bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental monitoring and ecological risk assessment for pesticide contamination and effects in Lake Pamvotis, northwestern Greece
Authors: Hela Dimitra G. , Lambropoulou Dimitra A. , Konstantinou Ioannis K. , Albanis Triantafyllos A.
Published: May 2005

Monitoring of pesticide residues in water and sediments was conducted as a basis for subsequent ecotoxicological risk assessment for the shallow eutrophic Lake Pamvotis, northwestern Greece. During a one-year study period, atrazine, desethylatrazine (DEA), simazine, diazinon, malathion, oxamyl, carbofuran, and ethion were detected in water and atrazine, desethylatrazine, diazinon, and s-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (EPTC) in sediments, all at ppb concentration level. Temporal variation in pesticide concentrations was observed. Highest residue levels for most pesticides in both water and sediment matrices occurred in the May to July period with the exception of atrazine and DEA, which show highest levels in water during the September to November period. The ecological risk associated with pesticide contamination was assessed using two different methods: The toxic unit method, which provides a first indication of the relative contribution of detected pesticides to the total toxicity and a probabilistic approach, and the inverse method of Van Straalen and Denneman, which is used to quantify the ecological risk. The maximum percentage of the ecological risk was 10.3 and 51.8% for water and 17.2 and 70.6% for sediment, based on acute and chronic level, respectively. These results show that pesticides exert a significant pressure on the aquatic system of Lake Pamvotis, especially for the chronic-effect level. Simple quotient methods should be coupled with higher-tier risk assessment, especially if restoration activities on lake ecosystems are to be undertaken for sustainable development.
Interactions between metabolism of trace metals and xenobiotic agonists of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the antarctic fish Trematomus bernacchii: Environmental perspectives
Authors: Regoli Francesco , Nigro Marco , Benedetti Maura , Gorbi Stefania , Pretti Carlo , Gervasi Pier Giovanni , Fattorini Daniele
Published: May 2005

Although Antarctica is a pristine environment, organisms are challenged with contaminants either released locally or transported from industrialized regions through atmospheric circulation and marine food webs. Organisms from Terra Nova Bay also are exposed to a natural enrichment of cadmium, but to our knowledge, whether such environmental conditions influence biological responses to anthropogenic pollutants has never been considered. In the present study, the Antarctic rock cod (Trematomus bernacchii) was exposed to model chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo[a]pyrene), persistent organic pollutants (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin [TCDD]), cadmium, and a combination of cadmium and TCDD. Analyzed parameters included chemical bioaccumulation, activity, and levels of biotransformation enzymes (cytochrome P4501A); metallothioneins and the efficiency of the antioxidant system measured as individual defenses (catalase, glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferases, and glutathione peroxidases); and total scavenging capacity toward peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. Reciprocal interactions between metabolism of inorganic and organic pollutants were demonstrated. Dioxin enhanced the accumulation of cadmium, probably stored within proliferating endoplasmic reticulum, and cadmium suppressed the inducibility of cytochrome P4501A, allowing us to hypothesize a posttranscriptional mechanism as the depletion of heme group availability. Clear evidence of oxidative perturbation was provided by the inhibition of antioxidants and enhanced sensitivity to oxyradical toxicity in fish exposed to organic chemicals. Exposure to cadmium revealed counteracting responses of glutathione metabolism; however, these responses did not prevent a certain loss of antioxidant capacity toward peroxyl radicals. The pattern of antioxidant responses exhibited by fish coexposed to cadmium and TCDD was more similar to that observed for cadmium than to that observed for TCDD. The overall results suggest that elevated natural levels of cadmium in Antarctic organisms from Terra Nova Bay can limit biotransformation capability of polycyclic (halogenated) hydrocarbons, thus influencing the bioaccumulation and biological effects of these chemicals in key sentinel species.
Smoking and the New Health Education in Britain 1950s–1970s
Authors: Berridge Virginia , Loughlin Kelly
Published: May 2005

Advertising has a dual function for British public health. Control or prohibition of mass advertising detrimental to health is a central objective for public health in Britain. Use of mass advertising has also been a more general public health strategy, such as during the initial government responses to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s.

We trace the initial significance of mass advertising in public health in Britain in the postwar decades up to the 1970s, identifying smoking as the key issue that helped to define this new approach. This approach drew from road safety and drink driving models, US advertising theory, relocation of health education within the central government, the arrival of mass consumption, and the rise of the “new public health” agenda.
Patient Smoking Cessation Advice by Health Care Providers: The Role of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Health
Authors: Houston Thomas K. , Scarinci Isabel C. , Person Sharina D. , Greene Paul G.
Published: May 2005

Objectives. We assessed differences by ethnicity in ever receiving advice from providers to quit smoking. We evaluated whether socioeconomic status and health status were moderators of the association.

Methods. We used 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data, a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Results. After adjusting for complex survey design, 69% of the 14089 current smokers reported ever being advised to quit by a provider. Hispanics (50%) and African Americans (61%) reported receiving smoking counseling less frequently compared with Whites (72%, P<.01 for each). Ethnic minority status, lower education, and poorer health status remained significantly associated with lower rates of advice to quit after adjustment for number of cigarettes, time from last provider visit, income, comorbidities, health insurance, gender, and age. Smoking counseling differences between African Americans and Whites were greater among those with lower income and those without health insurance. Compared with Whites, differences for both Hispanics and African Americans were also greater among those with lower education.

