bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new species of Rheocricotopus Brundin from Mato Grosso, Brazil (Diptera: Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae)
Authors: Andersen Trond , Mendes Humberto Fonseca
Published: July 2012

Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) sirventorum sp. n. is described and figured based on a male from Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is tentatively placed in subgenus Psilocricotopus Sæ,ther as it has a triangular, subapical crista dorsalis and a rounded superior volsella. However, the new species apparently lacks acrostichals and has 40 dorsocentrals in 1-4 irregular rows.
Use of shelters and marking sites by Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) in lotic and semilotic environments
Authors: Santos Lívia Bertolla , Reis Nelio Roberto dos
Published: July 2012

The Neotropical otter Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) is a semi-aquatic species spread throughout Central and South America, except Chile. It uses cavities on the river banks or spaces amidst dense vegetation as shelter and defecates in conspicuous places as a means of territorial marking. The study was conducted between April 2008 and March 2009, aiming to compare and correlate the frequency of shelter use and marking by the otters, considering vertical vegetation cover, height, distance, disturbance degree and type of structure/substrate factors, in a lotic environment (Sapé stream, São Paulo state, Brazil) and a semi-lotic environment (Canoas I hydroelectric reservoir, Paranapanema Valley, São Paulo and Paraná states, also in Brazil). The aim was to compare and correlate the frequency of shelter use and marking by the otters, considering factors like vertical vegetation cover, height, distance, degree of disturbance and type of structure/substrate in two areas. It was evidenced that the otter's shelters show visual protection differences in each environment. Around the reservoir, the otters make greater use of areas with higher degrees of disturbance and are selective about the type of shelter structure. Along the stream, the otters favor areas with greater vegetation cover to demarcate. Our results warrant emphasis that other abiotic, biotic or density dependent factors (population number and intra or interspecific competition, for example) may be responsible for the otters' different choice of sites used for shelters and markings in the two environments but they were not identified in this study. Moreover, the different number of samples obtained in each location may have harmed the statistical analyses. However, based on the results, we were able to conclude that the species is able to adapt to the altered environment of the reservoir, using shelters and depositing markings according to the imposed environmental conditions and, whenever possible, it takes advantage of the facilitated food capture offered by environment. Nevertheless, the otters still present some dependence on areas with preserved vegetation, where they find sites with better shelter and marking conditions.
Composição, diversidade e distribuição geográfica de plantas vasculares de uma Floresta Ombrófila Densa Atlântica do Sudeste do Brasil
Authors: Lima Renato Augusto Ferreira de , Souza Vinícius Castro de , Dittrich Vinícius Antonio de Oliveira , Salino Alexandre
Published: July 2012

Na floresta Ombrófila Densa do Parque Estadual de Carlos Botelho - PECB (ca. 37.000 ha) foi avaliada a composição, riqueza e distribuição geográfica das espécies vasculares nativas. A análise de 1143 espécies pertencentes a 140 famílias (sensu APG III) confirmaram o padrão encontrado para outras florestas do Leste do Brasil, com altas riquezas de Myrtaceae (85 espécies), Orchidaceae (81), Fabaceae (57), Asteraceae, Melastomataceae (54), Lauraceae (53), Rubiaceae (51), Bromeliaceae (43), Piperaceae (30) e Solanaceae (25), além de pteridófitas (123). Os gêneros mais ricos do Parque foram: Eugenia (34), Ocotea (26), Leandra, Myrcia, Vriesea (18), Piper (16), Solanum (15), Miconia (14), Mollinedia (13) e Peperomia (12). Houve grande variação na riqueza e composição de espécies entre hábitos, bem como no número de famílias representadas nos hábitos considerados (apenas Rubiaceae teve espécies em todos os hábitos, exceto parasitas). As árvores obtiveram a maior contribuição na riqueza total (39,1%), valor que representou mais de 20% das espécies de árvores citadas para toda a Floresta Atlântica do Sudeste do Brasil. Em seguida, foram os epífitos (22,4%), ervas (18,4%), arbustos (10,1%), lianas (9,1%) e parasitas (0,9%). De maneira geral, a riqueza e a composição por hábitos foram bastante similares ao encontrado nas demais florestas neotropicais (e.g. alta contribuição de pteridófitas ente os epífitos), apesar de alguns dos hábitos permanecerem subamostrados no PECB (principalmente ervas, lianas e epífitos). A ocorrência de espécies endêmicas da Floresta Atlântica foi elevada (65%), com predominância de espécies de ocorrência no Sul da Floresta Atlântica (43%). Espécies pantropicais foram raras (2%), sendo mais comuns entre as pteridófitas e entre as herbáceas. Myrtaceae e Melastomataceae foram as famílias com maior número e proporção de espécies endêmicas.
Anurans of the sandy coastal plains of the Lagamar Paulista, state of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Zina Juliana , Prado Cynthia Peralta de Almeida , Brasileiro Cinthia Aguirre , Haddad Célio Fernando Baptista
Published: July 2012

