Biodegradability Studies of Certain Wood Preservatives in Groundwater as Determined by the Respirometric Bod Oxitop Method

This study focuses on the biodegradability measurements of tall oil-based wood preservatives and their raw materials in groundwater as determined by the respirometric BOD OxiTop method. Certain substances were also analyzed in standard conditions described by OECD 301 F. Results show that creosote oil, a traditional wood preservative, does not biodegrade at all in groundwater over a period of 28 days, while tall oil and linseed oil biodegrade to some degree (13.4% and 14.8%, respectively). On the other hand, degrees of biodegradation of linseed oil, tall oil and creosote oil in the extra mineral and microbe including conditions described by OECD 301 F were 72.9%, 54.3% and 24.9% after 28 days, respectively. Studied raw materials of tall oil-based wood preservative production biodegrade to some degree in groundwater (variability from 11.9% to 18%) and quite effectively in OECD 301 F test (variability from 39% to 71.7%) over a period of 28 days. Abiotic degradation may also be significant with the studied substances.     

Utilization Potential of Peats – a Study on Peat Biodegradability Determined by Respirometric Method

The biodegradation of different peat types was studied with a manometric respirometric test. Compaction peat and sphagnum peat samples were analysed, and the effect of peat pH on biodegradation behaviour was evaluated. Only minor (BOD/ThOD?<?0.4%) biodegradation was observed with compaction peat samples, and the stable state, in which biodegradation stopped, was achieved during a two month period. As expected, sphagnum peat samples with a lower decomposition rate degraded more than compaction peat samples. Alkalinity (pH between ca. 4–9) of the peat was noticed to reduce the degree of biodegradation and accelerate the achievement of the stable state.     

A complex three breakpoint translocation in the domestic pig

A structural rearrangement involving three autosomes, numbers 2, 4 and 15, was transmitted from an A.I. boar of Finnish Landrace breed to its offspring. The boar was used extensively for breeding work; its phenotype was normal, and it had normal sexual functions and semen characteristics. However, because of the small size of its litters, blood samples were taken from the offspring for chromosome analysis.     

Sediment,Perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and Bottom Fauna as Indicators of Effluent Discharged from the Pulp and Paper Mill Complex at Kemi,Northern Finland

This paper compares the long-term data of EOX (Extractable Organic Halogens) determinations in sediments, trichloroguaiacol, i.e. 3,4,5-trichloroguaiacol and 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol, determinations in the bile of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and changes in bottom fauna communities (Pontoporeia affinis L., Mesidotea entomon L., Valvata spp. L.) during 1994–2003. The study area is located at Kemi, on the Gulf of Bothnia, Northern Finland, and is affected by effluent discharged from the pulp and paper mills of Stora Enso Oyj and Oy Metsä-Botnia Ab. The Kemi municipal sewage plant, and River Kemijoki also impose a load in the same area. The main purpose of the study was to assess whether the state of the exposed water ecosystem has improved on the basis of the concentrations of organochlorine compounds in sediment and in perch, due to the modernisation of the wastewater treatment at the mills. In addition, we also investigated whether the changes in the bottom fauna community indicate an improvement in the purification of the effluents. The results indicate that the concentrations of trichloroguaiacols (–1) in perch reflect the decreased discharges of chlorinated substances from the mills. The EOX concentrations in bottom sediments have also decreased to below 50 of Cl g^–1 in most parts of the study area, which is in good agreement with the reduction in the discharge of organochlorines. According to the long-term changes in bottom fauna, the reduction in the discharge of organochlorine compounds due to modernisation of the pulp mills is reflected in a recovery of the benthic fauna, especially Valvata spp. L. and Pontoporeia affinis L.     

XO syndrome in the mare

Only one X chromosome was found in each of the lymphocyte metaphases studied in an infertile mare. Karyotype analysis was made with the CBG and GTG banding techniques. The most obvious clinical abnormality was gonadal hypoplasia.     

Applying spatial conservation prioritization software and high-resolution GIS data to a national-scale study in forest conservation

We apply a recently developed conservation prioritization method (Zonation algorithm) to a national-scale conservation planning task. The Finnish Forest and Park Service (Metsähallitus) was given the mandate to expand the current protected areas in southern Finland by 10 000 ha. The question is which areas should be selected out of the total area of 1 760 000 ha. The data available include a nation-wide GIS data set describing general features of forests at the resolution of 25 m × 25 m for entire Finland and another data set about biodiversity features within the current state-managed conservation areas. Ecologically, the key information includes forest age and the volume of growing stock for 20 forest types representing different productivity classes and dominant tree species. Our analysis employs four different connectivity components to identify forest areas that are (i) locally of high quality and internally well connected, (ii) well connected to surrounding high-quality forests, (iii) well connected to existing conservation areas, and (iv) large enough to allow efficient implementation. Expert evaluation of the results suggested that the present quantitative analysis was helpful in identifying areas with high conservation value systematically across southern Finland. Our analysis also showed that the highest forest conservation potential in Finland is located on privately owned land. The present techniques can be applied to many large-scale planning and management projects.