bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Sediment Removal in Two Types of Permeable Pavement
Authors: Brown Chris , Chu Angus , van Duin Bert , Valeo Caterina
Published: May 2018

This study investigates the processes and characteristics of solids removal in two types of permeable pavement: UNI Eco-Stone and porous asphalt. The mechanisms and processes behind solids removal within permeable pavement structures was studied for these two types of permeable pavements using both field installations and laboratory experiments. Results from the study showed that both pavement types are capable of excellent total suspended solids removal, in the range of 90 to 96% removal of solids from influent. Particle size distribution analysis of accumulated sediment within the pavement structure and in the influent and effluent showed that the particles in the effluent of the pavements are substantially finer than that in the influent. Laboratory results involving no crust formation indicated that, although solids removal occurs throughout the entire structure, the "sieving action" occurs primarily at the geotextile interface.
Sediment Assessment of Stormwater Retention Ponds within the Urban Environment of Calgary, Canada
Authors: Vopicka Krista Westerbeek
Published: May 2018

The treatment of urban stormwater by retention ponds is known to be effective for water quality improvement as well as storm flow management and, in the past two decades, has become widely implemented. However, limited research has been conducted on the quality of sediment deposited in ponds. Therefore this study focuses on contaminant concentrations within the sediment from stormwater ponds built in Calgary, Canada. Electrical conductivity and the sodium adsorption ratio consistently exceeded the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) agricultural soil quality guidelines, indicating a city-wide salt contamination issue. F3 hydrocarbon fractions, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc were also identified as parameters of concern. In particular, the 61 Avenue SE duck pond displayed the greatest diversity and severity of contaminants due to the industrial catchment area. Removal and disposal options were limited due to the characteristics of the sediment. The examination of the solids content illustrated that all retention ponds will require the sediment to be dewatered prior to disposal. Disposal options were subsequently restricted to landfill disposal due to salt, metal, and/or hydrocarbon parameters exceeding CCME soil guidelines. One exception was the Deerfoot Trail and Highway 22X pond which could be directly disposed of in areas designated as commercial and industrial land use.
Stream Chloride Monitoring Program of City of Toronto: Implications of Road Salt Application
Authors: Perera Nandana , Gharabaghi Bahram , Noehammer Peter
Published: May 2018

In cold regions, winter road safety is a major challenge for municipalities and provincial highway transportation agencies. Road salt is widely used to improve winter road conditions, but concerns have been raised about the effects of road salts on the environment. This paper describes a water quality monitoring program designed to measure both background chloride concentrations and the effects of road salt application on stream water quality in four watersheds (Humber River, Don River, Highland Creek, and Morningside tributary of Rouge River) located within the City of Toronto boundary. The effect of road salts on stream water quality was evaluated based on chloride concentration because of its conservative nature. A bilinear correlation was developed to transform measured specific conductance levels in stream water to chloride concentrations. There are no Ontario aquatic fresh water quality guidelines for chloride, but chloride concentrations in almost all the monitored streams in Toronto periodically exceeded chronic and acute chloride threshold levels of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The City of Toronto has been proactive in its efforts to implement management practices to reduce the impact of road salt application on the environment while maintaining safe driving conditions for its road users. Normalized salt application rates in Toronto have been on a gradual declining trend in the last decade from about 0.08 to 0.07 tonnes of salt applied per centimetre of snowfall per kilometre of lane. With public safety in mind, further reductions in salt application rates are being considered to reduce the adverse environmental effects to acceptable limits.
Reduction of Alkali-Labile Phosphates in Mussels Exposed to Primary-Treated Wastewaters Undergoing Ozone and Ultraviolet Disinfection: A Pilot Study
Authors: Gagné François , André Chantale , Cejka Patrick , Blaise Christian , Hausler Robert
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the estrogenic potential of a primary municipal effluent, undergoing ozone or ultraviolet disinfection, in Elliptio complanata mussels. Mussels were exposed for seven weeks, using a continuous flowthrough system, to a primary effluent from a major city before and after disinfection. Results showed that the effluents, regardless of the disinfection procedure, readily affected gametogenesis in mussels as determined by gonado-somatic index, and by DNA synthesis as determined by the activity of aspartate transcarbamoylase activity, a rate-limiting enzyme for pyrimidine synthesis. The estrogenic potential of the effluents was observed by the increased levels of alkali-labile phosphate, a generic measure for vitellogenin-like proteins, where the disinfection procedures did not completely remove the estrogenic effects of the primary effluent. Thus, the introduction of an ozone or ultraviolet disinfection step to a primary-treated effluent will likely diminish the estrogenic potential, but not entirely.
Electrochemical Removal of Copper and Lead from Industrial Wastewater: Mass Transport Enhancement
Authors: Yaqub Asim , Ajab Huma , Khan Saqib , Khan Sajjad , Farooq Robina
Published: May 2018