Insular habitats are considered ideal for biogeographic studies, as they represent almost closed habitats with known formation timelines. Although São Paulo state in Brazil has a large number of continental and oceanic islands, few studies have examined the composition of the fauna in each locality. These studies are crucial to determine the community structure and to make biogeographic and phylogenetic inferences. From February 2007 to January 2009, we surveyed the anuran community of sandy coastal plains in four municipalities of the Lagamar Paulista: Cananéia, Ilha Comprida, Iguape and Pariquera-Açu, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This region is located in the Cananéia-Iguape estuary complex, comprising three continental islands: Ilha de Cananéia, Ilha Comprida, and Ilha do Cardoso, and the continental portions adjacent to these islands in the municipalities of Iguape and Pariquera-Açu. Through the use of pitfall traps and active search, we registered a total of 32 anuran species: 17 in Ilha Comprida, 21 in Ilha de Cananéia, 26 in Ilha do Cardoso, 27 in Iguape, and 23 in Pariquera-Açu. The analysis of the richness indices of the study sites revealed higher values in continental areas. This result is very common in comparative studies between islands and continents. This may be caused by an island effect and may reveal the historical process of island formation in the Lagamar. Our findings provide important information for identifying patterns of amphibian distribution in insular areas of the São Paulo coast, and for examining how events of marine transgression and regression have affected the local amphibian communities.
Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a stream of the north-west region of Paraná State, Brazil
Authors: Bagatini Yara Moretto , Delariva Rosilene Luciana , Higuti Janet
Published: July 2012

This study aimed to survey the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of a first order stream located in an agricultural area, and to assess the environmental factors involved in the spatial distribution of this community. Invertebrates were gathered in November 2007 at three sampling sites distributed along the Itiz Stream, located in Marialva municipality, Paraná State. At each site, we measured the physical and chemical variables of the water, and then took four samples, using Surber sampler. In order to evaluate the differences in density, richness, diversity and evenness, we employed an ANOVA and a DCA to summarize biotic data. The invertebrates were categorized into functional groups and the BMWP score was applied to calculate the biological integrity of the environment. The faunal composition was represented by 103 taxa distributed across five phyla, of which the highest occurrence was of arthropods, especially insects. Higher density values were observed for Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera. The richness, diversity and density, as well as the density of gathering-collectors, were higher in the intermediate course of the stream. The distribution pattern of the taxa was mainly influenced by lentic or lotic characteristics of the sampled sites and microhabitats, as evidenced by the DCA. The BMWP indices indicated that the three sampling sites presented scores of excellent and good water quality. In the Itiz Stream, the presence of preserved marginal vegetation and the distance from urban centers that generate pollution, combined with peculiarities of each sampling site, influenced the structure of the benthic community.
A brief inventory of sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) from the National Forest of the Rio Preto, state of the Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil
Authors: Pinto Israel de Souza , Tonini João Filipe Riva , Ferreira Adelson Luiz , Falqueto Aloísio
Published: July 2012

The inventories on sand flies are usually conducted for a long period in leishmaniasis-endemic regions. Thus, there is little data on the sand fly fauna in areas where no leishmaniasis cases have been reported. Therefore, we conducted an inventory to study the sand fly fauna in the National Forest of Rio Preto (NFRP). We carried out a brief inventory by using four CDC light traps in 2009 during winter and summer. We collected 1,403 sand flies belonging to 11 genera and 22 species. As expected, we did not find in the NFRP region sand flies species that have been reported as vectors of Leishmania. However, we found some species of sand flies with few records and that rarely have been reported in southeastern Brazil. Nevertheless, the diversity and species richness of the sand flies in NFRP were similar to those reported in other Atlantic Forest conservation areas. Hence, we drew the following conclusions: (i) it is necessary to carry out inventories not only in leishmaniasis-endemic areas but also in areas with no records of this disease; and (ii) brief inventories can be useful in describing the sand fly fauna in such areas.
Sobre heróis índios, arautos modernos e a performatividade das manchetes: a auralidade de O Guesa, de Sousândrade, ou a epopeia como meio de comunicação
Authors: Bosshard Marco Thomas
Published: July 2012

Este artigo enfoca O Guesa, epopeia do poeta romântico brasileiro Sousândrade. Partindo da metodologia dos Estudos Teatrais e do conceito de 'auralidade', que implica a combinação de um texto escrito com a sua recitação pública diante de um auditório, dá-se atenção especial ao texto da representação épica, de maneira que se analisa a epopeia não como gênero literário, senão como um meio de comunicação que relaciona o poeta com o seu público. O Guesa contém vários elementos - por exemplo, arautos modernos que vociferam a sintaxe característica das manchetes dos jornais do século 19, bem como o jogo recorrente com a polissemia e a homofonia - que requerem uma encenação performativa do texto épico escrito. Com a interligação da escrita clássica (épica) e modernos recursos literários (do jornalismo) consegue Sousândrade uma reformulação da expressão literária. Isto não se limita apenas ao nível textual, mas a reformulação se reflete na diversidade das fontes e faz aparecer O Guesa em um contexto pan-continental e pan-medial.
Glauber e os signos
Authors: Silva Alexandre Rocha da , Araujo André Corrêa da Silva de
Published: July 2012

