The impact of storm water runoff on a small urban stream

Background, aim, and scope  In urban areas, storm water runoff often transports various pollutants, some of which settle and form sediments. In order to have the comprehensive view of the ecological state of storm water runoff recipients, both water and sediments of the stream must be assessed. In the Baltic Sea Area, the Water Framework Directive & HELCOM Recommendations aim to prevent or minimise pollution caused by harmful substances arising from storm water runoff, in order to promote the ecological restoration of the Baltic Sea—one of the most vulnerable seas. The aim of the study was to investigate the toxicity of bottom sediments of a small storm water runoff recipient focusing on the potential impact of successive discharges of urban storm water. Some storm water runoff quality parameters and the toxicity of bottom sediments of recipients was studied in this research. Materials and methods  During 9 years, at four discharge points, minimum four grab samples per year at each discharge point were taken for chemical characterisation. General parameters (pH, SS, BOD₇, COD_Cr and TPH) in liquid phase samples were analysed according to standard methods. Annual limit values were taken from the Lithuanian EPA requirements for the management of storm water runoff with a focus on prevention and control of contamination. Eleven composite samples of stream bottom sediments, each consisting of ten sub-samples, were collected in 2006. Toxicity screening from sediments was performed using the plant Lepidium sativum according to modified I. Magone’s methodology (Magone I, Bioindication of phytotoxicity of transport emission. In: Kachalova O-L, Zinatne (eds) Bioindication of toxicity of transport emissions in the impact of highway emissions on natural environment. Riga, pp 108–116, 1989). The level of toxic impact of Lepidium sativum (compared to control) was assessed according to the modified method of Wang (Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 126:88–127, 1992). Results  The mean pH of urban storm water runoff does not vary much from neutral, but range values are quite different, from 4.0 up to 8.7. The highest concentration of SS reached 800 mg L⁻¹, TPH—2.4 mg L⁻¹, BOD₇—300 mg O₂ L⁻¹ and COD_Cr—1,400 mg L⁻¹. The SS was above the limit in 64% of total amount of grab samples, TPH—37%, BOD₇—41% and COD_Cr—55%. The toxicity analysis of the bottom sediments showed varying toxicity of bottom sediments along the stream. From nine analysed samples of bottom sediments, 30% had weak toxicity, 30% medium and 30% strong toxicity on the test organism plant L. sativum. There was one single sample with no toxic effects, so that the results showed that urban storm water has an unacceptable environmental impact on recipients. It was also indicated that storm water runoff discharge alone is not the potential source of toxicity of bottom sediments. The litter demonstrated a weak toxicity of bottom sediments as well. Discussion  Most local authorities do not consider storm water runoff discharges to be a matter of great concern because they believe that surface runoff arising from rainfall is still relatively clean. The study showed that the current method of monitoring storm water runoff quality by chemical analyses is not the best tool for environmental impact assessment and must be combined with toxicity tests of bottom sediments of recipients. Recommendations and perspectives  To avoid the environmental impact of storm water runoff more attention should be paid to the development and implementation of storm water runoff pollution prevention measures. The study implies that future research concerning the relationships between storm water runoff deposit characteristics and biological activities must be developed to evaluate the contamination potential of stream sediment deposits for local aquatic ecosystems. Further studies should be developed to characterise the activities of the microbial community of storm water runoff sediments, and to monitor bioremediation in situ.     

Morphological and molecular identification and PCR amplification to determine the toxigenic potential of Fusarium spp. isolated from maize ears in southern Poland

The average amount of precipitation in spring and summer 2010 and 2011 coupled with relatively high temperatures caused massive Fusarium spp. infection of maize and yield losses in southern Poland. In order to examine the cause of this disease outbreak, Fusarium spp. were isolated and fungal strains were identified based on morphological characters and species-specific PCR assays. A total of 200 maize samples were processed, resulting in the obtention of 71 strains, which belonged to five Fusarium species, F. poae being the predominant one (74.56%). Other isolates were identified as F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum. PCR-based detection of mycotoxin-synthesis-pathway genes was also used to determine the potential of the analyzed strains to produce trichothecenes (DON and NIV) and fumonisins (FUM). Only 14 isolates revealed the potential to produce DON (11 strains) and FUM (3 strains). HPLC analyses of grain samples revealed the presence of DON only – other mycotoxins were not detected. Moreover, 57.1% of potentially mycotoxin-producing isolates indicated the toxicity in a biological test.     