The effects of ultrasonic frequencies on both the mass transport process and diffusion layer were investigated during electrochemical treatment. The rates of mass transfer at a stainless steel cathode were measured for copper and lead in dilute acidified copper sulphate and lead nitrate solutions at different ultrasonic frequencies. Concentrations in bulk solution were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. By increasing frequencies from 40 to 100 kHz, a high value for the mass transfer coefficient and an effective thinning of the diffusion layer were observed. Higher rates of mass transfer reduced energy consumption. Use of ultrasound with electrochemical processes can provide valuable contributions to remove metallic ions from industrial wastewater without using extra chemicals. The process has efficiently reduced the cost of energy consumption and deposition time.
Electrokinetic Flotation of Process Water from Paint Booths
Authors: Xu Yanqing , Shang Julie Q. , Yono Faiz W. , George Gary , Coleman Dennis P. , Sioshansi Mitra , Sullivan Shelley
Published: May 2018

Electrokinetic flotation (EKF) for separation of paint solids and process water from automotive assembly paint booths was investigated in a series of laboratory-scale batch experiments. The EKF process employs a single electrode-module and a DC (direct current) power supply, but does not use any chemical agents or air supplier. The electrode-module, which consists of parallel electrode plates, was developed and used in the experiments. The influencing parameters of the EKF process for the process water treatment, including the type of paint, initial suspended paint solids (SS) concentration, and applied electric current, were investigated in the experimental program. It was found from this study that the EKF process decreased the SS concentration from 300 to 100 mg/L in 30 minutes at 55 A/m2 in the water-borne paint water, from 150 to 50 mg/L in 5 minutes at 22 A/m2 in the solvent-borne paint water, and from 550 to 100 mg/L in 5 minutes at 44 A/m2 in the mixed paint water, as well as reduced colour and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The study concluded that paint type, initial SS concentration, and electric current are the most important parameters in the EKF process governing the effectiveness of solid/water separation, treatment time, and power consumption. A comparison of SS removal between the chemical coagulation and the EKF treatments showed that SS removal by the EKF process was similar to the chemical treatment. The study concluded that the EKF is an effective technique for solid/water separation in paint booths with simultaneous COD and colour removal.
Influence of Sediment Grain Size on Elutriate Toxicity of Inorganic Nanomaterials
Authors: Santos Maria Alice , Monteiro Regina T.R. , Blaise Christian , Gagné François , Bull Kimberly , Férard Jean-François
Published: May 2018

Knowledge concerning the ecotoxic effects of nanomaterials, chemical structures with novel properties owing to their small sizes (1 to 100 nm), is wanting and deserves to be documented more fully. In this study we conducted testing with the MARA (microbial array for risk assessment) assay-an 11 microbial species 96-well microplate toxicity test measuring growth inhibition-to determine the toxic potential of four metallic nanopowders (MNPs): copper zinc iron oxide, samarium (III) oxide, erbium (III) oxide, and holmium (III) oxide. MTC (microbial toxicity concentration) endpoint values showed a range of toxicity responses generated by individual strains that was MNP-specific. Cluster analysis undertaken with the (n = 11) MTC values of the four MNPs, reflecting a toxic fingerprint proper to each nanochemical, indicated that their modes of action may be different. Experiments were also conducted with an artificial sediment, composed of varying concentrations of silica sand and kaolin (fine particles < 0.004 mm), spiked with each MNP to assess the contribution of fine particles on the resulting elutriate toxicity. The latter was shown to increase as fines contents decreased, except for CuZnFeO where no particular trends were observed. Toxicity testing was then undertaken with each MNP spiked into natural Saint Lawrence River freshwater sediments displaying low, medium, and high fines contents. Once again, analogous results to those obtained with the artificial sediment experiments were observed for MNP elutriate toxicity. Overall, MARA bioassay data indicate that MNP toxicity can be modulated by sediment grain size and that resulting adverse effects on aquatic biota will in part depend on such sediment characteristics.
Temperature Impact of the Industrial Cooling Water Discharges in a Long Boat Slip of Hamilton Harbour
Authors: He Cheng
Published: May 2018