Este artigo busca identificar, na obra de Glauber Rocha, elementos ainda em dispersão de um projeto de teoria semiótica do Terceiro Mundo. Para isso, foram selecionados três tipos de signos que podem caracterizar os termos dessa semiótica: os signos do cinema, do transe e da revolução. Sob a influência de Peirce e de Deleuze acerca da semiótica e do cinema, a obra de Glauber pode ser pensada como um projeto cujo propósito principal é o de engendrar novos processos de significação que tenham a capacidade de significar o Terceiro Mundo em sua singularidade. A partir das semioses que engendra, Glauber se aproxima dos conceitos de opsignos e sonsignos propostos por Deleuze à luz de Peirce e que também caracterizam, sob determinados aspectos, a primeiridade: primazia da imagem pura e dos aspectos qualitativos da significação.
Os paradigmas da imprensa na cobertura das políticas ambientais
Authors: Miguel Katarini
Published: July 2012

Este artigo apresenta os principais resultados da pesquisa "Os paradigmas da imprensa na cobertura das políticas ambientais", que teve como objetivo central delinear as características das notícias sobre os temas diretamente relacionados com a política ambiental do Brasil. O trabalho teve como suporte teórico o resgate histórico dos paradigmas científicos e ambientais, que foi, posteriormente, complementado pela sistemática Análise de Conteúdo, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa, das publicações veiculadas no jornal O Estado de S. Paulo durante o ano de 2007. Pela avaliação, a cobertura ambiental é intensa e constante, mas reproduz paradigmas antropocêntricos, positivistas, não compreende a totalidade do meio ambiente, além de reiterar uma visão economicista e de natureza utilitária.
A revolução, a luta, a resistência e o povo: os marcadores retóricos dos anos 60
Authors: Wainberg Jacques A.
Published: July 2012

Os anos 1960 foram marcados por intensa militância política e militar de grupos de jovens rebelados mobilizados por ideias radicais que visavam modificar as sociedades de seus países. Estas ações foram acompanhadas por inúmeros manifestos públicos. Este estudo examinou 25 destes comunicados, selecionou por meio do wordle os verbetes que apresentavam maior frequência e, utilizando o cultoromics, avaliou o uso destes termos na literatura em inglês, francês, espanhol, alemão, russo, chinês e hebraico no período de 1800 a 2000. Percebe-se nos gráficos resultantes não só a diferença entre estas tradições linguísticas e culturais ao longo do tempo como também significativa dissonância entre a retórica dos grupos rebelados e o clima intelectual vigente na década de 1960 e adiante.
Revistas científicas de ciências da comunicação em Portugal: da divulgação do conhecimento à afirmação do Português como língua de pensamento
Authors: Martins Moisés de Lemos
Published: July 2012

As primeiras revistas científicas de Ciências da Comunicação em Portugal apareceram em meados da década de 1980. Hoje, apesar de a iniciativa editorial se ter diversificado e estendido de Lisboa a outros centros universitários, as publicações em papel não chegam ainda a uma dezena. A estas somam-se algumas revistas exclusivamente online, que têm contribuído para ampliar o âmbito dos enfoques temáticos. Neste artigo, procuramos fazer um inventário das revistas que se publicam em Portugal, reflectindo em simultâneo sobre as suas principais fragilidades, por um lado a falta de rigor na periodicidade, por outro a tendência para a publicação de textos noutras línguas que não apenas o Português. É também objectivo deste trabalho sustentar a importância da inscrição destas publicações nos principais índex internacionais, tanto para afirmar a investigação realizada em Portugal, como para promover o Português como língua de pensamento.
Análise das matrizes curriculares dos cursos de Comunicação Social com habilitação em Jornalismo no Brasil: um retrato da realidade nacional
Authors: Bernardo Cristiane Hengler Corrêa , Leão Inara Barbosa
Published: July 2012

O artigo em questão é fruto de pesquisa sobre a educação jornalística e teve como objeto as matrizes curriculares de todos os cursos de Comunicação Social com habilitação em jornalismo do Brasil. O objetivo foi o de fazer um diagnóstico das estruturas curriculares do referido curso em todas as regiões do país e depois consolidar um desenho da estrutura nacional. Utilizamos como metodologia a pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa. Nossas principais constatações foram em primeiro lugar a de que o espaço destinado aos conteúdos de Síntese/Comunicação na estrutura curricular de todas as regiões é mínimo, o que dificulta a inter-relação entre a teoria e a prática. Em segundo lugar pudemos verificar que, apesar das premissas previstas nas DCN para o curso de Comunicação Social, as realidades regionais não estão contempladas nas matrizes curriculares dos cursos.
Biotic contexts alter metal sequestration and AMF effects on plant growth in soils polluted with heavy metals
Authors: Glassman Sydney I. , Casper Brenda B.
Published: July 2012