Lignin als biologische Barriere gegen Schimmelpilze in Innenräumen

Many different fungi grow indoors as mold in the presence of moisture. Some of these fungi can cause allergic or toxic reactions, while a few may cause infections in susceptible individuals. A comprehensive treatment of this complex topic would take volumes. Therefore many groups search for alternative management strategies of these fungi. It has been tested if the growth of nine fungi (Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium herbarum, Fusarium culmorum, F. solani, F. verticillioides, Mucor sp., Penicillium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) which are common in interior buildings could be inhibited by mixing lignin into wall plaster. In maltextract agar lignin concentrations above 10 % inhibited mould growth except for Penicillium sp. However, none of the mould species showed and degradation of lignin. Further investigations on a lignin-plaster-agar, which contained only plaster as nutrient and had a high pH at 8, showed no inhibition on the tested fungi (Alternaria alternata, Fusarium verticillioides, Mucor sp., Trichoderma sp. and Penicillium sp.) at concentrations up to 5 %. Higher lignin concentrations lead to insufficient quality of building materials, e. g. cracking. Furthermore the color of the building materials turned from greyish-white in an exotherm reaction into brown, become not any more suitable for construction purposed.     

Characterization of products from the reaction of glucosinolate-derived isothiocyanates with cysteine and lysine derivatives formed in either model systems or broccoli sprouts

Glucosinolates, present in Brassica vegetables, are thought to contribute to human health prevention because of their enzymatically induced breakdown products, primarily isothiocyanates (ITCs). ITCs are reactive substances that readily react with nucleophilic (food) compounds. The reactivity of allyl-ITC and 4-(methylsulfinyl)butyl-ITC (sulforaphane) toward thiol and amino groups of cysteine and lysine derivatives was studied in buffered model systems as well as broccoli sprouts. The thiol group is the preferred reaction site, and it was demonstrated that even endogenously released sulforaphane is able to react very fast with cysteine in broccoli sprouts. Amino groups reacted slower and only under basic conditions. However, great differences in the reactivity between the different amino compounds were revealed. The aliphatic allylamine reacted very fast with allyl-ITC, forming N,N'-diallylthiourea, a compound identified as a main thermal degradation product of allyl-ITC.     

Influence of Added Enzymes and Bran Particle Size on Bread Quality and Iron Availability

The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of different bran proportions and particle sizes, addition of fungal phytase, and α‐amylase addition on bread quality and phytate levels, and how these treatments affect availability of iron to intestinal epithelial (Caco‐2) cells. Potential mineral contributions to dietary reference intakes and phytate‐to‐mineral molar ratios were also evaluated. Wheat bran supplementation significantly affected bread quality. Smaller bran particle size affected crumb firmness negatively, whereas the use of α‐amylase, in some cases in combination with phytase, could improve technological bread quality. The use of phytase in the formulation significantly reduced the level of phytates, and phytate hydrolysis also led to smaller bran particle size. Increasing the bran proportion used in the bread formulation increased the iron concentration in bread samples by 18.9%. Phytase addition proved to be a useful strategy to improve iron dialyzability; however, incomplete dephytinization still had an inhibitory effect on iron uptake, with the exception of samples formulated with 10% bran. The inhibitory effect of phytate could be predicted from the values of the phytate‐to‐iron ratios. Reduction of particle size did not improve iron availability or uptake by Caco‐2 cells.     

Evaluation of the Biochemical Components and Chromatic Properties of the Juice of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaccinium macrocarpon</Emphasis> Aiton and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaccinium oxycoccos</Emphasis> L.

Benzoic acid, total anthocyanins, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and colour properties in juice of the American cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon and the European cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos were investigated. Berry juices of V. macrocarpon cultivars were distinguished by their higher total anthocyanin and benzoic acid amounts. These cultivars accumulated on average 43.11 mg/l of benzoic acid and 92.45 mg/l of total anthocyanins. The levels of benzoic acid and total anthocyanins in V. oxycoccos cultivars were 17.52 mg/l and 42.54 mg/l, respectively. The V. macrocarpon cultivars ‘Franklin’, ‘Le Munyon’, ‘Searles’, and ‘Early Richard’ were selected as the best according to the enhanced total anthocyanins and benzoic acid amounts. The separation of anthocyanins by HPLC-UV-VIS revealed the presence of six anthocyanins, with peonidin-3-galactoside being the most prevalent. Galactoside together with glucoside conjugates comprised the largest percentage of total anthocyanins in the juices of V. macrocarpon and V. oxycoccos cultivars.     

Unusual systemic signs in a dog with sterile neutrophilic-macrophagic lymphadenitis and nodular panniculitis

A 7 mo old female English springer spaniel was presented with diarrhea, vomiting, apathy, and hyperthermia. Further examinations revealed generalized lymphadenomegaly consistent with sterile neutrophilic-macrophagic lymphadenitis and pulmonary involvement. Subcutaneous nodules developed one day after presentation. Histology was consistent with sterile idiopathic nodular panniculitis and vasculitis. No infectious organism was isolated. The dog responded to prednisolone, but relapsed during medication tapering. Cyclosporine had to be added to control the disease. No further relapse had occurred 98 wk after the first presentation. This is an unusual presentation of a systemic sterile neutrophilic-macrophagic lymphadenitis with nodular panniculitis and vasculitis associated with gastrointestinal and pulmonary signs.