The thermal structure of industrial cooling water discharged into a long, narrow and shallow, straight open boat slip (Ottawa Street Slip, [OSS]) was investigated by field measurements during the hottest summer month in 2006. Three-dimensional hydrodynamic and thermal transport models were established and verified with measurements. The main purposes of this study were to understand the mechanism of the thermal structure in the OSS during the hot summer season under the present cooling water discharge conditions, to investigate the influence of harbour water on the thermal structure in the slip, and to establish a means for scientific predictions of the impact of cooling water discharges in a future study. Toward this end, the water temperature at multiple locations along the OSS and meteorological data near the study site were collected during the summer period of 2006. The collected data reveal: (1) during the measured summer period, the water temperature in the slip can be higher than 30°C during a period of high air temperatures; (2) water temperature variations within short periods of 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes were no more than 4°C during the entire measurement period; (3) water temperature in the slip is controlled by both air and cooling discharge temperatures, and the cooling water temperature's increase due to industrial cooling processing seems to be relatively independent of the intake water temperature; therefore, the water temperature in the slip varied mainly with the air temperature; (4) since water temperature in the slip seemed to closely follow the intake water temperature, the intake channel may need to be optimized to maximize the possibility of getting the coolest water available from Hamilton Harbour; and (5) the cooler harbour water could not penetrate deeply into the slip. The collected water temperature data were also used for verification of three-dimensional hydrodynamic and transport models. The simulation results showed that the established model could reasonably well reproduce general thermal structures in the entire slip. This achieved the ultimate goal of the study for establishing a model to assess the impacts of further increase of cooling water discharge into the OSS.
Performance and Modelling of a Highway Wet Detention Pond Designed for Cold Climate
Authors: Vollertsen Jes , Åstebøl Svein Ole , Coward Jan Emil , Fageraas Tor , Nielsen Asbjørn Haaning , Hvitved-Jacobsen Thorkild
Published: May 2018

A wet detention pond in Norway has been monitored for 12 months. The pond receives runoff from a highway with a traffic load of 42,000 average daily traffic. Hydraulic conditions in terms of inflow, outflow, and pond water level were recorded every minute. Water quality was monitored by volume proportional inlet and outlet samples. During most of the year, excellent pollutant removal was achieved; however, during two snowmelt events the pollutant removal was poor or even negative. The two snowmelt events accounted for one third of the annual water load and for a substantial part of the annual pollutant discharge. The performance of the pond was analyzed using a dynamic model and pollutant removal was simulated by first-order kinetics. Good agreement between measurement and simulation could be achieved only when choosing different first-order rate constants for different parts of the year. However, no relation between the rate constants obtained and the time of year could be identified, and neither did the rate constants for different pollutants correlate. The study indicates that even detailed measurements of pollutant input and output allow only average performance to be simulated and are insufficient for simulating event-based variability in pond performance.
A GIS-Based Spatial-Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Water Quality Data in the Porsuk River, Turkey
Authors: Arslan Ozan
Published: May 2018