Investigating how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)–plant interactions vary with edaphic conditions provides an opportunity to test the context‐dependency of interspecific interactions. The relationship between AMF and their host plants in the context of other soil microbes was studied along a gradient of heavy metal contamination originating at the site of zinc smelters that operated for a century. The site is currently under restoration. Native C3 grasses have reestablished, and C4 grasses native to the region but not the site were introduced. Interactions involving the native mycorrhizal fungi, non‐mycorrhizal soil microbes, soil, one C3 grass (Deschampsia flexuosa), and one C4 grass (Sorghastrum nutans) were investigated using soils from the two extremes of the contamination gradient in a full factorial greenhouse experiment. After 12 weeks, plant biomass and root colonization by AMF and non‐mycorrhizal microbes were measured. Plants from both species grew much larger in soil from low‐contaminated (LC) origin than high‐contaminated (HC) origin. For S. nutans, the addition of a non‐AMF soil microbial wash of either origin increased the efficacy of AMF from LC soils but decreased the efficacy of AMF from HC soils in promoting plant growth. Furthermore, there was high mortality of S. nutans in HC soil, where plants with AMF from HC died sooner. For D. flexuosa, plant biomass did not vary with AMF source or the microbial wash treatment or their interaction. While AMF origin did not affect root colonization of D. flexuosa by AMF, the presence and origin of AMF did affect the number of non‐mycorrhizal (NMF) morphotypes and NMF root colonization. Adding non‐AMF soil biota reduced Zn concentrations in shoots of D. flexuosa. Thus the non‐AMF biotic context affected heavy metal sequestration and associated NMF in D. flexuosa, and it interacted with AMF to affect plant biomass in S. nutans. Our results should be useful for improving our basic ecological understanding of the context‐dependency of plant–soil interactions and are potentially important in restoration of heavy‐metal‐contaminated sites.
Food web including infectious agents for a California freshwater pond
Authors: Preston Daniel L. , Orlofske Sarah A. , McLaughlin John P. , Johnson Pieter T. J.
Published: July 2012

This data set presents a comprehensive food web for Quick Pond, a northern California pond ecosystem. The web includes organisms from all regions of the pond (i.e., littoral, limnetic, profundal, and benthic zones) as well as terrestrial organisms that interact with the aquatic community or have aquatic life‐stages. The food web has three attributes that are often omitted from freshwater food webs: inclusion of (1) parasites and other infectious agents, (2) ontogenetic stages of most animals with complex life cycles, and (3) biomass information for many animals. Data on species presence was obtained over three years using field sampling techniques (i.e., seine‐ and D‐nets, stove‐pipe samplers, and visual encounter surveys) and laboratory examinations of free‐living organisms for infectious agents (primarily metazoan parasites, but also some microbes). We collected body size and biomass data for abundant aquatic animals >1 mm and for trematode parasites, which were the most abundant parasitic group. Information on trophic interactions was obtained from direct observations and published literature sources. Within the food‐web data we include supporting information for each node on taxonomy, lifestyle, and residency; and for each link we include information on type of interaction and the source of evidence (e.g., direct observation, literature, or inferred). The food web contains 113 nodes, 1905 links, and 63 species. To facilitate comparisons between food webs from different ecosystems we present the data in a system‐neutral format.

The complete data sets corresponding to abstracts published in the Data Papers section of the journal are published electronically in Ecological Archives at 〈http://esapubs.org/archive〉. (The accession number for each Data Paper is given directly beneath the title.)
Drilling the First SAGD Wells in the Orinoco Oil-Belt Bare Field: A Case History
Authors: Guinand Pedro , Ruiz Fernando , Mago Ronald , Hernandez Ángel , Ospina Rosa , Soto Ramon , Papaterra Eduardo , Méndez Osbadis
Published: July 2012

Application of proper technologies in the heavy and extra-heavy oil field of the Orinoco Oil Belt of Venezuela has led to significant improvements in oil production during the last 30 years. However, the many cold production methods tested in the area have achieved a maximum recovery of only 20%. Increasing the recovery factor remains a priority for the oil industry and has led to the testing of hot production methods, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).

SAGD uses two parallel horizontal wells, one drilled above the other, with continuous steam injection to achieve recovery efficiencies up to 60% in many heavy and extra-heavy oil fields worldwide. Magnetic ranging technologies are used to maintain precise separation along the trajectory of the two wells, which is critical for the effectiveness of SAGD technique. If the horizontal wells are too close, the steam will rapidly migrate to the production well. If there is excessive separation, gravity drainage will not occur.

A national Venezuelan operator determined that SAGD technology is applicable in the San Tome area of the Orinoco heavy-oil Belt and proposed to drill a pair of SAGD wells in the U1, 3 MFB-53 reservoirs to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology to recover an additional 2 MMBB. Increasing the recovery factor to 38% in the area affected by injection with a rate of 1,500 BNPD and holding it for 3 years will determine the success of the technique in the Orinoco Oil Belt.

This publication will describe the characteristics and production history of the Bare Reservoir, as well as the implementation of SAGD drilling techniques in the development of related fields. Specifically addressed will be how the precise pre-planning and execution of the separation and alignment between the two existing wells was achieved using active magnetic-ranging technology. Finally, production results will be presented and explained.
Effect of dosing regime on nitrification in a subsurface vertical flow treatment wetland system
Authors: Kantawanichkul Suwasa , Boontakhum Walaya
Published: July 2012

