Bioaccumulation of ivermectin from natural and artificial sediments in the benthic organism <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lumbriculus variegatus</Emphasis>

Purpose  

Although ivermectin is a widely used lipophilic parasiticide, data on its potential bioaccumulation in aquatic invertebrates are scarce. In this study, bioaccumulation patterns of radiolabeled ³H-ivermectin from sediments into tissues of the sediment-dwelling worm Lumbriculus variegatus were investigated and assessed.     

Application of bioassays with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enchytraeus crypticus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Folsomia candida</Emphasis> to evaluate the toxicity of a metal-contaminated soil,before and after remediation

Purpose  

A contaminated soil was amended to reduce bioavailability of metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and to modify its potential environmental impacts. Reproduction toxicity tests using two different soil invertebrates, Enchytraeus crypticus and Folsomia candida, were used to evaluate efficiency of soil amendments to reduce metal availability.     

Evaluation of the mayfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ephoron virgo</Emphasis> for European sediment toxicity assessment

Purpose  

The mayfly Ephoron virgo plays a key role in the ecological recovery in large European rivers. The larvae spend their life in the sediment and are therefore exposed to contaminants in various ways. In this study, the use of E. virgo as a test species for whole sediment bioassays was evaluated. The sensitivity was compared with Hexagenia limbata (a North American mayfly recommended for standard sediment testing). Lead (Pb) was used as a model contaminant.     

Chronic toxicity of ivermectin to the benthic invertebrates <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chironomus riparius</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lumbriculus variegatus</Emphasis>

Purpose  

Previous studies have shown that ivermectin, a widely used parasiticide, is very toxic to many non-target invertebrate species. In view of the strong binding of ivermectin to sediments and the scarcity of data on chronic toxicity to freshwater sediment invertebrates, chronic effects of the parasiticide on the midge Chironomus riparius and the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus were investigated.     

Impacts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spartina alterniflora</Emphasis> invasion on abundance and composition of ammonia oxidizers in estuarine sediment

Purpose  

Spartina alterniflora widely invades coastal wetland in China and might change nitrification in sediment. Both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are involved in nitrification in this environment. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of S. alterniflora invasion on abundance and composition of AOA and AOB.     

Sensitivity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia fetida</Emphasis> in comparison to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aporrectodea caliginosa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lumbricus terrestris</Emphasis> after imidacloprid exposure. Body mass change and histopathology

Purpose  

The use of only one or a few species—representing an entire taxon—in ecotoxicological standard tests poses risk of underestimating the impact of toxicants on the environment. In earthworm ecotoxicity tests, the species Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei are commonly used, and there is evidence that these species respond relatively insensitive towards environmental pollution. With the present study, we wanted to evaluate the risk of underestimating effects of the insecticide imidacloprid in soil organisms by comparing E. fetida with two other earthworm species (Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris) regarding their sensitivities towards soil contaminated with this widely used insecticide.     

The use of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia magna</Emphasis> immobilization tests and soil microcosms to evaluate the toxicity of dredged sediments

Purpose  

This paper evaluates the feasibility of using the buffering capacity of natural soil for the remediation of dredged material before being disposed in soil landfills. To achieve that, an Integrated Soil Microcosms (ISM) system was designed to produce elutriates and leachates from the sediment/soil percentage mixtures. Furthermore, to investigate the biological effects of the contaminated sediments, the toxicity behavior of leachates and elutriates was assessed and compared by performing acute (48 h) toxicity assays with the cladoceran Daphnia magna as test organism.     

Toxicity assessment using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactuca sativa</Emphasis> L. bioassay of the metal(loid)s As,Cu, Mn,Pb and Zn in soluble-in-water saturated soil extracts from an abandoned mining site

Purpose  

We used the different soluble-in-water concentrations of As, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn from contaminated soils in an abandoned mining area (anthropogenic origin) to assess the phytotoxicity of the abandoned site using the results obtained with a Lactuca sativa L. bioassay.     

