Floating Photocatalyst Based on Poly(ε-caprolactone) Foam and TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanoparticles for Removal of Textile Dyes

This study discusses a novel approach for fabrication of floating photocatalyst which can be efficiently exploited for photodegradation of dyes in aqueous solutions. A fabrication of the floating photocatalyst consisted of two steps: transformation of the poly(ε-caprolactone) beads (PCL_b) into poly(ε-caprolactone) foam (PCL_f) with porous structure in supercritical carbon-dioxide and subsequent loading of PCL_f with TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs). Morphological characterization of the PCL_f before and after TiO₂ NPs loading was carried out by FESEM. The presence of titanium on the surface and inside the PCL_f was detected by EDX. Photocatalytical activity of the floating photocatalyst was investigated in aqueous solution of textile dyes C.I. Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and C.I. Basic Yellow 28 (BY28) which were exposed to lamp that simulates the sun light. In addition to sustainable floatability for a long period of time, developed floating photocatalyst exhibited high rate of photodegradation since the complete discoloration of AO7 and BY28 solutions and photocatalysts alone occurred after 300 and 180 min of illumination, respectively. Its photocatalytic activity was preserved after three repeated photodegradation cycles with unchanged chemical structure that was confirmed by FTIR analysis.     

Effect of different management practices on water quality of intensive tilapia culture systems in Israel

Commercial intensive aquaculture systems werebuilt and are managed in a somewhat differentway in each farm. To evaluate the effects ofseveral management procedures on water qualityin intensive fish ponds, data from severallocations, times and culture conditions indifferent farms were collected and are hereinanalyzed through multivariate statistics.Water quality in the intensive ponds depends onthe water entering, the biological processeswithin, and the water leaving the ponds. Areservoir used as source and sink water supplied theintensive ponds with higher organic loadingthan clear source waters, and its phytoplanktoncontent affected nitrogen cycling within theintensive ponds. The systems with a reservoirhad better water quality in the intensive pondsthan those with only clean source water.Within the ponds (1) compared to paddle-wheelaeration, aeration by pure oxygen increasedoxygen concentration, improved nitrificationand promoted decomposition that reduced organicloading. (2) In concrete ponds accumulation oforganic matter and development of anerobicconditions on the pond bottom was higher thanin the slippery plastic-covered ponds. (3) Allintensive ponds provided good growthconditions, tilapia biomass having relativelysmall influence on water quality. Only inpaddle-wheel aerated ponds did increased tilapiabiomass increased inorganic nitrogen compoundsand soluble phosphorus through excretion, andreduce organic nitrogen through a moreefficient removal of food particles.Water leaving the ponds removes matteraffecting water quality within the pond. (1)Draining sediments accumulated on the bottomavoided development of anaerobic conditionswhere denitrification and phosphorus liberationcan occur. (2) Water exchange removed particleswith nitrifying bacteria and algae that absorbnutrients. A high water exchange rate may havea negative effect from the water quality pointof view and from the extra costs incurred inenergy and feeds washed out.The processes described occur simultaneouslythroughout the culture period and shape waterquality dynamics in the ponds. This researchcontributed to the understanding of howmanagement procedures affect the differentphases of water quality dynamics in real-scaletilapia commercial intensive systems.     

Measuring forest floor CO2 fluxes in a Douglas-fir forest

CO₂ exchange was measured on the forest floor of a coastal temperate Douglas-fir forest located near Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada. Continuous measurements were obtained at six locations using an automated chamber system between April and December, 2000. Fluxes were measured every half hour by circulating chamber headspace air through a sampling manifold assembly and a closed-path infrared gas analyzer. Maximum CO₂ fluxes measured varied by a factor of almost 3 between the chamber locations, while the highest daily average fluxes observed at two chamber locations occasionally reached values near 15 μmol C m⁻² s⁻¹. Generally, fluxes ranged between 2 and 10 μmol C m⁻² s⁻¹ during the measurement period. CO₂ flux from the forest floor was strongly related to soil temperature with the highest correlation found with 5 cm depth temperature. A simple temperature dependent exponential model fit to the nighttime fluxes revealed Q₁₀ values in the normal range of 2–3 during the warmer parts of the year, but values of 4–5 during cooler periods. Moss photosynthesis was negligible in four of the six chambers, while at the other locations, it reduced daytime half-hourly net CO₂ flux by about 25%. Soil moisture had very little effect on forest floor CO₂ flux. Hysteresis in the annual relationship between chamber fluxes and soil temperatures was observed. Net exchange from the six chambers was estimated to be 1920±530 g C m⁻² per year, the higher estimates exceeding measurement of ecosystem respiration using year-round eddy correlation above the canopy at this site. This discrepancy is attributed to the inadequate number of chambers to obtain a reliable estimate of the spatial average soil CO₂ flux at the site and uncertainty in the eddy covariance respiration measurements.     