In this study, the effect of dosing regime on nitrification in a subsurface vertical flow treatment wetland system was investigated. The experimental unit was composed of four circular concrete tanks (1 m diameter and 80 cm deep), filled with gravel (1–2 cm) and planted with Cyperus alternifolius L. Synthetic wastewater with average chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen of 1,151 and 339 mg/L was fed into each tank. Different feeding and resting periods were applied: continuous flow (tank 1), 4 hrs on and 4 hrs off (tank 2), 1 hr on and 3 hrs off (tank 3) and 15 minutes on and 3 hrs 45 minutes off (tank 4). All four tanks were under the same hydraulic loading rate of 5 cm/day. After 165 days the reduction of total Kjeldahl nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen and the increase of nitrate nitrogen were greatest in tank 4, which had the shortest feeding period, while the continuous flow produced the lowest results. Effluent tanks 2 and 3 experienced similar levels of nitrification, both higher than that of tank 1. Thus supporting the idea that rapid dosing periods provide better aerobic conditions resulting in enhanced nitrification within the bed. Tank 4 had the highest removal rates for COD, and the continuous flow had the lowest. Tank 2 also exhibited a higher COD removal rate than tank 3, demonstrating that short dosing periods provide better within-bed oxidation and therefore offer higher removal efficiency.
Characteristics of moisture and salinity of soil in Taklimakan Desert, China
Authors: Wang Zhimin , Li Guomin , Li Xue , Shan Shuo , Zhang Jiangyi , Li Shengyu , Fan Jinglong
Published: July 2012

The Taklimakan desert is known as the largest dunefield in China and also as the world's second largest shifting sand desert. The Tarim Desert Highway, which is the first highway to cross the Taklimakan desert, was built for the purpose of oil and gas resources extraction in the Tarim area, as well as for the development of the southern area of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Shelterbelts have been planted along the highway to prevent shifting sand from burying the road. This paper analyzes the variations of moisture and salinity of the unirrigated desert soil under natural conditions in the center of Taklimakan Desert. A number of important findings indicating the moisture and salinity of the soil at capillary saturation zone were determined by the groundwater and related to the evaporation on the top. Salinity could be affected by vegetation, which was different from moisture in the soil. Meanwhile, clay layer played an important role in water preservation in the soil, which was also beneficial to the accumulation of salinity in soil. Compared with clay layer, vegetation was a decisive factor for the gathering of salinity. The findings were significant for reasonable adjustment of irrigation in the shelterbelts for the further development of the Tarim Desert Highway.
Consideration of emerging pollutants in groundwater-based reuse concepts
Authors: Tiehm A. , Schmidt N. , Lipp P. , Zawadsky C. , Marei A. , Seder N. , Ghanem M. , Paris S. , Zemann M. , Wolf L.
Published: July 2012

Elimination of pathogens and emerging pollutants represents a key factor in integrated water resources management in arid regions. Within the SMART Jordan Valley project it is the objective of this study to assess the occurrence and examine the elimination of selected emerging pollutants and pathogens in waste water treatment and aquifer recharge. In batch and soil column studies non-chlorinated organophosphorous compounds (tri-n-butylphosphate, triphenylphosphate) and endocrine disruptors (e.g. 17-ß-estradiol, bisphenol A) proved to be biodegradable, while the X-ray contrast agents iomeprol and iopromide were eliminated in the soil columns only, and the chlorinated trialkylphosphates showed persistency. Treating waste water in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) in combination with powdered activated carbon (PAC) resulted in considerable removal rates also for the more persistent compounds such as the antiepileptic carbamazepine. Viruses were shown to be present in most of the Jordan Valley surface water samples. MBR treatment resulted in a decrease of MS2 bacteriophages used as model viruses.
The situation of sanitary systems in rural areas in the Miyun catchment, China
Authors: Kröger C. , Xu A. , Duan S. , Zhang B. , Eckstädt H. , Meissner R.
Published: July 2012

The Miyun Reservoir provides most of Beijing's drinking water. Despite its importance, the Miyun reservoir suffers from decreasing water quality caused by uncontrolled wastewater discharges, inadequate land use and over fertilization, which increase the pressure on soil and water resources. The major pollutants are nitrogen and phosphorus which emanate to some extent from untreated sewage. So far there is little data about the existing wastewater quantity and quality in rural settlements in northern China. This study was conducted in typical villages situated along upstream rivers in the catchment of the Miyun Reservoir. The main objective was to determine the current situation and efficiency of the wastewater treatment system in rural settlements.
Energy saving system with high effluent quality for municipal sewage treatment by UASB–DHS
Authors: Tanaka H. , Takahashi M. , Yoneyama Y. , Syutsubo K. , Kato K. , Nagano A. , Yamaguchi T. , Harada H.
Published: July 2012

An up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) – down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) was applied to Japanese municipal sewage treatment, and its treatability, energy consumption, and sludge production were evaluated. The designed sewage load was 50 m3/d. The sewage typically had a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 402 mg/L, a suspended solids (SS) content of 167 mg/L, and a temperature of 17–29 °C. The UASB and DHS exhibited theoretical hydraulic retention times of 9.7 and 2.5 h, respectively. The entire system was operated without temperature control. Operation was started with mesophilic anaerobic digested sludge for the UASB and various sponge media for the DHS. Continuous operational data suggest that although the cellulose decomposition and methanogenic process in the UASB are temperature sensitive, stable operation can be obtained by maintaining a satisfactory sludge volume index and sludge concentration. For the DHS, the cube-type medium G3-2 offers superior filling rates, biological preservation and operational execution. The SS derived from the DHS contaminated the effluent but could be removed by optional sand filtration. A comparison with conventional activated sludge (CAS) treatment confirmed that this system is adequate for municipal sewage treatment, with an estimated energy requirement and excess sludge production approximately 75 and 85% less than those of CAS, respectively.
Towards a generalized physicochemical framework
Authors: Batstone Damien J. , Amerlinck Youri , Ekama George , Goel Rajeev , Grau Paloma , Johnson Bruce , Kaya Ishin , Steyer Jean-Philippe , Tait Stephan , Takács Imre , Vanrolleghem Peter A. , Brouckaert Christopher J. , Volcke Eveline
Published: July 2012

