funders and policy makers to ensure that regulations and policies do not encourage the building of facilities inconsistent with these findings.

A critical evaluation of the volume, relevance and quality of evidence submitted by the tobacco industry to oppose standardised packaging of tobacco products.

PubMed

Hatchard, Jenny L; Fooks, Gary J; Evans-Reeves, Karen A; Ulucanlar, Selda; Gilmore, Anna B

2014-02-12

To examine the volume, relevance and quality of transnational tobacco corporations' (TTCs) evidence that standardised packaging of tobacco products 'won't work', following the UK government's decision to 'wait and see' until further evidence is available. Content analysis. We analysed the evidence cited in submissions by the UK's four largest TTCs to the UK Department of Health consultation on standardised packaging in 2012. The volume, relevance (subject matter) and quality (as measured by independence from industry and peer-review) of evidence cited by TTCs was compared with evidence from a systematic review of standardised packaging . Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences in the quality of TTC and systematic review evidence. 100% of the data were second-coded to validate the findings: 94.7% intercoder reliability; all differences were resolved. 77/143 pieces of TTC-cited evidence were used to promote their claim that standardised packaging 'won't work'. Of these, just 17/77 addressed standardised packaging: 14 were industry connected and none were published in peer-reviewed journals. Comparison of TTC and systematic review evidence on standardised packaging showed that the industry evidence was of significantly lower quality in terms of tobacco industry connections and peer-review (p<0.0001). The most relevant TTC evidence (on standardised packaging or packaging generally, n=26) was of significantly lower quality (p<0.0001) than the least relevant (on other topics, n=51). Across the dataset, TTC-connected evidence was significantly less likely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal (p=0.0045). With few exceptions, evidence cited by TTCs to promote their claim that standardised packaging 'won't work' lacks either policy relevance or key indicators of quality. Policymakers could use these three criteria-subject matter, independence and peer-review status-to critically assess evidence submitted to them by corporate interests via Better Regulation processes.

A critical evaluation of the volume, relevance and quality of evidence submitted by the tobacco industry to oppose standardised packaging of tobacco products

PubMed Central

Hatchard, Jenny L; Fooks, Gary J; Evans-Reeves, Karen A; Ulucanlar, Selda; Gilmore, Anna B

2014-01-01

Objectives To examine the volume, relevance and quality of transnational tobacco corporations’ (TTCs) evidence that standardised packaging of tobacco products ‘won't work’, following the UK government's decision to ‘wait and see’ until further evidence is available. Design Content analysis. Setting We analysed the evidence cited in submissions by the UK's four largest TTCs to the UK Department of Health consultation on standardised packaging in 2012. Outcome measures The volume, relevance (subject matter) and quality (as measured by independence from industry and peer-review) of evidence cited by TTCs was compared with evidence from a systematic review of standardised packaging . Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences in the quality of TTC and systematic review evidence. 100% of the data were second-coded to validate the findings: 94.7% intercoder reliability; all differences were resolved. Results 77/143 pieces of TTC-cited evidence were used to promote their claim that standardised packaging ‘won't work’. Of these, just 17/77 addressed standardised packaging: 14 were industry connected and none were published in peer-reviewed journals. Comparison of TTC and systematic review evidence on standardised packaging showed that the industry evidence was of significantly lower quality in terms of tobacco industry connections and peer-review (p<0.0001). The most relevant TTC evidence (on standardised packaging or packaging generally, n=26) was of significantly lower quality (p<0.0001) than the least relevant (on other topics, n=51). Across the dataset, TTC-connected evidence was significantly less likely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal (p=0.0045). Conclusions With few exceptions, evidence cited by TTCs to promote their claim that standardised packaging ‘won't work’ lacks either policy relevance or key indicators of quality. Policymakers could use these three criteria—subject matter, independence and peer-review status—to critically assess evidence submitted to them by corporate interests via Better Regulation processes. PMID:24523419

Urban infrastructure influences dissolved organic matter quality and bacterial metabolism in an urban stream network

EPA Science Inventory

Urban streams are degraded by a suite of factors, including burial beneath urban infrastructure (i.e., roads, parking lots) that eliminates light and reduces direct organic matter inputs to streams, with likely consequences for organic matter metabolism by microbes and carbon lim...

78 FR 20793 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Mississippi; 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-08

... and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental...) requirements for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) National Ambient Air..., Incorporation by reference, Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate Matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements...

NITROGEN DEPOSITION AND ORGANIC MATTER MANIPULATIONS AFFECT GROSS AND NET NITROGEN TRANSFORMATIONS IN TWO TEMPERATE FORESTS SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

Soil nitrogen transformations are intricately linked to carbon transformations. We utilized two existing organic matter manipulation sites in western Oregon, USA and Hungary to investigate these linkages. Our questions were: 1) Does the quantity and quality of organic matter af...

Short-term incorporation of organic manures and biofertilizers influences biochemical and microbial characteristics of soils under an annual crop [Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)].

PubMed

Dinesh, R; Srinivasan, V; Hamza, S; Manjusha, A

2010-06-01

The study was conducted to determine whether short-term incorporation of organic manures and biofertilizers influence biochemical and microbial variables reflecting soil quality. For the study, soils were collected from a field experiment conducted on turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) involving organic nutrient management (ONM), chemical nutrient management (CNM) and integrated nutrient management (INM). The findings revealed that application of organic manures and biofertilizers (ONM and INM) positively influenced microbial biomass C, N mineralization, soil respiration and enzymes activities. Contrarily, greater metabolic quotient levels in CNM indicated a stressed soil microbial community. Principal component analysis indicated the strong relationship between microbial activity and the availability of labile and easily mineralizable organic matter. The findings imply that even short-term incorporation of organic manures and biofertilizers promoted soil microbial and enzyme activities and these parameters are sensitive enough to detect changes in soil quality due to short-term incorporation of biological fertilizers. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of particle and surface quality on the vitrinite reflectance of dispersed organic matter: Comparative exercise using data from the qualifying system for reflectance analysis working group of ICCP

USGS Publications Warehouse

Borrego, A.G.; Araujo, C.V.; Balke, A.; Cardott, B.; Cook, A.C.; David, P.; Flores, D.; Hamor-Vido, M.; Hiltmann, W.; Kalkreuth, W.; Koch, J.; Kommeren, C.J.; Kus, J.; Ligouis, B.; Marques, M.; Mendonca, Filho J.G.; Misz, M.; Oliveira, L.; Pickel, W.; Reimer, K.; Ranasinghe, P.; Suarez-Ruiz, I.; Vieth, A.

2006-01-01

The development of a qualifying system for reflectance analysis has been the scope of a working group within the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) since 1999, when J. Koch presented a system to qualify vitrinite particles according to their size, proximity to bright components and homogeneity of the surface. After some years of work aimed at improving the classification system using photomicrographs, it was decided to run a round robin exercise on microscopy samples. The classification system tested consists of three qualifiers ranging from excellent to low quality vitrinites with an additional option for unsuitable vitrinites. This paper reports on the results obtained by 22 analysts who were asked to measure random reflectance readings on vitrinite particles assigning to each reading a qualifier. Four samples containing different organic matter types and a variety of vitrinite occurrences have been analysed. Results indicated that the reflectance of particles classified as excellent, good or poor compared to the total average reflectance did not show trends to be systematically lower or higher for the four samples analysed. The differences in reflectance between the qualifiers for any given sample were lower than the scatter of vitrinite reflectance among participants. Overall, satisfactory results were obtained in determining the reflectance of vitrinite in the four samples analysed. This was so for samples having abundant and easy to identify vitrinites (higher plant-derived organic matter) as well as for samples with scarce and difficult to identify particles (samples with dominant marine-derived organic matter). The highest discrepancies were found for the organic-rich oil shales where the selection of the vitrinite population to measure proved to be particularly difficult. Special instructions should be provided for the analysis of this sort of samples. The certainty of identification of the vitrinite associated with the vitrinite reflectance values reported has been assessed through a reliability index which takes into account the number of readings and the coefficient of variation. The same statistical approach as that followed in the ICCP vitrinite reflectance accreditation program for single seam coals has been used for data evaluation. The results indicated low to medium dispersion for 17 out of 22 participants. This, combined with data from other sets of comparative analyses over a long period, is considered an encouraging result for the establishment of an accreditation program on vitrinite reflectance measurements in dispersed organic matter. ?? 2006 ICCP.

Neglected environmental health impacts of China's supply-side structural reform.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Lei; Li, Ying; Tian, Yuling; Li, Xiaoran; Zhang, Xue; Mol, Arthur P J; Sonnenfeld, David A; Liu, Jianguo; Ping, Zeyu; Chen, Long

2018-06-01

"Supply-side structural reform" (SSSR) has been the most important ongoing economic reform in China since 2015, but its important environmental health effects have not been properly assessed. The present study addresses that gap by focusing on reduction of overcapacity in the coal, steel, and iron sectors, combined with reduction of emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxide (NO x ), and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), and projecting resultant effects on air quality and public health across cities and regions in China. Modeling results indicate that effects on air quality and public health are visible and distributed unevenly across the country. This assessment provides quantitative evidence supporting projections of the transregional distribution of such effects. Such uneven transregional distribution complicates management of air quality and health risks in China. The results challenge approaches that rely solely on cities to improve air quality. The article concludes with suggestions on how to integrate SSSR measures with cities' air quality improvement attainment planning and management performance evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Dynamic Interplay among Maternal Empathy, Quality of Mother-Adolescent Relationship, and Adolescent Antisocial Behaviors: New Insights from a Six-Wave Longitudinal Multi-Informant Study

PubMed Central

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Moscatelli, Silvia; Van der Graaff, Jolien; Keijsers, Loes; van Lier, Pol; Koot, Hans M.; Rubini, Monica; Meeus, Wim; Branje, Susan

2016-01-01

Adolescents’ behavior is often a matter of concern, given their increased likelihood of enacting antisocial behaviors, which cause disruptions in the social order and are potentially harmful for the adolescents themselves and for the people around them. In this six-wave longitudinal study we sought to examine the interplay among maternal empathy, multiple indicators of mother-adolescent relationship quality (i.e., balanced relatedness, conflict, and support), and adolescent antisocial behaviors rated both by adolescents and their mothers. Participants for the current study were 497 Dutch adolescents (56.9% males) followed from age 13 to 18, and their mothers. A series of cross-lagged panel models revealed reciprocal associations between maternal empathy and mother-adolescent relationship quality and between mother-adolescent relationship quality and adolescent antisocial behaviors. Interestingly, we also found some indirect effects of adolescent antisocial behaviors on maternal empathy mediated by mother-adolescent relationship quality. Overall, this study further highlights a process of reciprocal influences within mother-adolescent dyads. PMID:26990191

Relating physico-chemical properties of frozen green peas (Pisum sativum L.) to sensory quality.

PubMed

Nleya, Kathleen M; Minnaar, Amanda; de Kock, Henriëtte L

2014-03-30

The acceptability of frozen green peas depends on their sensory quality. There is a need to relate physico-chemical parameters to sensory quality. In this research, six brands of frozen green peas representing product sold for retail and caterer's markets were purchased and subjected to descriptive sensory evaluation and physico-chemical analyses (including dry matter content, alcohol insoluble solids content, starch content, °Brix, residual peroxidase activity, size sorting, hardness using texture analysis and colour measurements) to assess and explain product quality. The sensory quality of frozen green peas, particularly texture properties, were well explained using physico-chemical methods of analysis notably alcohol insoluble solids, starch content, hardness and °Brix. Generally, retail class peas were of superior sensory quality to caterer's class peas although one caterer's brand was comparable to the retail brands. Retail class peas were sweeter, smaller, greener, more moist and more tender than the caterer's peas. Retail class peas also had higher °Brix, a(*) , hue and chroma values; lower starch, alcohol insoluble solids, dry matter content and hardness measured. The sensory quality of frozen green peas can be partially predicted by measuring physico-chemical parameters particularly °Brix and to a lesser extent hardness by texture analyser, alcohol insoluble solids, dry matter and starch content. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hyperspectral imaging of water quality - past applications and future directions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, M. R. V.; Pavelsky, T.

2017-12-01

Inland waters control the delivery of sediment, carbon, and nutrients from land to ocean by transforming, depositing, and transporting constituents downstream. However, the dominant in situ conditions that control these processes are poorly constrained, especially at larger spatial scales. Hyperspectral imaging, a remote sensing technique that uses reflectance in hundreds of narrow spectral bands, can be used to estimate water quality parameters like sediment and carbon concentration over larger water bodies. Here, we review methods and applications for using hyperspectral imagery to generate near-surface two-dimensional models of water quality in lakes and rivers. Further, we show applications using newly available data from the National Ecological Observation Network aerial observation platform in the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers, Alabama. We demonstrate large spatial variation in chlorophyll, colored dissolved organic matter, and turbidity in each river and uneven mixing of water quality constituents for several kilometers. Finally, we demonstrate some novel techniques using hyperspectral imagery to deconvolve dissolved organic matter spectral signatures to specific organic matter components.

Observation of inhibited electron-ion coupling in strongly heated graphite

PubMed Central

White, T. G.; Vorberger, J.; Brown, C. R. D.; Crowley, B. J. B.; Davis, P.; Glenzer, S. H.; Harris, J. W. O.; Hochhaus, D. C.; Le Pape, S.; Ma, T.; Murphy, C. D.; Neumayer, P.; Pattison, L. K.; Richardson, S.; Gericke, D. O.; Gregori, G.

2012-01-01

Creating non-equilibrium states of matter with highly unequal electron and lattice temperatures (Tele≠Tion) allows unsurpassed insight into the dynamic coupling between electrons and ions through time-resolved energy relaxation measurements. Recent studies on low-temperature laser-heated graphite suggest a complex energy exchange when compared to other materials. To avoid problems related to surface preparation, crystal quality and poor understanding of the energy deposition and transport mechanisms, we apply a different energy deposition mechanism, via laser-accelerated protons, to isochorically and non-radiatively heat macroscopic graphite samples up to temperatures close to the melting threshold. Using time-resolved x ray diffraction, we show clear evidence of a very small electron-ion energy transfer, yielding approximately three times longer relaxation times than previously reported. This is indicative of the existence of an energy transfer bottleneck in non-equilibrium warm dense matter. PMID:23189238

Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System (CMAQ)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CMAQ is a computational tool used for air quality management. It models air pollutants including ozone, particulate matter and other air toxics to help determine optimum air quality management scenarios.

Response of Bacterial Communities to Different Detritus Compositions in Arctic Deep-Sea Sediments.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Katy; Hassenrück, Christiane; Salman-Carvalho, Verena; Holtappels, Moritz; Bienhold, Christina

2017-01-01

Benthic deep-sea communities are largely dependent on particle flux from surface waters. In the Arctic Ocean, environmental changes occur more rapidly than in other ocean regions, and have major effects on the export of organic matter to the deep sea. Because bacteria constitute the majority of deep-sea benthic biomass and influence global element cycles, it is important to better understand how changes in organic matter input will affect bacterial communities at the Arctic seafloor. In a multidisciplinary ex situ experiment, benthic bacterial deep-sea communities from the Long-Term Ecological Research Observatory HAUSGARTEN were supplemented with different types of habitat-related detritus (chitin, Arctic algae) and incubated for 23 days under in situ conditions. Chitin addition caused strong changes in community activity, while community structure remained similar to unfed control incubations. In contrast, the addition of phytodetritus resulted in strong changes in community composition, accompanied by increased community activity, indicating the need for adaptation in these treatments. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA revealed distinct taxonomic groups of potentially fast-growing, opportunistic bacteria in the different detritus treatments. Compared to the unfed control, Colwelliaceae, Psychromonadaceae , and Oceanospirillaceae increased in relative abundance in the chitin treatment, whereas Flavobacteriaceae, Marinilabiaceae , and Pseudoalteromonadaceae increased in the phytodetritus treatments. Hence, these groups may constitute indicator taxa for the different organic matter sources at this study site. In summary, differences in community structure and in the uptake and remineralization of carbon in the different treatments suggest an effect of organic matter quality on bacterial diversity as well as on carbon turnover at the seafloor, an important feedback mechanism to be considered in future climate change scenarios.

Response of Bacterial Communities to Different Detritus Compositions in Arctic Deep-Sea Sediments

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Katy; Hassenrück, Christiane; Salman-Carvalho, Verena; Holtappels, Moritz; Bienhold, Christina

2017-01-01

Benthic deep-sea communities are largely dependent on particle flux from surface waters. In the Arctic Ocean, environmental changes occur more rapidly than in other ocean regions, and have major effects on the export of organic matter to the deep sea. Because bacteria constitute the majority of deep-sea benthic biomass and influence global element cycles, it is important to better understand how changes in organic matter input will affect bacterial communities at the Arctic seafloor. In a multidisciplinary ex situ experiment, benthic bacterial deep-sea communities from the Long-Term Ecological Research Observatory HAUSGARTEN were supplemented with different types of habitat-related detritus (chitin, Arctic algae) and incubated for 23 days under in situ conditions. Chitin addition caused strong changes in community activity, while community structure remained similar to unfed control incubations. In contrast, the addition of phytodetritus resulted in strong changes in community composition, accompanied by increased community activity, indicating the need for adaptation in these treatments. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA revealed distinct taxonomic groups of potentially fast-growing, opportunistic bacteria in the different detritus treatments. Compared to the unfed control, Colwelliaceae, Psychromonadaceae, and Oceanospirillaceae increased in relative abundance in the chitin treatment, whereas Flavobacteriaceae, Marinilabiaceae, and Pseudoalteromonadaceae increased in the phytodetritus treatments. Hence, these groups may constitute indicator taxa for the different organic matter sources at this study site. In summary, differences in community structure and in the uptake and remineralization of carbon in the different treatments suggest an effect of organic matter quality on bacterial diversity as well as on carbon turnover at the seafloor, an important feedback mechanism to be considered in future climate change scenarios. PMID:28286496

Classification of air quality using fuzzy synthetic multiplication.

PubMed

Abdullah, Lazim; Khalid, Noor Dalina

2012-11-01

Proper identification of environment's air quality based on limited observations is an essential task to meet the goals of environmental management. Various classification methods have been used to estimate the change of air quality status and health. However, discrepancies frequently arise from the lack of clear distinction between each air quality, the uncertainty in the quality criteria employed and the vagueness or fuzziness embedded in the decision-making output values. Owing to inherent imprecision, difficulties always exist in some conventional methodologies when describing integrated air quality conditions with respect to various pollutants. Therefore, this paper presents two fuzzy multiplication synthetic techniques to establish classification of air quality. The fuzzy multiplication technique empowers the max-min operations in "or" and "and" in executing the fuzzy arithmetic operations. Based on a set of air pollutants data carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter (PM(10)) collected from a network of 51 stations in Klang Valley, East Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak were utilized in this evaluation. The two fuzzy multiplication techniques consistently classified Malaysia's air quality as "good." The findings indicated that the techniques may have successfully harmonized inherent discrepancies and interpret complex conditions. It was demonstrated that fuzzy synthetic multiplication techniques are quite appropriate techniques for air quality management.

Effect of a seasonal diffuse pollution migration on natural organic matter behavior in a stratified dam reservoir.

PubMed

Yu, Soon Ju; Lee, Jae Yil; Ha, Sung Ryong

2010-01-01

This article aims to describe the influence of diffuse pollution on the temporal and spatial characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) in a stratified dam reservoir, the Daecheong Dam, on the basis of intensive observation results and the dynamic water quality simulation using CE-QUAL-W2. Turbidity is regarded as a comprehensive representation of allochothonous organic matter from diffuse sources in storm season because the turbidity concentration showed reasonable significance in a statistical correlation with the UV absorbance at 254 nm and total phosphorus. CE-QUAL-W2 simulation results showed good consistency with the observed data in terms of dissolved organic matter (DOM) including refractory dissolved organic carbon (RDOC) and labile DOC and also well explained the internal movement of constituents and stratification phenomenon in the reservoir. Instead turbidity and NOM were related well in the upper region of the reservoir according to flow distance, gradually as changing to dissolved form of organic matter, RDOM affected organic matter concentration of reservoir water quality compared to turbidity. To control the increase of soluble organic matters in the dam reservoir, appropriate dam water discharge gate operation provided effective measurement. Because of the gate operation let avoid the accumulation of organic matter within a dam reservoir by shorten of turbid regime retention time.

Supplement to the Second Addendum (1986) to Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter and Sulfur Oxides (1982): Assessment of New Findings on Sulfur Dioxide and Acute Exposure Health Effects in Asthmatic Individuals (1994)

EPA Science Inventory

The present Supplement to the Second Addendum (1986) to the document Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter and Sulfur Oxides (1982) focuses on evaluation of newly available controlled human exposure studies of acute (a\\1h) sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure effects on pulmonary ...

Organic matter and heavy metals content modeling in sewage sludge treated with reed bed system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boruszko, Dariusz; Dąbrowski, Wojciech; Malinowski, Paweł

2017-11-01

The long process of sludge stabilization (7-15 years) remarkably reduces the organic matter content and causes the process of sludge humifaction. This paper presents the results of using low-cost methods of sludge treatment in the wastewater treatment plant located in Zambrow, Podlaskie Province. The results of studies on the organic matter and heavy metals content in sewage sludge after treatment in a reed bed system are presented. The aim of the research was to evaluate and model organic matter and heavy metals concentrations during sewage stabilization in reed bed lagoons. The lowest concentration, below 1.3 mg/kg DM of the examined seven heavy metals was mercury (Hg). The highest concentration, exceeding 1300 mg/kg DM was zinc (Zn). The obtained results for the heavy metals in sewage sludge from the reed bed lagoons in Zambrow show that the average content of the analyzed heavy metals is approximately 1620 mg/kg DM. The results of the study demonstrate a high efficiency of low-cost methods used in Zambrów WWTP in terms of the quality of the processed sludge. Sewage sludge from the lowest layer of the reed lagoon (12-14 years of dewatering and transformation) is characterized by the lowest organic matter and heavy metals content. The higher a sediment layer lies, i.e. the shorter the time of processing, the higher is the heavy metals content. This indicates a great role of reeds in the accumulation of these compounds.

Coal-Quality Information - Key to the Efficient and Environmentally Sound Use of Coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finkleman, Robert B.

1997-01-01

The rock that we refer to as coal is derived principally from decomposed organic matter (plants) consisting primarily of the element carbon. When coal is burned, it produces energy in the form of heat, which is used to power machines such as steam engines or to drive turbines that produce electricity. Almost 60 percent of the electricity produced in the United States is derived from coal combustion. Coal is an extraordinarily complex material. In addition to organic matter, coal contains water (up to 40 or more percent by weight for some lignitic coals), oils, gases (such as methane), waxes (used to make shoe polish), and perhaps most importantly, inorganic matter (fig. 1). The inorganic matter--minerals and trace elements--cause many of the health, environmental, and technological problems attributed to coal use (fig. 2). 'Coal quality' is the term used to refer to the properties and characteristics of coal that influence its behavior and use. Among the coal-quality characteristics that will be important for future coal use are the concentrations, distribution, and forms of the many elements contained in the coal that we intend to burn. Knowledge of these quality characteristics in U.S. coal deposits may allow us to use this essential energy resource more efficiently and effectively and with less undesirable environmental impact.

78 FR 27062 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Prevention of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-09

... requirement for inclusion of condensable emissions of particulate matter (condensables) within the definition of ``regulated new source review (NSR) pollutant'' for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and particulate matter emissions less than or equal to ten micrometers in diameter (PM 10 ). In addition, because...

75 FR 39252 - Release of Final Documents Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-08

..., Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate Matter and Particulate Matter Urban-Focused Visibility Assessment. These two documents describe the quantitative analyses that have been conducted as part of the..., Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate Matter, please contact Dr. Zachary Pekar, Office of Air...

77 FR 60053 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware; Requirements for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source Review; Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) AGENCY: Environmental... preconstruction permitting requirements for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) into the Delaware SIP. In addition... fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) into the Delaware SIP. In addition, EPA proposed approval of SIP...

77 FR 63234 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; North Carolina 110(a)(1) and (2...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-16

... and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental... SIP addresses emissions of particulate matter generally, and does not distinguish between PM 10 and PM 2.5. The Commenter also references the particulate matter maximum emission rates for two coal-fired...

Ensuring Educational Quality Means Assessing Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazin, Cathrael; Payne, David G.

2009-01-01

As many experienced board members know, given the national debate in recent years over institutional accountability, learning--the heart of the educational enterprise--is often treated as a by-product of other more measurable processes. The fact is, no matter how excellent the curricula, no matter how stellar the faculty, no matter how talented…

Investigating organic matter in Fanno Creek, Oregon, Part 2 of 3: sources, sinks, and transport of organic matter with fine sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keith, Mackenzie K.; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Goldman, Jami H.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2014-01-01

Organic matter (OM) is abundant in Fanno Creek, Oregon, USA, and has been tied to a variety of water-quality concerns, including periods of low dissolved oxygen downstream in the Tualatin River, Oregon. The key sources of OM in Fanno Creek and other Tualatin River tributaries have not been fully identified, although isotopic analyses from previous studies indicated a predominantly terrestrial source. This study investigates the role of fine sediment erosion and deposition (mechanisms and spatial patterns) in relation to OM transport. Geomorphic mapping within the Fanno Creek floodplain shows that a large portion (approximately 70%) of the banks are eroding or subject to erosion, likely as a result of the imbalance caused by anthropogenic alteration. Field measurements of long- and short-term bank erosion average 4.2 cm/year and average measurements of deposition for the watershed are 4.8 cm/year. The balance between average annual erosion and deposition indicates an export of 3,250 metric tons (tonnes, t) of fine sediment to the Tualatin River—about twice the average annual export of 1,880 t of sediment at a location 2.4 km from the creek’s mouth calculated from suspended sediment load regressions from continuous turbidity data and suspended sediment samples. Carbon content from field samples of bank material, combined with fine sediment export rates, indicates that about 29–67 t of carbon, or about 49–116 t of OM, from bank sediment may be exported to the Tualatin River from Fanno Creek annually, an estimate that is a lower bound because it does not account for the mass wasting of organic-rich O and A soil horizons that enter the stream.