Conclusion. We found lower rates of smoking cessation advice among ethnic minorities. However, we also found complex interactions of ethnicity with socioeconomic factors.
Social Disparities in Tobacco Use in Mumbai, India: The Roles of Occupation, Education, and Gender
Authors: Sorensen Glorian , Gupta Prakash C. , Pednekar Mangesh S.
Published: May 2005

Objectives. We assessed social disparities in the prevalence of overall tobacco use, smoking, and smokeless tobacco use in Mumbai, India, by examining occupation-, education-, and gender-specific patterns.

Methods. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey conducted between 1992 and 1994 as the baseline for the Mumbai Cohort Study (n=81837).

Results. Odds ratios (ORs) for overall tobacco use according to education level (after adjustment for age and occupation) showed a strong gradient; risks were higher among illiterate participants (male OR = 7.38, female OR = 20.95) than among college educated participants. After age and education had been controlled, odds of tobacco use were also significant according to occupation; unskilled male workers (OR = 1.66), male service workers (OR = 1.32), and unemployed individuals (male OR = 1.84, female OR = 1.95) were more at risk than professionals. The steepest education- and occupation-specific gradients were observed among male bidi smokers and female smokeless tobacco users.

Conclusions. The results of this study indicate that education and occupation have important simultaneous and independent relationships with tobacco use that require attention from policymakers and researchers alike.
The Role of Research in International Tobacco Control
Authors: Warner Kenneth E.
Published: May 2005

The future of the tobacco-produced disease epidemic rests in low- and middle-income countries, where cigarette sales are growing—the result of rising incomes, trade liberalization, liberalization of the treatment of women, and the introduction of Western-style advertising.

Research on disease causation, epidemiology, and educational and policy interventions has contributed significantly to reducing smoking rates in developed countries. A similar contribution is needed in less affluent nations, but severe challenges are involved in implementing a robust research program in such countries.

In an attempt to understand these challenges and begin to conceptualize an approach to overcoming them, I examine the need for and methods to achieve a program of meaningful research on tobacco and health, as well as health policy, in the developing world.
Building Capacity for International Tobacco Control Research: The Global Tobacco Research Network
Authors: Stillman Frances A. , Wipfli Heather L. , Lando Harry A. , Leischow Scott , Samet Jonathan M.
Published: May 2005

The Global Tobacco Research Network (GTRN) was developed to enhance global tobacco control research through information sharing and collaboration among researchers. The formation of the GTRN is timely because of the need to ratify, implement, and track the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

While the spectrum of international tobacco control research continues to expand, resources to support these efforts are still quite limited. As an issue-specific network focused on information sharing and capacity building associated with tobacco control research, the GTRN will provide an opportunity for enhancing the effectiveness of tobacco control initiatives.
Use of Pharmacy Data to Evaluate Smoking Regulations’ Impact on Sales of Nicotine Replacement Therapies in New York City
Authors: Metzger Kristina B. , Mostashari Farzad , Kerker Bonnie D.
Published: May 2005

Objectives. Recently, New York City and New York State increased cigarette excise taxes and New York City implemented a smoke-free workplace law. To assess the impact of these policies on smoking cessation in New York City, we examined over-the-counter sales of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products.

Methods. Pharmacy sales data were collected in real time as part of nontraditional surveillance activities. We used Poisson generalized estimating equations to analyze the effect of smoking-related policies on pharmacy-specific weekly sales of nicotine patches and gum. We assessed effect modification by pharmacy location.

Results. We observed increases in NRT product sales during the weeks of the cigarette tax increases and the smoke-free workplace law. Pharmacies in low-income areas generally had larger and more persistent increases in response to tax increases than those in higher-income areas.

Conclusions. Real-time monitoring of existing nontraditional surveillance data, such as pharmacy sales of NRT products, can help assess the effects of public policies on cessation attempts. Cigarette tax increases and smoke-free workplace regulations were associated with increased smoking cessation attempts in New York City, particularly in low-income areas.
Effects of Antismoking Advertising–Based Beliefs on Adult Smokers’ Consideration of Quitting
Authors: Netemeyer Richard G. , Andrews J. Craig , Burton Scot
Published: May 2005

Objectives. We examined whether specific antismoking advertising–based beliefs regarding the addictiveness of smoking, the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke, and the tobacco industry’s use of deceptive advertising practices are associated with adult smokers’ consideration of quitting. We also assessed whether interactions between such beliefs and having children living in the home were associated with consideration of quitting.

Methods. We used analyses of smokers’ responses to a telephone survey conducted after completion of the Wisconsin Anti-Tobacco Media Campaign to test hypotheses associated with our study objectives.

Results. Results indicated that advertising-based beliefs regarding smoking addictiveness and the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke were associated with consideration of quitting. The findings also showed that consideration of quitting was positively affected by the interaction between number of children living at home and advertising-based beliefs about deceptive tobacco industry advertising practices designed to induce people to smoke.