Process models used for activated sludge, anaerobic digestion and in general wastewater treatment plant process design and optimization have traditionally focused on important biokinetic conversions. There is a growing realization that abiotic processes occurring in the wastewater (i.e. ‘solvent’) have a fundamental effect on plant performance. These processes include weak acid–base reactions (ionization), spontaneous or chemical dose-induced precipitate formation and chemical redox conversions, which influence pH, gas transfer, and directly or indirectly the biokinetic processes themselves. There is a large amount of fundamental information available (from chemical and other disciplines), which, due to its complexity and its diverse sources (originating from many different water and process environments), cannot be readily used in wastewater process design as yet. This position paper outlines the need, the methods, available knowledge and the fundamental approaches that would help to focus the effort of research groups to develop a physicochemical framework specifically in support of whole-plant process modeling. The findings are that, in general, existing models such as produced by the International Water Association for biological processes are limited by omission of key corrections such as non-ideal acid–base behavior, as well as major processes (e.g., ion precipitation). While the underlying chemistry is well understood, its applicability to wastewater applications is less well known. This justifies important further research, with both experimental and model development activities to clarify an approach to modeling of physicochemical processes.
Diel vertical migration and nutrient transport of the dinoflagellate Peridinium bipes f. occultatum in a thermally stratified reservoir
Authors: Inoue T. , Iseri Y.
Published: July 2012

Field observations were conducted with respect to the vertical migration of the dinoflagellate Peridinium bipes and its influence on vertical nutrient transport in a stratified reservoir. P. bipes migrated vertically with circadian rhythms; that is, P. bipes migrated downward and accumulated in the top layer of the hypolimnion from evening to night and then migrated upward and accumulated in the epilimnion in the early morning. In the top layer of the hypolimnion, a rapid decrease in nutrient concentration was observed in the evening, presumably due to uptake by P. bipes. Active migration from the epilimnion to the top of the hypolimnion was also suggested by estimation of the descent velocity of P. bipes, which was advantageous for the uptake of nutrients. Moreover, based on the equilibrium of forces during migration, the energy cost of vertical migration could be inferred to be negligible. The results suggest that active vertical migration of P. bipes played an important role in nutrient transport between the hypolimnion and the epilimnion in a stratified reservoir.
Rapid on-site multiplex assays for total and toxigenic Microcystis using real-time PCR with microwave cell disruption
Authors: Michinaka A. , Yen H. K. , Chiu Y. T. , Tsao H. W. , Lin T. F.
Published: July 2012

A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a robust means by which to monitor toxin-producing cyanobacteria. However, qPCR usually requires DNA extraction, which is a time-consuming, labor-intensive pretreatment. To be able to quickly determine the potential of cyanotoxin contamination in the field, a rapid pretreatment method for DNA extraction and a portable qPCR device are needed. In this study, we applied a microwave-based method for the qPCR pretreatment and a multicolor portable qPCR with UPL and TaqMan probes to quantify toxigenic and total Microcystis. The method was tested using laboratory cultures of toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7820. The qPCR results showed the cycle thresholds value (Ct value) correlated well with cell numbers, with detection limit at about 1,000 cells/ml. This scheme was applied in 22 environmental samples from six drinking water reservoirs (DWRs) in Taiwan. Although the results for qPCR were about four times higher than those of microscopic observation, good correlation between qPCR and microscope methods were obtained (r-square: 0.79, P < 0.01). The ratios of toxigenic Microcystis to total Microcystis in two reservoirs, Sin-Shan Reservoir and Shih-men Reservoir, were less than 10%. In three other reservoirs, Ren-Yi-Tan Reservoir, Nan-Hua Reservoir and Bao-Shan Reservoir, much higher (>46.1%) ratios were obtained. The scheme may assist quick assessment of the risk associated with toxic cyanobacteria in DWRs.
Effects of ORP, recycling rate, and HRT on simultaneous sulfate reduction and sulfur production in expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors under micro-aerobic conditions for treating molasses distillery wastewater
Authors: Qinglin Xie , Yanhong Li , Shaoyuan Bai , Hongda Ji
Published: July 2012

An expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor was adopted to incubate the sludge biogranule that could simultaneously achieve sulfate reduction and sulfide reoxidization to elemental sulfur for treating molasses distillery wastewater. The EGSB reactor was operated for 175 days at 35 °C with a pH value of 7.0, chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate of 4.8 kg COD/(m3 d), and sulfate loading rate of 0.384 kg SO42–/(m3 d). The optimal operation parameters, including the oxidation reduction potential (ORP), recycling rate, and hydraulic retention time (HRT), were established to obtain stable and acceptable removal efficiencies of COD, sulfate, and higher elemental sulfur production. With an ORP of −440 mV, a recycling rate of 300%, and HRT of 15 h, the COD and sulfate removal efficiencies were 73.4 and 61.3%, respectively. The elemental sulfur production ratio reached 30.1% when the elemental sulfur concentration in the effluent was 48.1 mg/L. The performance results were also confirmed by the mass balance calculation of sulfate, sulfide, and elemental sulfur over the EGSB reactor.
MBR fouling control and permeate quality enhancement by polyaluminium chloride dosage: a case study
Authors: Teli A. , Antonelli M. , Bonomo L. , Malpei F.
Published: July 2012

Scope of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a metal salt (polyaluminium chloride, PACl) dosage into a pilot-scale MBR (membrane bioreactor) in terms of fouling control and permeate quality enhancement, especially with reference to specific textile macro-pollutants (dyes and surfactants). The pilot plant was fed with a mixed domestic-textile wastewater (textile wastewater accounted for 65% of total flow and for 70% of total chemical oxygen demand, COD, load) and operated for 7.5 months without flux enhancers (step 1) and 3 months with the addition of PACl (step 2). The optimum dose was defined performing a jar-test campaign between step 1 and step 2 (12.5 mg gMLSS−1 that corresponds to 0.4 g d−1). The addition of PACl resulted in a significant decrease of the filtration resistance due to cake layer formation (Rc, −65.4%) and of the irreversible fouling rate, evaluated as the average variation per unit time of the filtration resistance due to foulants adsorption on membrane pore wall (FR, −45.3%). As for permeate quality, removal rates related to total phosphorus and textile macro-parameters such as colour and anionic surfactants, increased by +64, +16 and +7%, respectively. No significant effect was observed on COD, non-ionic surfactants and nitrogen compounds removal.
Appropriate maximum holding times for analysis of total suspended solids concentration in water samples taken from open-channel waterways
Authors: Oudyn Frederik W. , Lyons David J. , Pringle M. J.
Published: July 2012

Many scientific laboratories follow, as standard practice, a relatively short maximum holding time (within 7 days) for the analysis of total suspended solids (TSS) in environmental water samples. In this study we have subsampled from bulk water samples stored at ∼4 °C in the dark, then analysed for TSS at time intervals up to 105 days after collection. The nonsignificant differences in TSS results observed over time demonstrates that storage at ∼4 °C in the dark is an effective method of preserving samples for TSS analysis, far past the 7-day standard practice. Extending the maximum holding time will ease the pressure on sample collectors and laboratory staff who until now have had to determine TSS within an impractically short period.
Treatment of ametryn in wastewater by a hybrid MBR system: a lab-scale study
Authors: Navaratna D. , Shu L. , Baskaran K. , Jegatheesan V.
Published: July 2012

Agricultural discharge of herbicides to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) poses significant threat to the marine ecosystem. This study evaluates the performance of a hybrid treatment system consists of a membrane bioreactor (MBR), UV disinfection unit and a granular activated carbon (GAC) column in treating ametryn which is one of the major herbicides in agricultural discharges. While the MBR alone removes only 40% of ametryn at a hydraulic retention time of 7.8 h, the hybrid system removed ametryn to below detection levels.
Experiments and 3D simulations of flow structures in junctions and their influence on location of flowmeters
Authors: Mignot E. , Bonakdari H. , Knothe P. , Lipeme Kouyi G. , Bessette A. , Rivière N. , Bertrand-Krajewski J.-L.
Published: July 2012

Open-channel junctions are common occurrences in sewer networks and flow rate measurement often occurs near these singularities. Local flow structures are 3D, impact on the representativeness of the local flow measurements and thus lead to deviations in the flow rate estimation. The present study aims (i) to measure and simulate the flow pattern in a junction flow, (ii) to analyse the impact of the junction on the velocity distribution according to the distance from the junction and thus (iii) to evaluate the typical error derived from the computation of the flow rate close to the junction.
Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in aqueous solution using TiO2 nanoparticles prepared with various alcohols as solvent
Authors: Ku Young , Lin Chia–Nan , Hou Wei–Ming
Published: July 2012

TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared with various linear alkyl chains of alcohols under a sol–gel process. The structure characterization and the photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium of the TiO2 nanoparticles were investigated. The phase transformation temperature, crystal aggregation and surface area of prepared TiO2 samples were found to be strongly influenced by alcohol used. The phase transformation from anatase to rutile was retarded and the surface area was reduced for TiO2 prepared with alcohols of longer alkyl chain. TiO2 nanoparticles prepared with methanol or ethanol exhibited higher photocatalytic reduction activity of hexavalent chromium possibly due to greater and more positively charged surface area.
Recovery of calcium carbonate from waste gypsum and utilization for remediation of acid mine drainage from coal mines
Authors: Mulopo J. , Radebe V.
Published: July 2012