Investigating organic matter in Fanno Creek, Oregon, Part 2 of 3: Sources, sinks, and transport of organic matter with fine sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keith, Mackenzie K.; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Goldman, Jami H.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2014-11-01

Organic matter (OM) is abundant in Fanno Creek, Oregon, USA, and has been tied to a variety of water-quality concerns, including periods of low dissolved oxygen downstream in the Tualatin River, Oregon. The key sources of OM in Fanno Creek and other Tualatin River tributaries have not been fully identified, although isotopic analyses from previous studies indicated a predominantly terrestrial source. This study investigates the role of fine sediment erosion and deposition (mechanisms and spatial patterns) in relation to OM transport. Geomorphic mapping within the Fanno Creek floodplain shows that a large portion (approximately 70%) of the banks are eroding or subject to erosion, likely as a result of the imbalance caused by anthropogenic alteration. Field measurements of long- and short-term bank erosion average 4.2 cm/year and average measurements of deposition for the watershed are 4.8 cm/year. The balance between average annual erosion and deposition indicates an export of 3,250 metric tons (tonnes, t) of fine sediment to the Tualatin River-about twice the average annual export of 1,880 t of sediment at a location 2.4 km from the creek's mouth calculated from suspended sediment load regressions from continuous turbidity data and suspended sediment samples. Carbon content from field samples of bank material, combined with fine sediment export rates, indicates that about 29-67 t of carbon, or about 49-116 t of OM, from bank sediment may be exported to the Tualatin River from Fanno Creek annually, an estimate that is a lower bound because it does not account for the mass wasting of organic-rich O and A soil horizons that enter the stream.

Effects of land use and land cover on selected soil quality indicators in the headwater area of the Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia.

PubMed

Teferi, Ermias; Bewket, Woldeamlak; Simane, Belay

2016-02-01

Understanding changes in soil quality resulting from land use and land management changes is important to design sustainable land management plans or interventions. This study evaluated the influence of land use and land cover (LULC) on key soil quality indicators (SQIs) within a small watershed (Jedeb) in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia. Factor analysis based on principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine different SQIs. Surface (0-15 cm) soil samples with four replications were collected from five main LULC types in the watershed (i.e., natural woody vegetation, plantation forest, grassland, cultivated land, and barren land) and at two elevation classes (upland and midland), and 13 soil properties were measured for each replicate. A factorial (2 × 5) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that LULC and altitude together significantly affected organic matter (OM) levels. However, LULC alone significantly affected bulk density and altitude alone significantly affected bulk density, soil acidity, and silt content. Afforestation of barren land with eucalypt trees can significantly increase the soil OM in the midland part but not in the upland part. Soils under grassland had a significantly higher bulk density than did soils under natural woody vegetation indicating that de-vegetation and conversion to grassland could lead to soil compaction. Thus, the historical LULC change in the Jedeb watershed has resulted in the loss of soil OM and increased soil compaction. The study shows that a land use and management system can be monitored if it degrades or maintains or improves the soil using key soil quality indicators.

River sediment metal and nutrient variations along an urban-agriculture gradient in an arid austral landscape: implications for environmental health.

PubMed

Dalu, Tatenda; Wasserman, Ryan J; Wu, Qihang; Froneman, William P; Weyl, Olaf L F

2018-01-01

The effect of metals on environmental health is well documented and monitoring these and other pollutants is considered an important part of environmental management. Developing countries are yet to fully appreciate the direct impacts of pollution on aquatic ecosystems and as such, information on pollution dynamics is scant. Here, we assessed the temporal and spatial dynamics of stream sediment metal and nutrient concentrations using contaminant indices (e.g. enrichment factors, pollution load and toxic risk indices) in an arid temperate environment over the wet and dry seasons. The mean sediment nutrient, organic matter and metal concentration were highest during the dry season, with high values being observed for the urban environment. Sediment contaminant assessment scores indicated that during the wet season, the sediment quality was acceptable, but not so during the dry season. The dry season had low to moderate levels of enrichment for metals B, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mg, K and Zn. Overall, applying the sediment pollution load index highlighted poor quality river sediment along the length of the river. Toxic risk index indicated that most sites posed no toxic risk. The results of this study highlighted that river discharge plays a major role in structuring temporal differences in sediment quality. It was also evident that infrastructure degradation was likely contributing to the observed state of the river quality. The study contributes to our understanding of pollution dynamics in arid temperate landscapes where vast temporal differences in base flow characterise the riverscape. Such information is further useful for contrasting sediment pollution dynamics in aquatic environments with other climatic regions.

Seasonal changes in particulate and dissolved organic matter composition and quality in the Lena River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollenhauer, G.; Winterfeld, M.; Hefter, J.; Bodenstab, L.; Morgenstern, A.; Eulenburg, A.; Heim, B.; Koch, B.; Schefuss, E.; Moerth, C. M.; Rethemeyer, J.

2016-12-01

Arctic rivers are known to export large quantities of carbon by discharge of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC, POC), and in a warming and progressively moister Arctic, these exports may increase resulting in a reduction of arctic continental carbon stocks. These rivers have highly variable discharge rates with a pronounced maximum during the spring freshet associated with highest concentrations of DOC and POC. Most studies investigating the isotopic composition and quality of carbon exported by Arctic rivers rely on samples taken in summer during base flow, which is due to the logistical challenges associated with sampling in the remote Arctic permafrost regions. Here we present a record of δ13C and Δ14C of DOC and POC collected between late May during the freshet and late August 2014 in the Lena River Delta. POC Δ14C shows an initial trend towards older values in the spring samples, which is reversed in summer, associated with a shift towards more depleted δ13C values. We interpret this aging trend as reflecting progressive thawing throughout the ice-free season, resulting in mobilization of progressively older carbon from deeper thawed layers. The summer reversal indicates admixture of aquatic organic matter. DOC Δ14C, in contrast, remains at relatively modern levels with rather constant δ13C values throughout the sampling period. We furthermore analysed the biomarker composition of Lena Delta particulate OM collected in spring and summer. From spring to summer, we observe trends in abundance of individual leaf-wax derived biomarkers indicating higher abundance of algal biomass in the summer particles. Trends in soil microbial biomarkers and compound-specific δD of leaf-wax lipids suggest a shift in sources towards higher contributions from the southern catchment in summer. DOC composition investigated with FT-ICR-MS changes from spring with higher abundances of compounds with high H/C and low O/C ratios to late summer, when fewer compounds were found. Our results illustrate the seasonal variability in composition and sources of organic matter discharged by the Lena River. Paired with the strong seassonality of the hydrograph, this implies that total annual discharge of organic matter contains a disproportionally high contribution from the northern part of the catchment.

The importance of plant-soil interactions for N mineralisation in different soil types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Conor; Paterson, Eric; Baggs, Elizabeth; Morley, Nicholas; Wall, David; Schulte, Rogier

2013-04-01

The last hundred years has seen major advancements in our knowledge of nitrogen mineralisation in soil, but key drivers and controls remain poorly understood. Due to an increase in the global population there is a higher demand on food production. To accommodate this demand agriculture has increased its use of N based fertilizers, but these pose risks for water quality and GHG emissions as N can be lost through nitrate leaching, ammonia volatilization, and denitrification processes (Velthof, et al., 2009). Therefore, understanding the underlying processes that determine the soils ability to supply N to the plant is vital for effective optimisation of N-fertilisation with crop demand. Carbon rich compounds exuded from plant roots to the rhizosphere, which are utilized by the microbial biomass and support activities including nutrient transformations, may be a key unaccounted for driver of N mineralisation. The main aim of this study was to study the impact of root exudates on turnover of C and N in soil, as mediated by the microbial community. Two soil types, known to contrast in N-mineralisation capacity, were used to determine relationships between C inputs, organic matter mineralisation (priming effects) and N fluxes. 15N and 13C stable isotope approaches were used to quantify the importance of rhizosphere processes on C and N mineralisation. Gross nitrogen mineralisation was measured using 15N pool dilution. Total soil CO2 efflux was measured and 13C isotope partitioning was applied to quantify SOM turnover and microbial biomass respiration. Also, 13C was traced through the microbial biomass (chloroform fumigation) to separate pool-substitution effects (apparent priming) from altered microbial utilisation of soil organic matter (real priming effects). Addition of labile carbon resulted in an increase in N-mineralisation from soil organic matter in both soils. Concurrent with this there was an increase in microbial biomass size, indicating that labile C elicited real priming effects that mobilised N from organic matter. The results from this experiment indicate that rhizosphere processes play an important role in mediating rates of C and N mineralisation and should be accounted for in estimating soil N-supply capacities. Velthof, G.L., Oudendag, D., Witzke, H.P., Asman, W.A.H., Klimont, Z., Oenema, O., 2009. Integrated assessment of nitrogen losses from agriculture in EU-27 using MITERRA-EUROPE. Journal of Environmental Quality 38, 402-417.

The use of aquatic macrophytes in monitoring and in assessment of biological integrity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart, P.M.; Scribailo, R.W.; Simon, T.P.; Gerhardt, A.

1999-01-01

Aquatic plant species, populations, and communities should be used as indicators of the aquatic environment, allowing detection of ecosystem response to different stressors. Plant tissues bioaccumulate and concentrate toxin levels higher than what is present in the sediments; and this appears to be related to organic matter content, acidification, and buffering capacity. The majority of toxicity studies, most of these with heavy metals, have been done with several Lemna species and Vallisneria americana. Organic chemicals reviewed include pesticides and herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other industrial contaminants. The use of aquatic plant communities as bioindicators of environmental quality was evaluated for specific characteristics and indices that may assess biological integrity. Indices such as the floristic quality index (FQI) and coefficient of conservatism (C) are pioneering efforts to describe the quality of natural areas and protect native biodiversity. Our case study in the Grand Calumet Lagoons found that 'least-impacted' sites had the greatest aquatic plant species richness, highest FQI and C values, and highest relative abundance. Lastly, we introduce the concepts necessary for the development of a plant index of biotic integrity. Development of reference conditions is essential to understanding aquatic plant community structure, function, individual health, condition, and abundance. Information on guild development and tolerance definition are also integral to the development of a multi-metric index.

The particulate-related health benefits of reducing power plant emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schneider, C.

The report estimates the adverse human health effects due to exposure to particulate matter from power plants. Power plants are significant emitters of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. In many parts of the U.S., especially the Midwest, power plants are the largest contributors. These gases are harmful themselves, and they contribute to the formation of acid rain and particulate matter. Particulate matter reduces visibility, often producing a milky haze that blankets wide regions, and it is a serious public health problem. Over the past decade and more, numerous studies have linked particulate matter to a wide range of adverse healthmore » effects in people of all ages. Epidemiologists have consistently linked particulate matter with effects ranging from premature death, hospital admissions and asthma attacks to chronic bronchitis. This study documents the health impacts from power plant air pollution emissions. Using the best available emissions and air quality modeling programs, the stud y forecasts ambient air quality for a business-as-usual baseline scenario for 2007, assuming full implementation of the Acid Rain program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Summer Smog rule (the 1999 NO{sub x} SIP Call). The study then estimates the attributable health impacts from all power plant emissions. Finally, the study estimates air quality for a specific policy alternative: reducing total power plant emissions of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} 75 percent form the levels emitted in 1997. The difference between this '75 percent reduction scenario' and the baseline provides an estimate of the health effects that would be avoided by this reduction in power plant emissions. In addition to the policy scenario, the work involved performing sensitivity analyses to examine alternative emission reductions and forecast ambient air quality using a second air quality model. EPA uses both air quality models extensively, and both suggest that power plants make a large contribution to ambient particulate matter levels in the Eastern U.S. To put the power plant results in context, air pollution from all on-road and off-road diesel engine emissions was also examined. The results suggest that both power plants and diesel engines make a large contribution to ambient particulate matter levels and the associated health effects. Chapter 2 describes the development of the emissions inventory. Chapter 3 describes the methods used to estimate changes in particulate matter concentrations. Chapter 4 describes general issues arising in estimating and valuing changes in adverse health effects associated with changes in particulate matter. Chapter 5 describes in some detail the methods used for estimating and valuing adverse health effects, and in Chapter 6, the results of the various analyses are presented. The study includes 6 appendices. Appendix A provides results of this analysis for all metropolitan areas in the U.S. and a list of the counties in each metropolitan area. Appendices B, C and D present a detailed examination of how the pollution emission estimates were derived and then translated into forecasts of ambient particulate matter levels.« less

Survey of Italian honeys for the presence of foreign matter using the filth test.

PubMed

Canale, Angelo; Canovai, Roberto; Cosci, Francesca; Giannotti, Paolo; Benelli, Giovanni

2014-01-01

Honey is an ancient food that has always been considered a natural and healthy product, free of contaminants. However, it can contain toxic substances, such as antibiotics, pesticides and heavy metals, as well as foreign matter (e.g. arthropod body parts and microbial contaminants), working as allergens and vectors of human pathogens. In this study we used the filth test to evaluate the abundance of foreign matter in 70 Italian honeys, including Castanea sativa, Robinia pseudoacacia and multi-floral honeys, the latter both from small beekeeping farms and industrial producers. The abundance of different foreign matter varied in honeys, with a higher number of carbon particles and other inorganic fragments, followed by fragments of animal origin. This latter included insects (Diptera Brachycera larvae and Strepsiptera), their cuticular fragments (mainly Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera), mites (mainly Glycyphagidae, Acaridae and Tarsonemidae) and mammal hairs. No differences were recorded in the abundance of foreign matter among different kinds of honey, as well as between honeys from small and large-sized producers. Foreign matter found in honey provided functional information to evaluate honey quality standards in apiary, honey extraction and packaging phases. Overall, the filth test method applied to honey quality control can be considered an excellent tool, also for small beekeeping farms, since it allows rapid and frequent quality checking of the production process. This method is cheap, requires minimal instrumental equipment and results can be interpreted quickly.

Prescribing behavior of general practitioners: competition matters.

PubMed

Schaumans, Catherine

2015-04-01

General Practitioners (GP) have limited means to compete. As quality is hard to observe by patients, GPs have incentives to signal quality by using instruments patients perceive as quality. I investigate whether GPs prescribe more units when confronted with more competition. As there is no monetary benefit in doing so, this type of (perceived) quality competition originates from GPs satisfying patients' expectations. Market level data on per capita and per contact number of items prescribed by GPs is studied for the Belgian market of General Practitioners. I hypothesize that GP competition has a positive impact on the prescribed volume, after controlling for medical needs and GP characteristics. Properly controlling for medical needs implies the use of a two-stage linear regression model. The analysis indicates that a higher number of GPs per capita results in a higher number of units prescribed by GPs, both per capita and per contact. This is consistent with quality competition in the GP market, while inconsistent with alternatives explanations (GP scarcity, GP inducement and GP dispersing prescription in time). GPs prescribe more units when there is more competition to satisfy patients' expectations. The paper thus presents empirical evidence of (perceived) quality competition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute effects of particulate matter on respiratory diseases, symptoms and functions:. epidemiological results of the Austrian Project on Health Effects of Particulate Matter (AUPHEP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuberger, Manfred; Schimek, Michael G.; Horak, Friedrich; Moshammer, Hanns; Kundi, Michael; Frischer, Thomas; Gomiscek, Bostjan; Puxbaum, Hans; Hauck, Helger; Auphep-Team

To examine hypotheses regarding health effects of particulate matter, we conducted time series studies in Austrian urban and rural areas. Of the pollutants measured, ambient PM 2.5 was most consistently associated with parameters of respiratory health. Time series studies applying semiparametric generalized additive models showed significant increases of respiratory hospital admissions (ICD 490-496) at age 65 and older. The early increase of 5.5% in Vienna at a lag of 2 days in males and of 5.6% per 10 μg/m 3 at a lag of 3 days in females was not observed in a nearby rural area. Another increase of respiratory admissions (mainly COPD) was observed after a lag of 10-11 days. A time series on a panel of 56 healthy preschool children showed a significant impact of the carbonaceous fraction of PM 2.5 on tidal breathing pattern assessed by inductive plethysmography. In repeated oscillometric measurements of respiratory resistance in 164 healthy elementary school children not only immediate responses to fine particulates were found but also latent ones, possibly indicating inflammatory changes in airways. It may be speculated that the improvements of urban air quality prevented measurable effects on respiratory mortality. More sensitive indicators, however, still show acute impairments of respiratory function and health in elderly and children which are associated with fine particulates and subfractions related to motor traffic.

Dissolved organic carbon and chromophoric dissolved organic matter properties of rivers in the USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, Robert G. M.; Butler, Kenna D.; Aiken, George R.

2012-09-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) parameters were measured over a range of discharge in 30 U.S. rivers, covering a diverse assortment of fluvial ecosystems in terms of watershed size and landscape drained. Relationships between CDOM absorption at a range of wavelengths (a254, a350, a440) and DOC in the 30 watersheds were found to correlate strongly and positively for the majority of U.S. rivers. However, four rivers (Colorado, Colombia, Rio Grande and St. Lawrence) exhibited statistically weak relationships between CDOM absorption and DOC. These four rivers are atypical, as they either drain from the Great Lakes or experience significant impoundment of water within their watersheds, and they exhibited values for dissolved organic matter (DOM) parameters indicative of autochthonous or anthropogenic sources or photochemically degraded allochthonous DOM and thus a decoupling between CDOM and DOC. CDOM quality parameters in the 30 rivers were found to be strongly correlated to DOM compositional metrics derived via XAD fractionation, highlighting the potential for examining DOM biochemical quality from CDOM measurements. This study establishes the ability to derive DOC concentration from CDOM absorption for the majority of U.S. rivers, describes characteristics of riverine systems where such an approach is not valid, and emphasizes the possibility of examining DOM composition and thus biogeochemical function via CDOM parameters. Therefore, the usefulness of CDOM measurements, both laboratory-based analyses and in situ instrumentation, for improving spatial and temporal resolution of DOC fluxes and DOM dynamics in future studies is considerable in a range of biogeochemical studies.

Utilizing chromophoric dissolved organic matter measurements to derive export and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon exported to the Arctic Ocean: A case study of the Yukon River, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spencer, R.G.M.; Aiken, G.R.; Butler, K.D.; Dornblaser, M.M.; Striegl, Robert G.; Hernes, P.J.

2009-01-01

The quality and quantity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) exported by Arctic rivers is known to vary with hydrology and this exported material plays a fundamental role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon at high latitudes. We highlight the potential of optical measurements to examine DOM quality across the hydrograph in Arctic rivers. Furthermore, we establish chromophoric DOM (CDOM) relationships to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and lignin phenols in the Yukon River and model DOC and lignin loads from CDOM measurements, the former in excellent agreement with long-term DOC monitoring data. Intensive sampling across the historically under-sampled spring flush period highlights the importance of this time for total export of DOC and particularly lignin. Calculated riverine DOC loads to the Arctic Ocean show an increase from previous estimates, especially when new higher discharge data are incorporated. Increased DOC loads indicate decreased residence times for terrigenous DOM in the Arctic Ocean with important implications for the reactivity and export of this material to the Atlantic Ocean. Citation: Spencer, R. G. M., G. R. Aiken, K. D. Butler, M. M. Dornblaser, R. G. Striegl, and P. J. Hernes (2009), Utilizing chromophoric dissolved organic matter measurements to derive export and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon exported to the Arctic Ocean: A case study of the Yukon River, Alaska, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L06401, doi:10.1029/ 2008GL036831. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Dissolved organic carbon and chromophoric dissolved organic matter properties of rivers in the USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spencer, Robert G.M.; Butler, Kenna D.; Aiken, George R.

2012-01-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) parameters were measured over a range of discharge in 30 U.S. rivers, covering a diverse assortment of fluvial ecosystems in terms of watershed size and landscape drained. Relationships between CDOM absorption at a range of wavelengths (a254, a350, a440) and DOC in the 30 watersheds were found to correlate strongly and positively for the majority of U.S. rivers. However, four rivers (Colorado, Colombia, Rio Grande and St. Lawrence) exhibited statistically weak relationships between CDOM absorption and DOC. These four rivers are atypical, as they either drain from the Great Lakes or experience significant impoundment of water within their watersheds, and they exhibited values for dissolved organic matter (DOM) parameters indicative of autochthonous or anthropogenic sources or photochemically degraded allochthonous DOM and thus a decoupling between CDOM and DOC. CDOM quality parameters in the 30 rivers were found to be strongly correlated to DOM compositional metrics derived via XAD fractionation, highlighting the potential for examining DOM biochemical quality from CDOM measurements. This study establishes the ability to derive DOC concentration from CDOM absorption for the majority of U.S. rivers, describes characteristics of riverine systems where such an approach is not valid, and emphasizes the possibility of examining DOM composition and thus biogeochemical function via CDOM parameters. Therefore, the usefulness of CDOM measurements, both laboratory-based analyses and in situ instrumentation, for improving spatial and temporal resolution of DOC fluxes and DOM dynamics in future studies is considerable in a range of biogeochemical studies.

Exposure to tobacco smoke before and after a partial smoking ban in prison: indoor air quality measures.

PubMed

Ritter, Catherine; Huynh, Cong Khanh; Etter, Jean-François; Elger, Bernice S

2012-09-01

Although exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is reportedly high in prison, few studies have measured this in the prison environment, and none have done so in Europe. We measured two indicators of SHS exposure (particulate matter PM10 and nicotine) in fixed locations before (2009) and after (2010) introduction of a partial smoking ban in a Swiss prison. Access to smoking cessation support was available to detainees throughout the study. To measure SHS before and after the introduction of a partial smoking ban. Assessment of particulate matter PM10 (suspended microparticles of 10 μm) and nicotine in ambient air, collected by real-time aerosol monitor and nicotine monitoring devices. The authors observed a significant improvement of nicotine concentrations in the air after the introduction of the smoking ban (before: 7.0 μg/m(3), after: 2.1 μg/m(3), difference 4.9 μg/m(3), 95% CI for difference: 0.52 to 9.8, p=0.03) but not in particulate matter PM10 (before: 0.11 mg/m(3), after: 0.06 mg/m(3), difference 0.06 mg/m(3), 95% CI for difference of means: -0.07 to 0.19, p=0.30). The partial smoking ban was followed by a decrease in nicotine concentrations in ambient air. These improvements can be attributed to the introduction of the smoking ban since no other policy change occurred during this period. Although this shows that concentrations of SHS decreased significantly, protection was still incomplete and further action is necessary to improve indoor air quality.

Influence of background particulate matter (PM) on urban air quality in the Pacific Northwest.

PubMed

Timonen, H; Wigder, N; Jaffe, D

2013-11-15

Elevated particulate matter concentrations due to Asian long-range transport (LRT) are frequently observed in the free troposphere (FT) above the Pacific Northwest, U.S. Transport of this aerosol from the FT to the boundary layer (BL) and its effect to local air quality remain poorly constrained. We used data collected at the Mount Bachelor observatory (MBO, 2.8 km a.s.l) and from ground stations in the Pacific Northwest to study transport of fine particulate matter (PM) from the FT to the BL. During Asian LRT episodes PM concentrations were clearly elevated above the corresponding monthly averages at MBO as well as at low elevation sites across Washington and Oregon. Also, a clear correlation between MBO and low elevation sites was observed, indicating that LRT episodes are seen in both the FT and BL. In addition, drum impactor measurements show that the chemical composition of PM at MBO was similar to that measured at the BL sites. Using a simple regression model, we estimate that during springtime, when the transport from Asia is most effective, the contribution of Asian sources to PM2.5 in clean background areas of the Pacific Northwest was on average 1.7 μg m(-3) (representing approximately 50-80% of PM). The influence of LRT PM was also seen in measurement stations situated in the urban and urban background areas. However, the fraction of LRT PM was less pronounced (36-50% of PM) due to larger local emissions in the urban areas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating plant litter quality, soil organic matter stabilization, and the carbon saturation concept.

PubMed

Castellano, Michael J; Mueller, Kevin E; Olk, Daniel C; Sawyer, John E; Six, Johan

2015-09-01

Labile, 'high-quality', plant litters are hypothesized to promote soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization in mineral soil fractions that are physicochemically protected from rapid mineralization. However, the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is inconsistent. High-quality litters, characterized by high N concentrations, low C/N ratios, and low phenol/lignin concentrations, are not consistently stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than 'low-quality' litters characterized by low N concentrations, high C/N ratios, and high phenol/lignin concentrations. Here, we attempt to resolve these inconsistent results by developing a new conceptual model that links litter quality to the soil C saturation concept. Our model builds on the Microbial Efficiency-Matrix Stabilization framework (Cotrufo et al., 2013) by suggesting the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is modulated by the extent of soil C saturation such that high-quality litters are not always stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than low-quality litters. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ideas on the emergence of life by a quantity-to-quality transition of the abiotic matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolb, Vera M.

2005-09-01

We review and re-examine the idea that life emerged by a quantity-to-quality transition of the abiotic matter. This idea was originally proposed by the dialectical materialists, who are the proponents of the materialistic approach to the Hegel's laws of dialectics. We propose in this paper that the universal feature of the quantity-to-quality transitions is a change in the organization of the system. We also discuss Jean-Paul Sartre's view on the application of the laws of dialectics to the nature and to the origins of life.

Distinguishing the influence of soil organic matter quality from that of environmental constraints in controlling soil heterotrophic respiration along a continental network of sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pare, D.; Bernier, P. Y.; Trofymow, J. A.; Moore, T. R.