The study offers a GIS-based multivariate statistical analysis strategy to assess river water quality. Multivariate statistical methods and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology have effectively been used for water quality management. Recognizing the fact that the use of standard statistical methods can be restrictive due to the complexity of water quality datasets, geospatial statistical methods have been recommended for the water quality assessment. The objective of the study was to explore the potential capabilities of GIS-based joint multivariate statistical analysis for water quality assessment of Porsuk River in Turkey. A well-known multivariate statistical technique, principal component analysis (PCA), is incorporated into a geographic database for interpretation of water quality data. To characterize spatial variability of water quality data, spatial PCA was performed on the basis of spatial autocorrelation. Application of the joint spatio-multivariate statistical analysis for interpretation of the water quality database offered a better understanding of the hydrochemistry in the study region.
Experimental Study on the Elimination of Colour and Organic Matter from Wastewater Using an Inexpensive Biomaterial, Chitosan
Authors: Modak Poly R. , Singh Kripa S. , Connor Dennis A.
Published: May 2018

Chitosan has been investigated as an inexpensive, biologically derived adsorbent and/or primary coagulant for two reactive azo dyes in textile wastewater. At natural pH, complete elimination of colour was achieved from 0.1 g/L aqueous solutions of the textile dyes Procion Orange MX-2R and Procion Red MX-5B with a dose of 6 g of chitosan per litre of dye solution. However, when pH was lowered (to 4.8 and 5.5 respectively), a dose of only 1 g of chitosan per litre was necessary to eliminate colour and drastically reduce TOC (total organic carbon) and chemical oxygen demand for the same concentration of dyes. This allowed about an 80% reduction in sludge volume production. Addition of sodium phosphate dibasic and potassium sulfate improved the dye removal at higher pH. Colour removal decreased significantly with or without added salts as pH was adjusted above 7. Equilibrium adsorption experiments showed that both dye solutions follow the Freundlich isotherm, but not the Langmuir isotherm. Kinetics measurements show a better fit to the pseudosecond-order Lagergren model than to the first-order Lagergren model. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, or BET, surface area analysis and scanning electron microscope micrographs were included for better understanding of the nature of the chitosan surface with and without adsorbed dye. Chitosan appears to be a natural, clean and excellent product for the adsorption of Procion Orange MX-2R and Procion Red MX-5B in mildly acidic conditions.
Chemical Treatment and Enhancement of Bioavailability of Olive Mill Wastewater
Authors: Abbassi Bassim Eid
Published: May 2018

In this research, the potential of chemical treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW) using different compounds such as lime, potassium permanganate, hypochlorite, and Fenton's reagent has been investigated. The capability of these compounds to breakdown the carbonaceous content of OMW was tested at different concentration ratios and contact times using a batch system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was used as an indicator for the organic content of the OMW. The results showed that chemical treatment is an effective means of treating highly concentrated wastewater such as OMW. A COD removal of about 90% was obtained at permanganate:COD ratio of 1:25 and contact time of 25 minutes. Using Fenton's reaction, more than 93% COD removal was observed at COD:Fe ratio of 50:1, H2O2:Fe ratio of 10:1, and contact time of 10 minutes. The lowest COD removal was observed using sodium hypochlorite. It was possible to reduce the bioavailability indicator, COD/BOD5 ratio, by 40 and 50% by treating the OMW with permanganate and Fenton's reagent, respectively. These results along with the short contact time required indicate that chemical treatment is an effective alternative to conventional biological treatment of highly concentrated OMW.
The Use of Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope Analysis to Characterize Food Web Changes in Aquatic Systems for Reclamation of Oil Sands Process-Affected Materials
Authors: Elshayeb Monalisa , MacKinnon Michael D. , Dixon D. George , Power Michael
Published: May 2018

One strategy for reclamation of oil sands leases in northern Alberta is the construction of lakes and wetlands by capping oil sands process-affected material (OSPM) with water. To assess this approach, experimental sites containing a range of OSPM have been constructed to monitor the evolution of the resulting aquatic habitats. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were used to assess the effects of OSPM on aquatic food webs. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of sediment, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, particulate organic matter, periphyton, plants, plankton, aquatic invertebrates, and fish were used to assess differences related to the naphthenic acid (NA) concentration in OSPM and reference sites. NAs are a principal contaminant of concern in OSPM. Sites were grouped into low (0 to 4 mg/L), medium (4 to 15 mg/L), and high (>15 mg/L) NA concentrations. There were no significant differences in food web area or length among the three NA groupings. In most cases, carbon isotope analyses of samples from low, medium, and high NA concentration sites were not significantly different, suggesting that OSPM is not a significant contributor to food web carbon sources. Significant differences were found in nitrogen isotope signatures between low, medium, and high NA sites. Ammonia from OSPM is suggested as the main contributor to δ15N enrichment.
Effects of Two Types of Landfills on River Water Quality and Endocrine Disruptor Concentrations Before and After Rainfall in a Subtropical Climate
Authors: Lin Chia-Wei , Li Mei-Hui
Published: May 2018