Conclusions. Creating advertisements that target specific antismoking beliefs may be the most effective approach to enhancing consideration of quitting among adult smokers, particularly those with children living at home.
Political Coalitions for Mutual Advantage: The Case of the Tobacco Institute’s Labor Management Committee
Authors: Balbach Edith D. , Barbeau Elizabeth M. , Manteufel Viola , Pan Jocelyn
Published: May 2005

In 1984, the tobacco workers’ union and the Tobacco Institute, which represents US tobacco companies, formed a labor management committee (LMC). The institute relied on LMC unions to resist smoke-free worksite rules.

In a review of the internal tobacco industry documents now publicly available, we found that the LMC succeeded for 2 primary reasons. First, the LMC furthered members’ interests, allowing them to overcome institutional barriers to policy success. Second, the LMC used an “institutions, ideas, and interests” strategy to encourage non-LMC unions to oppose smoke-free worksite rules.

While public health advocates missed an opportunity to partner with unions on the issue of smoke-free worksites during the era studied, they can use a similar strategy to form coalitions with unions.
Planned versus Actual Outcomes As a Result of Animal Feeding Operation Decisions for Managing Phosphorus
Authors: Cabot Perry E. , Nowak Pete
Published: May 2005

The paper explores how decisions made on animal feeding operations (AFOs) influence the management of manure and phosphorus. Variability among these decisions from operation to operation and from field to field can influence the validity of nutrient loss risk assessments. These assessments are based on assumptions that the decision outcomes regarding manure distribution will occur as they are planned. The discrepancy between planned versus actual outcomes in phosphorus management was explored on nine AFOs managing a contiguous set of 210 fields in south‐central Wisconsin. A total of 2611 soil samples were collected and multiple interviews conducted to assign phosphorus index (PI) ratings to the fields. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (rS) indicated that PI ratings were less sensitive to soil test phosphorus (STP) levels (rS = 0.378), universal soil loss equation (USLE) (rS = 0.261), ratings for chemical fertilizer application (rS = 0.185), and runoff class (rS = −0.089), and more sensitive to ratings for manure application (rS = 0.854). One‐way ANOVA indicated that mean field STP levels were more homogenous than field PI ratings between AFOs. Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) tests displayed several nonsignificant comparisons for cumulative distribution functions, S(x), of mean STP levels on AFO fields. On the other hand, the K–S tests of S(x) for PI ratings indicated that the majority of these S(x) functions were significantly different between AFOs at or greater than the 0.05 significance level. Interviews suggested multiple reasons for divergence between planned and actual outcomes in managing phosphorus, and that this divergence arises at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of decision‐making.
The Acetochlor Registration Partnership State Ground Water Monitoring Program
Authors: de Guzman Noel P. , Hendley Paul , Gustafson David I. , van Wesenbeeck Ian , Klein Andrew J. , Fuhrman John D. , Travis Kim , Simmons Nick D. , Teskey Wendy E. , Durham Roger B.
Published: May 2005

The Acetochlor Registration Partnership (ARP) conducted a 7‐yr ground water monitoring program at a total of 175 sites in seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. While acetochlor [2‐chloro‐N‐(ethoxymethyl)‐N‐(2‐ethyl‐6‐methylphenyl)‐acetamide] was the primary focus, the analytical methods also quantified alachlor [2‐chloro‐N‐(2,6‐diethylphenyl)‐N‐(methoxymethyl)‐acetamide], atrazine [6‐chloro‐N‐ethyl‐N′‐(1‐methylethyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4‐diamine], metolachlor [2‐chloro‐N‐(2‐ethyl‐6‐methylphenyl)‐N‐(2‐methoxy‐1‐methylethyl)‐acetamide], and two classes of soil degradates for acetochlor, alachlor, and metolachlor. Ground water samples were collected monthly for five years and quarterly for two additional years. All samples were analyzed for the presence of parent herbicides, and degradates were monitored during the last three years. Parent acetochlor was detected above 0.1 μg L−1 in three or more samples at just seven sites. Alachlor and metolachlor were also rarely detected, but atrazine was detected in 36% of all samples analyzed. Even more widespread were the tertiary amide sulfonic acid (ethanesulfonic acid, ESA) degradates of acetochlor, alachlor, and metolachlor, which were detected at 81, 76, and 106 sites, respectively. The other class of monitored soil degradates (oxanilic acid, OXA) was detected less frequently, at 26, 16, and 63 sites for acetochlor OXA, alachlor OXA, and metolachlor OXA, respectively. The geographic distribution of detections did not follow the pattern originally expected when the study began. Rather than being a function primarily of soil texture, the detection of these herbicides in shallow ground water was related to site‐specific factors associated with local topography, the occurrence of surface water drainage features, irrigation practices, and the vertical positioning of the well screen.
Measuring Sorption of Hydrophilic Organic Compounds in Soils by an Unsaturated Transient Flow Method
Authors: Ahmad Riaz , Katou Hidetaka , Kookana Rai S.
Published: May 2005