2011-12-01

The forest soils of Canada contain large amounts of carbon and its dynamics is one of the key areas of uncertainty in the carbon balance of North America. While estimates of total soil carbon stocks are available, the relative role of soil organic matter (SOM) quality from that of environmental conditions in maintaining these C reservoirs is poorly known. Soil organic matter (SOM) quality was evaluated with the use of both acid hydrolysis and lab incubation at several temperatures for 15 sites part of the Fluxnet Canada network that represent the major ecological forest groups in Canada and included as well two peatland sites. The mineralizable fraction of soil total C (TOC) varied fivefold across sites and soil layers (4 to 25%). To the opposite acid hydrolysable C was a constant fraction of total organic C (TOC) representing 23 and 37% of TOC in the forest floor and top mineral soil (0-20cm) respectively. Total soil carbon pools were highly correlated with pools of recalcitrant C but weakly to labile pools, especially in the mineral soils. These results indicated that soils accumulating a thick organic layer, such as black spruce and peatland soils, are also accumulating potentially labile C that could be mineralised given favourable environmental conditions. However, this relationship is barely significant for the mineral soils where greater C accumulation indicated in essence more accumulation into recalcitrant pools. Mineralized C was correlated with cellulose concentration in the forest floor (R=0.68) and not with acid-hydrolizable C in either soil horizons suggesting that this fraction in non-relevant to C dynamics. Estimates soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh-lab) using incubation derived equation and field soil hourly temperatures were compared with the size of the soil potentially mineralizable C pool (labile C). The difference between these two figures was large for soil having a large portion of their C reserves in the organic layer but was small for soil having most of their C in the mineral soil. These results suggest that Rh on the former soils is mostly constraint by environmental variables while on the latter this flux is constrained by the recalcitrance of the organic matter. Rh-lab values were generally in good agreements with Rh estimated from eddy covariance tower fluxes (0.45.GPP) except for all three temperate wet coastal forest sites of BC where the incubation derived model greatly underestimated Rh fluxes possibly because of a greater role of plant roots that remain active during a long period in these environments.

Transition from confined to phreatic conditions as the factor controlling salinization and change in redox state, Upper subaquifer of the Judea Group, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrieli, Ittai; Burg, Avi; Guttman, Joseph

2002-08-01

An increase in salinity and change from oxic to anoxic conditions are observed in the Upper subaquifer of the Judea Group in the Kefar Uriyya pumping field at the western foothills of the Judea Mountains, Israel. Hydrogeological data indicate that the change, which occurs over a distance of only a few kilometers, coincides with a transition from confined to phreatic conditions in the aquifer. The deterioration in the water quality is explained as a result of seepage of more saline, organic-rich water from above, into the phreatic "roofed" part of the aquifer. The latter is derived from the bituminous chalky rocks of the Mount Scopus Group, which confine the aquifer in its southeastern part. In this confined part, water in perched horizons within the Mount Scopus Group cannot leak down and flow westward while leaching organic matter and accumulating salts. However, upon reaching the transition area from confined to phreatic conditions, seepage to the Judea Upper subaquifer is possible, thereby allowing it to be defined as a leaky aquifer. The incoming organic matter consumes the dissolved oxygen and allows bacterial sulfate reduction. The latter accounts for the H2S in the aquifer, as indicated by sulfur isotopic analyses of coexisting sulfate and sulfide. Thus, from an aquifer management point of view, in order to maintain the high quality of the water in the confined southeastern part of the Kefar Uriyya field, care should be taken not to draw the confined-roofed transition area further east by over pumping.

Impacts of rewetting on hydrological functioning and dissolved organic carbon flux in a degraded peatland (La Guette, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard-Jannin, Léonard; Binet, Stéphane; Gogo, Sébastien; Lemoing, Franck; Zocatelli, Renata; Jozja, Nevila; Défarge, Christian; Laggoun-Défarge, Fatima

2016-04-01

In Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes are mainly controlled by peat water saturation state corresponding to the equilibrium between recharge/drainage fluxes and to the peat storage capacity. Rewetting is a wide spread method that has been used for restoring the global hydrological behavior of degraded peatland ecosystems. Therefore, there is a need to assess the impact of rewetting on peatland hydrology but also on the modification of dynamics and DOC fluxes that significantly impact on carbon sink function of these ecosystems. To investigate this question, meteorology, hydrological data, DOC concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality (aromaticity and fluorescence) were monthly monitored at the watershed scales and in two piezometer transects since 2010 in a hydrologically disturbed peatland, La Guette, which experienced a rewetting action on February 2014. One piezometer transect (called downstream plots) was supposedly influenced by the hydrological restoration while the other (called upstream plots) was considered as a control. Collected data allowed studying the impact of the restoration on hydrology and dynamics and DOC fluxes in the peatland. Preliminary results indicate that water table level became more stable after the rewetting in the area affected by the restoration. This seems to have an impact on DOC quantity and quality since concentrations became higher in the same area with also a higher aromaticity degree and a larger proportion of low-weight molecules compared to upstream area. This could indicate that in the downstream area, more anaerobic conditions inhibit microorganism activity responsible for the mineralization of peat organic matter.

Pilot investigation of two-stage biofiltration for removal of natural organic matter in drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Fu, Jie; Lee, Wan-Ning; Coleman, Clark; Meyer, Melissa; Carter, Jason; Nowack, Kirk; Huang, Ching-Hua

2017-01-01

A pilot study employing two parallel trains of two-stage biofiltration, i.e., a sand/anthracite (SA) biofilter followed by a biologically-active granular activated carbon (GAC) contactor, was conducted to test the efficiency, feasibility and stability of biofiltration for removing natural organic matter (NOM) after coagulation in a drinking water treatment plant. Results showed the biofiltration process could effectively remove turbidity (<0.1 NTU in all effluents) and NOM (>24% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), >57% of UV 254 , and >44% of SUVA 254 ), where the SA biofilters showed a strong capacity for turbidity removal, while the GAC contactors played the dominant role in NOM removal. The vertical profile of water quality in the GAC contactors indicated the middle-upper portion was the critical zone for the removal of NOM, where relatively higher adsorption and enhanced biological removal were afforded. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis of NOM showed that the GAC contactors effectively decreased the content of humic-like component, while protein-like component was refractory for the biofiltration process. Nutrients (NH 4 -N and PO 4 -P) supplementation applied upstream of one of the two-stage biofiltration trains (called engineered biofiltration) stimulated the growth of microorganisms, and showed a modest effect on promoting the biological removal of small non-aromatic compositions in NOM. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated influent UV 254 was the most explanatory water quality parameter for GAC contactors' treatment performance, and a high load of UV 254 would result in significantly reduced removals of UV 254 and SUVA 254 . Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Diwali celebrations on urban air and noise quality in Delhi City, India.

PubMed

Mandal, Papiya; Prakash, Mamta; Bassin, J K

2012-01-01

A study was conducted in the residential areas of Delhi, India, to assess the variation in ambient air quality and ambient noise levels during pre-Diwali month (DM), Diwali day (DD) and post-Diwali month during the period 2006 to 2008. The use of fireworks during DD showed 1.3 to 4.0 times increase in concentration of respirable particulate matter (PM(10)) and 1.6 to 2.5 times increase in concentration of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) than the concentration during DM. There was a significant increase in sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) concentration but the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) did not show any considerable variation. Ambient noise level were 1.2 to 1.3 times higher than normal day. The study also showed a strong correlation between PM(10) and TSP (R (2) ≥ 0.9) and SO(2) and NO(2) (R (2) ≥ 0.9) on DD. The correlation between noise level and gaseous pollutant were moderate (R (2) ≥ 0.5). The average concentration of the pollutants during DD was found higher in 2007 which could be due to adverse meteorological conditions. The statistical interpretation of data indicated that the celebration of Diwali festival affects the ambient air and noise quality. The study would provide public awareness about the health risks associated with the celebrations of Diwali festival so as to take proper precautions.

Particulate matter air pollution may offset ozone damage to global crop production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiferl, Luke D.; Heald, Colette L.

2018-04-01

Ensuring global food security requires a comprehensive understanding of environmental pressures on food production, including the impacts of air quality. Surface ozone damages plants and decreases crop production; this effect has been extensively studied. In contrast, the presence of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere can be beneficial to crops given that enhanced light scattering leads to a more even and efficient distribution of photons which can outweigh total incoming radiation loss. This study quantifies the impacts of ozone and PM on the global production of maize, rice, and wheat in 2010 and 2050. We show that accounting for the growing season of these crops is an important factor in determining their air pollution exposure. We find that the effect of PM can offset much, if not all, of the reduction in yield associated with ozone damage. Assuming maximum sensitivity to PM, the current (2010) global net impact of air quality on crop production varies by crop (+5.6, -3.7, and +4.5 % for maize, wheat, and rice, respectively). Future emissions scenarios indicate that attempts to improve air quality can result in a net negative effect on crop production in areas dominated by the PM effect. However, we caution that the uncertainty in this assessment is large, due to the uncertainty associated with crop response to changes in diffuse radiation; this highlights that a more detailed physiological study of this response for common cultivars is crucial.

Concordance Between Veterans' Self-Report and Documentation of Surrogate Decision Makers: Implications for Quality Measurement.

PubMed

Garner, Kimberly K; Dubbert, Patricia; Lensing, Shelly; Sullivan, Dennis H

2017-01-01

The Measuring What Matters initiative of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association identified documentation of a surrogate decision maker as one of the top 10 quality indicators in the acute hospital and hospice settings. To better understand the potential implementation of this Measuring What Matters quality measure #8, Documentation of Surrogate in outpatient primary care settings by describing primary care patients' self-reported identification and documentation of a surrogate decision maker. Examination of patient responses to self-assessment questions from advance health care planning educational groups conducted in one medical center primary care clinic and seven community-based outpatient primary care clinics. We assessed the concordance between patient reports of identifying and naming a surrogate decision maker and having completed an advance directive (AD) with presence of an AD in the electronic medical record. Of veterans without a documented AD on file, more than half (66%) reported that they had talked with someone they trusted and nearly half (52%) reported that they had named someone to communicate their preferences. Our clinical project data suggest that many more veterans may have initiated communications with surrogate decision makers than is evident in the electronic medical record. System changes are needed to close the gap between veterans' plans for a surrogate decision maker and the documentation available to acute care health care providers. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hydrodynamic modelling of recreational water quality using Escherichia coli as an indicator of microbial contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eregno, Fasil Ejigu; Tryland, Ingun; Tjomsland, Torulv; Kempa, Magdalena; Heistad, Arve

2018-06-01

Microbial contamination of recreational beaches is often at its worst after heavy rainfall events due to storm floods that carry fecal matter and other pollutants from the watershed. Similarly, overflows of untreated sewage from combined sewerage systems may discharge directly into coastal water or via rivers and streams. In order to understand the effect of rainfall events, wind-directions and tides on the recreational water quality, GEMSS, an integrated 3D hydrodynamic model was applied to assess the spreading of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at the Sandvika beaches, located in the Oslo fjord. The model was also used to theoretically investigate the effect of discharges from septic tanks from boats on the water quality at local beaches. The model make use of microbial decay rate as the main input representing the survival of microbial pathogens in the ocean, which vary widely depending on the type of pathogen and environmental stress. The predicted beach water quality was validated against observed data after a heavy rainfall event using Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (E) and the overall result indicated that the model performed quite well and the simulation was in - good agreement with the observed E. coli concentrations for all beaches. The result of this study indicated that: 1) the bathing water quality was poor according to the EU bathing water directive up to two days after the heavy rainfall event depending on the location of the beach site. 2) The discharge from a boat at 300-meter distance to the beaches slightly increased the E. coli levels at the beaches. 3) The spreading of microbial pathogens from its source to the different beaches depended on the wind speed and the wind direction.

77 FR 63736 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Prevention of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-17

... matter in the definition of ``regulated NSR pollutant'' found at 45CSR14 section 2.66. Except for this... requirement to include condensable emissions of particulate matter in the definition of ``regulated NSR... particulate matter in the definition of ``regulated NSR pollutant'' found at 45CSR14 section 2.66...

40 CFR 52.1489 - Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments. 52.1489 Section 52.1489 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments. (a) On March 29, 1989, the Air Quality Officer for the...

40 CFR 52.1489 - Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments. 52.1489 Section 52.1489 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Particulate matter (PM-10) Group II SIP commitments. (a) On March 29, 1989, the Air Quality Officer for the...

ORGANIC MATTER MANIPULATIONS HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON GROSS AND NET NITROGEN TRANSFORMATIONS IN TWO TEMPERATE FOREST MINERAL SOILS IN THE USA AND CENTRAL EUROPE

EPA Science Inventory

Soil nitrogen transformations are intricately linked to carbon transformations. We utilized two existing organic matter manipulation sites in western Oregon, USA and Hungary to investigate these linkages. Our questions were: 1) Does the quantity and quality of organic matter af...

77 FR 10423 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Amendments to West...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Amendments to West Virginia's Ambient Air... ambient air quality standards (45CSR8- Ambient Air Quality Standards). These amendments incorporate by reference the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon...

78 FR 63933 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Revised Ambient Air...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

...] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Revised Ambient Air Quality... of Virginia adding ambient air quality standards and associated reference conditions for Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) that are consistent with the 2013 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS...

30 CFR 57.5006 - Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved] 57.5006... Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter Air Quality-Surface and Underground...-Nitrosodimethylamine. Air Quality—Surface Only [Reserved] Air Quality—Underground Only ...

30 CFR 57.5006 - Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved] 57.5006... Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter Air Quality-Surface and Underground...-Nitrosodimethylamine. Air Quality—Surface Only [Reserved] Air Quality—Underground Only ...

30 CFR 57.5006 - Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Air Quality-Surface Only [Reserved] 57.5006... Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter Air Quality-Surface and Underground...-Nitrosodimethylamine. Air Quality—Surface Only [Reserved] Air Quality—Underground Only ...

Air Quality Strategies on Public Health and Health Equity in Europe-A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Zhong, Buqing; Vardoulakis, Sotiris; Zhang, Fengying; Pilot, Eva; Li, Yonghua; Yang, Linsheng; Wang, Wuyi; Krafft, Thomas

2016-12-02

Air pollution is an important public health problem in Europe and there is evidence that it exacerbates health inequities. This calls for effective strategies and targeted interventions. In this study, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies relating to air pollution control on public health and health equity in Europe. Three databases, Web of Science, PubMed, and Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions (TRoPHI), were searched for scientific publications investigating the effectiveness of strategies on outdoor air pollution control, public health and health equity in Europe from 1995 to 2015. A total of 15 scientific papers were included in the review after screening 1626 articles. Four groups of strategy types, namely, general regulations on air quality control, road traffic related emission control interventions, energy generation related emission control interventions and greenhouse gas emission control interventions for climate change mitigation were identified. All of the strategies reviewed reported some improvement in air quality and subsequently in public health. The reduction of the air pollutant concentrations and the reported subsequent health benefits were more significant within the geographic areas affected by traffic related interventions. Among the various traffic related interventions, low emission zones appeared to be more effective in reducing ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter levels. Only few studies considered implications for health equity, three out of 15, and no consistent results were found indicating that these strategies could reduce health inequity associated with air pollution. Particulate matter (particularly fine particulate matter) and NO₂ were the dominant outdoor air pollutants examined in the studies in Europe in recent years. Health benefits were gained either as a direct, intended objective or as a co-benefit from all of the strategies examined, but no consistent impact on health equity from the strategies was found. The strategy types aiming to control air pollution in Europe and the health impact assessment methodology were also discussed in this review.

Particulate Organic Matter Distribution along the Lower Amazon River: Addressing Aquatic Ecology Concepts Using Fatty Acids

PubMed Central

Mortillaro, Jean-Michel; Rigal, François; Rybarczyk, Hervé; Bernardes, Marcelo; Abril, Gwenaël; Meziane, Tarik

2012-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in understanding the Amazon basin functioning is to ascertain the role played by floodplains in the organic matter (OM) cycle, crucial for a large spectrum of ecological mechanisms. Fatty acids (FAs) were combined with environmental descriptors and analyzed through multivariate and spatial tools (asymmetric eigenvector maps, AEM and principal coordinates of neighbor matrices, PCNM). This challenge allowed investigating the distribution of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), in order to trace its seasonal origin and quality, along a 800 km section of the Amazon river-floodplain system. Statistical analysis confirmed that large amounts of saturated FAs (15:0, 18:0, 24:0, 25:0 and 26:0), an indication of refractory OM, were concomitantly recorded with high pCO2 in rivers, during the high water season (HW). Contrastingly, FAs marker which may be attributed in this ecosystem to aquatic plants (18:2ω6 and 18:3ω3) and cyanobacteria (16:1ω7), were correlated with higher O2, chlorophyll a and pheopigments in floodplains, due to a high primary production during low waters (LW). Decreasing concentrations of unsaturated FAs, that characterize labile OM, were recorded during HW, from upstream to downstream. Furthermore, using PCNM and AEM spatial methods, FAs compositions of SPOM displayed an upstream-downstream gradient during HW, which was attributed to OM retention and the extent of flooded forest in floodplains. Discrimination of OM quality between the Amazon River and floodplains corroborate higher autotrophic production in the latter and transfer of OM to rivers at LW season. Together, these gradients demonstrate the validity of FAs as predictors of spatial and temporal changes in OM quality. These spatial and temporal trends are explained by 1) downstream change in landscape morphology as predicted by the River Continuum Concept; 2) enhanced primary production during LW when the water level decreased and its residence time increased as predicted by the Flood Pulse Concept. PMID:23029412

Air Quality Strategies on Public Health and Health Equity in Europe—A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Zhong, Buqing; Vardoulakis, Sotiris; Zhang, Fengying; Pilot, Eva; Li, Yonghua; Yang, Linsheng; Wang, Wuyi; Krafft, Thomas

2016-01-01

Air pollution is an important public health problem in Europe and there is evidence that it exacerbates health inequities. This calls for effective strategies and targeted interventions. In this study, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies relating to air pollution control on public health and health equity in Europe. Three databases, Web of Science, PubMed, and Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions (TRoPHI), were searched for scientific publications investigating the effectiveness of strategies on outdoor air pollution control, public health and health equity in Europe from 1995 to 2015. A total of 15 scientific papers were included in the review after screening 1626 articles. Four groups of strategy types, namely, general regulations on air quality control, road traffic related emission control interventions, energy generation related emission control interventions and greenhouse gas emission control interventions for climate change mitigation were identified. All of the strategies reviewed reported some improvement in air quality and subsequently in public health. The reduction of the air pollutant concentrations and the reported subsequent health benefits were more significant within the geographic areas affected by traffic related interventions. Among the various traffic related interventions, low emission zones appeared to be more effective in reducing ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter levels. Only few studies considered implications for health equity, three out of 15, and no consistent results were found indicating that these strategies could reduce health inequity associated with air pollution. Particulate matter (particularly fine particulate matter) and NO2 were the dominant outdoor air pollutants examined in the studies in Europe in recent years. Health benefits were gained either as a direct, intended objective or as a co-benefit from all of the strategies examined, but no consistent impact on health equity from the strategies was found. The strategy types aiming to control air pollution in Europe and the health impact assessment methodology were also discussed in this review. PMID:27918457

Indoor air quality during renovation actions: a case study.

PubMed

Abdel Hameed, A A; Yasser, I H; Khoder, I M

2004-09-01

A temporary renovation activity releases considerably high concentrations of particulate matter, viable and non-viable, into air. These pollutants are a potential contributor to unacceptable indoor air quality (IAQ). Particulate matter and its constituents lead, sulfate, nitrate, chloride, ammonium and fungi as well as fungal spores in air were evaluated in a building during renovation action. Suspended dust was recorded at a mean value of 6.1 mg m(-3) which exceeded the Egyptian limit values for indoor air (0.15 mg m(-3)) and occupational environments (5 mg m(-3)). The highest particle frequency (23%) of aerodynamic diameter (dae) was 1.7 microm. Particulate sulfate (SO(4)(2-)), nitrate (NO(3)(-)), chloride (Cl(-)), ammonium (NH(4)(+)) and lead components of suspended dust averaged 2960, 28, 1350, 100 and 13.3 microg m(-3), respectively. Viable fungi associated with suspended dust and that in air averaged 1.11 x 10(6) colony forming unit per gram (cfu g(-1)) and 92 colony forming unit per plate per hour (cfu p(-1) h(-1)), respectively. Cladosporium(33%), Aspergillus(25.6%), Alternaria(11.2%) and Penicillium(6.6%) were the most frequent fungal genera in air, whereas Aspergillus(56.8%), Penicillium(10.3%) and Eurotium(10.3%) were the most common fungal genera associated with suspended dust. The detection of Aureobasidium, Epicoccum, Exophiala, Paecilomyces, Scopulariopsis, Ulocladium and Trichoderma is an indication of moisture-damaged building materials. Alternaria, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Scopulariopsis and Nigrospora have dae > 5 microm whereas Aspergillus, Penicillium and Verticillium have dae < 5 microm which are suited to penetrate deeply into lungs. Particulate matter from the working area infiltrates the occupied zones if precautionary measures are inadequate. This may cause deterioration of IAQ, discomfort and acute health problems. Renovation should be carefully designed and managed, in order to minimize degradation of the indoor and outdoor air quality.

15 CFR 996.32 - Appeals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.32 Appeals. (a...

Impact of fuel quality regulation and speed reductions on shipping emissions: implications for climate and air quality.

PubMed

Lack, Daniel A; Cappa, Christopher D; Langridge, Justin; Bahreini, Roya; Buffaloe, Gina; Brock, Charles; Cerully, Kate; Coffman, Derek; Hayden, Katherine; Holloway, John; Lerner, Brian; Massoli, Paola; Li, Shao-Meng; McLaren, Robert; Middlebrook, Ann M; Moore, Richard; Nenes, Athanasios; Nuaaman, Ibraheem; Onasch, Timothy B; Peischl, Jeff; Perring, Anne; Quinn, Patricia K; Ryerson, Tom; Schwartz, Joshua P; Spackman, Ryan; Wofsy, Steven C; Worsnop, Doug; Xiang, Bin; Williams, Eric

2011-10-15

Atmospheric emissions of gas and particulate matter from a large ocean-going container vessel were sampled as it slowed and switched from high-sulfur to low-sulfur fuel as it transited into regulated coastal waters of California. Reduction in emission factors (EFs) of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter, particulate sulfate and cloud condensation nuclei were substantial (≥ 90%). EFs for particulate organic matter decreased by 70%. Black carbon (BC) EFs were reduced by 41%. When the measured emission reductions, brought about by compliance with the California fuel quality regulation and participation in the vessel speed reduction (VSR) program, are placed in a broader context, warming from reductions in the indirect effect of SO₄ would dominate any radiative changes due to the emissions changes. Within regulated waters absolute emission reductions exceed 88% for almost all measured gas and particle phase species. The analysis presented provides direct estimations of the emissions reductions that can be realized by California fuel quality regulation and VSR program, in addition to providing new information relevant to potential health and climate impact of reduced fuel sulfur content, fuel quality and vessel speed reductions.

A systematic indoor air quality audit approach for public buildings.

PubMed

Asadi, Ehsan; da Silva, Manuel C Gameiro; Costa, J J

2013-01-01

Good indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings provides a comfortable and healthy environment for the occupants to work, learn, study, etc. Therefore, it is important to ascertain the IAQ status in the buildings. This study is aimed to establish and demonstrate the comprehensive IAQ audit approach for public buildings, based on Portugal national laws. Four public buildings in Portugal are used to demonstrate the IAQ audit application. The systematic approach involves the measurement of physical parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and concentration of the suspended particulate matter), monitoring of the concentrations of selected chemical indicators [carbon dioxide (CO(2)), carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, ozone, and total volatile organic compounds], and the measurements of biological indicators (bacteria and fungi). In addition, air exchange rates are measured by the concentration decay method using metabolic CO(2) as the tracer gas. The comprehensive audits indicated some situations of common IAQ problems in buildings, namely: (1) insufficient ventilation rate, (2) too high particle concentration; and (3) poor filtration effectiveness and hygienic conditions in most of the air handling units. Accordingly, a set of recommendations for the improvement of IAQ conditions were advised to the building owner/managers.

How Clean is your Local Air? Here's an app for that

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maskey, M.; Yang, E.; Christopher, S. A.; Keiser, K.; Nair, U. S.; Graves, S. J.

2011-12-01

Air quality is a vital element of our environment. Accurate and localized air quality information is critical for characterizing environmental impacts at the local and regional levels. Advances in location-aware handheld devices and air quality modeling have enabled a group of UAHuntsville scientists to develop a mobile app, LocalAQI, that informs users of current conditions and forecasts of up to twenty-four hours, of air quality indices. The air quality index is based on Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System (CMAQ). UAHuntsville scientists have used satellite remote sensing products as inputs to CMAQ, resulting in forecast guidance for particulate matter air quality. The CMAQ output is processed to compute a standardized air quality index. Currently, the air quality index is available for the eastern half of the United States. LocalAQI consists of two main views: air quality index view and map view. The air quality index view displays current air quality for the zip code of a location of interest. Air quality index value is translated into a color-coded advisory system. In addition, users are able to cycle through available hourly forecasts for a location. This location-aware app defaults to the current air quality of user's location. The map view displays color-coded air quality information for the eastern US with an ability to animate through the available forecasts. The app is developed using a cross-platform native application development tool, appcelerator; hence LocalAQI is available for iOS and Android-based phones and pads.

40 CFR 130.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... quality of water and serve the purposes of the Act. (e) Load or loading. An amount of matter or thermal energy that is introduced into a receiving water; to introduce matter or thermal energy into a receiving...

40 CFR 130.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... quality of water and serve the purposes of the Act. (e) Load or loading. An amount of matter or thermal energy that is introduced into a receiving water; to introduce matter or thermal energy into a receiving...

40 CFR 130.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... quality of water and serve the purposes of the Act. (e) Load or loading. An amount of matter or thermal energy that is introduced into a receiving water; to introduce matter or thermal energy into a receiving...

Land quality evaluation based on sustainable development for gully erosion control and land consolidation project of Yan’ an, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Han, Jichang; Zhang, Yang; Du, Yichun; Bai, Qingjun

2018-01-01

Based on the three land consolidation projects in Yan’an region, the differentiation of the soil capacity, texture, available nutrients, pH etc before and after land consolidation were analyzed, and a comprehensive evaluation of soil quality before and after consolidation was done in this study. The results show that: (1) After the gully-land consolidation, the soil capacity, nitrogen, available P, available K and conductivity are increased, while the organic matter and pH are decreased. With one-year’s cultivation, the soil capacity decreased and the organic matter increased. After the slope-land consolidation, the soil physical and chemical properties have similar trends with the gullies, but the change is more significant. (2)No matter for gully or slope, the soil quality declines where the land just get consolidated, and the slope has more significant declining. With one-year’s cultivation, the soil quality of the gully has more rapid recovery with one grade uplift. (3) The correlation coefficient method was used to give a comprehensive evaluation of the soil quality, to considerate of the changes of the coefficients of the factors and the evaluation object. The evaluation can well reflect the actual situation of the soil quality, give reference to the soil quality evaluation for consolidated land, and the results may provide basis for the performance evaluation of the Yan’an land consolidation projects.

