Liming of acidified lakes and rivers in Norway

Acidification is one of the most serious environmental problems in Norway. International agreements to reduce emissions are the only acceptable solution to the acidification problem. The “Sulphur Protocol”, signed in Oslo in 1994, will certainly improve matters, but southern Norway will have large acidified areas for decades. Norwegian environmental authorities therefore carry out liming as a temporary alleviatory measure to reduce damage for freshwater ecosystems. In 1995, about NOK 92 mill, was spent on liming. Acidification has wiped out the salmon in 25 rivers, and they are threatened in another 28 rivers. Because of varying water flow and rapidly changing water quality, liming a Norwegian salmon river is a huge operation demanding sophisticated equipment. Eleven rivers carrying anadromous fish are being limed in 1995. The largest is the River Audna where liming has meant that a salmon stock could be reintroduced. Most rivers are limed using automatic lime dosers. The most sophisticated ones control the amount of lime using pH sensors and water flow to neutralize major episodes of acidic water flow, which regularly occur in Norwegian rivers.     

A model strategy for the simulation of chlorinated hydrocarbon distributions in the global environment

A model strategy that can be used for the study of global distributions of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the environment is presented. In this first approach the number of compartments and processes are kept on a minimum level by only considering the atmosphere, ocean and soil. Important processes are simulated or replaced by simple parameterizations, while processes believed to be less important are temporally omitted. The transport in the atmosphere is simulated by a simple two-dimensional zonally averaged model with a rather coarse resolution of 6 equally spaced latitude zones and 4 vertical layers. The soil is included in the model by dividing the continents into the same latitude zones as the atmosphere, and the land area in each zone into an uncultivated part and a cultivated part where pesticides may be incorporated. A model for tracer transport in the ocean which combines the features of the box and box-diffusion models has been modified for use in this study. Material is exchanged between the compartments by the processes believed to be most important in the real environment. The model is tested by simulating the life cycle of the α and γ isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane in the environment. The emissions of the two isomers are estimated from the total world consumption of HCH, and it is assumed that a fraction of 50% is lost to the atmosphere for long range transport during application or during the first days therefore. Comparison with observations indicates that in spite of the many assumptions and uncertain parameters the model is able to reproduce the atmospheric and oceanic concentration levels of εHCH. The HCH simulation indicates that the presented model strategy is usable when the aim is to increase the understanding of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the global environment. For the prediction of concentration levels in specific areas on the other hand, the present model strategy does not apply. The resolution of the model is too coarse and the simplifications are too extensive for such estimates to be valid.     

Recovery of Young Brown Trout in Some Acidified Streams in Southwestern and Western Norway

Temporal changes in densities of young brown trout (Salmo trutta), mainly of age 0+, and in water quality (pH and alkalinity) were assessed by means of electrofishing in lake tributaries in three acidic, software watercourses in western and southwestern Norway; Gaular and Vikedal (1987–1999) and Bjerkreim (1988–1999). Approximately 74 sites were sampled each year. Most of the streams were acidic with mean annual pH levels between 5.1–5.9. Alkalinity and pH increased significantly in all three areas during the study period. Brown trout fry densities increased significantly during the period in Vikedal and Bjerkreim. Also in Gaular, the density of young brown trout has exhibited a positive trend in recent years. We suggest that the increase in the density of young brown trout is because the study areas have became less acidified during recent years due to reduction in sulphate deposition.     

Enzymatic solubilization of arabinoxylans from isolated rye pentosans and rye flour by different endo-xylanases and other hydrolyzing enzymes. Effect of a fungal caccase on the flour extracts oxidative gelation

Water-extractable (WEP) and water-unextractable (WUP) pentosans were isolated from a rye flour. The effect of a commercial enzyme preparation, Grindamyl S 100 (GS100), containing pentosanase activities, was investigated on WEP, WUP, a mix of WEP and WUP, and the rye flour, with the aim to monitor the solubilization and depolymerization of high molecular weight arabinoxylans and the effect on the viscosity of the reaction medium. The effects of other hydrolyzing enzymes were also tested. Three xylanases were used: xylanase 1 (Xyl-1) from Aspergillus niger, the main activity present in GS100; xylanase 2 (Xyl-2) from Talaromyces emersonii; and xylanase 3 (Xyl-3) from Bacillus subtilis. Xyl-3 was used in combination with Xyl-1, (1,4)-beta-D-arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase, endo-beta-D-glucanase, or ferulate esterase from A. niger, but no synergism was observed. GS100 and xylanases increased the arabinoxylan solubilization, Xyl-3 and Xyl-1 being those that presented the best yields of extraction without extensive depolymerization of water-extractable arabinoxylans. Both xylanases were affected by an inhibitor in rye flour. Flour treated with hot ethanol was used to study the oxidative gelation of flour extracts treated with xylanases, in the presence of laccase from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus. Two doses of xylanases were tested (0.5 and 2.5 units). Only the flour extracts treated with 0.5 unit of Xyl-1 thickened.     