Determination of sorption of hydrophilic, weakly sorbing organic compounds in soil by conventional batch methods using a slurried suspension is often prone to considerable errors because small changes in the solution concentration on equilibration must be accurately determined. This difficulty is exacerbated for compounds susceptible to degradation, which also decreases the solution concentration. The objective of this study was to determine sorption of hydrophilic pesticides by applying an unsaturated transient flow method, which enables determination of sorption at sufficiently small solution to soil ratios. The method makes use of piston‐like displacement of the antecedent solution in equilibrium with sorbed phase when pesticide‐free water is infiltrated into a soil column spiked with a pesticide. Pesticide sorption and the solution concentration are inferred from a plot of total pesticide content per unit mass of soil vs. water content in a region where the antecedent solution is accumulated. Thus, extraction of solution from relative dry soil is unnecessary. We tested this method for two hydrophilic pesticides, monocrotophos [dimethyl (E)‐1‐methyl‐2‐(methyl‐carbamoyl) vinyl phosphate] and dichlorvos (2,2‐dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate). The sorption coefficient, Kd, obtained for monocrotophos was slightly lower than that by batch method (Kd = 0.10 vs. 0.19 L kg−1), whereas for dichlorvos, a compound highly susceptible to degradation, the unsaturated flow method yielded a much smaller Kd (0.19 vs. 3.22 L kg−1). The Kd values for both compounds were consistent with the observed retardation in the pesticide displacement in the columns. The proposed method is more representative of field conditions and particularly suitable for weakly sorbing organic compounds in soils.
Assessment of Ambient Ozone Effects on Vegetation Using Snap Bean as a Bioindicator Species
Authors: Burkey Kent O. , Miller Joseph E. , Fiscus Edwin L.
Published: May 2005

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant that is toxic to plants, causing visible injury to foliage and a reduction in growth and yield. The use of plant bioindicators is one approach to assess the ozone impacts in diverse geographical areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a potential bioindicator species. Three snap bean genotypes known to exhibit a range of ozone sensitivity were grown in pots under charcoal‐filtered (CF) or nonfiltered (NF) treatments in open‐top chambers, or under ambient air (AA) conditions. Treatment effects on biomass were not significant at 56 days after planting (DAP), but midseason foliar injury increased in the NF and AA treatments relative to CF controls. An increase in ozone from 25 to 30 nL L−1 in CF controls to approximately 50 nL L−1 in the NF and AA treatments was found to suppress final pod dry weight per plant by 40 to 60% in the most sensitive genotype S156. The same treatments suppressed final pod dry weight by 20 to 30% in a moderately sensitive genotype Oregon‐91, and by 10% or less in a tolerant genotype R123. An S156 to R123 yield ratio of approximately one was observed under CF conditions. The S156 to R123 yield ratio declined to 0.6 to 0.7 in the NF treatment and declined further to 0.4 to 0.5 in the AA treatment, suggesting that ozone impact was underestimated in the open‐top chambers. The results suggest that a snap bean bioindicator system has the potential to detect ambient ozone effects at present‐day ozone concentrations.
Nitrogen Removal in Laboratory Model Leachfields with Organic‐Rich Layers
Authors: Bedessem Marjorie E. , Edgar Thomas V. , Roll Robert
Published: May 2005

Septic system leachfields can release dissolved nitrogen in the form of nitrate into ground water, presenting a significant source of pollution. Low cost, passive modifications, which increase N removal in traditional leachfields, could substantially reduce the overall impact on ground water resources. Bench‐scale laboratory models were constructed to evaluate the effect of placing an organic layer below the leachfield on total N removal. The organic layer provides a carbon source for denitrification. Column units representing septic leachfields were constructed with sawdust–native soil organic layers placed 0.45 m below the influent line and with thicknesses of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m. Using a synthetic septic tank effluent, NO3–N concentrations at 3.8 m below the influent line were consistently below 1 mg L−1 during 10 months of operation compared with a NO3–N concentration of nearly 12 mg L−1 in the control column. The average total N removal increased from 31% without the organic layer to 67% with the organic layer. Total N removal appeared limited by the extent of organic N oxidation and nitrification in the 0.45‐m aerobic zone. Design modifications targeted at improving nitrification above the organic layer may further increase total N removal. Increased organic layer thicknesses from 0.3 m to 0.9 m did not significantly improve average total N removal, but caused a shift in residual nitrogen from organic N to ammonia N. Results indicate that addition of a layer of carbon source material at least 0.3 m thick below a standard leachfield substantially improves total N removal.
Effect of Water Table on Willows Grown in Amended Mine Tailing
Authors: Bourret M. M. , Brummer J. E. , Leininger W. C. , Heil D. M.
Published: May 2005