Evolution of soil organic matter changes using pyrolysis and metabolic indices: a comparison between organic and mineral fertilization.

PubMed

Marinari, S; Masciandaro, G; Ceccanti, B; Grego, S

2007-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate chemical and biochemical changes of organic matter in fertilized (ammonium nitrate) and amended (vermicompost and manure) soils using pyrolysis and metabolic indices. The metabolic potential [dehydrogenase (DH-ase)/water soluble organic carbon (WSOC)], the metabolic quotient (qCO2) and the microbial quotient (Cmic:Corg) were calculated as indices of soil organic matter evolution. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) was used to study structural changes in the organic matter. Carbon forms and microbial biomass have been measured by dichromate oxidation and fumigation-extraction methods, respectively. Dehydrogenase activity has been tested using INT (p-Iodonitrotetrazolium violet) as substrate. The results showed that organic amendment increased soil microbial biomass and its activity which were strictly related to pyrolytic mineralization and humification indices (N/O, B/E3). Mineral fertilization caused a greater alteration of native soil organic matter than the organic amendments, in that a high release of WSOC and relatively large amounts of aliphatic pyrolytic products, were observed. Therefore, the pyrolysis and metabolic indices provided similar and complementary information on soil organic matter changes after mineral and organic fertilization.

Effects of environmental and water quality parameters on the functioning of copepod assemblages in tropical estuaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo, Adriana V.; Dias, Cristina O.; Bonecker, Sérgio L. C.

2017-07-01

We examined changes in the functioning of copepod assemblages with increasing pollution in estuaries, using sampling standardization of the salinity range to enable comparisons. Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and hydrodynamic characteristics over two years. We obtained mesozooplankton samples together with environmental and water quality parameters in the estuaries, every two months under predetermined salinities ranging from 15 to 25. The values of parameters, except species size, associated with the functioning of the copepod assemblages (biomass, productivity, and turnover rate) did not differ among estuaries. However, in the more polluted estuaries, the biomass and productivity of copepod assemblages of mesozooplankton were negatively correlated with concentration of pollution indicator parameters. Conversely, in the less polluted estuaries some degree of enrichment still seems to increase the system biomass and productivity, as these parameters were inversely related to indicators of improved water quality. The pollution level of estuaries distorted the relationship between temperature and the efficiency of converting energy to organic matter. In the less polluted estuaries, the relationship between turnover rate and temperature was over 70%, while in the most polluted estuaries, this relationship was only approximately 50%. Our results demonstrated that the functioning of assemblages in the estuaries was affected differently by increasing pollution depending on the water quality level of the system. Thus, investigating the functioning of assemblages can be a useful tool for the analysis of estuarine conditions.

Increasing the Use of Earth Science Data and Models in Air Quality Management.

PubMed

Milford, Jana B; Knight, Daniel

2017-04-01

In 2010, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Air Quality Applied Science Team (AQAST) as a 5-year, $17.5-million award with 19 principal investigators. AQAST aims to increase the use of Earth science products in air quality-related research and to help meet air quality managers' information needs. We conducted a Web-based survey and a limited number of follow-up interviews to investigate federal, state, tribal, and local air quality managers' perspectives on usefulness of Earth science data and models, and on the impact AQAST has had. The air quality managers we surveyed identified meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and particulate matter, emissions from mobile sources, and interstate air pollution transport as top challenges in need of improved information. Most survey respondents viewed inadequate coverage or frequency of satellite observations, data uncertainty, and lack of staff time or resources as barriers to increased use of satellite data by their organizations. Managers who have been involved with AQAST indicated that the program has helped build awareness of NASA Earth science products, and assisted their organizations with retrieval and interpretation of satellite data and with application of global chemistry and climate models. AQAST has also helped build a network between researchers and air quality managers with potential for further collaborations. NASA's Air Quality Applied Science Team (AQAST) aims to increase the use of satellite data and global chemistry and climate models for air quality management purposes, by supporting research and tool development projects of interest to both groups. Our survey and interviews of air quality managers indicate they found value in many AQAST projects and particularly appreciated the connections to the research community that the program facilitated. Managers expressed interest in receiving continued support for their organizations' use of satellite data, including assistance in retrieving and interpreting data from future geostationary platforms meant to provide more frequent coverage for air quality and other applications.

Landsat-8/OLI images has the potential to estimate the CDOM absorption coefficient in tropical inland water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcantara, E.; Bernardo, N.

2016-12-01

Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is the most abundant dissolved organic matter (DOM) in many natural waters and can affect the water quality, such as the light penetration and the thermal properties of water system. So the objective of this letter was to estimate the colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficient at 440 nm, aCDOM(440), in Barra Bonita Reservoir (São Paulo State, Brazil) using OLI/Landsat-8 images. For this two field campaigns were conducted in May and October 2014. During the field campaigns remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) were measured using a TriOS hyperspectral radiometer. Water samples were collected and analyzed to obtain the aCDOM(440). To predict the aCDOM(440) from Rrs at two key wavelengths (650 and 480 nm) were regressed against laboratory derived aCDOM(440) values. The validation using in situ data of aCDOM(440) algorithm indicated a goodness of fit, R2 = 0.70, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 10.65%. The developed algorithm was applied to the OLI/Lansat-8 images. Distribution maps were created with OLI/Landsat-8 images based on the adjusted algorithm.

Long-term Effect of Pig Slurry Application on Soil Carbon Storage, Quality and Yield Sustainability in Murcia Region, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Büyükkılıç Yanardaǧ, Asuman

2013-04-01

Sustainability of agriculture is now a major global concern, especially since the 1980s. Soil organic matter is very important in the proper functions of the soil, which is also a good indicator of soil quality. This is due to its influence on many of the chemical, physical, and biological processes that control the capacity of a soil to perform properly. Understanding of nutrient supply through organic matter mineralization in agricultural systems is essential for maintaining long-term quality and productivity. The composition of pig manure will have a profound impact on soil properties, quality and crop yield when used in agriculture. We studied the effects of pig slurry (PS) application as an organic fertilizer, trying to determine the optimum amount that can be added to the soil, and the effect on soil properties, quality, and productivity. We applied 3 different doses on silty loam soils: Single (D1), Double (D2), Triple (D3) and unfertilized plots (C) served as controls. Samples were collected at two different levels, surface (0-30 cm) and subsurface (30-60 cm). D1 application dose, which is the agronomic rate of N-requirement (170 kg N/ha/yr) (European Directive 91/676/CEE), is very appropriate in term of sustainable agriculture and also can improve physical, chemical and biological soil properties. Therefore that the long-term use of PS with low dose may necessarily enhance soil quality in the long term. There are many factors to be considered when attempting to assess the overall net impact of a management practice on productivity. Additions of pig manure to soils at agronomic rates (170 kg N ha-1 yr-1) to match crop nutrient requirements are expected to have a positive impact on soil productivity. Therefore, the benefits from the use of application depend on the management of PS, carbon and environmental quality. However, PS have high micronutrient contents, and for this reason the application of high doses can pollute soils and damage human, animal and plant health, which is not suitable in term of sustainable agriculture. Keywords: Management, Pig slurry, Productivity, Quality, Soil.

Cation-induced coagulation of aquatic plant-derived dissolved organic matter: Investigation by EEM-PARAFAC and FT-IR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Liu, Shasha; Zhu, Yuanrong; Liu, Leizhen; He, Zhongqi; Giesy, John P; Bai, Yingchen; Sun, Fuhong; Wu, Fengchang

2018-03-01

Complexation and coagulation of plant-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) by metal cations are important biogeochemical processes of organic matter in aquatic systems. Thus, coagulation and fractionation of DOM derived from aquatic plants by Ca(II), Al(III), and Fe(III) ions were investigated. Metal ion-induced removal of DOM was determined by analyzing dissolved organic carbon in supernatants after addition of these metal cations individually. After additions of metal ions, both dissolved and coagulated organic fractions were characterized by use of fluorescence excitation emission matrix-parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Addition of Ca(II), Fe(III) or Al(III) resulted in net removal of aquatic plant-derived DOM. Efficiencies of removal of DOM by Fe(III) or Al(III) were greater than that by Ca(II). However, capacities to remove plant-derived DOM by the three metals were less than which had been previously reported for humic materials. Molecular and structural features of plant-derived DOM fractions in associations with metal cations were characterized by changes in fluorescent components and infrared absorption peaks. Both aromatic and carboxylic-like organic matters could be removed by Ca(II), Al(III) or Fe(III) ions. Whereas organic matters containing amides were preferentially removed by Ca(II), and phenolic materials were selectively removed by Fe(III) or Al(III). These observations indicated that plant-derived DOM might have a long-lasting effect on water quality and organisms due to its poor coagulation with metal cations in aquatic ecosystems. Plant-derived DOM is of different character than natural organic matter and it is not advisable to attempt removal through addition of metal salts during treatment of sewage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

15 CFR 996.31 - Termination of the Quality Assurance Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.31 Termination of the Quality Assurance Program. (a) NOAA reserves the right to terminate the...

15 CFR 996.31 - Termination of the Quality Assurance Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.31 Termination of the Quality Assurance Program. (a) NOAA reserves the right to terminate the...

15 CFR 996.31 - Termination of the Quality Assurance Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.31 Termination of the Quality Assurance Program. (a) NOAA reserves the right to terminate the...

15 CFR 996.31 - Termination of the Quality Assurance Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.31 Termination of the Quality Assurance Program. (a) NOAA reserves the right to terminate the...

Changes in substrate availability drive carbon cycle response to chronic warming

DOE PAGES

Pold, Grace; Grandy, A. Stuart; Melillo, Jerry M.; ...

2017-03-22

As earth's climate continues to warm, it is important to understand how the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to retain carbon (C) will be affected. We combined measurements of microbial activity with the concentration, quality, and physical accessibility of soil carbon to microorganisms to evaluate the mechanisms by which more than two decades of experimental warming has altered the carbon cycle in a Northeast US temperate deciduous forest. We have found that concentrations of soil organic matter were reduced in both the organic and mineral soil horizons. The molecular composition of the carbon was altered in the mineral soil with significantmore » reductions in the relative abundance of polysaccharides and lignin, and an increase in lipids. Mineral-associated organic matter was preferentially depleted by warming in the top 3 cm of mineral soil. We found that potential extracellular enzyme activity per gram of soil at a common temperature was generally unaffected by warming treatment. However, by measuring potential extracellular enzyme activities between 4 and 30 °C, we found that activity per unit microbial biomass at in-situ temperatures was increased by warming. This was associated with a tendency for microbial biomass to decrease with warming. These results indicate that chronic warming has reduced soil organic matter concentrations, selecting for a smaller but more active microbial community increasingly dependent on mineral-associated organic matter.« less

Changes in substrate availability drive carbon cycle response to chronic warming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pold, Grace; Grandy, A. Stuart; Melillo, Jerry M.

As earth's climate continues to warm, it is important to understand how the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to retain carbon (C) will be affected. We combined measurements of microbial activity with the concentration, quality, and physical accessibility of soil carbon to microorganisms to evaluate the mechanisms by which more than two decades of experimental warming has altered the carbon cycle in a Northeast US temperate deciduous forest. We have found that concentrations of soil organic matter were reduced in both the organic and mineral soil horizons. The molecular composition of the carbon was altered in the mineral soil with significantmore » reductions in the relative abundance of polysaccharides and lignin, and an increase in lipids. Mineral-associated organic matter was preferentially depleted by warming in the top 3 cm of mineral soil. We found that potential extracellular enzyme activity per gram of soil at a common temperature was generally unaffected by warming treatment. However, by measuring potential extracellular enzyme activities between 4 and 30 °C, we found that activity per unit microbial biomass at in-situ temperatures was increased by warming. This was associated with a tendency for microbial biomass to decrease with warming. These results indicate that chronic warming has reduced soil organic matter concentrations, selecting for a smaller but more active microbial community increasingly dependent on mineral-associated organic matter.« less

Auxin-to-Gibberellin Ratio as a Signal for Light Intensity and Quality in Regulating Soybean Growth and Matter Partitioning

PubMed Central

Yang, Feng; Fan, Yuanfang; Wu, Xiaoling; Cheng, Yajiao; Liu, Qinlin; Feng, Lingyang; Chen, Junxu; Wang, Zhonglin; Wang, Xiaochun; Yong, Taiwen; Liu, Weiguo; Liu, Jiang; Du, Junbo; Shu, Kai; Yang, Wenyu

2018-01-01

The intensity and quality (red to far-red (R/Fr) ratio) of light directly affect growth of plant under shading. Gibberellins (GAs) and auxin [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)] play important roles in mediating the shading adaptive responses of plants. Thus, the intensity and quality of the uncoupling light from shading were assessed to identify the influence of each component on the morphology and matter distribution of the leaf, stem, and petiole. This assessment was based on the changes in endogenous Gibberellin 1 (GA1) and IAA levels. Soybean plants were grown in a growth chamber with four treatments [normal (N), N+Fr, low (L), and L+Fr light]. Results revealed that the reductions in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and R/Fr ratio equally increased height and stem mass fractions (SMFs) of the soybean seedling. The light intensity significantly influenced the dry mass per unit area and mass fraction of soybean leaves, whereas the light quality regulated the petiole elongation and mass fraction. Low R/Fr ratio (high Fr light) increased the soybean biomass by improving the photosynthetic assimilation rate and quantum yield of photosystem II. In addition, the IAA and GA1 levels in the leaf, stem, and petiole did not reflect the growth response trends of each tissue toward light intensity and quality; however, trends of the IAA-to-GA1 content ratios were similar to those of the growth and matter allocation of each soybean tissue under different light environments. Therefore, the response of growth and matter allocation of soybean to light intensity and quality may be regulated by the IAA-to-GA1 content ratio in the tissues of the soybean plant. PMID:29441084

POM Pulses: Characterizing the Physical and Chemical Properties of Particulate Organic Matter (POM) Mobilized by Large Storm Events and its Influence on Receiving Fluvial Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, E. R.; Rowland, R. D.; Protokowicz, J.; Inamdar, S. P.; Kan, J.; Vargas, R.

2016-12-01

Extreme storm events have tremendous erosive energy which is capable of mobilizing vast amounts of material from watershed sources into fluvial systems. This complex mixture of sediment and particulate organic matter (POM) is a nutrient source, and has the potential to impact downstream water quality. The impact of POM on receiving aquatic systems can vary not only by the total amount exported but also by the various sources involved and the particle sizes of POM. This study examines the composition of POM in potential sources and within-event POM by: (1) determining the amount and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) that can be leached from coarse, medium and fine particle classes; (2) assessing the C and N content and isotopic character of within-event POM; and (3) coupling physical and chemical properties to evaluate storm event POM influence on stream water. Storm event POM samples and source sediments were collected from a forested headwater catchment (second order stream) in the Piedmont region of Maryland. Samples were sieved into three particle classes - coarse (2mm-1mm), medium (1mm-250µm) and fine (<250µm). Extractions were performed for three particle class sizes and the resulting fluorescent organic matter was analyzed. Carbon (C) and Nitrogen (N) amount, C:N ratio, and isotopic analysis of 13C and 15N were performed on solid state event and source material. Future work will include examination of microbial communities associated with POM particle size classes. Physical size class separation of within-event POM exhibited differences in C:N ratios, δ15N composition, and extracted DOM lability. Smaller size classes exhibited lower C:N ratios, more enriched δ15N and more recalcitrant properties in leached DOM. Source material had varying C:N ratios and contributions to leached DOM. These results indicate that both source and size class strongly influence the POM contribution to fluvial systems during large storm events.

[FTIR and 13C NMR Analysis of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in the Treatment Process of Tannery Wastewater].

PubMed

Fan, Chun-hui; Zhang, Ying-chao; Tang, Ze-heng; Wang, Jia-hong

2015-05-01

Nowadays, the wastewater quantity discharged yearly from tannery industry is around 0. 2 billion t in China. The contaminants of tannery wastewater include macromolecular organic matters, such as grease, fur scraps and collagen, and the alkaline wastewater appears to be of high content of salt and COD. The quality of tannery wastewater is monitored strictly among all kinds of industry wastewater. In the treatment process of tannery wastewater, the quality of inlet and outlet water is generally analyzed. In fact, the transformation behavior of contaminants should be additionally checked to optimize the treatment conditions. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is commonly existed in water-bodies and helpful to understand the physicochemical characteristics, while the related work should be further studied on tannery wastewater. The approaches of elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) were used to reveal the characteristics of DOM in the treatment process of tannery wastewater. The results showed the carbon content of DOM samples increased gradually, atomic ratios of H/C increased firstly and then decreased, indicating the organic matters were decomposed into chain structures firstly, finally forming the component hard to degraded. The pyrolysis process of DOM mainly proceeded in the regions of 110~530 °C (aliphatic compound, protein, etc. ) and 530~800 °C (aromatic ring, single bond of C-C, etc. ). The functional groups of DOM included -OH, -NH2, C=O and so on, and the aromatic substances were detected, shown from FTIR figures, in the later period of the reaction, caused by the metabolism effect of micro-organism. The content of alkoxy-C increased to the maximum in the second biochemical pond, and the minimum content of aromatic-C appeared in the second biochemical pond, suggesting the transformation behavior of carbon functional groups. The investigation on DOM in tannery wastewater is significant to understand the purification mechanism of contaminants in tannery wastewater.

Characterisation of PM(10), PM(2.5) and benzene soluble organic fraction of particulate matter in an urban area of Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Gupta, A K; Nag, Subhankar; Mukhopadhyay, U K

2006-04-01

In this study, the relationship between inhalable particulate (PM(10)), fine particulate (PM(2.5)), coarse particles (PM(2.5 - 10)) and meteorological parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind speed were statistically analyzed and modelled for urban area of Kolkata during winter months of 2003-2004. Ambient air quality was monitored with a sampling frequency of twenty-four hours at three monitoring sites located near traffic intersections and in an industrial area. The monitoring sites were located 3-5 m above ground near highly trafficked and congested areas. The 24 h average PM(10) and PM(2.5) samples were collected using Thermo-Andersen high volume samplers and exposed filter papers were extracted and analysed for benzene soluble organic fraction. The ratios between PM(2.5) and PM(10) were found to be in the range of 0.6 to 0.92 and the highest ratio was found in the most polluted urban site. Statistical analysis has shown a strong positive correlation between PM(10) and PM(2.5) and inverse correlation was observed between particulate matter (PM(10) and PM(2.5)) and wind speed. Statistical analysis of air quality data shows that PM(10) and PM(2.5) are showing poor correlation with temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation. Regression equations for PM(10) and PM(2.5) and meteorological parameters were developed. The organic fraction of particulate matter soluble in benzene is an indication of poly aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration present in particulate matter. The relationship between the benzene soluble organic fraction (BSOF) of inhalable particulate (PM(10)) and fine particulate (PM(2.5)) were analysed for urban area of Kolkata. Significant positive correlation was observed between benzene soluble organic fraction of PM(10) (BSM10) and benzene soluble organic fraction of PM(2.5) (BSM2.5). Regression equations for BSM10 and BSM2.5 were developed.

Environmental Drivers of Benthic Flux Variation and Ecosystem Functioning in Salish Sea and Northeast Pacific Sediments.

PubMed

Belley, Rénald; Snelgrove, Paul V R; Archambault, Philippe; Juniper, S Kim

2016-01-01

The upwelling of deep waters from the oxygen minimum zone in the Northeast Pacific from the continental slope to the shelf and into the Salish Sea during spring and summer offers a unique opportunity to study ecosystem functioning in the form of benthic fluxes along natural gradients. Using the ROV ROPOS we collected sediment cores from 10 sites in May and July 2011, and September 2013 to perform shipboard incubations and flux measurements. Specifically, we measured benthic fluxes of oxygen and nutrients to evaluate potential environmental drivers of benthic flux variation and ecosystem functioning along natural gradients of temperature and bottom water dissolved oxygen concentrations. The range of temperature and dissolved oxygen encountered across our study sites allowed us to apply a suite of multivariate analyses rarely used in flux studies to identify bottom water temperature as the primary environmental driver of benthic flux variation and organic matter remineralization. Redundancy analysis revealed that bottom water characteristics (temperature and dissolved oxygen), quality of organic matter (chl a:phaeo and C:N ratios) and sediment characteristics (mean grain size and porosity) explained 51.5% of benthic flux variation. Multivariate analyses identified significant spatial and temporal variation in benthic fluxes, demonstrating key differences between the Northeast Pacific and Salish Sea. Moreover, Northeast Pacific slope fluxes were generally lower than shelf fluxes. Spatial and temporal variation in benthic fluxes in the Salish Sea were driven primarily by differences in temperature and quality of organic matter on the seafloor following phytoplankton blooms. These results demonstrate the utility of multivariate approaches in differentiating among potential drivers of seafloor ecosystem functioning, and indicate that current and future predictive models of organic matter remineralization and ecosystem functioning of soft-muddy shelf and slope seafloor habitats should consider bottom water temperature variation. Bottom temperature has important implications for estimates of seasonal and spatial benthic flux variation, benthic-pelagic coupling, and impacts of predicted ocean warming at high latitudes.

Metrics for the Evaluation the Utility of Air Quality Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumo, T. M.; Stockwell, W. R.

2013-12-01

Global warming is expected to lead to higher levels of air pollution and therefore the forecasting of both long-term and daily air quality is an important component for the assessment of the costs of climate change and its impact on human health. Some of the risks associated with poor air quality days (where the Air Pollution Index is greater than 100), include hospital visits and mortality. Accurate air quality forecasting has the potential to allow sensitive groups to take appropriate precautions. This research builds metrics for evaluating the utility of air quality forecasting in terms of its potential impacts. Our analysis of air quality models focuses on the Washington, DC/Baltimore, MD region over the summertime ozone seasons between 2010 and 2012. The metrics that are relevant to our analysis include: (1) The number of times that a high ozone or particulate matter (PM) episode is correctly forecasted, (2) the number of times that high ozone or PM episode is forecasted when it does not occur and (3) the number of times when the air quality forecast predicts a cleaner air episode when the air was observed to have high ozone or PM. Our evaluation of the performance of air quality forecasts include those forecasts of ozone and particulate matter and data available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s AIRNOW. We also examined observational ozone and particulate matter data available from Clean Air Partners. Overall the forecast models perform well for our region and time interval.

Does Natural Mentoring Matter? A Multilevel Meta-analysis on the Association Between Natural Mentoring and Youth Outcomes.

PubMed

Van Dam, L; Smit, D; Wildschut, B; Branje, S J T; Rhodes, J E; Assink, M; Stams, G J J M

2018-04-25

In this meta-analytic review, we examined the relation between natural mentoring and youth outcomes in four domains: academic and vocational functioning, social-emotional development, physical health, and psychosocial problems. Natural mentoring relationships are thought to foster positive youth development and buffer against the risks associated with the tumultuous years of adolescence. Two separate meta-analyses were conducted on the presence of a natural mentor and the quality of the natural mentoring relationship, including thirty studies from 1992 to present. The findings indicated that the presence of a natural mentor was significantly associated with positive youth outcomes (r = .106). A larger effect size was found for the quality of the natural mentoring relationship in terms of relatedness, social support, and autonomy support (r = .208). The largest effect sizes were found for social-emotional development and academic and vocational functioning. Risk-status (e.g., teenage mothers, homeless youth, youth in foster care, and youth of alcoholic parents) did not moderate the relation between presence and quality of natural mentoring relationships and youth outcomes, which may indicate that natural mentors are generally beneficial for all youth regardless of risk-status. Implications for theory and practice concerning the quality of the natural mentoring relationship are discussed. © 2018 The Authors. American Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Community Research and Action.

Ambient Particulate Matter Air Pollution in Mpererwe District, Kampala, Uganda: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Schwander, Stephan; Okello, Clement D.; Freers, Juergen; Chow, Judith C.; Watson, John G.; Corry, Melody; Meng, Qingyu

2014-01-01

Air quality in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, has deteriorated significantly in the past two decades. We made spot measurements in Mpererwe district for airborne particulate matter PM2.5 (fine particles) and coarse particles. PM was collected on Teflon-membrane filters and analyzed for mass, 51 elements, 3 anions, and 5 cations. Both fine and coarse particle concentrations were above 100 µg/m3 in all the samples collected. Markers for crustal/soil (e.g., Si and Al) were the most abundant in the PM2.5 fraction, followed by primary combustion products from biomass burning and incinerator emissions (e.g., K and Cl). Over 90% of the measured PM2.5 mass can be explained by crustal species (41% and 59%) and carbonaceous aerosol (33%–55%). Crustal elements dominated the coarse particles collected from Kampala. The results of this pilot study are indicative of unhealthy air and suggest that exposure to ambient air in Kampala may increase the burden of environmentally induced cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases including infections. Greater awareness and more extensive research are required to confirm our findings, to identify personal exposure and pollution sources, and to develop air quality management plans and policies to protect public health. PMID:24693293

Applied Technology on Influence of Humic Substances on Fertilizer, Water-use Efficiency and Soil Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyedbagheri, Mir

2017-04-01

In continuation of over 35 years of on-farm studies on soil organic matter from different humates (functional carbon) and compost, I have documented quantitative improvements in soil health and water-use efficiency. The ability of soil organic matter to bind water has become an important theme for research in past years. Research trials were established to evaluate the efficacy of different commercial functional carbon products derived from Leonardite (highly oxidized lignite) in crop production. In each of these trials, functional carbon (Humic and Fulvic acids) products were used in a randomized complete block design. The use of humic substances creates strong organo-mineral complexes (aggregation), chelation, as well as enhanced buffering capacities. We evaluated data from 3 fields and compared the results. Our observation and field demonstrations indicated there was a marked increase in water retention. Data from humic acid (HA) trials showed that different cropping systems responded differently to different products in relation to yield and quality. The functional carbon products used in the study seemed to enhance fertilizer and water-use efficiency by increasing complexation, chelation and buffering. The consistent use of good quality functional carbons in our replicated plots resulted in a yield increase from 6% to 30% over several decades.