Pancreatitis in cats: diagnosis and management of a challenging disease

Feline pancreatitis can be a very difficult disease to diagnose and often requires a combination of clinical suspicion, appropriate physical examination findings, elevations in serum feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, and changes on abdominal ultrasonography consistent with pancreatic disease. The diagnostic difficulties encountered are related to a lack of specific and readily attributable clinical signs in cats. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of pancreatitis are highest when a combination of tests is utilized; but even when such tests are employed, the diagnosis is still problematic, especially in cats with chronic pancreatitis. Therapy is symptomatic and focuses on maintaining fluid volume, controlling pain and vomiting, preventing infection, and adjusting to changes in the cat's condition as they occur.     

sublethal neurotoxic effects of the fungicide benomyl on earthworms (Eisenia fetida)

Earthworms Eisenia fetida were treated by surface contact exposure for 4 days with the fungicide benomyl. Non-invasive electrophysiological recordings after treatment with sublethal concentrations of 0.2-25 mg benomyl litre^?1 of water (=0.003?0.435 μg benomyl cm^?2 of filter paper) indicated concentration-dependent decreases in conduction velocity for the medial and lateral giant nerve fibres. Threshold concentration for these effects was approximately two orders of magnitude less than the LC₅₀. The effects on velocity were not accompanied by alterations in refractory period or impairment of locomotory reflexes, but persisted for at least several weeks after treatment. Morphometric analysis of treated animals revealed a disruption of the myelin-like sheath surrounding giant fibres but no change in fibre diameters. It is concluded that benomyl had subtle and sublethal neurotoxic effects on earthworm giant nerve fibres. The data indicate that giant fibre conduction velocity is a particularly sensitive parameter for detecting these effects in intact worms.     

Dexamethasone-induced immunosuppression: a rabbit model

Rabbits are often used as animal models for experimental purposes; in many cases steroid-induced immunosuppression is necessary. The aim of this study was to characterise a model of immunosuppression in rabbits, based on changes in the lymphocyte subset distribution, changes in proliferative capacity of lymphocytes and activity of neutrophils 1, 3 and 7 days after the administration of 2mg/kg dexamethasone phosphate (DXP) three times at 6-h intervals. In peripheral blood, neutrophilia and lymphopenia together with eosinopenia, monocytopenia and basopenia in the absence of leukocytosis was detected. One day after DXP administration the absolute numbers of all lymphocyte subsets decreased in the blood, whereas in bone marrow, absolute numbers of all lymphocyte subsets increased significantly, except CD79alpha(+) cells that increased only in relative numbers. The effect of DXP on lymphocytes from the spleen, mesenteric and popliteal lymph nodes was less pronounced. In the thymus, DXP led to a marked reduction of the relative and absolute numbers of CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes. The proliferative capacity of lymphocytes after concanavalin A stimulation was lower in the peripheral blood and spleen only on day 1, no changes were detected in lymph nodes or in bone marrow. A marked increase in proliferative capacity was detected in the thymus. Spontaneous production of reactive oxygen metabolites by neutrophils was reduced on days 1 and 3 after DXP administration. The present results demonstrate clearly that this DXP application protocol is useful for the experimental induction of relatively short-lasting immunosuppression in rabbits.     

Nondestructive evaluation of anthocyanins in olive (Olea europaea) fruits by in situ chlorophyll fluorescence spectroscopy

Anthocyanins (Anths) in olive (Olea europaea L.) fruits at different degrees of pigmentation were assessed nondestructively by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF). The method is based on the comparison of the ChlF excitation spectra from olives with different pigmentation from green to green-red, reddish-purple, and purple. The logarithm of the ratio between the fluorescence excitation spectra (logFER) from two different colored zones gave the difference in the absorption spectrum between them. The absorbance spectrum derived from the logFER between a red olive and the same olive devoid of the skin showed the typical Anth green band (at 550 nm). It matched that recorded by microspectrophotometry on a single pulp cell and the in vitro absorbance spectrum of the olive skin extract. As expected, the in vivo Anths absorption maximum increased in intensity going from less to more mature olives and was higher in the sun-exposed olive side with respect to the sun-shaded side. Absolute quantitative nondestructive determination of Anths for each olive sample was obtained by the logFER calculated for two excitation wavelengths, 550 and 625 nm, of ChlF at 740 nm. Going from green to purple skin colors, the Log[ChlF(625)/ChlF(550)] was fairly well-correlated to the extract Anths concentration. Finally, the relationship between the Anths and the other main phenolics present in the olives analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography was evaluated. The main result was a net increase of verbascoside with increasing Anths content. On the basis of our results, the development of a new rapid and noninvasive method for the monitoring of olive development and ripening can be envisaged.