Survival and growth characteristics of two montane riparian willow species, Geyer willow (Salix geyeriana Andersson) and mountain willow (Salix monticola Bebb), grown in amended fluvial mine tailing were investigated in a greenhouse study. Willow stem cuttings were planted in lysimeters that simulated a 60‐cm amended tailing profile with three static water depths (20, 40, and 60 cm) and a fluctuating water table for a total of four water table treatments. Species and water table treatments affected plant biomass and chemical composition of the soil and plant tissue. Mountain willow leaf, stem, and root biomass were 62, 95, and 164% greater, respectively, than for Geyer willow. Averaging across species, the fluctuating water table negatively affected leaf and stem biomass compared with the 20‐ and 60‐cm water table treatments. Manganese was the only metal in plant tissue to strongly respond to water table treatments. Manganese concentrations in mountain willow leaf tissue were approximately twofold higher in the two most saturated water table treatments (20 cm and fluctuating) than in the least saturated water table treatment (60 cm). This trend was consistent with chemical analyses of the growth media, which reflected higher bioavailable Mn in the saturated tailing profile compared with the unsaturated profile. Results from this study indicate that mountain willow is a more vigorous and possibly more metal‐tolerant species than Geyer willow when grown in amended mine tailing and that a fluctuating water table negatively affects willow growth.
Decrease in Water‐Soluble 17β‐Estradiol and Testosterone in Composted Poultry Manure with Time
Authors: Hakk Heldur , Millner Patricia , Larsen Gerald
Published: May 2005

Little attention has been paid to the environmental fate of the hormones 17β‐estradiol and testosterone excreted in animal waste. Land application of manure has a considerable potential to affect the environment with these endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Composting is known to decompose organic matter to a stable, humus‐like material. The goal of the present study was to quantitatively assess levels of water‐soluble 17β‐estradiol and testosterone in composting chicken manure with time. Chicken layer manure was mixed with hay, straw, decomposed leaves, and starter compost, adjusted to approximately 60% moisture, and placed into a windrow. A clay‐amended windrow was also prepared. Windrows were turned weekly, and temperature, oxygen, and CO2 in the composting mass were monitored for either 133 or 139 d. Commercial enzyme immunoassay kits were used to quantitate the levels of 17β‐estradiol and testosterone in aqueous sample extracts. Water‐soluble quantities of both hormones diminished during composting. The decrease in 17β‐estradiol followed first‐order kinetics, with a rate constant k = −0.010/d. Testosterone levels declined at a slightly higher rate than 17β‐estradiol (i.e., k = −0.015/d). Both hormones could still be measured in aqueous extracts of compost sampled at the conclusion of composting. The decline in water‐soluble 17β‐estradiol and testosterone in extracts of clay‐amended compost was not statistically different from normal compost. These data suggest that composting may be an environmentally friendly technology suitable for reducing, but not eliminating, the concentrations of these endocrine disrupting hormones at concentrated animal operation facilities.
Phosphate Adsorption by Ferrihydrite‐Amended Soils
Authors: Rhoton F. E. , Bigham J. M.
Published: May 2005

New technology and approaches for reducing P in runoff from high sediment yield areas are essential due to implementation of increasingly rigorous water quality standards. The objectives of this research were to characterize ferrihydrite (Fe5HO8·4H2O) in terms of its ability to adsorb P from soil solutions and relate its P adsorptive capacity to several soil properties that influence P mobility. A naturally occurring ferrihydrite, collected as an Fe oxide sludge by‐product from a water treatment facility, was equilibrated with soil samples at equivalent rates of 0, 0.34, 3.36, 16.80, and 33.60 Mg ha−1for a 60‐d period. Individual 2‐g subsamples of each soil were then equilibrated with 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg kg−1P in 20 mL of 0.01MCaCl2on a reciprocating shaker for 24 h. After 24 h, P in solution was measured by colorimetric methods, and designated as final P concentrations. The data indicated that the unamended soils with a pH of <6.0 adsorbed, in some cases, 50 times more P than soils with a pH of >7.0. The final P concentrations, averaged for all initial P concentrations and ferrihydrite rates, ranged from 0.09 to 4.63 mg kg−1, and were most highly correlated with pH (r= 0.844;P≤ 0.01), oxalate‐extractable Fe (r= −0.699;P≤ 0.10), and dithionite‐extractable Fe (r= −0.639;P≤ 0.10) contents of the unamended soils. In terms of individual soils, correlation coefficients (r) for final P concentrations versus ferrihydrite amendment rates indicated a statistically significant (P≤ 0.001) negative relationship at all initial P concentrations for most A horizons. Thervalues for the high Fe oxide content B horizon soils did not show a statistically significant response to ferrihydrite additions. The results indicate that P adsorption, in soils amended with ferrihydrite, will be greatest under acid pH conditions below the ferrihydrite zero point of charge (pH 5.77), and low incipient Fe oxide contents.
Quantifying Ground Water Inputs along the Lower Jordan River
Authors: Holtzman Ran , Shavit Uri , Segal‐Rozenhaimer Michal , Gavrieli Ittai , Marei Amer , Farber Efrat , Vengosh Avner
Published: May 2005

The flow rate of the Lower Jordan River has changed dramatically during the second half of the 20th century. The diversion of its major natural sources reduced its flow rate and led to drying events during the drought years of 2000 and 2001. Under these conditions of low flow rates, the potential influence of external sources on the river discharge and chemical composition became significant. Our measurements show that the concentrations of chloride, calcium, and sodium in the river water decrease along the first 20‐km section, while sulfate and magnesium concentrations increase. These variations were addressed by a recent geochemical study, suggesting that ground water inflow plays a major role. To further examine the role of ground water, we applied mass‐balance calculations, using detailed flow rate measurements, water samplings, and chemical analyses along the northern (upstream) part of the river. Our flow‐rate measurements showed that the river base‐flow during 2000 and 2001 was 500 to 1100 L s−1, which is about 40 times lower than the historical flow rates. Our measurements and calculations indicate that ground water input was 20 to 80% of the river water flow, and 20 to 50% of its solute mass flow. This study independently identifies the composition of possible end‐members. These end‐members contain high sulfate concentration and have similar chemical characteristics as were found in agricultural drains and in the “saline” Yarmouk River. Future regional development plans that include the river flow rate and chemistry should consider the interactions between the river and its shallow ground water system.
Evaluation of Soils for Use as Liner Materials: A Soil Chemistry Approach
Authors: DeSutter Tom M. , Pierzynski Gary M.
Published: May 2005