A modeling study of coarse particulate matter pollution in Beijing: regional source contributions and control implications for the 2008 summer Olympics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Litao Wang; Jiming Hao; Kebin He

In the last 10 yr, Beijing has made a great effort to improve its air quality. However, it is still suffering from regional coarse particulate matter (PM10) pollution that could be a challenge to the promise of clean air during the 2008 Olympics. To provide scientific guidance on regional air pollution control, the Mesoscale Modeling System Generation 5 (MM5) and the Models-3/Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) air quality modeling system was used to investigate the contributions of emission sources outside the Beijing area to pollution levels in Beijing. The contributions to the PM10 concentrations in Beijing were assessed formore » the following sources: power plants, industry, domestic sources, transportation, agriculture, and biomass open burning. In January, it is estimated that on average 22% of the PM10 concentrations can be attributed to outside sources, of which domestic and industrial sources contributed 37 and 31%, respectively. In August, as much as 40% of the PM10 concentrations came from regional sources, of which approximately 41% came from industry and 31% from power plants. However, the synchronous analysis of the hourly concentrations, regional contributions, and wind vectors indicates that in the heaviest pollution periods the local emission sources play a more important role. The implications are that long-term control strategies should be based on regional-scale collaborations, and that emission abatement of local sources may be more effective in lowering the PM10 concentration levels on the heavy pollution days. Better air quality can be attained during the Olympics by placing effective emission controls on the local sources in Beijing and by controlling emissions from industry and power plants in the surrounding regions. 44 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Associations Between Air Quality Changes and Biomarkers of Systemic Inflammation During the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

PubMed

Li, Huichu; Zhou, Lian; Wang, Cuicui; Chen, Renjie; Ma, Xiaoying; Xu, Bin; Xiong, Lilin; Ding, Zhen; Chen, Xiaodong; Zhou, Yun; Xu, Yan; Kan, Haidong

2017-06-15

There is increasing interest in quasi-experimental research to evaluate whether actions taken to improve air quality will benefit public health. We conducted a quasi-experimental study to evaluate inflammatory response to changes in air quality during the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics in China. We repeatedly measured 8 biomarkers of systemic inflammation in 31 healthy adults and obtained hourly air pollutant concentrations from a nearby fixed-site monitoring station. We used linear mixed-effect models to examine the associations between air quality changes and blood biomarkers. Air pollutant concentrations decreased apparently during the Youth Olympics. Concomitantly, we observed significant decreases in levels of soluble cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40) ligand and interleukin 1β (geometric means ratios were 0.45 and 0.24, respectively) from the pre-Olympic period to the intra-Olympic period. Afterwards, levels of C-reactive protein and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 increased significantly (geometric means ratios were 2.22 and 1.29, respectively) in the post-Olympic period. Fine particulate matter and ozone were significantly associated with soluble CD40 ligand, P-selectin, interleukin 1β, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1. Other pollutants showed positive but nonsignificant associations. Our study indicated that reduced air pollution, especially fine particulate matter and ozone, during the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics was associated with alleviated systemic inflammation in healthy adults. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hydraulic connectivity and evaporation control the water quality and sources of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in Lake Bosten in arid northwest China.

PubMed

Zhou, Lei; Zhou, Yongqiang; Hu, Yang; Cai, Jian; Bai, Chengrong; Shao, Keqiang; Gao, Guang; Zhang, Yunlin; Jeppesen, Erik; Tang, Xiangming

2017-12-01

Lake Bosten is the largest oligosaline lake in arid northwestern China, and water from its tributaries and evaporation control the water balance of the lake. In this study, water quality and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption and fluorescence were investigated in different seasons to elucidate how hydraulic connectivity and evaporation may affect the water quality and variability of CDOM in the lake. Mean suspended solids and turbidity were significantly higher in the upstream tributaries than in the lake, the difference being notably more pronounced in the wet than in the dry season. A markedly higher mean first principal component (PC1) score, which was significantly positively related to protein-like components, and a considerably lower fluorescence peak integration ratio - I C :I T , indicative of the terrestrial humic-like CDOM contribution percentage, were observed in the lake than in the upstream tributaries. Correspondingly, notably higher contribution percentages of terrestrial humic-like components were observed in the river mouth areas than in the remaining lake regions. Furthermore, significantly higher mean turbidity, and notably lower mean conductivity and salinity, were recorded in the southwestern Kaidu river mouth than in the remaining lake regions in the wet season. Notably higher mean salinity is recorded in Lake Bosten than in upstream tributaries. Autochthonous protein-like associated amino-acids and also PC1 scores increased significantly with increasing salinity. We conclude that the dynamics of water quality and CDOM composition in remote arid Lake Bosten are strongly driven by evaporation and also the hydraulic connectivity between the upstream tributaries and the downstream lake. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward the Next Generation of Air Quality Monitoring Indicators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, Angel; Reuben, Aaron; Shindell, Drew; deSherbinin, Alex; Levy, Marc

2013-01-01

This paper introduces an initiative to bridge the state of scientific knowledge on air pollution with the needs of policymakers and stakeholders to design the "next generation" of air quality indicators. As a first step this initiative assesses current monitoring and modeling associated with a number of important pollutants with an eye toward identifying knowledge gaps and scientific needs that are a barrier to reducing air pollution impacts on human and ecosystem health across the globe. Four outdoor air pollutants were considered e particulate matter, ozone, mercury, and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) e because of their clear adverse impacts on human and ecosystem health and because of the availability of baseline data for assessment for each. While other papers appearing in this issue will address each pollutant separately, this paper serves as a summary of the initiative and presents recommendations for needed investments to provide improved measurement, monitoring, and modeling data for policyrelevant indicators. The ultimate goal of this effort is to enable enhanced public policy responses to air pollution by linking improved data and measurement methods to decision-making through the development of indicators that can allow policymakers to better understand the impacts of air pollution and, along with source attribution based on modeling and measurements, facilitate improved policies to solve it. The development of indicators represents a crucial next step in this process.

Transportation conformity particulate matter hot-spot air quality modeling.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

In light of the new development in particulate matter (PM) hot-spot regulations and Illinois Department : of Transportation (IDOT)s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation requirements, : this project is intended to (1) perform and ...

Dust inputs and bacteria influence dissolved organic matter in clear alpine lakes.

PubMed

Mladenov, N; Sommaruga, R; Morales-Baquero, R; Laurion, I; Camarero, L; Diéguez, M C; Camacho, A; Delgado, A; Torres, O; Chen, Z; Felip, M; Reche, I

2011-07-26

Remote lakes are usually unaffected by direct human influence, yet they receive inputs of atmospheric pollutants, dust, and other aerosols, both inorganic and organic. In remote, alpine lakes, these atmospheric inputs may influence the pool of dissolved organic matter, a critical constituent for the biogeochemical functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Here, to assess this influence, we evaluate factors related to aerosol deposition, climate, catchment properties, and microbial constituents in a global dataset of 86 alpine and polar lakes. We show significant latitudinal trends in dissolved organic matter quantity and quality, and uncover new evidence that this geographic pattern is influenced by dust deposition, flux of incident ultraviolet radiation, and bacterial processing. Our results suggest that changes in land use and climate that result in increasing dust flux, ultraviolet radiation, and air temperature may act to shift the optical quality of dissolved organic matter in clear, alpine lakes. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Posterior limb of the internal capsule predicts poor quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: connectometry approach.

PubMed

Ghazi Sherbaf, Farzaneh; Mojtahed Zadeh, Mahtab; Haghshomar, Maryam; Aarabi, Mohammad Hadi

2018-03-14

Psychiatric symptoms and motor impairment are major contributions to the poor quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we applied a novel diffusion-weighted imaging approach, diffusion MRI connectometry, to investigate the correlation of quality of life, evaluated by Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ39) with the white matter structural connectivity in 27 non-demented PD patients (disease duration of 5.3 ± 2.9 years, H and Y stage = 1.5 ± 0.6, UPDRS-III = 13.7 ± 6.5, indicating unilateral and mild motor involvement). The connectometry analysis demonstrated bilateral posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) with increased connectivity related to the higher quality of life (FDR = 0.027) in a multiple regression model. The present study suggests for the first time a neural basis of the quality of life in PD in the light of major determinants of poor quality of life in these patients: anxiety, depression, apathy and motor impairment. Results in our sample of non-demented PD patients with relatively mild motor impairment and no apparent sign of depression/anxiety also identify a unique and inexplicable association of the PLIC to the quality of life in PD patients.

Effect on Quality Characteristics of Tomatoes Grown Under Well-Watered and Drought Stress Conditions.

PubMed

Klunklin, Warinporn; Savage, Geoffrey

2017-07-25

Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally and economically important crops in New Zealand and around the world. Tomatoes require large amounts of water to grow well and are adversely affected by drought stress. However, few studies have evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of commercial tomatoes grown under water stress conditions. Four tomato cultivars (Incas, Marmande, Scoresby Dwarf, and Window Box Red) were grown in a greenhouse under well-watered and drought stress conditions and the tomatoes were harvested when ripe. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant contents of the fruits were compared. There were significant differences between cultivars in quality characteristics-such as dry matter, total soluble solids, and pH parameters-but there were no differences in the quality characteristics between the two treatments of the fruits ( p > 0.05); however, there were significant differences ( p < 0.05) in the antioxidant compositions (lycopene, total phenolics, and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS) of the fruits of both cultivars and treatments. Overall, these results indicated that tomatoes increased their bioactive compounds without changing any quality characteristics when exposed to water stress conditions.

Effect on Quality Characteristics of Tomatoes Grown Under Well-Watered and Drought Stress Conditions

PubMed Central

Klunklin, Warinporn; Savage, Geoffrey

2017-01-01

Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally and economically important crops in New Zealand and around the world. Tomatoes require large amounts of water to grow well and are adversely affected by drought stress. However, few studies have evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of commercial tomatoes grown under water stress conditions. Four tomato cultivars (Incas, Marmande, Scoresby Dwarf, and Window Box Red) were grown in a greenhouse under well-watered and drought stress conditions and the tomatoes were harvested when ripe. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant contents of the fruits were compared. There were significant differences between cultivars in quality characteristics—such as dry matter, total soluble solids, and pH parameters—but there were no differences in the quality characteristics between the two treatments of the fruits (p > 0.05); however, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant compositions (lycopene, total phenolics, and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS) of the fruits of both cultivars and treatments. Overall, these results indicated that tomatoes increased their bioactive compounds without changing any quality characteristics when exposed to water stress conditions. PMID:28757563

Effect of different kinds of crop residues on aggregate-protected soil organic matter fractions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huisz, A.

2009-04-01

Organic matter content of soils determines many important soil properties, such as soil structure, fertility and water-management. To improve its fertility and quality, returning different kinds of organic matter to soil has a long historical tradition. Ameliorating of soil and enhancing its fertility by enhancing its carbon stock with organic matter incorporation (like farmyard manure, crop residues or green manure) are general practices, but the extent of the amelioration depends much on several factors such as quantity, quality of the used organic matters. Quality of soil organic matters is affected by their chemical build-up, which differs by their origin (i.e. plant species); and their decomposability is affected by particle-size, protection by soil aggregates and the extent of their association to mineral surfaces. In our paper we investigated the effect of three different kinds of organic matter incorporation on aggregate-protected organic matter fractions: (1) Maize stem (M), (2) Wheat straw (W), and (3) Maize stem & Wheat straw (MW). Our samples were originated from Keszthely, Western Hungary, where the texture of the investigated soil is Sandy loam, the type of soil is Eutric Cambisol (soil type FAO), or Alfisol (soil type USDA). SOM fractions might be isolated and measured by physical fractionation of soil (Cambardella and Elliott (1992), Jensen et al. (1992)). Firstly, microaggregates were separated according to their particle-size with physical fractionation (i.e. wet sieving) (Six et al. (2000a)). Each sample was pre-treated by capillary wetting and was sieved for 2 min in an analytic sieve shaker machine with the following aperture sizes: 2 mm, 250 μm, 53 μm. Therefore 4 fractions were resulted: (1) the >2000 μm large macro-, (2) the 250-2000 μm small macro-, (3) the 53-250 μm microaggregates, and (4) the

Monitoring Lake Victoria Water Quality from Space: Opportunities for Strengthening Trans-boundary Information Sharing for Effective Resource Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mugo, R. M.; Korme, T.; Farah, H.; Nyaga, J. W.; Irwin, D.; Flores, A.; Limaye, A. S.; Artis, G.

2014-12-01

Lake Victoria (LV) is an important freshwater resource in East Africa, covering 68,800 km2, and a catchment that spans 193,000km2. It is an important source of food, energy, drinking and irrigation water, transport and a repository for agricultural, human and industrial wastes generated from its catchment. For such a lake, and a catchment transcending 5 international boundaries, collecting data to guide informed decision making is a hard task. Remote sensing is currently the only tool capable of providing information on environmental changes at high spatio-temporal scales. To address the problem of information availability for LV, we tackled two objectives; (1) we analyzed water quality parameters retrieved from MODIS data, and (2) assessed land cover changes in the catchment area using Landsat data. We used L1A MODIS-Aqua data to retrieve lake surface temperature (LST), total suspended matter (TSM), chlorophyll-a (CHLa) and diffuse attenuation coefficient (KD490) in four temporal periods i.e. daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal scales. An Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was done on monthly data. An analysis of land cover change was done using Landsat data for 3 epochs in order to assess if land degradation contributes to water quality changes. Our results indicate that MODIS-Aqua data provides synoptic views of water quality changes in LV at different temporal scales. The Winam Gulf in Kenya, the shores of Jinja town in Uganda, as well as the Mwanza region in Tanzania represent water quality hotspots due to their relatively high TSM and CHLa concentrations. High levels of KD490 in these areas would also indicate high turbidity and thus low light penetration due to the presence of suspended matter, algal blooms, and/or submerged vegetation. The EOF analysis underscores the areas where LST and water color variability are more significant. The changes can be associated with corresponding land use changes in the catchment, where for instance wetlands are converted to croplands. On-going dissemination of our findings together with capacity building efforts with the three main fishery and research institutions working in the lake, will enable informed decision making for the water management of LV. Enhanced capacity in trans-boundary water resources research is critical for successful decision making.

Green money

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlowicz, Michael

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently requesting proposals for its first round of science research grants for 1997. The program is designed to promote interdisciplinary research in ecosystem indicators; exploratory research; complex exposures and human variability in risk assessment; endocrine disrupters; ambient air quality; health effects of particulate matter; and drinking water and contaminated sediments. Application dates vary by topic between January 15 and February 15, 1997. Further information about the grants program can be obtained on the EPA web page at http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa, or by calling the EPA grants and fellowship hotline at 1-800-490-9194.

Sensitivity of sediment contamination in the Elbe Estuary to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleisinger, Carmen; Haase, Holger; Hentschke, Uwe; Schubert, Birgit

2015-04-01

As a result of the projected climate-induced changes of temperature and precipitation (IPCC, 2007), an increase of the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as floods, storm surges or of extended periods of low river discharge is to be expected. An increase of flood events would result in an additional input of contaminated sediments from the inland. Contaminated particles will be transported along the rivers to the estuaries and consequently, a deterioration of the quality of estuarine particulate matter may occur. In addition, a sea level rise is predicted to occur along with global warming. In case of sea level rise or more frequent low river discharge situations, the upstream transport of slightly contaminated sediments of marine origin may be intensified, and cause decreasing concentrations of contaminants in particulate matter. The contamination of particulate matter plays an important role for the ecological quality of water bodies and has accordingly to be taken into account in the sediment management of navigable waters. This study focuses on the assessment of potential climate-induced and other man-made changes of particle-bound contaminant concentrations in the estuary of the river Elbe and the resulting challenges for sediment management in this navigable waterway. The estimation of climate-induced changes of contaminant concentrations in estuarine particulate matter was based on results of projections on the fluvial particulate matter input into the Elbe estuary in the near (2021-2050) and far future (2071-2100) and on assumed extreme changes of such inputs. A mixing model using the concentrations of selected contaminants as indicators for marine and fluvial particulate matter was applied. Distinct changes of contaminant concentrations were found only for the far future and with the assumed extreme particulate matter inputs in the inner Elbe estuary. The worst-case scenario indicated that concentrations of some organochlorine contaminants in the far future exceed the national assessment criteria for the handling of dredged material within coastal waterways more distinct than today. Therefore, adaptations of practices for the management of dredged material to higher particulate matter contaminations should be considered there in the medium or long-term perspective. On the one hand, e.g. the practices of depositing dredged- material within the water system might be adapted (BfG 2014). On the other hand, the implementation of remediation measures like those planned under the Water Framework Directive could mitigate the climate-induced increase of contaminants. However, before the planning of adaption measures begins, the respectively prevailing contamination status should be verified, as climate-induced changes of contaminant concentrations might be superimposed by direct anthropogenic activities, e.g. remediation measures to reduce contamination or construction works in waterways. Literature: BfG - Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (2014) Sedimentmanagement Tideelbe - Strategien und Potenziale - Systemstudie II. Ökologische Auswirkungen der Unterbringung von Feinmaterial. Band 1, Endbericht. Im Auftrag des Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamtes Hamburg. Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde, Koblenz, BfG-Bericht 1763 IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 996 pp.

Barriers to adopting satellite remote sensing for water quality management

EPA Science Inventory

Satellite technology can provide a robust and synoptic approach for measuring water quality parameters. Water quality measures typically include chlorophyll-a, suspended material, light attenuation, and colored dissolved organic matter. The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal ...

Use of phytoplankton assemblages to assess the quality of coastal waters of a transitional ecosystem: Río de la Plata estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathicq, María Belén; Gómez, Nora; Bauer, Delia Elena; Donadelli, Jorge

2017-11-01

Among the estuarine ecosystems under anthropogenic stress, the Río de la Plata can represent a case study to help identify phytoplanktonic species diagnosing and warning about water quality changes. The freshwater tidal zone on the coast of Argentina is used for several purposes, including recreational and navigational activities and the provision of drinking water. We analyzed the relationship between the abundance of the phytoplanktonic species, changes in water quality (linked to enrichment with nutrients and organic matter) and the land use on the coast of Argentina. A canonical correlation analysis (CCA) allowed us to identify two environmental gradients, one related to anthropogenic activities, where the most influential factors were BOD5, DIN, PO43- and DO, and a second gradient related to turbidity and conductivity. The relative abundances of 24 species were significantly correlated with the deterioration of the water quality. This set of tolerant species is mostly composed of taxa considered C-strategists, and the most represented group was the Chlorococcalean algae. The percentage of this group can provide an early warning indicator of the impairment of the water quality; its abundance exceeded 30% at those sites with a bad water quality (reaching 19000 cell mL-1), and were less than 15% (300 cell mL-1) in sites with a good water quality. The use of a reduced group of species constitutes a potential tool for monitoring, complementing another common indicators such as chlorophyll a or the total density of phytoplankton. Considering that most of these tolerant species are widely distributed it is possible to employ them as a biomonitor in other freshwater zones of temperate estuaries.

Setting and Reviewing Standards to Control Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set national air quality standards for particulate matter, and to periodically review the standards to ensure that they provide adequate health and environmental protection, updating those standards as necessary.

Effects of reduced soil functionality in European vineyards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costantini, Edoardo; Priori, Simone; Akca, Ehran; Castaldini, Maurizio; D'Avino, Lorenzo; Fulchin, Emma; Gagnarli, Elena; Giffard, Brice; Erdem Kiraz, Mehmet; Lagomarsino, Alessandra; Landi, Silvia; Pellegrini, Sergio; Perria, Rita; Puccioni, Sergio; Schroers, Hans-Josef; Tardaguila, Javier; Pelengić, Radojko; Simoni, Sauro; Storchi, Paolo; Tangolar, Semih

2017-04-01

Improper or excessive land preparation methods in vineyards before planting can have a considerable impact on soil functionality. They include excessive levelling and deep ploughing leading to disturbances of the natural contour of slopes and destruction, truncation and burial of soil horizons. Manipulations may significantly modify chemical, physical, biological and hydrological balance of soils. Problems that may arise from these interventions relate to the reduction of organic substances, enrichment of calcium carbonate and soluble salts, impacting development and health of grapevines. Reduced water retention capacity can lead to increased water stress during dry season, decreased water permeability and circulation of oxygen in the soil, increased runoff volume, surface erosion and landslide risk, reduced biodiversity and limitation of biochemical processes (organic matter mineralization, bioavailability of nutrients, etc.). Soil degradations can lead to the loss of soil functionality even after the planting as a result of accelerated erosion, compaction by agricultural vehicles, excessive loss of organic matter and nutrients, and the accumulation of heavy metals such as copper. In both conventional and organic vineyards, it is quite common to have areas with reduced soil functionality that have negative impact on vine health and grape production and quality. In the framework of the Core organic RESOLVE project, a study was conducted in organic vineyards showing areas with reduced and good soil functionality. Degraded soils resulted in significantly lower amounts of grapes. The chlorophyll index (SPAD) of the grapevine during veraison was significantly lower in areas of degraded soils compared with the situation in areas of the same vineyard with non-degraded soils. In general, causes of soil malfunctioning were related to a lower fertility, including reduced organic carbon, total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity, higher concentrations of carbonates, and increased stoniness in the topsoil. Degraded soils showed lower structure quality and rooting depth limited by shallow saprolite or horizon features such as compaction, scarce fertility and high content of carbonates. The soils in the non-degraded areas showed significant higher content of total nitrogen and higher carbon/nitrogen ratios, thus a better stability of organic matter. On the other hand, biological diversity and activity, monitored by different proxies (microarthropods, nematodes, enzymes, organic matter turnover by Tea bag index) in some vineyards, all managed organically, did not show any clear and significant differences between degraded and not degraded areas. Similarly, no clear difference in overall microbial diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson) and diversity evenness (Pielou) were observed between non-degraded and degraded areas. All indices were relatively high and indicative for rich occurrence of abundant and rare microbial species, high diversity and low abundance of individual species and high species evenness.

Selection of Atmospheric Environmental Monitoring Sites based on Geographic Parameters Extraction of GIS and Fuzzy Matter-Element Analysis.

PubMed

Wu, Jianfa; Peng, Dahao; Ma, Jianhao; Zhao, Li; Sun, Ce; Ling, Huanzhang

2015-01-01

To effectively monitor the atmospheric quality of small-scale areas, it is necessary to optimize the locations of the monitoring sites. This study combined geographic parameters extraction by GIS with fuzzy matter-element analysis. Geographic coordinates were extracted by GIS and transformed into rectangular coordinates. These coordinates were input into the Gaussian plume model to calculate the pollutant concentration at each site. Fuzzy matter-element analysis, which is used to solve incompatible problems, was used to select the locations of sites. The matter element matrices were established according to the concentration parameters. The comprehensive correlation functions KA (xj) and KB (xj), which reflect the degree of correlation among monitoring indices, were solved for each site, and a scatter diagram of the sites was drawn to determine the final positions of the sites based on the functions. The sites could be classified and ultimately selected by the scatter diagram. An actual case was tested, and the results showed that 5 positions can be used for monitoring, and the locations conformed to the technical standard. In the results of this paper, the hierarchical clustering method was used to improve the methods. The sites were classified into 5 types, and 7 locations were selected. Five of the 7 locations were completely identical to the sites determined by fuzzy matter-element analysis. The selections according to these two methods are similar, and these methods can be used in combination. In contrast to traditional methods, this study monitors the isolated point pollutant source within a small range, which can reduce the cost of monitoring.

'Do not resuscitate order' in neonatology: authority rules.

PubMed

Niebrój, L T; Jadamus-Niebrój, D

2007-11-01

Ethical dilemmas in medicine should be resolved in light of four essential principles. To specify and guide concrete actions, it is necessary to 'supplement' these principles by certain other (substantive, authority and procedural) rules. The purpose of this paper is to establish and justify the authority rules regarding the order not to resuscitate newborns. The authority rules are intended to indicate who should decide, but they do not determine what should be chosen. Decision regarding newborn's treatment/letting die depends on medical and quality-of-life judgments. Parents, doctors, and society are considered to possess decisional authority in the matter. However, who in a given case should decide ought to be inferred from the reasoning which assumes, as its premises, the medical and quality-of-life judgments. The 'logical' syntax of this reasoning is presented in this paper.

The contentious nature of soil organic matter.

PubMed

Lehmann, Johannes; Kleber, Markus

2015-12-03

The exchange of nutrients, energy and carbon between soil organic matter, the soil environment, aquatic systems and the atmosphere is important for agricultural productivity, water quality and climate. Long-standing theory suggests that soil organic matter is composed of inherently stable and chemically unique compounds. Here we argue that the available evidence does not support the formation of large-molecular-size and persistent 'humic substances' in soils. Instead, soil organic matter is a continuum of progressively decomposing organic compounds. We discuss implications of this view of the nature of soil organic matter for aquatic health, soil carbon-climate interactions and land management.

76 FR 40303 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, South Coast Air Quality Management District

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... the California State Implementation Plan, South Coast Air Quality Management District AGENCY... limited disapproval of revisions to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of... designated nonattainment for the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

Assuring Quality in Online Offerings: Insights from a University's Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budden, Connie B.; Budden, Heather L.; Hall, Michelle; Longman, Debbie G.

2015-01-01

As the growth of online education offered by universities accelerates and spreads, universities are increasingly grappling with concerns related to widespread availability and the maintenance of academic quality. The "Quality Matters at Southeastern" Program fosters quality through a peer review process and offers a certification process…

Chapter A7. Section 7.0. Five-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delzer, Gregory C.; McKenzie, Stuart W.

1999-01-01

The presence of a sufficient concentration of dissolved oxygen is critical to maintaining the aquatic life and aesthetic quality of streams and lakes. Determinng how organic matter affects the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in a stream or lake is integral to water-quality management. The decay of organic matter in water is measured as biochemical or chemical oxygen demand. This report describes the field protocols used by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel to determine the five-day test for biochemical oxygen demand.