One closed uncontrolled landfill, the Neihu garbage dump, and one active controlled landfill, the Sanzhuku sanitary landfill, were selected for investigation of their leachate characteristics and effects on adjacent river water quality before and after rainfall in northern Taiwan. A total of seven samplings were made during February and June 2007, with four samplings done after individual rainfall events on study sites. Water quality of runoff samples collected from the Sanzhuku sanitary landfill showed less pollution than the water quality of leachates collected from the Neihu garbage dump; however, some water quality levels of leachate samples collected from the Neihu garbage dump were relatively high, such as ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), orthophosphate (PO43-) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). At the uncontrolled dump, rainfall lead to dilution effects on river water NH3-N and PO43- concentrations, but not other water quality parameters. In contrast, the concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol were increased in both types of landfills after rainfall in the present study. Dilution effects of rainfall on most water quality parameters and toxicity tests were observed in the Neihu garbage dump leachates after rainfall, but not for the Sanzhuku Landfill runoff. The highest concentration of BPA measured in this study was 25.8 μg L-1 in the Sanzhuku sanitary landfill runoff after the heaviest rainfall event, during which 236 mm of rainfall accumulated over four days. The results of this study suggest that both uncontrolled and controlled landfill leachates can be an important potential pollution source of BPA to adjacent water bodies.
Water Quality Effects from an Aquaculture Operation in a Meromictic Iron Pit Lake in Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Authors: McNaughton Kimberly A. , Lee Peter F.
Published: May 2018

In 1989, aquaculture for the production of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was started in the upper depths of the 180-m deep Caland pit lake formed after the flooding of the former Steeprock Iron Mine. After ten years of operation, water quality was shown to be affected by the fish farm as well as proximal waste and the surficial geology of the area. Meromictic conditions occurred in the pit lake with a dichotomy in water quality versus depth. A cluster of parameters (ammonia, total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, B, pH, dissolved oxygen) were either in higher concentrations in the mixolimnion or varied little throughout the entire water column, and a second cluster of parameters had higher levels below the chemocline (conductivity, alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, total dissolved solids, nitrate, sulfate, Ca, Mg, hardness, Na, Cl, K, Fe, Mn, Sr, and silicon dioxide). Statistically significant variations in concentrations among many of these chemical parameters were observed between the two years of study, among depths, and among seasons. Nutrient loading from excess fish food and waste increased phosphorus and ammonia levels. The expansion of the fish farm also reduced the levels of dissolved oxygen in the lower depths of the pit lake, thus reducing the volume of usable water for aquaculture purposes. In the early 2000s the fish farm decreased production and those closed in 2006. Later data showed that nitrate and potassium had corresponding decreases in both the monimolimnion and the mixolimnion. Sulfate levels remained elevated.
GDVFS: A New Toolkit for Analysis and Design of Vegetative Filter Strips Using VFSMOD
Authors: Rudra Ramesh P. , Gharabaghi Bahram , Sebti Saleh , Gupta Neelam , Moharir Ashwini
Published: May 2018

The Guelph design tool for vegetative filter strips, GDVFS, is a toolkit for the analysis and design of vegetative filter strips (VFSs). The upland hydrology model UH and the vegetative filter strip model VFSMOD (the two main components of GDVFS) were adopted from an existing interface (VFSMOD-W), and new nutrient and bacteria transport add-ons for UH and VFSMOD were incorporated into GDVFS. Other utilities and tools were also included in GDVFS to provide a capable toolkit for the analysis and design of VFSs. The published evaluation of computational procedures used in GDVFS indicates that these procedures perform very well in the estimation of VFS sediment and phosphorus removal efficiencies. According to these results, comparison of the predicted and observed values for sediment and phosphorus removal efficiencies indicates 10 and 20% error, respectively. This paper provides descriptions on the capabilities and methodology followed in the GDVFS toolkit.
Chemistry of the Interfaces of an Electric Water Heater: Implications from an Input-Output Analysis
Authors: Hocking Martin B.
Published: May 2018