Enhanced nitrate reduction and current generation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> sp. in the presence of iron oxides

Purpose  

Fe(III) has been reported as a strictly competitive electron acceptor with respect to other substrate reductions by dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (DIRB). However, the effect of Fe(III) oxides on the substrate reduction by other microorganisms remain unknown. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of iron oxides on the nitrate reduction and current generation by Bacillus sp., in which the nitrate and carbon anodes served as soluble and insoluble electron acceptors, respectively.     

Effectiveness of Air,N<Subscript>2</Subscript> (gas), Fe<Superscript>+3</Superscript> and Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> Nanoparticles on the Sonication of Less and More Hydrophobic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Toxicity

In this study, the effects of 1 h aeration, nitrogen gas N₂(g) sparging (15 and 30 min) and increasing ferric ions (Fe⁺³) as FeSO₄ (10, 20 and 50 mg L⁻¹) and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (1, 2 and 4 g L⁻¹) concentrations on three less hydrophobic and three more hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxicity removals from a petrochemical industry in Izmir (Turkey) were investigated in a sonicator with a power of 650 W and an ultrasound frequency of 35 kHz; 1 h aeration increased the yields in benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene PAHs (less hydrophobic) from 62% to 67% to around 95–97% after 150 min sonication at 60°C. However, 1 h aeration did not contribute to the yields of more hydrophobic PAHs (indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene). The maximum yields were obtained at acidic and alkaline pH for more and less hydrophobic PAHs, respectively, after 60 and 120 min sonication at 30°C; 30 min N₂(g) sparging, 50 mg L⁻¹ Fe⁺³ increased the yields of less hydropobic PAHs after 150 min sonication at 60°C. Two milligrams per liter of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles increased both less (87–88%) and more (96–98%) hydrophobic PAH yields. The Daphnia magna acute toxicity test showed that the toxicity decreased significantly with an hour aeration, 30 min N₂(g) sparging, 50 mg L⁻¹ Fe⁺³ and 2 g L⁻¹ Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles at 60°C after 120 and 150 min sonications. Vibrio fischeri was found to be more resistant to the sonicated samples than D. magna. Significant correlations were found between the physicochemical properties of sonicated PAHs and acute toxicities both organisms.     

Interactive effects of Cd and PAHs on contaminants removal from co-contaminated soil planted with hyperaccumulator plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sedum alfredii</Emphasis>

Purpose  

Soil contamination by multiple organic and inorganic contaminants is common but its remediation by hyperaccumulator plants is rarely reported. The growth of a cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and removal of contaminants from Cd and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) co-contaminated soil were reported in this study.     

Soil fungal communities differ in native mixed forest and adjacent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Araucaria cunninghamii</Emphasis> plantations in subtropical Australia

Purpose  

Commercial monoculture plantations of the native Australian Araucaria cunninghamii are common in subtropical and tropical Queensland and are generally established following clearing of native mixed forest. The consequences of such forest conversion for soil fungal communities, however, have not been assessed in detail.     

Greenhouse gas emissions from Silphium perfoliatum and silage maize cropping on Stagnosols

Background

The sustainability of bioenergy is strongly affected by direct field-derived greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and indirect emissions form land-use change. Marginal land in low mountain ranges is suitable for feedstock production due to small impact on indirect land-use change. However, these sites are vulnerable to high N₂O emissions because of their fine soil texture and hydrology.

Aims

The perennial cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) might outperform silage maize (Zea mays L.) on cold, wet low mountain ranges sites regarding yield and ecosystem services. The aim of this study was to assess whether the cultivation of cup plant also provides GHG mitigation potential compared to the cultivation of maize.

Methods

A t-year field experiment was conducted in a low mountain range region in western Germany to compare area and yield-scaled GHG emissions from cup plant and maize fields. GHG emissions were quantified using the closed chamber method.

Results

Cup plant fields emitted an average of 3.6 ± 4.3 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 year^–1 (–85%) less than maize fields. This corresponded to 74.0 ± 94.1 g CO_2-eq kWh^–1 (–78%) less emissions per produced electrical power. However, cup plant had a significantly lower productivity per hectare (–34%) and per unit of applied nitrogen (–32%) than maize.