Long term monitoring of photosystem II herbicides--correlation with remotely sensed freshwater extent to monitor changes in the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

PubMed

Kennedy, Karen; Schroeder, Thomas; Shaw, Melanie; Haynes, David; Lewis, Stephen; Bentley, Christie; Paxman, Chris; Carter, Steve; Brando, Vittorio E; Bartkow, Michael; Hearn, Laurence; Mueller, Jochen F

2012-01-01

Photosystem II (PSII) herbicides are used in large quantities on agricultural lands adjoining the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Routine monitoring at 14 sites in inshore waters of the GBR using passive sampling techniques detected diuron (32-94% of sampling periods) at maximum concentrations of 1.7-430ng L(-1) in the relatively pristine Cape York Region to the Mackay Whitsunday Region, respectively. A PSII herbicide equivalent (PSII-HEq) index developed as an indicator for reporting was dominated by diuron (average contribution 89%) and typically increased during the wet season. The maximum PSII-HEq indicates the potential for photosynthetic inhibition of diatoms, seagrass and coral-symbionts. PSII herbicides were significantly positively correlated with remotely sensed coloured dissolved organic matter, a proxy for freshwater extent. Combining these methods provides for the first time the potential to cost-effectively monitor improvements in water quality entering the GBR with respect to exposure to PSII herbicides. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in dissolved organic matter quality in a northern hardwood forest revealed by excitation emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraceno, J.; Shanley, J. B.; Pellerin, B. A.; Hansen, A. M.

2016-12-01

Changes in dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality may result from unusual and extreme precipitation patterns such as floods and droughts. In order to study DOM quality changes, we collected several hundred surface water samples during the past eight years from the W-9 watershed of the Sleepers River Research Watershed in Danville, Vermont for optical analysis of dissolved organic matter. We present the results of parallel factor (PARAFAC) and principal component analysis (PCA) on excitation emission matrices (EEMs). This analysis revealed that peaks T, C and M as identified by PARAFAC were the most prominent EEM features. The intensity of these peaks varied on inter-annual, seasonal and event time periods and these shifts reflect changes in DOM quality. Likely drivers of this variability in DOM chemistry are seasonal shifts in flow paths, antecedent moisture conditions, and precipitation duration and intensity. For example, during events, the relative proportion of protein-like, peak T fluorophores increased, likely from flushing of fresh polyphenols from surficial and shallow flow paths. During the winter, when groundwater dominates flow, EEMs were strong in humic-like peak C and peak M fluorophores, reflecting deeper soil sources and longer flow paths. Our analyses will reveal how DOM quality responds to climatic drivers, and thus how we can expect DOM quality to evolve under projected climate change scenarios.

Origin and distribution of the organic matter in the distal lobe of the Congo deep-sea fan - A Rock-Eval survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baudin, François; Stetten, Elsa; Schnyder, Johann; Charlier, Karine; Martinez, Philippe; Dennielou, Bernard; Droz, Laurence

2017-08-01

The Congo River, the second largest river in the world, is a major source of organic matter for the deep Atlantic Ocean because of the connection of its estuary to the deep offshore area by a submarine canyon which feeds a vast deep-sea fan. The lobe zone of this deep-sea fan is the final receptacle of the sedimentary inputs presently channelled by the canyon and covers an area of 2500 km². The quantity and the source of organic matter preserved in recent turbiditic sediments from the distal lobe of the Congo deep-sea fan were assessed using Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses. Six sites, located at approximately 5000 m water-depth, were investigated. The mud-rich sediments of the distal lobe contain high amounts of organic matter ( 3.5 to 4% Corg), the origin of which is a mixture of terrestrial higher-plant debris, soil organic matter and deeply oxidized phytoplanktonic material. Although the respective contribution of terrestrial and marine sources of organic matter cannot be precisely quantified using Rock-Eval analyses, the terrestrial fraction is dominant according to similar hydrogen and oxygen indices of both suspended and bedload sediments from the Congo River and that deposited in the lobe complex. The Rock-Eval signature supports the 70% to 80% of the terrestrial fraction previously estimated using C/N and δ13Corg data. In the background sediment, the organic matter distribution is homogeneous at different scales, from a single turbiditic event to the entire lobe, and changes in accumulation rates only have a limited effect on the quantity and quality of the preserved organic matter. Peculiar areas with chemosynthetic bivalves and/or bacterial mats, explored using ROV Victor 6000, show a Rock-Eval signature similar to background sediment. This high organic carbon content associated to high sedimentation rates (> 2 to 20 mm.yr-1) in the Congo distal lobe complex implies a high burial rate for organic carbon. Consequently, the Congo deep-sea fan represents an enormous sink of terrestrial organic matter when compared to other turbiditic systems over the world.

15 CFR 996.33 - Acceptance of program by non-Federal entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Trade (Continued) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters...

New Federal Air Quality Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stopinski, O. W.

The report discusses the current procedures for establishing air quality standards, the bases for standards, and, finally, proposed and final National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards for sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nonmethane hydrocarbons, photochemical oxidants, and nitrogen dioxide. (Author/RH)

Soil bioassays as tools for sludge compost quality assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Domene, Xavier, E-mail: x.domene@creaf.uab.es; Sola, Laura; Ramirez, Wilson

2011-03-15

Composting is a waste management technology that is becoming more widespread as a response to the increasing production of sewage sludge and the pressure for its reuse in soil. In this study, different bioassays (plant germination, earthworm survival, biomass and reproduction, and collembolan survival and reproduction) were assessed for their usefulness in the compost quality assessment. Compost samples, from two different composting plants, were taken along the composting process, which were characterized and submitted to bioassays (plant germination and collembolan and earthworm performance). Results from our study indicate that the noxious effects of some of the compost samples observed inmore » bioassays are related to the low organic matter stability of composts and the enhanced release of decomposition endproducts, with the exception of earthworms, which are favored. Plant germination and collembolan reproduction inhibition was generally associated with uncomposted sludge, while earthworm total biomass and reproduction were enhanced by these materials. On the other hand, earthworm and collembolan survival were unaffected by the degree of composting of the wastes. However, this pattern was clear in one of the composting procedures assessed, but less in the other, where the release of decomposition endproducts was lower due to its higher stability, indicating the sensitivity and usefulness of bioassays for the quality assessment of composts.« less

Storage and export of organic matter in a headwater stream: responses to long-term detrital manipulations

Treesearch

Sue L. Eggert; J. Bruce Wallace; Judy L. Meyer; Jackson R. Webster

2012-01-01

Riparian habitats provide organic matter inputs that influence stream biota and ecosystem processes in forested watersheds. Over a 13-yr period, we examined the effects of litter exclusion, small- and large-wood removal, and the addition of leaf species of varying detrital quality on organic matter standing crop and export of organic and inorganic particles in a high-...

Effects of augmentation of coarse particulate organic matter on metabolism and nutrient retention in hyporheic sediments

Treesearch

C.L. Crenshaw; H.M. Valett; J.R. Webster

2002-01-01

1. Metabolic and biogeochemical processes in hyporheic zones may depend on inputs of coarse particulate organic matter. Our research focused on how differing quantity and quality of organic matter affects metabolism and nutrient retention in the hyporheic zone of a first-order Appalachian stream. 2. Sixteen plots were established on a tributary of Hugh White Creek, NC...

Assessing Faculty Experiences with and Perceptions of an Internal Quality Assurance Process for Undergraduate Distributed Learning Courses: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rucker, Ryan; Edwards, Karen; Frass, Lydia R.

2015-01-01

To ensure that online courses match traditional classes' quality, some institutions are implementing internal standards for online course design and quality review. The University of South Carolina created the Distributed Learning Quality Review program, based on "Quality Matters'" standards. It was designed to be faculty-guided, as…

Building a Sustainable Quality Matters™ Community of Practice through Social Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, John; Richter, Stephanie; Miller, Tracy; Rhode, Jason; Click, Aline; Underwood, Jason

2017-01-01

The growth of distance education has necessitated strong evidence of quality for institutions of higher education, and numerous standards and principles of quality have been developed, such as Quality Matters™ (Quality Matters). These systems are often considered only at the course level to guide design and improve student outcomes, but they can…

Science Matters Special Edition: Wildland Fire Science

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is applying its extensive expertise in air quality science to the study of wildland fires to help states and communities that are impacted. This issue of Science Matters newsletter highlights some of the research projects under way by EPA and partners.

Fact Sheets and Additional information Regarding the 2012 Particulate Matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Find tools for particulate matter, maps of nonattainment areas, an overview of the proposal, and information on designations, monitoring and permitting requirements and a presentation on the 2012 PM NAAQS revision.

Assessment of soil quality index for wheat and sugar beet cropping systems on an entisol in Central Anatolia.

PubMed

Şeker, Cevdet; Özaytekin, Hasan Hüseyin; Negiş, Hamza; Gümüş, İlknur; Dedeoğlu, Mert; Atmaca, Emel; Karaca, Ümmühan

2017-04-01

The sustainable use of agricultural lands is significantly affected by the implemented management and land processing methods. In sugar beet and wheat cropping, because the agronomic characteristics of plants are different, the tillage methods applied also exhibit significant variability. Soil quality concept is used, as a holistic approach to determining the effects of these applications on the sustainable use of soil. Agricultural soil quality evaluation is essential for economic success and environmental stability in rapidly developing regions. At present, a variety of methods are used to evaluate soil quality using different indicators. This study was conducted in one of the most important irrigated agriculture areas of Çumra plain in Central Anatolia, Turkey. In the soil under sugar beet and wheat cultivation, 12 soil quality indicators (aggregate stability (AS), available water capacity (AWC), surface penetration resistance (PR 0-20 ), subsurface penetration resistance (PR 20-40 ), organic matter (OM), active carbon (AC), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), root health value (RHV), pH, available phosphorus (AP), potassium (K), and macro-micro elements (ME) (Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn)) were measured and scored according to the Cornell Soil Health Assessment (CSHA) and the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF). The differences among 8 (AS, AWC, PR 0-20 , PR 20-40 , AC, PMN, AP, and ME) of these 12 soil quality characteristics measured in two different plant cultivation were found statistically significant. The result of the soil quality evaluation with scoring function in the examined area revealed a soil quality score of 61.46 in the wheat area and of 51.20 in the sugar beet area, which can be classified as medium and low, respectively. Low soil quality scores especially depend on physical and biological soil properties. Therefore, improvement of soil physical and biological properties with sustainable management is necessary to enhance the soil quality in the study area soils.

Dark matter annihilation at the galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linden, Tim

Observations by the WMAP and PLANCK satellites have provided extraordinarily accurate observations on the densities of baryonic matter, dark matter, and dark energy in the universe. These observations indicate that our universe is composed of approximately five times as much dark matter as baryonic matter. However, efforts to detect a particle responsible for the energy density of dark matter have been unsuccessful. Theoretical models have indicated that a leading candidate for the dark matter is the lightest supersymmetric particle, which may be stable due to a conserved R-parity. This dark matter particle would still be capable of interacting with baryons via weak-force interactions in the early universe, a process which was found to naturally explain the observed relic abundance of dark matter today. These residual annihilations can persist, albeit at a much lower rate, in the present universe, providing a detectable signal from dark matter annihilation events which occur throughout the universe. Simulations calculating the distribution of dark matter in our galaxy almost universally predict the galactic center of the Milky Way Galaxy (GC) to provide the brightest signal from dark matter annihilation due to its relative proximity and large simulated dark matter density. Recent advances in telescope technology have allowed for the first multiwavelength analysis of the GC, with suitable effective exposure, angular resolution, and energy resolution in order to detect dark matter particles with properties similar to those predicted by the WIMP miracle. In this work, I describe ongoing efforts which have successfully detected an excess in gamma-ray emission from the region immediately surrounding the GC, which is difficult to describe in terms of standard diffuse emission predicted in the GC region. While the jury is still out on any dark matter interpretation of this excess, I describe several related observations which may indicate a dark matter origin. Finally, I discuss the role of future telescopes in differentiating a dark matter model from astrophysical emission.

Microbial-meiofaunal interrelationships in coastal sediments of the Red Sea.

PubMed

El-Serehy, Hamed A; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A; Al-Misned, Fahad A; Al-Talasat, Abdul Allah R; Gewik, Mohamed M

2016-05-01

Population density and biomass of bacteria and meiofauna were investigated seasonally in the sediments of the north-western bank of Red Sea. Samples of sediments were collected seasonally from three different stations to determine microphytobenthic biomass (chlorophyll a), protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and total organic matter concentrations. These investigations revealed that microbial components tended to increase their dominancy, whereas sensitive meiofauna were extremely reduced during the entire study period. Thus a very low density of the total meiofauna (with an annual average of 109 ± 26 ind./10 cm(2)) was recorded whilst the benthic microbial population densities exhibited higher values (ranging from 0.31 ± 0.02 × 10(8) to 43.67 ± 18.62 × 10(8)/g dry sediment). These changes in the relative importance analysis of benthic microbial components versus meiofaunal ones seem to be based on the impact of organic matter accumulation on the function and structure of these benthic communities. Proteins, lipids and carbohydrates showed very low concentration values, and the organic matter mostly consisted of carbohydrates, reflecting lower nutritional values for benthic fauna in general and meiofauna in particular. The distribution of microbial and meiofaunal communities seems to be dependent on the quality of the organic matter rather than on its quantity. Total organic matter concentrations varied between 5.8 and 7.6 mg/g, with organic carbon accounting for only 32% of the total organic matter. Chlorophyll a attained very low values, fluctuating between 0.11 and 0.56 μg/g, indicating the oligotrophy of the studied area. The very low concentration of chlorophyll a in the Red Sea sediment suggests that the sedimentary organic matter, heterotrophic bacteria and/or protozoa constitute an alternative resource that is consumed by meiofauna when algae are less abundant. Protozoa, therefore, represent the "missing link in bacteria-meiofauna interaction in the Red Sea marine sediment ecosystem.

Visual soil evaluation - future research requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emmet-Booth, Jeremy; Forristal, Dermot; Fenton, Owen; Ball, Bruce; Holden, Nick

2017-04-01

A review of Visual Soil Evaluation (VSE) techniques (Emmet-Booth et al., 2016) highlighted their established utility for soil quality assessment, though some limitations were identified; (1) The examination of aggregate size, visible intra-porosity and shape forms a key assessment criterion in almost all methods, thus limiting evaluation to structural form. The addition of criteria that holistically examine structure may be desirable. For example, structural stability can be indicated using dispersion tests or examining soil surface crusting, while the assessment of soil colour may indirectly indicate soil organic matter content, a contributor to stability. Organic matter assessment may also indicate structural resilience, along with rooting, earthworm numbers or shrinkage cracking. (2) Soil texture may influence results or impeded method deployment. Modification of procedures to account for extreme texture variation is desirable. For example, evidence of compaction in sandy or single grain soils greatly differs to that in clayey soils. Some procedures incorporate separate classification systems or adjust deployment based on texture. (3) Research into impacts of soil moisture content on VSE evaluation criteria is required. Criteria such as rupture resistance and shape may be affected by moisture content. It is generally recommended that methods are deployed on moist soils and quantification of influences of moisture variation on results is necessary. (4) Robust sampling strategies for method deployment are required. Dealing with spatial variation differs between methods, but where methods can be deployed over large areas, clear instruction on sampling is required. Additionally, as emphasis has been placed on the agricultural production of soil, so the ability of VSE for exploring structural quality in terms of carbon storage, water purification and biodiversity support also requires research. References Emmet-Booth, J.P., Forristal. P.D., Fenton, O., Ball, B.C. & Holden, N.M. 2016. A review of visual soil evaluation techniques for soil structure. Soil Use and Management, 32, 623-634.

Changes in water extractable organic matter during incubation of forest floor material in the presence of quartz, goethite and gibbsite surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckman, Katherine; Vazquez-Ortega, Angelica; Gao, Xiaodong; Chorover, Jon; Rasmussen, Craig

2011-08-01

The release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from forest floor material constitutes a significant flux of C to the mineral soil in temperate forest ecosystems, with estimates on the order of 120-500 kg C ha -1 year -1. Interaction of DOM with minerals and metals results in sorptive fractionation and stabilization of OM within the soil profile. Iron and aluminum oxides, in particular, have a significant effect on the quantity and quality of DOM transported through forest soils due to their high surface area and the toxic effects of dissolved aluminum on microbial communities. We directly examined these interactions by incubating forest floor material, including native microbiota, for 154 days in the presence of (1) goethite (α-FeOOH), (2) gibbsite (γ-Al(OH) 3), and (3) quartz (α-SiO 2) sand (as a control). Changes in molecular and thermal properties of water extractable organic matter (WEOM, as a proxy for DOM) were evaluated. WEOM was harvested on days 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 154, and examined by thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy. Results indicated significant differences in WEOM quality among treatments, though the way in which oxide surfaces influenced WEOM properties did not seem to change significantly with increasing incubation time. Dissolved organic C concentrations were significantly lower in WEOM from the oxide treatments in comparison to the control treatment. Incubation with goethite produced WEOM with mid-to-high-range thermal lability that was depleted in both protein and fatty acids relative to the control. The average enthalpy of WEOM from the goethite treatment was significantly higher than either the gibbsite or control treatment, suggesting that interaction with goethite surfaces increases the energy content of WEOM. Incubation with gibbsite produced WEOM rich in thermally recalcitrant and carboxyl-rich compounds in comparison to the control treatment. These data indicate that interaction of WEOM with oxide surfaces significantly influences the composition of WEOM and that oxides play an important role in determining the biogeochemistry of forest soil DOM.

Sleep Duration and White Matter Quality in Middle-Aged Adults

PubMed Central

Yaffe, Kristine; Nasrallah, Ilya; Hoang, Tina D.; Lauderdale, Diane S.; Knutson, Kristen L.; Carnethon, Mercedes R.; Launer, Lenore J.; Lewis, Cora E.; Sidney, Stephen

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Sleep duration has been associated with risk of dementia and stroke, but few studies have investigated the relationship between sleep duration and brain MRI measures, particularly in middle age. Methods: In a prospective cohort of 613 black and white adults (mean age = 45.4 years) enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, participants reported typical sleep duration, dichotomized into moderate sleep duration (> 6 to ≤ 8 h) and short sleep duration (≤ 6 h) at baseline (2005–2006). Five years later, we obtained brain MRI markers of white matter including fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and white matter hyperintensities. Results: Compared to moderate sleepers, short sleepers had an elevated ratio of white matter hyperintensities to normal tissue in the parietal region (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.47, 3.61) adjusted for age, race/sex, education, hypertension, stroke/TIA, depression, smoking status, and physical activity. White matter diffusivity was also higher, approximately a 0.2 standard deviation difference, in frontal, parietal, and temporal white matter regions, among those reporting shorter sleep duration in (P < 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Short sleep duration was associated with worse markers of white matter integrity in midlife. These mid-life differences in white matter may underlie the link between poor sleep and risk of dementia and stroke. Citation: Yaffe K, Nasrallah I, Hoang TD, Lauderdale DS, Knutson KL, Carnethon MR, Launer LJ, Lewis CE, Sidney S. Sleep duration and white matter quality in middle-aged adults. SLEEP 2016;39(9):1743–1747. PMID:27397561

What matters most for end-of-life care? Perspectives from community-based palliative care providers and administrators

PubMed Central

Mistry, Bina; Bainbridge, Daryl; Bryant, Deanna; Tan Toyofuku, Sue; Seow, Hsien

2015-01-01

Objectives There has been little research conducted to understand the essential meaning of quality, community-based, end-of-life (EOL) care, despite the expansion of these services. The purpose of this study was to define what matters most for EOL care from the perspective of a diverse range of palliative care providers in the community who have daily encounters with death and dying. Methods We used interviews to explore the perceptions of providers and administrators from 14 specialised palliative care teams in Ontario, Canada. Participants were prompted with the question ‘What matters most for EOL care?’ Responses were analysed using a phenomenological approach to derive themes depicting the universal essence of EOL care. Results Data from 107 respondents were obtained and analysed, from which 40 formulated concepts emerged; these were further grouped into 9 themes. Of the respondents, 39% were nurses, 19% physicians, 27% were supervisors or executives and 15% other. The most predominate concept was that Patient's Wishes are Fulfilled, cited by almost half the respondents. The most prominent themes were Addressing the Non-physical Needs, Healthcare Teams’ Nature of Palliative Care Delivery, Patient Wishes are Honoured, Addressing the Physical Needs, Preparing for and Accepting Death, Communication and Relationship Development, and Involving and Supporting the Family. Conclusions 9 critical domains of EOL care evolved from the interviews, indicating that quality EOL care extends beyond managing physical pain, but includes a holistic perspective of care, a healthcare team dedicated to the EOL journey and a patient-centred pathway. Tailoring the provision of care to consider these important elements plays a critical role in supporting a positive EOL experience for patients and families. PMID:26124510

Particulate Organic Matter Affects Soil Nitrogen Mineralization under Two Crop Rotation Systems

PubMed Central

Bu, Rongyan; Lu, Jianwei; Ren, Tao; Liu, Bo; Li, Xiaokun; Cong, Rihuan

2015-01-01

Changes in the quantity and/or quality of soil labile organic matter between and after different types of cultivation system could play a dominant role in soil nitrogen (N) mineralization. The quantity and quality of particulate organic matter (POM) and potentially mineralizable-N (PMN) contents were measured in soils from 16 paired rice-rapeseed (RR)/cotton-rapeseed (CR) rotations sites in Hubei province, central China. Then four paired soils encompassing low (10th percentile), intermediate (25th and 75th percentiles), and high (90th percentile) levels of soil PMN were selected to further study the effects of POM on soil N mineralization by quantifying the net N mineralization in original soils and soils from which POM was removed. Both soil POM carbon (POM-C) and N (POM-N) contents were 45.8% and 55.8% higher under the RR rotation compared to the CR rotation, respectively. The PMN contents were highly correlated with the POM contents. The PMN and microbial biomass N (MBN) contents concurrently and significantly decreased when POM was removed. The reduction rate of PMN was positively correlated with changes in MBN after the removal of POM. The reduction rates of PMN and MBN after POM removal are lower under RR rotations (38.0% and 16.3%, respectively) than CR rotations (45.6% and 19.5%, respectively). Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy indicated that compounds with low-bioavailability accumulated (e.g., aromatic recalcitrant materials) in the soil POM fraction under the RR rotation but not under the CR rotation. The results of the present study demonstrated that POM plays a vital role in soil N mineralization under different rotation systems. The discrepancy between POM content and composition resulting from different crop rotation systems caused differences in N mineralization in soils. PMID:26647157

Particulate Organic Matter Affects Soil Nitrogen Mineralization under Two Crop Rotation Systems.

PubMed

Bu, Rongyan; Lu, Jianwei; Ren, Tao; Liu, Bo; Li, Xiaokun; Cong, Rihuan

2015-01-01

Changes in the quantity and/or quality of soil labile organic matter between and after different types of cultivation system could play a dominant role in soil nitrogen (N) mineralization. The quantity and quality of particulate organic matter (POM) and potentially mineralizable-N (PMN) contents were measured in soils from 16 paired rice-rapeseed (RR)/cotton-rapeseed (CR) rotations sites in Hubei province, central China. Then four paired soils encompassing low (10th percentile), intermediate (25th and 75th percentiles), and high (90th percentile) levels of soil PMN were selected to further study the effects of POM on soil N mineralization by quantifying the net N mineralization in original soils and soils from which POM was removed. Both soil POM carbon (POM-C) and N (POM-N) contents were 45.8% and 55.8% higher under the RR rotation compared to the CR rotation, respectively. The PMN contents were highly correlated with the POM contents. The PMN and microbial biomass N (MBN) contents concurrently and significantly decreased when POM was removed. The reduction rate of PMN was positively correlated with changes in MBN after the removal of POM. The reduction rates of PMN and MBN after POM removal are lower under RR rotations (38.0% and 16.3%, respectively) than CR rotations (45.6% and 19.5%, respectively). Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy indicated that compounds with low-bioavailability accumulated (e.g., aromatic recalcitrant materials) in the soil POM fraction under the RR rotation but not under the CR rotation. The results of the present study demonstrated that POM plays a vital role in soil N mineralization under different rotation systems. The discrepancy between POM content and composition resulting from different crop rotation systems caused differences in N mineralization in soils.

Modeling reactive ammonia uptake by secondary organic aerosol in CMAQ: application to the continental US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shupeng; Horne, Jeremy R.; Montoya-Aguilera, Julia; Hinks, Mallory L.; Nizkorodov, Sergey A.; Dabdub, Donald

2018-03-01

Ammonium salts such as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate constitute an important fraction of the total fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass. While the conversion of inorganic gases into particulate-phase sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium is now well understood, there is considerable uncertainty over interactions between gas-phase ammonia and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Observations have confirmed that ammonia can react with carbonyl compounds in SOA, forming nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs). This chemistry consumes gas-phase NH3 and may therefore affect the amount of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate in particulate matter (PM) as well as particle acidity. In order to investigate the importance of such reactions, a first-order loss rate for ammonia onto SOA was implemented into the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model based on the ammonia uptake coefficients reported in the literature. Simulations over the continental US were performed for the winter and summer of 2011 with a range of uptake coefficients (10-3-10-5). Simulation results indicate that a significant reduction in gas-phase ammonia may be possible due to its uptake onto SOA; domain-averaged ammonia concentrations decrease by 31.3 % in the winter and 67.0 % in the summer with the highest uptake coefficient (10-3). As a result, the concentration of particulate matter is also significantly affected, with a distinct spatial pattern over different seasons. PM concentrations decreased during the winter, largely due to the reduction in ammonium nitrate concentrations. On the other hand, PM concentrations increased during the summer due to increased biogenic SOA (BIOSOA) production resulting from enhanced acid-catalyzed uptake of isoprene-derived epoxides. Since ammonia emissions are expected to increase in the future, it is important to include NH3 + SOA chemistry in air quality models.

Air quality status of an open pit mining area in India.