Movement of NH4+ below animal waste lagoons is generally a function of the whole‐lagoon seepage rate, soil mineralogy, cations in the lagoon liquor, and selectivity for NH4+ on the soil‐exchange sites. Binary exchange reactions (Ca2+–K+, Ca2+–NH4+, and K+–NH4+) were conducted on two soils from the Great Plains and with combinations of these soils with bentonite or zeolite added. Binary exchanges were used to predict ternary exchanges Ca2+–K+–NH4+ following the Rothmund–Kornfeld approach and Gaines–Thomas convention. Potassium and NH4+ were preferred over Ca2+, and K+ was preferred over NH4+ in all soils and soils with amendments. Generally, the addition of bentonite did not change cation selectivity over the native soils, whereas the addition of zeolite did. The Rothmund–Kornfeld approach worked well for predicting equivalent fractions of cations on the exchanger phase when only ternary‐solution phase compositions were known. Actual swine‐ and cattle‐lagoon solution compositions and the Rothmund–Kornfeld approach were used to project that native soils are predicted to retain 53 and 23%, respectively, of the downward‐moving NH4+ on their exchange sites. Additions of bentonite or zeolite to soils under swine lagoons may only slightly improve the equivalent fraction of NH4+ on the exchange sites. Although additions of bentonite or zeolite may not help increase the NH4+ selectivity of a liner material, increases in the overall cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil will ultimately decrease the amount of soil needed to adsorb downward‐moving NH4+
Rapid Manganese Removal from Mine Waters Using an Aerated Packed‐Bed Bioreactor
Authors: Johnson Karen L. , Younger Paul L.
Published: May 2005

In the UK, the Environmental Quality Standard for manganese has recently been lowered to 30 μg/L (annual average), which is less than the UK Drinking Water Inspectorate's Maximum Permitted Concentration Value (50 μg/L). Current passive treatment systems for manganese removal operate as open‐air gravel‐bed filters, designed to maximize either influent light and/or dissolved oxygen. This requires large areas of land. A novel enhanced bioremediation treatment system for manganese removal has been developed that consists of a passively aerated subsurface gravel bed. The provision of air at depth and the use of catalytic substrates help overcome the slow kinetics usually associated with manganese oxidation. With a residence time of only 8 h and an influent manganese concentration of approximately 20 mg/L, >95% of the manganese was removed. The treatment system also operates successfully at temperatures as low as 4°C and in total darkness. These observations have positive implications for manganese treatment using this technique in both colder climates and where large areas of land are unavailable. Furthermore, as the operation of this passive treatment system continually generates fresh manganese oxyhydroxide, which is a powerful sorbent for most pollutant metals, it potentially has major ancillary benefits as a removal process for other metals, such as zinc.
A Thermodynamically Based Method to Quantify True Sorption Hysteresis
Authors: Sander Michael , Lu Yuefeng , Pignatello Joseph J.
Published: May 2005

Sorption of organic chemicals to soils and sediments often shows true hysteresis (i.e., nonsingularity of the sorption–desorption isotherm not attributable to known experimental artifacts). Since true sorption hysteresis is fundamentally important to contaminant fate, a way to quantify it is desirable. Previously proposed indices of hysteresis are empirical and usually depend on the isotherm model. True sorption hysteresis to synthetic and natural organic solids has been attributed to irreversible alteration of the solid during the sorption–desorption cycle. Given this mechanism, we propose the Thermodynamic Index of Irreversibility (TII) for quantifying hysteresis in soils where natural organic matter dominates the sorption process. The TII is based on the difference in free energy between the real desorption state and the hypothetical fully reversible state. The index is 0 for completely reversible systems and approaches 1 as the process tends toward complete irreversibility. It does not require any assumptions about the physical properties or molecular composition of the solid, and it does not depend on a specific equilibrium model. A sensitivity analysis of measurement errors provides general recommendations for the setup of sorption–desorption experiments. The TII was applied to sorption of 1,4‐dichlorobenzene (DCB) to two high‐organic soils, Pahokee peat (PP) and Amherst soil (AS), and a low‐rank coal reference material, Beulah‐Zap lignite (BZL). Common artificial causes of hysteresis were eliminated. Hysteresis was significant in the peat and the coal. The TII was clearly concentration dependent for both solids; it decreased with concentration for the peat, but increased with concentration for the coal. The TII allows quantification of hysteresis as a function of sorbate–sorbent combination, concentration, time, and other variables.
Phosphorus Extractability of Soils Amended with Stockpiled and Composted Cattle Manure
Authors: Schwartz R. C. , Dao T. H.
Published: May 2005