Sialic acid-containing milk proteins show differential immunomodulatory activities independent of sialic acid

The immunomodulatory activities of four sialic acid-containing milk proteins (kappa-casein, glycomacropeptide, lactoferrin, and proteose peptone-3 component) were determined, and the role of sialic acid was evaluated. Two in vitro models were used: murine splenocyte proliferation, where the effect on LPS-, Con A-, and PHA-stimulated proliferation was studied, and cytokine production in LPS-stimulated murine dendritic cells (DC). All four proteins inhibited LPS-induced splenocyte proliferation, though to different degrees, and independently of sialic acid. kappa-Casein strongly inhibited PHA-induced proliferation and had a weak inhibitory effect on Con A-induced proliferation, whereas lactoferrin stimulated Con A-induced proliferation. kappa-Casein, glycomacropeptide, and lactoferrin differentially affected cytokine production by DC: kappa-casein significantly inhibited production of TNF-alpha, IL-10, -12, -6, and -1beta, independent of sialic acid, whereas less-marked effects of glycomacropeptide and lactoferrin were seen. These findings thus point to important immunosuppressive effects of some milk proteins and indicate that they may function via different mechanisms.     

Effect of spelt wheat flour and kernel on bread composition and nutritional characteristics

Spelt wheat seeds (Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta cv. Ostro) were used to obtain white spelt flour (64.5% yield), wholemeal spelt flour (100% yield), and scalded spelt wheat kernels. From these materials, white spelt wheat bread (WSB), wholemeal spelt wheat bread (WMSB), and spelt wheat bread with scalded spelt wheat kernels (SSKB) were made and were compared to the reference white wheat bread (WWB). The spelt wheat flours and breads contained more proteins in comparison to wheat flour and bread. Among the samples the highest rate of starch hydrolysis was noticed in WSB. During the first 30 min of incubation this particular bread was shown to have significantly more (P < 0.05) rapidly digestible starch than the WMSB and later on also more starch than in WWB and SSKB, respectively. The WMSB had the lowest hydrolysis index (HI = 95.7). However, the result did not differ significantly from that in the reference common wheat bread. On the other hand, the most refined spelt wheat flour resulted in a bread product (WSB) that was statistically withdrawn (P < 0.05) as one with the highest HI (112.6).     

Changes in antioxidant effects and their relationship to phytonutrients in fruits of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) during maturation

Different fractions of sea buckthorn fruits were investigated for antioxidant activity and its relationship to different phytonutrients. Capacity to scavenge radicals of the crude extract, like the phenolic and ascorbate extracts, decreased significantly with increased maturation. The changes were strongly correlated with the content of total phenolics and ascorbic acid. Antioxidant capacity of the lipophilic extract increased significantly and corresponded to the increase in total carotenoids. The phenolic fractions made a major contribution to the total antioxidant capacity due to the high content of total phenolics. The lipophilic fractions were most effective if the comparison was based on the ratio between antioxidant capacity and content of antioxidants. The crude extract of fruits showed the highest inhibitory effect in both 2,2-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) and ascorbate-iron induced lipid peroxidations. The aqueous and ascorbate-free extracts showed higher inhibition in the AMVN assay, but lower inhibition in ascorbate-iron induced peroxidation, than the lipophilic extract.     

Impacts of acid precipitation on coniferous forest ecosystems

This paper summarizes the results from current studies in Norway. One main approach is the application of artificial acid ‘rain’ and of lime to field plots and lysimeters. Application during two growth seasons of 50 mm mo^?1 of ‘rain water’ of pH 3 to a podzol soil increased the acidity of the humus and decreased the base saturation. The reduction in base saturation was mainly due to leaching of Ca and Mg. Laboratory experiments revealed that decomposition of pine needles was not affected by any acid ‘rain’ treatment of the field plots. Liming slightly retarded the decomposition. No nitrification occurred in unlimed soils (pH 4.4-4.1). Liming increased nitrification. The soil enchytraeid (Ohgochaeta) fauna was not much affected by the acidification. Germination of spruce seeds in acidified mineral soil was negatively affected when soil pH was 4.0 or lower. Seedling establishment was even more sensitive to increasing soil acidity. Analysis of throughfall and stemflow water in southernmost Norway reveals that the total deposition of H₂SO₄ beneath spruce and pine is approximately two times the deposition in open terrain. A large part of this increase is probably due to dry deposition. Increased acidity of the rain seems to increase the leaching of cations from the tree crowns. Tree-ring analysis of spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) has been based on comparisons between regions differently stressed by acid precipitation and also between sites presumed to differ in sensitivity to acidification. No effect that can be related to acid precipitation has yet been detected on diameter growth.     

Determination of atmospheric Hg by collection on iodated carbon,acid digestion and CVAFS detection

An established industrial monitoring technique has been refined to allow the accurate determination of total gaseous Hg in air at background levels (1–3 ng·m^?3). Samples are collected under vacuum through a commercially available iodide-impregnated carbon trap. For analysis, the trap is digested in a 7∶3 (v/v) mixture of HNO₃+H₂SO₄, and an aliquot of the digest analyzed by SnCl₂ reduction, dual gold amalgamation, and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometric (CVAFS) detection. The traps exhibit little breakthrough (<5%) under flow rates of up to 1.0 l·min^?1 for periods up to 10 days. The mean value for the blank on the half traps was found to be 0.40±0.16 ng (n=20), resulting in a 3 α detection limit of 0.07 ng·m (1 week sample at 1.0 L·m^?3). Replicate field collections show a between-trap RSD of ± 6.4%, while field intercomparison with gold trapping resulted in 104±20% recovery in the 1–4 ng/m³ concentration range.