PubMed

Chaulya, S K

2005-06-01

This investigation presents the assessment of ambient air quality carried out at an open pit coal mining area in Orissa state of India. The 24-h average concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM), respirable particulate matter (RPM, particles of less than 10 microm aerodynamic diameter), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) were determined at regular interval throughout one year at 13 monitoring stations in residential area and four stations in mining/industrial area. During the study period, the 24-h and annual average SPM and RPM concentrations exceeded the respective standards set in the Indian ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) protocol in most of the residential and industrial areas. However, the 24-h and annual average concentrations of SO2 and NO(x) were well within the prescribed limit of the NAAQS in both residential and industrial areas. A management strategy is formulated for effective control of particulate matter at source and other mitigative measures are recommended including implementation of green belts around the sensitive areas.

Particulate Matter Levels in Ambient Air Adjacent to Industrial Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, R. M. S. R.; Nizam, N. M. S.; Al-Gheethi, A. A.; Lajis, A.; Kassim, A. H. M.

2016-07-01

Air quality in the residential areas adjacent to the industrial regions is of great concern due to the association with human health risks. In this work, the concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) in the ambient air of UTHM campus was investigated tostudy the air qualityand their compliance to the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (AAQG). The PM10 samples were taken over 24 hours from the most significant area at UTHM including Stadium, KolejKediamanTunDr. Ismail (KKTDI) and MakmalBahan. The meteorological parameters; temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction as well as particulate matterwere estimated by using E-Sampler Particulate Matter (PM10) Collector. The highest concentrations of PM10 (55.56 µg/m3) was recorded at MakmalBahan during the working and weekend days. However, these concentrations are less than 150 pg/m3. It can be concluded that although UTHM is surrounded by the industrial area, the air quality in the campus still within the standards limits.

15 CFR 996.30 - Use of the NOAA emblem.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Other Quality Assurance Program Matters § 996.30 Use of the...

Air Quality Index (AQI) -- A Guide to Air Quality and Your Health

MedlinePlus

... Guide for Ozone Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution Other AirNow Publications Other AirNow Publications En Español ... the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur ...

New insights into the source of decadal increase in chemical oxygen demand associated with dissolved organic carbon in Dianchi Lake.

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Yang, Feng; Li, Yanping; Wang, Shengrui

2017-12-15

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) can be used an alternative index of water quality instead of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to reflect the organic pollution in water. The monitoring data of water quality in a long-term (1990-2013) from Dianchi Lake confirmed the increase trend of COD concentration in the lake since 2007. The similarities and differences in the DOC components between the lake and its sources and the contribution from allochthonous and autochthonous DOC to the total DOC in this lake were determined to elucidate the reason of COD increase based on C/N atomic ratios, stable isotope abundance of carbon and nitrogen, UV-visible spectroscopy, three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. The terrigenous organic matter showed humic-like fluorescence, and the autochthonous organic matter showed tryptophan-like components. Agricultural runoff (9.5%), leaf litter (7.5%) and urban runoff (13.2%) were the main sources of DOC in the lake. Sewage tail was a major source of organic materials, 3DEEM for the indicates that sewage tail DOC composition did not change markedly over the biodegradation period, indicating that sewage tail contains a high load of DOC that is resistant to further biodegradation and subsequently accumulates in the lake. The change of land use in the catchment and the increase of sewage tail load into the lake are the key factors for the increase in COD concentration in Dianchi Lake. Thus, the lake should be protected by controlling the pollution from the urban nonpoint sources and refractory composition in point sources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An ecosystem approach to assess soil quality in organically and conventionally managed farms in Iceland and Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Leeuwen, J. P.; Lehtinen, T.; Lair, G. J.; Bloem, J.; Hemerik, L.; Ragnarsdóttir, K. V.; Gísladóttir, G.; Newton, J. S.; de Ruiter, P. C.

2014-06-01

Intensive agricultural production can be an important driver for the loss of long-term soil quality. For this reason, the European Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) network adopted four pairs of agricultural CZO sites that differ in their management: conventional or organic. The CZO sites include two pairs of grassland farms in Iceland and two pairs of arable farms in Austria. Conventional fields differed from the organic fields in the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Soils of these eight farms were analysed in terms of their physical, chemical, and biological properties, including soil aggregate size distribution, soil organic matter contents, abundance of soil microbes and soil fauna, and taxonomic diversity of soil microarthropods. In Icelandic grasslands, organically farmed soils had larger mean weight diameters than the conventional farms, while there were no differences in the Austrian farms. Organic farming did neither systematically influence organic matter contents or composition, nor soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Also soil food web structures, in terms of presence of trophic groups of soil organisms, were highly similar among all farms, indicating a low sensitivity of trophic structure to land use or climate. However, soil organism biomass, especially of bacteria and nematodes, was consistently higher in organic farms than in conventional farms. Within the microarthropods, also taxonomic diversity was systematically higher in the organic farms compared to the conventional farms. This difference was found across countries, farm-, crop- and soil-types. The results do not show systematic differences in physical and chemical properties between organic and conventional farms, but confirm that organic farming can enhance soil organism biomass, and that microarthropod diversity is a sensitive and consistent indicator for land management.

An ecosystem approach to assess soil quality in organically and conventionally managed farms in Iceland and Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Leeuwen, J. P.; Lehtinen, T.; Lair, G. J.; Bloem, J.; Hemerik, L.; Ragnarsdóttir, K. V.; Gísladóttir, G.; Newton, J. S.; de Ruiter, P. C.

2015-01-01

Intensive agricultural production can be an important driver for the loss of long-term soil quality. For this reason, the European Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) network adopted four pairs of agricultural CZO sites that differ in their management: conventional or organic. The CZO sites include two pairs of grassland farms in Iceland and two pairs of arable farms in Austria. Conventional fields differed from the organic fields in the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Soils of these eight farms were analysed in terms of their physical, chemical, and biological properties, including soil aggregate size distribution, soil organic matter contents, abundance of soil microbes and soil fauna, and taxonomic diversity of soil microarthropods. In Icelandic grasslands, organically farmed soils had larger mean weight diameters of soil aggregates than the conventional farms, while there were no differences on the Austrian farms. Organic farming did not systematically influence organic matter contents or composition, nor soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Also, soil food web structures, in terms of presence of trophic groups of soil organisms, were highly similar among all farms, indicating a low sensitivity of trophic structure to land use or climate. However, soil organism biomass, especially of bacteria and nematodes, was consistently higher on organic farms than on conventional farms. Within the microarthropods, taxonomic diversity was systematically higher in the organic farms compared to the conventional farms. This difference was found across countries and farm, crop, and soil types. The results do not show systematic differences in physical and chemical properties between organic and conventional farms, but confirm that organic farming can enhance soil biomass and that microarthropod diversity is a sensitive and consistent indicator for land management.

Neurocognitive Correlates of White Matter Quality in Adolescent Substance Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bava, Sunita; Jacobus, Joanna; Mahmood, Omar; Yang, Tony T.; Tapert, Susan F.

2010-01-01

Background: Progressive myelination during adolescence implicates an increased vulnerability to neurotoxic substances and enduring neurocognitive consequences. This study examined the cognitive manifestations of altered white matter microstructure in chronic marijuana and alcohol-using (MJ + ALC) adolescents. Methods: Thirty-six MJ + ALC…

The Potential Applications of Real-Time Monitoring of Water Quality in a Large Shallow Lake (Lake Taihu, China) Using a Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Fluorescence Sensor

PubMed Central

Niu, Cheng; Zhang, Yunlin; Zhou, Yongqiang; Shi, Kun; Liu, Xiaohan; Qin, Boqiang

2014-01-01

This study presents results from field surveys performed over various seasons in a large, eutrophic, shallow lake (Lake Taihu, China) using an in situ chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence sensor as a surrogate for other water quality parameters. These measurements identified highly significant empirical relationships between CDOM concentration measured using the in situ fluorescence sensor and CDOM absorption, fluorescence, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. CDOM concentration expressed in quinine sulfate equivalent units, was highly correlated with the CDOM absorption coefficient (r2 = 0.80, p < 0.001), fluorescence intensities (Ex./Em. 370/460 nm) (r2 = 0.91, p < 0.001), the fluorescence index (r2 = 0.88, p < 0.001) and the humification index (r2 = 0.78, p < 0.001), suggesting that CDOM concentration measured using the in situ fluorescence sensor could act as a substitute for the CDOM absorption coefficient and fluorescence measured in the laboratory. Similarly, CDOM concentration was highly correlated with DOC concentration (r2 = 0.68, p < 0.001), indicating that in situ CDOM fluorescence sensor measurements could be a proxy for DOC concentration. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between laboratory CDOM absorption coefficients and COD (r2 = 0.83, p < 0.001), TP (r2 = 0.82, p < 0.001) concentrations, suggesting a potential further application for the real-time monitoring of water quality using an in situ CDOM fluorescence sensor. PMID:24984060

The potential applications of real-time monitoring of water quality in a large shallow lake (Lake Taihu, China) using a chromophoric dissolved organic matter fluorescence sensor.

PubMed

Niu, Cheng; Zhang, Yunlin; Zhou, Yongqiang; Shi, Kun; Liu, Xiaohan; Qin, Boqiang

2014-06-30

This study presents results from field surveys performed over various seasons in a large, eutrophic, shallow lake (Lake Taihu, China) using an in situ chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence sensor as a surrogate for other water quality parameters. These measurements identified highly significant empirical relationships between CDOM concentration measured using the in situ fluorescence sensor and CDOM absorption, fluorescence, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. CDOM concentration expressed in quinine sulfate equivalent units, was highly correlated with the CDOM absorption coefficient (r(2) = 0.80, p < 0.001), fluorescence intensities (Ex./Em. 370/460 nm) (r(2) = 0.91, p < 0.001), the fluorescence index (r(2) = 0.88, p < 0.001) and the humification index (r(2) = 0.78, p < 0.001), suggesting that CDOM concentration measured using the in situ fluorescence sensor could act as a substitute for the CDOM absorption coefficient and fluorescence measured in the laboratory. Similarly, CDOM concentration was highly correlated with DOC concentration (r(2) = 0.68, p < 0.001), indicating that in situ CDOM fluorescence sensor measurements could be a proxy for DOC concentration. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between laboratory CDOM absorption coefficients and COD (r(2) = 0.83, p < 0.001), TP (r(2) = 0.82, p < 0.001) concentrations, suggesting a potential further application for the real-time monitoring of water quality using an in situ CDOM fluorescence sensor.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Longgao; Yang, Xiaoyan; School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116

The implementation of land use planning (LUP) has a large impact on environmental quality. There lacks a widely accepted and consolidated approach to assess the LUP environmental impact using Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). In this paper, we developed a state-impact-state (SIS) model employed in the LUP environmental impact assessment (LUPEA). With the usage of Matter-element (ME) and Extenics method, the methodology based on the SIS model was established and applied in the LUPEA of Zoucheng County, China. The results show that: (1) this methodology provides an intuitive and easy understanding logical model for both the theoretical analysis and application ofmore » LUPEA; (2) the spatial multi-temporal assessment from base year, near-future year to planning target year suggests the positive impact on the environmental quality in the whole County despite certain environmental degradation in some towns; (3) besides the spatial assessment, other achievements including the environmental elements influenced by land use and their weights, the identification of key indicators in LUPEA, and the appropriate environmental mitigation measures were obtained; and (4) this methodology can be used to achieve multi-temporal assessment of LUP environmental impact of County or Town level in other areas. - Highlights: • A State-Impact-State model for Land Use Planning Environmental Assessment (LUPEA). • Matter-element (ME) and Extenics methods were embedded in the LUPEA. • The model was applied to the LUPEA of Zoucheng County. • The assessment shows improving environment quality since 2000 in Zoucheng County. • The method provides a useful tool for the LUPEA in the county level.« less

Regional variation in the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition in China's forests and grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuan; He, Nianpeng

2017-04-01

How to assess the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and its regional variation with high accuracy is one of the largest uncertainties in determining the intensity and direction of the global carbon (C) cycle in response to climate change. In this study, we collected a series of soils from 22 forest sites and 30 grassland sites across China to explore regional variation in Q10 and its underlying mechanisms. We conducted a novel incubation experiment with periodically changing temperature (5-30 °C), while continuously measuring soil microbial respiration rates. The results showed that Q10 varied significantly across different ecosystems, ranging from 1.16 to 3.19 (mean 1.63). Q10 was ordered as follows: alpine grasslands (2.01) > temperate grasslands (1.81) > tropical forests (1.59) > temperate forests (1.55) > subtropical forests (1.52). The Q10 of grasslands (1.90) was significantly higher than that of forests (1.54). Furthermore, Q10 significantly increased with increasing altitude and decreased with increasing longitude. Environmental variables and substrate properties together explained 52% of total variation in Q10 across all sites. Overall, pH and soil electrical conductivity primarily explained spatial variation in Q10. The general negative relationships between Q10 and substrate quality among all ecosystem types supported the C quality temperature (CQT) hypothesis at a large scale, which indicated that soils with low quality should have higher temperature sensitivity. Furthermore, alpine grasslands, which had the highest Q10, were predicted to be more sensitive to climate change under the scenario of global warming.

Regional Variation in the Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Organic Matter Decomposition in China's Forests and Grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; He, N.; Zhu, J.; Yu, G.; Xu, L.; Niu, S.; Sun, X.; Wen, X.

2017-12-01

How to assess the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and its regional variation with high accuracy is one of the largest uncertainties in determining the intensity and direction of the global carbon (C) cycle in response to climate change. In this study, we collected a series of soils from 22 forest sites and 30 grassland sites across China to explore regional variation in Q10 and its underlying mechanisms. We conducted a novel incubation experiment with periodically changing temperature (5-30 °C), while continuously measuring soil microbial respiration rates. The results showed that Q10 varied significantly across different ecosystems, ranging from 1.16 to 3.19 (mean 1.63). Q10 was ordered as follows: alpine grasslands (2.01) > temperate grasslands (1.81) > tropical forests (1.59) > temperate forests (1.55) > subtropical forests (1.52). The Q10 of grasslands (1.90) was significantly higher than that of forests (1.54). Furthermore, Q10 significantly increased with increasing altitude and decreased with increasing longitude. Environmental variables and substrate properties together explained 52% of total variation in Q10 across all sites. Overall, pH and soil electrical conductivity primarily explained spatial variation in Q10. The general negative relationships between Q10 and substrate quality among all ecosystem types supported the C quality temperature (CQT) hypothesis at a large scale, which indicated that soils with low quality should have higher temperature sensitivity. Furthermore, alpine grasslands, which had the highest Q10, were predicted to be more sensitive to climate change under the scenario of global warming.

Sources of atmospheric aerosols in Ankara (Turkey) atmosphere

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuncel, S.G.; Yatin, M.; Aras, N.K.

1996-12-31

Ankara was heavily polluted owing to combustion of coal and fuel oil for space heating. Air quality over the city improved after 1993 due to use of low sulfur coal and natural gas for residential heating. These regulatory actions resulted in a dramatic decrease in SO{sub 2} concentrations measured in the air quality network, after 1990. Although concentration of particulate matter also decreased in the same period, the decrease was not as dramatic as that observed in SO{sub 2} concentrations, suggesting that sources other than space heating also contribute on observed aerosol concentrations. Currently, the concentrations of suspended particles aremore » slightly below the air quality standards effective in Turkey. A better source receptor relation must be established to reduce atmospheric levels of particulate matter. In this study, sources contributing to the observed levels of particles was determined through a receptor modeling approach. Factors controlling the observed concentrations of elements and ions were determined by relating their concentrations, to source strengths and determined by relating their concentrations, to source strengths and meteorological parameters. Residential heating was found out to be the main source of anthropogenic elements in Ankara. In the second part of the study, sources contributing on observed concentrations of elements were determined by a principal component analysis and relative contribution of each source were determined by Chemical Mass Balance study. The results indicated that, the airborne soil is the most important source of aerosol in the Ankara atmosphere during summer season, but emissions from coal combustion dominates aerosol mass during winter months.« less

The Effectiveness of the Higher Education Quality Assessment System: Problems and Countermeasures in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guangli, Zhou

2016-01-01

The effectiveness of the higher education quality assessment system is essentially a matter of policy evaluation. On the macro level, such a system refers to external quality assessment, which includes government evaluation, quality certification, and university rankings. Depending on the degree of government intervention, the external quality…

78 FR 900 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Alaska: Eagle River PM10

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-07

...-7] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Alaska: Eagle River PM 10... National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less... under section 110 and part D of the CAA? D. Has the State demonstrated that the air quality improvement...

Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costantini, E. A. C.; Branquinho, C.; Nunes, A.; Schwilch, G.; Stavi, I.; Valdecantos, A.; Zucca, C.

2015-12-01

Soil indicators may be used for assessing both land suitability for restoration and the effectiveness of restoration strategies in restoring ecosystem functioning and services. In this review paper, several soil indicators, which can be used to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, are discussed. The selected indicators represent the different viewpoints of pedology, ecology, hydrology, and land management. The recovery of soil capacity to provide ecosystem services is primarily obtained by increasing soil rooting depth and volume, and augmenting water accessibility for vegetation. Soil characteristics can be used either as indicators of suitability, that is, inherently slow-changing soil qualities, or as indicators for modifications, namely dynamic, thus "manageable" soil qualities. Soil organic matter forms, as well as biochemistry, micro- and meso-biology, are among the most utilized dynamic indicators. On broader territorial scales, the Landscape Function Analysis uses a functional approach, where the effectiveness of restoration strategies is assessed by combining the analysis of spatial pattern of vegetation with qualitative soil indicators. For more holistic and comprehensive projects, effective strategies to combat desertification should integrate soil indicators with biophysical and socio-economic evaluation and include participatory approaches. The integrated assessment protocol of Sustainable Land Management developed by the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies network is thoroughly discussed. Two overall outcomes stem from the review: (i) the success of restoration projects relies on a proper understanding of their ecology, namely the relationships between soil, plants, hydrology, climate, and land management at different scales, which is particularly complex due to the heterogeneous pattern of ecosystems functioning in drylands, and (ii) the selection of the most suitable soil indicators follows a clear identification of the different and sometimes competing ecosystem services that the project is aimed at restoring.

A Formal Integrity Framework with Application to a Secure Information ATM (SIATM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

work on Integrity and resultant implementations seems to have focussed more on a matters related to source authentication and transmission assurance...to have focussed more on a matters related to source authentication and transmission assurance. However, the quality of data aspect is becoming more...implementations seems to have focussed more on matters related to source authentication and transmission assur- ance, for which there is a

Multi-faceted monitoring of estuarine turbidity and particulate matter provenance: Case study from Salem Harbor, USA.

PubMed

Hubeny, J Bradford; Kenney, Melanie; Warren, Barbara; Louisos, Jeremy

2017-01-01

Turbidity is a water quality parameter that is known to adversely affect aquatic systems, however the causes of turbid water are often elusive. We present results of a study designed to constrain the source of particulate matter in a coastal embayment that has suffered from increased turbidity over past decades. Our approach utilized monitoring buoys to quantify turbidity at high temporal resolution complemented by geochemical isotope analysis of suspended sediment samples and meteorological data. Results reveal a complex system in which multiple sources are associated with particulate matter. Weight of evidence demonstrates that phytoplankton productivity in the water column, however, is the dominant source of particulate matter associated with elevated turbidity in Salem Harbor, Massachusetts. Allochthonous matter from the watershed was observed to mix into the pool of suspended particulate matter near river mouths, especially in spring and summer. Resuspension of harbor surface sediments likely provides additional particulates in the regions of boat moorings, especially during summer when recreational boats are attached to moorings. Our approach allows us to constrain the causes of turbidity events in this embayment, is helping with conservation efforts of environmental quality in the region, and can be used as a template for other locations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Image quality and radiation dose of brain computed tomography in children: effects of decreasing tube voltage from 120 kVp to 80 kVp.

PubMed

Park, Ji Eun; Choi, Young Hun; Cheon, Jung-Eun; Kim, Woo Sun; Kim, In-One; Cho, Hyun Suk; Ryu, Young Jin; Kim, Yu Jin

2017-05-01

Computed tomography (CT) has generated public concern associated with radiation exposure, especially for children. Lowering the tube voltage is one strategy to reduce radiation dose. To assess the image quality and radiation dose of non-enhanced brain CT scans acquired at 80 kilo-voltage peak (kVp) compared to those at 120 kVp in children. Thirty children who had undergone both 80- and 120-kVp non-enhanced brain CT were enrolled. For quantitative analysis, the mean attenuation of white and gray matter, attenuation difference, noise, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio and posterior fossa artifact index were measured. For qualitative analysis, noise, gray-white matter differentiation, artifact and overall image quality were scored. Radiation doses were evaluated by CT dose index, dose-length product and effective dose. The mean attenuations of gray and white matter and contrast-to-noise ratio were significantly increased at 80 kVp, while parameters related to image noise, i.e. noise, signal-to-noise ratio and posterior fossa artifact index were higher at 80 kVp than at 120 kVp. In qualitative analysis, 80-kVp images showed improved gray-white differentiation but more artifacts compared to 120-kVp images. Subjective image noise and overall image quality scores were similar between the two scans. Radiation dose parameters were significantly lower at 80 kVp than at 120 kVp. In pediatric non-enhanced brain CT scans, a decrease in tube voltage from 120 kVp to 80 kVp resulted in improved gray-white matter contrast, comparable image quality and decreased radiation dose.

A Delphi Study to Examine the Quality Measurement Standards by Online Instructors Using the Quality Matters™ Rubric as a Basis for Creating Instructional Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Quality measurement tools such as the Rubric for Online Instruction (ROI) and Quality Matters (QM) have developed guidelines by providing research based educational criteria for planning, creating, and implementing quality online education courses. This dissertation reviews QM program standards and identifies the primary characteristics of…

Does Status Inconsistency Matter for Marital Quality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gong, Min

2007-01-01

This study tests status inconsistency theory by examining the associations between wives' and husbands' relative statuses--that is, earnings, work-time, occupational, and educational inconsistencies--and marital quality and global happiness. The author asks three questions: (a) Is status inconsistency associated with marital quality and overall…

OVERVIEW OF THE CLIMATE IMPACT ON REGIONAL AIR QUALITY (CIRAQ) PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

The Climate Impacts on Regional Air Quality (CIRAQ) project will develop model-estimated impacts of global climate changes on ozone and particulate matter (PM) in direct support of the USEPA Global Change Research Program's (GCRP) national air quality assessment. EPA's urban/reg...

Assessment of drinking water quality at the tap using fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Heibati, Masoumeh; Stedmon, Colin A; Stenroth, Karolina; Rauch, Sebastien; Toljander, Jonas; Säve-Söderbergh, Melle; Murphy, Kathleen R

2017-11-15

Treated drinking water may become contaminated while travelling in the distribution system on the way to consumers. Elevated dissolved organic matter (DOM) at the tap relative to the water leaving the treatment plant is a potential indicator of contamination, and can be measured sensitively, inexpensively and potentially on-line via fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopy. Detecting elevated DOM requires potential contamination events to be distinguished from natural fluctuations in the system, but how much natural variation to expect in a stable distribution system is unknown. In this study, relationships between DOM optical properties, microbial indicator organisms and trace elements were investigated for households connected to a biologically-stable drinking water distribution system. Across the network, humic-like fluorescence intensities showed limited variation (RSD = 3.5-4.4%), with half of measured variation explained by interactions with copper. After accounting for quenching by copper, fluorescence provided a very stable background signal (RSD < 2.2%) against which a ∼2% infiltration of soil water would be detectable. Smaller infiltrations would be detectable in the case of contamination by sewage with a strong tryptophan-like fluorescence signal. These findings indicate that DOM fluorescence is a sensitive indicator of water quality changes in drinking water networks, as long as potential interferents are taken into account. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Episodic Impacts from California Wildfires Identified in Las Vegas Near-Road Air Quality Monitoring.

PubMed

Kimbrough, Sue; Hays, Michael; Preston, Bill; Vallero, Daniel A; Hagler, Gayle S W

2016-01-05

Air pollutant concentrations near major highways are usually attributed to a combination of nearby traffic emissions and regional background, and generally presumed to be additive in nature. During a near-road measurement study conducted in Las Vegas, NV, the effects of distant wildfires on regional air quality were indicated over a several day period in the summer of 2009. Area-wide elevated particulate levoglucosan (maximum of 0.83 μg/m(3)) and roadside measurements of ultraviolet light-absorbing particulate matter (UVPM) in comparison to black carbon (Delta-C) were apparent over the three-day period. Back-trajectory modeling and satellite images supported the measurement results and indicated the transport of air pollutants from wildfires burning in southern California. Separating roadside measurements under apparent biomass burning event (Delta-C > 1000 ng m(-3)) and nonevent (Delta-C < 1000 ng m(-3)) periods, and constraining to specific days of week, wind speed range, wind direction from the road and traffic volume range, roadside carbon monoxide, black carbon, total particle number count (20-200 nm), and accumulation mode particle number count (100-200 nm) increased by 65%, 146%, 58%, and 366%, respectively, when biomass smoke was indicated. Meanwhile, ultrafine particles (20-100 nm) decreased by 35%. This episode indicates that the presence of aged wildfire smoke may interact with freshly emitted ultrafine particles, resulting in a decrease of particles in the ultrafine mode.

76 FR 15219 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

... of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin and East Kern areas for particulate matter of ten microns or less... for particulate matter of ten microns or less (PM-10) by splitting the area into two separate...

7 CFR 29.6027 - Nested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... INSPECTION Standards Definitions § 29.6027 Nested. Any tobacco which has been loaded, packed, or arranged to conceal foreign matter or tobacco of inferior grade, quality, or condition. Nested includes any lot of tobacco which contains foreign matter or damaged, injured, tangled, or other inferior tobacco, any of...

7 CFR 29.6027 - Nested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... INSPECTION Standards Definitions § 29.6027 Nested. Any tobacco which has been loaded, packed, or arranged to conceal foreign matter or tobacco of inferior grade, quality, or condition. Nested includes any lot of tobacco which contains foreign matter or damaged, injured, tangled, or other inferior tobacco, any of...

7 CFR 29.6027 - Nested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... INSPECTION Standards Definitions § 29.6027 Nested. Any tobacco which has been loaded, packed, or arranged to conceal foreign matter or tobacco of inferior grade, quality, or condition. Nested includes any lot of tobacco which contains foreign matter or damaged, injured, tangled, or other inferior tobacco, any of...