Managing fertilizer applications to maintain soil P below environmentally unacceptable levels should consider the contribution of manure and synthetic fertilizer sources to soluble and extractable forms of P. Our objective was to evaluate soil and manure characteristics and application rates on P extractability in recently amended soils. Five soils of the U.S. southern High Plains were amended with beef cattle manures, composted beef manure, and inorganic fertilizers [Ca(H2PO4)2or KH2PO4] at five rates and incubated under controlled conditions. Mehlich 3–, Olsen (NaHCO3)–, Texas A&M extractant (TAM)–, and water‐extractable P were determined for the soils after selected incubation periods. Except for TAM and some water extractions, P extractability as a function of total P applied was linear (P< 0.001) for a wide range of application rates. Mehlich‐3, NaHCO3, and water P extraction efficiencies of KH2PO4–amended soils averaged 22, 34, and 115% greater (P≤ 0.036), respectively, than efficiencies of soils amended with manures except for the Texline (calcareous) loam and Pullman clay loam soils. Phosphorus extraction efficiencies decreased with time for KH2PO4–amended soils (P< 0.05) but remained stable or increased for manure‐amended soils during the 8‐wk incubation period. Across all soils and manure sources, changes in water‐extractable P per unit increase in Mehlich 3–, NaHCO3–, and TAM‐extractable P averaged 100, 85, and 125% greater, respectively, for inorganic as compared with manure‐amended soils. These source‐dependent relationships limit the use of agronomic soil extractants to make correct inferences about water‐extractable P and dissolved P in runoff.
Persistence of Testosterone and 17β‐Estradiol in Soils Receiving Swine Manure or Municipal Biosolids
Authors: Jacobsen Anne‐Marie , Lorenzen Angela , Chapman Ralph , Topp Edward
Published: May 2005

Natural and synthetic steroidal hormones can be carried to agricultural soil through fertilization with municipal biosolids, livestock manure, or poultry manure. The persistence and pathways of dissipation of [4–14C]‐testosterone and of [4–14C]‐17β‐estradiol in organic‐amended soils were investigated using laboratory microcosms. Testosterone dissipation was investigated over a range of amendment concentrations, temperatures, and soil types. Under all conditions the parent compound and transformation products were dissipated within a few days. Addition of swine manure slurry to soil hastened the transformation of testosterone and 17β‐estradiol to the corresponding less hormonally active ketones, 4‐androstene‐3,17‐dione and estrone. Two other testosterone transformation products, 5α‐androstan‐3,17‐dione and 1,4‐androstadiene‐3,17‐dione, were also detected. Experiments with sterilized soil and sterilized swine manure slurry suggested that the transformation of 14C‐labeled hormonal parent compounds was mainly caused by microorganisms in manure slurry, while mineralization of the hormones to 14CO2 required viable soil microorganisms. Organic amendments transiently inhibited the mineralization of [4–14C]‐testosterone, perhaps by inhibiting soil microorganisms, or by enhancing sorption and reducing the bioavailability of testosterone or transformation products. Overall, organic amendments influenced the pathways and kinetics of testosterone and estradiol dissipation, but did not increase their persistence.
Proton Binding by Humic and Fulvic Acids from Pig Slurry and Amended Soils
Authors: Plaza César , García‐Gil Juan C. , Polo Alfredo , Senesi Nicola , Brunetti Gennaro
Published: May 2005

The knowledge of acid–base characteristics of humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) fractions of organic amendments and amended soils is of considerable importance for assessing their agronomic efficacy and environmental impact. In this work, the acid–base properties of HAs and FAs isolated from pig slurry, soils amended with either 90 or 150 m3 ha−1 yr−1 of pig slurry for 3 yr, and the corresponding nonamended control soil were investigated by using a current potentiometric titration method. The nonideal competitive adsorption (NICA) model that describes proton binding by two classes of binding sites (carboxylic‐ and phenolic‐type groups) was successfully fit to titration data. With respect to the control soil HA and FA, pig‐slurry HA and FA were generally characterized by smaller carboxylic‐type group contents, slightly smaller phenolic‐type group contents, larger affinities for proton binding by the carboxylic‐type groups, and much smaller, in the case of the HA fraction, or similar, in the case of the FA fraction, affinities for proton binding by the phenolic‐type groups. Amendment with pig slurry determined a number of modifications in soil HAs and FAs, including decrease of acidic functional group contents, and slight increase of the proton affinity of the carboxylic‐type groups. Further, a slight decrease of the affinities for proton binding by the phenolic‐type groups of HAs was observed. These effects can have a large impact on the biological availability, mobilization, and transport of macro‐ and micronutrients, toxic metal ions, and xenobiotic organic cations in pig slurry–amended soils.
The Acetochlor Registration Partnership: Prospective Ground Water Monitoring Program
Authors: Newcombe Andrew C. , Gustafson David I. , Fuhrman John D. , van Wesenbeeck Ian J. , Simmons Nick D. , Klein Andrew J. , Travis Kim Z. , Harradine Kevin J.
Published: May 2005