The recovery of calcium carbonate from waste gypsum (a waste product of the reverse osmosis (RO) desalination process) was tested using sodium carbonate. Batch recovery of calcium carbonate from waste gypsum slurries by reacting with sodium carbonate under ambient conditions was used to assess the technical feasibility of CaCO3 recovery and its use for pre-treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) from coal mines. The effect of key process parameters, such as the slurry concentration (%) and the molar ratio of sodium carbonate to gypsum were considered. It was observed that batch waste gypsum conversion significantly increased with decrease in the slurry concentration or increase in the molar ratio of sodium carbonate to gypsum. The CaCO3 recovered from the bench-scale batch reactor demonstrated effective neutralization ability during AMD pre-treatment compared with commercial laboratory grade CaCO3.
Optimization of diesel oil biodegradation in seawater using statistical experimental methodology
Authors: Xia Wenxiang , Li Jincheng , Xia Yan , Song Zhiwen , Zhou Jihong
Published: July 2012

Petroleum hydrocarbons released into the environment can be harmful to higher organisms, but they can be utilized by microorganisms as the sole source of energy for metabolism. To investigate the optimal conditions of diesel oil biodegradation, the Plackett–Burman (PB) design was used for the optimization in the first step, and N source (NaNO3), P source (KH2PO4) and pH were found to be significant factors affecting oil degradation. Then the response surface methodology (RSM) using a central composite design (CCD) was adopted for the augmentation of diesel oil biodegradation and a fitted quadratic model was obtained. The model F-value of 27.25 and the low probability value (<0.0001) indicate that the model is significant and that the concentration of NaNO3N, KH2PO4 and pH had significant effects on oil removal during the study. Three-dimensional response surface plots were constructed by plotting the response (oil degradation efficiency) on the z-axis against any two independent variables, and the optimal biodegradation conditions of diesel oil (original total petroleum hydrocarbons 125 mg/L) were determined as follows: NaNO3 0.143 g, KH2PO4 0.022 g and pH 7.4. These results fit quite well with the C, N and P ratio in biological cells. Results from the present study might provide a new method to estimate the optimal nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in advance for oil biodegradation according to the composition of petroleum.
Chemical-oxidative scrubbing for the removal of hydrogen sulphide from raw biogas: potentials and economics
Authors: Miltner M. , Makaruk A. , Krischan J. , Harasek M.
Published: July 2012

In the present work chemical-oxidative scrubbing as a novel method for the desulphurisation of raw biogas is presented with a special focus on the process potentials and economics. The selective absorption of hydrogen sulphide from gas streams containing high amounts of carbon dioxide using caustic solutions is not trivial but has been treated in literature. However, the application of this method to biogas desulphurisation has not been established so far. Based on rigorous experimental work, an industrial-scale pilot plant has been designed, erected and commissioned at a biogas plant with biogas upgrading and gas grid injection in Austria. Data collected from the 12-month monitored operation has been used to elaborate performance as well as economic parameters for the novel desulphurisation method. The proposed technology offers significant operational advantages regarding the degree of automation and the flexibility towards fluctuations in process boundary conditions. Furthermore, the economic assessment revealed the high competitiveness of the chemical-oxidative scrubbing process compared with other desulphurisation technologies with the named advantageous operational behaviour.
Removal of organic matter and phosphate using ferrihydrite for reduction of microbial regrowth potential
Authors: Yang Y. , Takizawa S. , Sakai H. , Murakami M. , Watanabe N.
Published: July 2012

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) and phosphate in reclaimed water promote microbial growth in distribution systems and deteriorate water quality. In this study, we tested ferrihydrite (Fh) for its potential to remove both DOM and phosphate in order to control bacterial regrowth. Adsorption kinetics on Fh revealed that phosphate has a higher affinity with Fh than has DOM. The removal efficiency of DOM increased at lower pH. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra of freeze-dried Fh showed that adsorbed DOM was rich in carboxyl/hydroxyl functional groups, indicating anion exchange at Fh surfaces to be a major mechanism, especially at low pH. Fh preferentially removed DOM greater than 1,000 Da. Specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA) at 254 nm and DOC results suggest Fh adsorption removes more hydrophilic DOM than the coagulation–sand filtration process. Reduction of bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) by Fh was comparable to that of the coagulation–sand filtration process, which indicated that phosphorus was not the rate-limiting factor of microbial growth.
Determination of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria based on time-resolved fluorescence and tandem probe
Authors: Lv Xiaoxiao , Li Zhizhang , Niu Chenggang , Ruan Min , Hang Dawei , Zeng Guangming
Published: July 2012

To study the ecology of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), quantitative techniques are essential. In this report, the authors introduced an innovative method based on time-resolved fluorescence to quantify AOB as a representative of the major functional microorganisms in sewage water treatment. A bifunctional europium complex with the characteristics of long lifetime and intense luminescence was used as labels in the experiments. In the detection, the capture probe and dye-labeled reporter probe could form a two-probe tandem with the target sequence, and the determination of target DNA was done by monitoring the time-resolved fluorescence signals of europium complex-labeled reporter probe left on the glass slide surface. The experiment conditions consisting of concentration of capture probe, hybridization temperature, hybridization time and washing time were optimized. This method presents satisfactory specificity to common bacteria such as Nitrobacter winogradskyi, Escherichia coli and Paenibacillus polymyxa. The detection limit was 3.65 × 10−11mol L−1. This detection system enables us to rapidly and sensitively analyze the microbial population variety in sewage water treatment.