7 CFR 29.6027 - Nested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... INSPECTION Standards Definitions § 29.6027 Nested. Any tobacco which has been loaded, packed, or arranged to conceal foreign matter or tobacco of inferior grade, quality, or condition. Nested includes any lot of tobacco which contains foreign matter or damaged, injured, tangled, or other inferior tobacco, any of...

30 CFR 57.5001 - Exposure limits for airborne contaminants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Air Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter Air Quality-Surface and... contrast microscopy (PCM) using the OSHA Reference Method in OSHA's asbestos standard found in 29 CFR 1910...

Surface tension and wetting properties of rapeseed oil to biofuel conversion by-products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muszyński, Siemowit; Sujak, Agnieszka; Stępniewski, Andrzej; Kornarzyński, Krzysztof; Ejtel, Marta; Kowal, Natalia; Tomczyk-Warunek, Agnieszka; Szcześniak, Emil; Tomczyńska-Mleko, Marta; Mleko, Stanisław

2018-04-01

This work presents a study on the surface tension, density and wetting behaviour of distilled glycerol, technical grade glycerol and the matter organic non-glycerin fraction. The research was conducted to expand the knowledge about the physical properties of wastes from the rapeseed oil biofuel production. The results show that the densities of technical grade glycerol (1.300 g cm-3) and distilled glycerol (1.267 g cm-3) did not differ and were significantly lower than the density of the matter organic non-glycerin fraction (1.579 g cm-3). Furthermore, the surface tension of distilled glycerol (49.6 mN m-1) was significantly higher than the matter organic non-glycerin fraction (32.7 mN m-1) and technical grade glycerol (29.5 mN m-1). As a result, both technical grade glycerol and the matter organic non-glycerin fraction had lower contact angles than distilled glycerol. The examined physical properties of distilled glycerol were found to be very close to that of the commercially available pure glycerol. The results suggest that technical grade glycerol may have potential application in the production of glycerol/fuel blends or biosurfactants. The presented results indicate that surface tension measurements are more useful when examining the quality of biofuel wastes than is density determination, as they allow for a more accurate analysis of the effects of impurities on the physical properties of the biofuel by-products.

Relationship between reactive oxygen species and water-soluble organic compounds: Time-resolved benzene carboxylic acids measurement in the coastal area during the KORUS-AQ campaign.

PubMed

Bae, Min-Suk; Schauer, James J; Lee, Taehyoung; Jeong, Ju-Hee; Kim, Yoo-Keun; Ro, Chul-Un; Song, Sang-Keun; Shon, Zang-Ho

2017-12-01

This study investigated the relationship between water-soluble organic compounds of ambient particulate matter (PM) and cellular redox activity collected from May 28 to June 20 of 2016 at the west coastal site in the Republic of Korea during the KORea-US Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) campaign. Automatic four-hour integrated samples operated at a flow rate of 92 L per minute for the analysis of organic carbon (OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble ions (WSIs), and benzene carboxylic acids (BCAs) were collected on a 47 mm quartz fiber filter. The influence of atmospheric transport processes was assessed by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. OC, EC, WSOC, and BCA were determined by SUNET carbon analyzer, total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS), respectively. Twenty-four-hour integrated samples were collected for reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis using a fluorogenic cell-based method to investigate the main chemical classes of toxicity. The results illustrate that WSOC and specific water-soluble species are associated with the oxidative potential of particulate matter. Pairwise correlation scatterplots between the daily-averaged WSOC and ROS (r 2 of 0.81), and 135-BCA and ROS (r 2 of 0.84), indicate that secondary organic aerosol production was highly associated with ROS activity. In addition, X-ray spectral analysis together with secondary electron images (SEIs) of PM 2.5 particles collected during high ROS concentration events clearly indicate that water-soluble organic aerosols are major contributors to PM 2.5 mass. This study provides insight into the components of particulate matter that are drivers of the oxidative potential of atmospheric particulate matter and potential tracers for this activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Rgb-Based Vegetation Indices from Uav Imagery to Estimate Forage Yield in Grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lussem, U.; Bolten, A.; Gnyp, M. L.; Jasper, J.; Bareth, G.

2018-04-01

Monitoring forage yield throughout the growing season is of key importance to support management decisions on grasslands/pastures. Especially on intensely managed grasslands, where nitrogen fertilizer and/or manure are applied regularly, precision agriculture applications are beneficial to support sustainable, site-specific management decisions on fertilizer treatment, grazing management and yield forecasting to mitigate potential negative impacts. To support these management decisions, timely and accurate information is needed on plant parameters (e.g. forage yield) with a high spatial and temporal resolution. However, in highly heterogeneous plant communities such as grasslands, assessing their in-field variability non-destructively to determine e.g. adequate fertilizer application still remains challenging. Especially biomass/yield estimation, as an important parameter in assessing grassland quality and quantity, is rather laborious. Forage yield (dry or fresh matter) is mostly measured manually with rising plate meters (RPM) or ultrasonic sensors (handheld or mounted on vehicles). Thus the in-field variability cannot be assessed for the entire field or only with potential disturbances. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with consumer grade RGB cameras in-field variability can be assessed by computing RGB-based vegetation indices. In this contribution we want to test and evaluate the robustness of RGB-based vegetation indices to estimate dry matter forage yield on a recently established experimental grassland site in Germany. Furthermore, the RGB-based VIs are compared to indices computed from the Yara N-Sensor. The results show a good correlation of forage yield with RGB-based VIs such as the NGRDI with R2 values of 0.62.

Dissolved organic matter fluorescence at wavelength 275/342 nm as a key indicator for detection of point-source contamination in a large Chinese drinking water lake.

PubMed

Zhou, Yongqiang; Jeppesen, Erik; Zhang, Yunlin; Shi, Kun; Liu, Xiaohan; Zhu, Guangwei

2016-02-01

Surface drinking water sources have been threatened globally and there have been few attempts to detect point-source contamination in these waters using chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence. To determine the optimal wavelength derived from CDOM fluorescence as an indicator of point-source contamination in drinking waters, a combination of field campaigns in Lake Qiandao and a laboratory wastewater addition experiment was used. Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis identified six components, including three humic-like, two tryptophan-like, and one tyrosine-like component. All metrics showed strong correlation with wastewater addition (r(2) > 0.90, p < 0.0001). Both the field campaigns and the laboratory contamination experiment revealed that CDOM fluorescence at 275/342 nm was the most responsive wavelength to the point-source contamination in the lake. Our results suggest that pollutants in Lake Qiandao had the highest concentrations in the river mouths of upstream inflow tributaries and the single wavelength at 275/342 nm may be adapted for online or in situ fluorescence measurements as an early warning of contamination events. This study demonstrates the potential utility of CDOM fluorescence to monitor water quality in surface drinking water sources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between soil organic matter, nutrients, bacterial community structure, and the performance of microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Dunaj, Sara J; Vallino, Joseph J; Hines, Mark E; Gay, Marcus; Kobyljanec, Christine; Rooney-Varga, Juliette N

2012-02-07

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer the potential for generating electricity, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and bioremediating pollutants through utilization of a plentiful renewable resource: soil organic carbon. We analyzed bacterial community structure, MFC performance, and soil characteristics in different microhabitats within MFCs constructed from agricultural or forest soils in order to determine how soil type and bacterial dynamics influence MFC performance. Our results indicated that MFCs constructed from agricultural soil had power output about 17 times that of forest soil-based MFCs and respiration rates about 10 times higher than forest soil MFCs. Agricultural soil MFCs had lower C:N ratios, polyphenol content, and acetate concentrations than forest soil MFCs. Bacterial community profile data indicate that the bacterial communities at the anode of the high power MFCs were less diverse than in low power MFCs and were dominated by Deltaproteobacteria, Geobacter, and to a lesser extent, Clostridia, while low-power MFC anode communities were dominated by Clostridia. These results suggest that the presence of organic carbon substrate (acetate) was not the major limiting factor in selecting for highly electrogenic bacterial communities, while the quality of available organic matter may have played a significant role in supporting high performing bacterial communities.

Sedimentary organic matter sources, benthic consumption and burial in west Spitsbergen fjords - Signs of maturing of Arctic fjordic systems?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaborska, Agata; Włodarska-Kowalczuk, Maria; Legeżyńska, Joanna; Jankowska, Emilia; Winogradow, Aleksandra; Deja, Kajetan

2018-04-01

Mature ecosystems sequester little organic carbon (Corg) in sediments, as the complex and effective food webs consume most available organic matter within the water column and sediment, in contrast to young systems, where a large proportion of Corg is buried in deeper sediment layers. In this paper we hypothesize that "warmer" Atlantic water influenced fjord exhibits the 'mature' system features as compared to "cooler" Arctic water influenced fjord. Corg concentrations, sources and burial rates, as well as macrobenthic community standing stocks, taxonomic and functional composition and carbon demand, were compared in two west Spitsbergen fjords that are to different extents influenced by Atlantic water and can be treated as representing a cold one (Hornsund) and a warm one (Kongsfjorden). Water, sediments and macrofauna were collected at three stations in the central basin of each fjord. Corg, Ntot, δ13Corg and δ15N were measured in suspended matter, sediment cores and possible organic matter sources. The composition of sources of sedimentary organic matter was modeled by Mix-SIAR Bayesian stable isotope mixing models. The 210Pb method was used to calculate sediment accumulation rates, Corg accumulation and burial rates. The sedimentary Corg concentration and accumulation rate were larger in Hornsund than in Kongsfjorden. The contributions of pelagic sources to the Corg in sediments were similar in both fjords, macroalgal detritus had a higher importance in Kongsfjorden, while terrestrial sources were more important in Hornsund. Similar density and species richness were noted in both fjords, but higher biomass, individual biomass, production and carbon demand of benthic communities were noted in Kongsfjorden despite the lower amounts of Corg in sediments, indicating that macrobenthos responds to quality rather than quantity of available food. Subsurface tube-building conveyer belt detritus feeders (maldanids and oweniids) were responsible for higher standing stocks and carbon consumption in Kongsfjorden. As a result of the lower Corg pool and higher benthic mineralization, the burial rates in Kongsfjorden were much lower (15 g of Corg m- 2 yr- 1) than in Hornsund (38 g of Corg m- 2 yr- 1). Our study indicates that warming of the high latitude fjordic environments may reshape the relative proportions of organic carbon sources and induce maturing of the sea bottom systems, in terms of development of stable, biologically accommodated benthic communities which more efficiently mineralize organic matter and consequently lower sequestration of organic matter in deeper sediments.

Preliminary water-quality assessment of the upper White River near Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wangsness, David J.; Eikenberry, S.E.; Wilber, W.G.; Crawford, Charles G.

1981-01-01

The White River Park Commission is planning the development of park facilities along the White River through Indianapolis, Ind. A key element in the planning is the determination of whether water quality of the river is suitable for recreation. A preliminary water-quality assessment conducted August 4-5, 1980, indicated that, during low-flow steady-state conditions, the river is suitable for partial body contact recreation (any contact with water up to, but not including complete submergence). Dissolved-oxygen concentrations varied but were higher than the Indiana water-quality standards established to ensure conditions for the maintenance of a well-balanced, warm-water fish community. High fecal-coliform densities that have been observed in the White River during high streamflow are probably caused by stormwater runoff carried by combined storm and sanitary sewers. However, during the low-flow, steady-state conditions on August 4-5, 1980, fecal-coliform densities were within the Indiana standards for partial body contact recreation. Quantities of organic matter and concentrations of nutrients and heavy metals in the White River were generally within the limits recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and were generally similar to values for other Indiana rivers. Chromium, copper, lead, zinc, and mercury are accumulating in bottom materials downstream from 30th Street. The phytoplankton concentrations in the White River were high. The dominant phytoplankton species were indicative of rivers moderately affected by organic wastes. (USGS)

Soil organic matter as sole indicator of soil degradation.

PubMed

Obalum, S E; Chibuike, G U; Peth, S; Ouyang, Y

2017-04-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is known to play vital roles in the maintenance and improvement of many soil properties and processes. These roles, which largely influence soil functions, are a pool of specific contributions of different components of SOM. The soil functions, in turn, normally define the level of soil degradation, viewed as quantifiable temporal changes in a soil that impairs its quality. This paper aims at providing a generalized assessment of the current state of knowledge on the usefulness of SOM in monitoring soil degradation, based on its influence on the physical, chemical and biological properties and processes of soils. Emphasis is placed particularly on the effect of SOM on soil structure and availability of plant nutrients. Although these properties are discussed separately, the soil system is of dynamic and interactive nature, and changes in one property will likely affect other soil properties as well. Thus, functions of SOM almost always affect various soil properties and processes and engage in multiple reactions. In view of its role in soil aggregation and erosion control, in availability of plant nutrients and in ameliorating other forms of soil degradation than erosion, SOM has proven to be an important indicator of soil degradation. It has been suggested, however, that rather than the absolute amount, temporal change and potential amount of SOM be considered in its use as indicator of soil degradation, and that SOM may not be an all-purpose indicator. Whilst SOM remains a candidate without substitute as long as a one-parameter indicator of soil degradation is needed, narrowing down to the use of its labile and microbial components could be more appropriate, since early detection is important in the control and management of soil degradation.

30 CFR 57.5005 - Control of exposure to airborne contaminants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MINES Air Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter Air Quality-Surface and... used in atmospheres immediately harmful to life, the presence of at least one other person with backup...

Studying Air Quality with Data from the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salter, Leo; Parsons, Barbara

2000-01-01

Explains how the internet can be used between institutions for parallel research opportunities. Uses air quality data to examine the relationship between traffic flow and atmospheric particulate matter (PM) values. (Author/YDS)

Evaluation of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model Version 5.2

EPA Science Inventory

The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model is a state-of-the-science air quality model that simulates the emission, transport and fate of numerous air pollutants, including ozone and particulate matter. The Computational Exposure Division (CED) of the U.S. Environmental Pr...

Evaluation of the Community Multi-scale Air Quality Model Version 5.2

EPA Science Inventory

The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model is a state-of-the-science air quality model that simulates the emission, transport and fate of numerous air pollutants, including ozone and particulate matter. The Computational Exposure Division (CED) of the U.S. Environmental Pr...

(AWMA) IMPROVING EMISSION INVENTORIES FOR EFFECTIVE AIR-QUALITY MANAGEMENT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA - A NARSTO ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The NARSTO Ozone and Particulate Matter Assessments emphasized that emission inventories are critical to the success of air quality management programs and that emissions inventories in Canada, Mexico, and the United States need improvement to meet expectations for quality, timel...

Evaluation of the Community Multiscale Air Quality model version 5.1

EPA Science Inventory

The Community Multiscale Air Quality model is a state-of-the-science air quality model that simulates the emission, transport and fate of numerous air pollutants, including ozone and particulate matter. The Atmospheric Modeling and Analysis Division (AMAD) of the U.S. Environment...

IMPROVING EMISSION INVENTORIES FOR EFFECTIVE AIR-QUALITY MANAGMENT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA - A NARSTO ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The NARSTO Ozone and Particulate Matter Assessments emphasized that emission inventories are critical to the success of air quality management programs and that emissions inventories in Canada, Mexico, and the United States need improvement to meet expectations for quality, timel...

IMPROVING EMISSION INVENTORIES FOR EFFECTIVE AIR-QUALITY MANAGEMENT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA - A NARSTO ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The NARSTO Ozone and Particulate Matter Assessments emphasized that emission inventories are critical to the success of air quality management programs and that emissions inventories in Canada, Mexico, and the United States need improvement to meet expectations for quality, timel...

Managing soils for long-term productivity

PubMed Central

Syers, J. K.

1997-01-01

Meeting the goal of long-term agricultural productivity requires that soil degradation be halted and reversed. Soil fertility decline is a key factor in soil degradation and is probably the major cause of declining crop yields. There is evidence that the contribution of declining soil fertility to soil degradation has been underestimated.
Sensitivity to soil degradation is implicit in the assessment of the sustainability of land management practices, with wide recognition of the fact that soils vary in their ability to resist change and recover subsequent to stress. The concept of resilience in relation to sustainability requires further elaboration and evaluation.
In the context of soil degradation, a decline in soil fertility is primarily interpreted as the depletion of organic matter and plant nutrients. Despite a higher turnover rate of organic matter in the tropics there is no intrinsic difference between the organic matter content of soils from tropical and temperate regions. The level of organic matter in a soil is closely related to the above and below ground inputs. In the absence of adequate organic material inputs and where cultivation is continuous, soil organic matter declines progressively. Maintaining the quantity and quality of soil organic matter should be a guiding principle in developing management practices.
Soil microbial biomass serves as an important reservoir of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S), and regulates the cycling of organic matter and nutrients. Because of its high turnover rate, microbial biomass reacts quickly to changes in management and is a sensitive indicator for monitoring and predicting changes in soil organic matter. Modelling techniques have been reasonably successful in predicting changes in soil organic matter with different organic material inputs, but there is little information from the tropics.
Nutrient depletion through harvested crop components and residue removal, and by leaching and soil erosion accentuates the often very low inherent fertility of many soils in the tropics. An integrated approach involving inorganic and organic inputs is required where animal and plant residues are returned, as far as practicable. Chemical fertilizers alone cannot achieve long-term productivity on many soils and organic material inputs are required to maintain soil organic matter levels and crop productivity. A major research effort is required to develop improved strategies for halting and reversing soil degradation if long-term productivity is to be secured.

Ditch network maintenance in peat-dominated boreal forests: Review and analysis of water quality management options.

PubMed

Nieminen, Mika; Piirainen, Sirpa; Sikström, Ulf; Löfgren, Stefan; Marttila, Hannu; Sarkkola, Sakari; Laurén, Ari; Finér, Leena

2018-03-27

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of different water management options to mitigate sediment and nutrient exports from ditch network maintenance (DNM) areas in boreal peatland forests. Available literature was reviewed, past data reanalyzed, effects of drainage intensity modeled, and major research gaps identified. The results indicate that excess downstream loads may be difficult to prevent. Water protection structures constructed to capture eroded matter are either inefficient (sedimentation ponds) or difficult to apply (wetland buffers). It may be more efficient to decrease erosion, either by limiting peak water velocity (dam structures) or by adjusting ditch depth and spacing to enable satisfactory drainage without exposing the mineral soil below peat. Future research should be directed towards the effects of ditch breaks and adjusted ditch depth and spacing in managing water quality in DNM areas.

Nursing home safety: does financial performance matter?

PubMed

Oetjen, Reid M; Zhao, Mei; Liu, Darren; Carretta, Henry J

2011-01-01

This study examines the relationship between financial performance and selected safety measures of nursing homes in the State of Florida. We used descriptive analysis on a total sample of 1,197. Safety information was from the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data of 2003 to 2005, while the financial performance measures were from the Medicare cost reports of 2002 to 2004. Finally, we examined the most frequently cited deficiencies as well as the relationship between financial performance and quality indicators. Nursing homes in the bottom quartile of financial performance perform poorly on most resident-safety measures of care; however, nursing homes in the top two financial categories also experienced a higher number of deficiencies. Nursing homes in the next to lowest quartile of financial performance category best perform on most of these safety measures. The results reinforce the need to monitor nursing home quality and resident safety in US nursing homes, especially among facilities with poor overall financial performance.

Hydrodynamics and water quality models applied to Sepetiba Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunha, Cynara de L. da N.; Rosman, Paulo C. C.; Ferreira, Aldo Pacheco; Carlos do Nascimento Monteiro, Teófilo

2006-10-01

A coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model is used to simulate the pollution in Sepetiba Bay due to sewage effluent. Sepetiba Bay has a complicated geometry and bottom topography, and is located on the Brazilian coast near Rio de Janeiro. In the simulation, the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) are used as indicators for the presence of organic matter in the body of water, and as parameters for evaluating the environmental pollution of the eastern part of Sepetiba Bay. Effluent sources in the model are taken from DO and BOD field measurements. The simulation results are consistent with field observations and demonstrate that the model has been correctly calibrated. The model is suitable for evaluating the environmental impact of sewage effluent on Sepetiba Bay from river inflows, assessing the feasibility of different treatment schemes, and developing specific monitoring activities. This approach has general applicability for environmental assessment of complicated coastal bays.

Employment status matters: a statewide survey of quality-of-life, prevention behaviors, and absenteeism and presenteeism.

PubMed

Merchant, James A; Kelly, Kevin M; Burmeister, Leon F; Lozier, Matt J; Amendola, Alison; Lind, David P; KcKeen, Arlinda; Slater, Tom; Hall, Jennifer L; Rohlman, Diane S; Buikema, Brenda S

2014-07-01

To estimate quality-of-life (QoL), primary care, health insurance, prevention behaviors, absenteeism, and presenteeism in a statewide sample of the unemployed, self-employed, and organizationally employed. A statewide survey of 1602 Iowans included items from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention QoL and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey prevention behavior questionnaires used to assess employee well-being; their indicator results are related to World Health Organization's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire-derived absenteeism and presenteeism scores. The unemployed exhibited poorer QoL and prevention behaviors; the self-employed exhibited many better QoL scores due largely to better prevention behaviors than those employed by organizations. Higher QoL measures and more prevention behaviors are associated with lower absenteeism and lower presenteeism. Employment status is related to measures of well-being, which are also associated with absenteeism and presenteeism.

Estimation of atmospheric columnar organic matter (OM) mass concentration from remote sensing measurements of aerosol spectral refractive indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying; Li, Zhengqiang; Sun, Yele; Lv, Yang; Xie, Yisong

2018-04-01

Aerosols have adverse effects on human health and air quality, changing Earth's energy balance and lead to climate change. The components of aerosol are important because of the different spectral characteristics. Based on the low hygroscopic and high scattering properties of organic matter (OM) in fine modal atmospheric aerosols, we develop an inversion algorithm using remote sensing to obtain aerosol components including black carbon (BC), organic matter (OM), ammonium nitrate-like (AN), dust-like (DU) components and aerosol water content (AW). In the algorithm, the microphysical characteristics (i.e. volume distribution and complex refractive index) of particulates are preliminarily separated to fine and coarse modes, and then aerosol components are retrieved using bimodal parameters. We execute the algorithm using remote sensing measurements of sun-sky radiometer at AERONET site (Beijing RADI) in a period from October of 2014 to January of 2015. The results show a reasonable distribution of aerosol components and a good fit for spectral feature calculations. The mean OM mass concentration in atmospheric column is account for 14.93% of the total and 56.34% of dry and fine-mode aerosol, being a fairly good correlation (R = 0.56) with the in situ observations near the surface layer.

A Laboratory Manual for Stepwise Cerebral White Matter Fiber Dissection.

PubMed

Koutsarnakis, Christos; Liakos, Faidon; Kalyvas, Aristotelis V; Sakas, Damianos E; Stranjalis, George

2015-08-01

White matter fiber dissection is an important method in acquiring a thorough neuroanatomic knowledge for surgical practice. Previous studies have definitely improved our understanding of intrinsic brain anatomy and emphasized on the significance of this technique in modern neurosurgery. However, current literature lacks a complete and concentrated laboratory guide about the entire dissection procedure. Hence, our primary objective is to introduce a detailed laboratory manual for cerebral white matter dissection by highlighting consecutive dissection steps, and to stress important technical comments facilitating this complex procedure. Twenty adult, formalin-fixed cerebral hemispheres were included in the study. Ten specimens were dissected in the lateromedial and 10 in the mediolateral direction, respectively, using the fiber dissection technique and the microscope. Eleven and 8 consecutive and distinctive dissection steps are recommended for the lateromedial and mediolateral dissection procedures, respectively. Photographs highlighting various anatomic landmarks accompany every step. Technical recommendations, facilitating the dissection process, are also indicated. The fiber dissection technique, although complex and time consuming, offers a three-dimensional knowledge of intrinsic brain anatomy and architecture, thus improving both the quality of microneurosurgery and the patient's standard of care. The present anatomic study provides a thorough dissection manual to those who study brain anatomy using this technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implications of effluent organic matter and its hydrophilic fraction on zinc(II) complexation in rivers under strong urban pressure: aromaticity as an inaccurate indicator of DOM-metal binding.

PubMed

Louis, Yoann; Pernet-Coudrier, Benoît; Varrault, Gilles

2014-08-15

The zinc binding characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) fractions from the Seine River Basin were studied after being separated and extracted according to their polarity: hydrophobic, transphilic, and hydrophilic. The applied experimental methodology was based on a determination of labile zinc species by means of differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) at increasing concentrations of total zinc on a logarithmic scale and at fixed levels of: pH, ionic strength, and temperature. Fitting the DOM fractions with two discrete classes of ligands successfully allowed determining the conditional zinc binding constants (Ki) as well as total ligand density (LiT). The binding constants obtained for each DOM fraction were then compared and discussed with respect to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic nature and sample origin. Results highlighted a strong complexation of zinc to the effluent organic matter and especially the most hydrophilic fraction, which also displayed a very low specific UV absorbance. Although the biotic ligand model takes into account the quality of DOM through UV absorbance in the predictions of metal bioavailability and toxicity, this correction is not efficient for urban waters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Slovak Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguma, Miho; Litjens, Ineke; Makowiecki, Kelly

2012-01-01

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a topic of increased policy interest in the Slovak Republic where improving quality in the ECEC sector is a subject of growing importance. The OECD has identified five effective policy levers to encourage quality in the sector: 1) quality goals and regulations; 2) curriculum and guidelines; 3)…

Carnegie Knowledge Network Concluding Recommendations. What We Know Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Harris Douglas N.; Loeb, Susanna; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Raudenbush, Stephen W.

2015-01-01

It is common knowledge that teacher quality is a key in-school factor affecting student achievement. While the quality of teaching clearly matters for how much students learn, this quality is challenging to measure. Evaluating teacher quality based on the level of their students' end-of-year test scores has been one method of assessing…

Parental Choice and School Quality when Peer and Scale Effects Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Shaughnessy, Terry

2007-01-01

This paper presents a model of school choice with peer effects and scale economies within schools. Parents' perception of school quality depends on resources and on the characteristics of the student body. A network of local schools of uniform quality will be optimal, even though different households prefer different qualities. Whether schools of…