Conclusion

Cup plant as a feedstock reduces direct field-derived GHG emissions compared to maize but, due to lower yields cup plant, likely increases emissions associated with land-use changes. Therefore, the increased sustainability of bioenergy from biogas by replacing maize with cup plant is heavily dependent on the performance of maize at these sites and on the ecosystem services of cup plant in addition to GHG savings.     

Biodegradation of pyrene and catabolic genes in contaminated soils cultivated with Lolium multiflorum L

Background, aim, and scope  

In the soil environment, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (HMs) are of great environmental and human health concerns due to their widespread occurrence, persistence, and carcinogenic properties. Bioremediation of contaminated soil is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and publicly acceptable approach to address the removal of environmental contaminants. However, bioremediation of contaminants depends on plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere. The microorganisms that can mineralize various PAHs have PAH dioxygenase genes like nahAc, phnAc, and pdo1. To understand the fate of pyrene in rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils in the presence or absence of Pb, pyrene biodegradation, bacterial community structure, and dioxygenase genes were investigated in a pot experiment.     

Long-term tree growth rate,water use efficiency,and tree ring nitrogen isotope composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus massoniana</Emphasis> L. in response to global climate change and local nitrogen deposition in Southern China

Purpose  

We aimed to investigate long-term tree growth rates, water use efficiencies (WUE), and tree ring nitrogen (N) isotope compositions (δ¹⁵N) of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) in response to global climate change and local N deposition in Southern China.     

Determining the bioavailability of contaminants and assessing the quality of sediments

Background, Aims and Scope  

Our study determined if and when an avoidance or attraction behavioural response would be displayed by Ilyanassa obsoleta when presented with a choice between harbour and reference sediments. Our goal was to develop a non-lethal approach that could be used in future assessments of the environmental quality of field sediments.     

Fertilizer amendment for improving the phytoextraction of cadmium by a hyperaccumulator <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rorippa globosa</Emphasis> (Turcz.) Thell

Purpose  

Two main pathways of phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils are phytostabilization and phytoextraction. Some soil amendments can strengthen phytostabilization or phytoextraction through either reducing heavy metal bioavailability in soil or increasing the heavy metal accumulation capacity of the hyperaccumulator (enhancing heavy metal concentration or shoot biomass of the hyperaccumulator). Urea and chicken manure are often used as fertilizers. This research will explore their effects on a newly found hyperaccumulator, Rorippa globosa (Turcz.) Thell., phytoremediating cadmium (Cd).     

Plant-induced changes in the bioavailability of heavy metals in soil and biosolids assessed by DGT measurements

Purpose  

This study investigated the effects of plants on the available pools of heavy metals and their re-supply potential in contaminated substrates in a short-term experiment using five metal-accumulating willow and poplar species/cultivars and in a longer-term experiment for Salix x reichardtii.     

Aluminum speciation in the bulk and rhizospheric soil solution of the species colonizing an abandoned copper mine in Galicia (NW Spain)

Purpose  

The present study was carried out to identify and quantify the aluminum species present in the bulk and rhizospheric soil solution of the spontaneous vegetation colonizing the dump (Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea) and slope (C. vulgaris, E. cinerea, Salix atrocinerea) of an abandoned Cu mine in Touro (Galicia, NW Spain).     

Influence of iron plaque on accumulation of lead by yellow flag (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Iris pseudacorus</Emphasis> L.) grown in artificial Pb-contaminated soil

Purpose  

The relationship between plant absorption and accumulation of heavy metals and the effect of iron plaque on roots of wetland plants are unknown, especially for plants grown in heavy metal-contaminated soil. This experiment was designed to study the effects of iron addition on the formation of iron plaque in the rhizosphere of the wetland plant species Iris pseudacorus L. in artificial Pb-contaminated soil and the effects of iron plaque on Pb accumulation by plants.