The Acetochlor Registration Partnership conducted a prospective ground water (PGW) monitoring program to investigate acetochlor [2‐chloro‐N‐(ethoxymethyl)‐N‐(2‐ethyl‐6‐methylphenyl)‐acetamide] transport to ground water at eight sites. The distribution of soil textures among these sites was weighted toward coarser soil types, while also including finer‐textured soils that dominate most corn (Zea mays L.)‐growing areas of the United States. Each site consisted of a 1.2‐ha test plot adjacent to a 0.2‐ha control plot. Suction lysimeters and monitoring wells were installed at multiple depths within each test and control plot to sample soil‐pore water and near‐surface ground water. Irrigation was applied to each site during the growing season to ensure water input of 110 to 200% of average historical rainfall. Acetochlor dissipated rapidly from surface soils at all sites with a DT50 (time for 50% of the initial residues to dissipate) of only 3 to 9 d, but leaching was not an important loss mechanism, with only 0.25% of the 15312 soil‐pore water and ground water samples analyzed containing parent acetochlor at or above 0.05 μg L−1 However, quantifiable residues of a soil degradation product, acetochlor ethanesulfonic acid, were more common, with approximately 16% of water samples containing concentrations at or above 1.0 μg L−1 A second soil degradation product, acetochlor oxanilic acid, was present at concentrations at or above 1.0 μg L−1 in only 0.15% of water samples analyzed. The acetochlor PGW program demonstrated that acetochlor lacks the potential to leach to ground water at detectable concentrations, and when applied in accordance with label restrictions, is unlikely to move to ground water at concentrations hazardous to human health.
Effect of Petroleum‐Containing Wastewater Irrigation on Bacterial Diversities and Enzymatic Activities in a Paddy Soil Irrigation Area
Authors: Li H. , Zhang Y. , Zhang C. G. , Chen G. X.
Published: May 2005

Effects of petroleum contamination on bacterial diversities and enzymatic activities in paddy soils were investigated in the Shenfu irrigation area, the largest area irrigated by oil‐containing wastewater for more than 50 yr in northeastern China. Bacterial diversities were determined by conventional colony morphology typing techniques and 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Dehydrogenase, hydrogen peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, urease, and substrate‐induced respiration (SIR) were measured to evaluate the effects of petroleum‐containing wastewater irrigation on soil biochemical characteristics. Results showed that paddy soil total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration in the irrigation area varied from 277.11 to 5213.37 mg kg−1dry soil. Soil TPH concentration declined along the gradient of the irrigation channel from up‐ to downstream. At the current pollution level, the paddy soil TPH concentration was positively correlated with the colony forming units (CFU) of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) (r= 0.928,p< 0.001) and the genetic diversity based on DGGE profiles (r= 0.655,p< 0.05). The bacterial diversities in the soils based on colony morphotypes of AHB also increased with TPH concentration (r= 0.598), but not significant statistically (p= 0.052). Analysis of soil enzyme activities indicated a significant positive correlation between soil TPH concentration and activities of dehydrogenases (r= 0.974,p< 0.001), hydrogen peroxidases (r= 0.957,p< 0.001), polyphenol oxidases (r= 0.886,p< 0.001), and SIR (r= 0.916,p< 0.001). On the contrary, the urease activity showed a negative correlation with paddy soil TPH concentration (r= −0.814,p= 0.002), and could be used as a sensitive indicator of petroleum contamination.
Traversing the conceptual divide between biological and statistical epistasis: systems biology and a more modern synthesis
Authors: Moore Jason H. , Williams Scott M.
Published: May 2005

Epistasis plays an important role in the genetic architecture of common human diseases and can be viewed from two perspectives, biological and statistical, each derived from and leading to different assumptions and research strategies. Biological epistasis is the result of physical interactions among biomolecules within gene regulatory networks and biochemical pathways in an individual such that the effect of a gene on a phenotype is dependent on one or more other genes. In contrast, statistical epistasis is defined as deviation from additivity in a mathematical model summarizing the relationship between multilocus genotypes and phenotypic variation in a population. The goal of this essay is to review definitions and examples of biological and statistical epistasis and to explore the relationship between the two. Specifically, we present and discuss the following two questions in the context of human health and disease. First, when does statistical evidence of epistasis in human populations imply underlying biomolecular interactions in the etiology of disease? Second, when do biomolecular interactions produce patterns of statistical epistasis in human populations?Answers to these two reciprocal questions will provide an important framework for using genetic information to improve our ability to diagnose, prevent and treat common human diseases. We propose that systems biology will provide the necessary information for addressing these questions and that model systems such as bacteria, yeast and digital organisms will be a useful place to start. BioEssays 27:637–646, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Integrative biology of sticky feet in geckos
Authors: Pianka Eric R. , Sweet Samuel S.
Published: May 2005

Geckos have gained ecological access to novel microhabitats by exploiting intermolecular van der Waals forces, which allow them to climb smooth vertical surfaces. They use microscopic surface‐based phenomena to thrive in a macroscopic mass‐ and kinetic energy‐based world. Here we detail this as a premier example of integrative biology, spanning seven orders of magnitude and a lot of interesting biology. Emergent properties arising from molecular adhesion include several adaptive radiations that have produced a great diversity of geckos worldwide. BioEssays 27:647–652, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.