In a case study, this paper responds to increasing public interest in water quality issues by investigating chemical changes as water passes through a domestic water hot water system. Elemental changes were measured by simultaneous analysis of the incoming and outgoing water streams and the deposited sediment from an electric water heater tank. The results may alter some long-held beliefs. The collected and dried sediment from the tank was analyzed for thirty common elements by inductively coupled plasma and atomic absorption techniques. Of the 25 elements found, the dominant seven in order of concentration were magnesium, aluminum, copper, zinc, manganese, iron, and sodium, as well as some surprising traces of other elements. The cold water input and the heated output were also analyzed for thirteen measurable elements. In the heated water output, magnesium had a massive 151% increase in concentration, followed by much more modest increases shown by arsenic, calcium, lead, potassium, silicon, and strontium. None of these mass balance changes compromised the potability of the water. The six elements, aluminum, boron, copper, iron, manganese, and sodium, showed decreases in aqueous concentrations on heating, thereby improving the water quality.
Summary of a Decade of Research on the Effects of a New Zealand Pulp and Paper Mill on Reproduction in Fishes
Authors: van den Heuvel Michael R. , Slade Alison H. , Landman Michael J.
Published: May 2018

The effluent of the Tasman pulp and paper mill (Kawerau, New Zealand) has been intensively studied for its effects on the health of fishes between 1998 and present. This review summarizes peer-reviewed scientific literature on the reproductive effects of the Tasman Mill effluent on fishes. In the 1990s there was an emerging body of literature from around the world showing that exposure to pulp and paper effluent could cause subtle reproductive alterations in exposed fishes. Locally, the Tarawera River had proved to be a difficult environment to conduct field studies. To overcome some of the difficulties with studying fish populations in the Tarawera River, initial studies on the reproductive health of fishes were focused on mesocosm and laboratory bioassays. During the later part of this period of study, wild fish population sampling was conducted inriver to assess the cumulative impact of multiple discharges. The initial mesocosm studies were conducted with rainbow trout exposures over an entire reproductive development cycle. The Tasman Mill effluent was initially observed to cause reductions in gonad size in females corresponding with lower circulating sex steroid hormones and reduced egg and larval sizes. This result was not observed again in the two subsequent long-term exposures conducted after 2001. Laboratory studies initially found the effluent to have a masculinizing effect on female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis). This mosquitofish masculinization response disappeared after 2001 and was also not seen in effluent-exposed wild populations. Upstream and downstream populations of the native common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) showed different reproductive timing, and investigation revealed that genetic differences were a potential reason for these differences. Subsequent investigation compared the Tarawera River bully to genetically similar Rangitiki River bully and found no evidence of reproductive alterations. The entire body of published data was assessed with regards to changes at the mill and chemical profiles of the effluent. It was evident that continuing effort on the part of the mill has resulted in gradual improvement in effluent quality over the duration of the studies. However, the disappearance of reproductive effects as assessed by multiple bioassays corresponds to one major change: screen room closure in the pulp mill. This change would have resulted in wood extractives being shunted from the treatment system to the recovery boiler, resulting in a net reduction in compounds derived from wood.
Recent Progress in Understanding the Causes of Endocrine Disruption Related to Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents
Authors: van den Heuvel Michael R.
Published: May 2018

Reproductive impairment in fishes exposed to pulp and paper effluent has been observed in the wild for three decades. Despite intense research, identification of causative agents, if indeed the changes are strictly chemically mediated, has yet to be achieved. This review examines the body of research developed over the last six years that was directed at understanding the mechanisms of reproductive dysfunction in fishes associated with pulp mill effluent exposures. Research has continued to show diminishing effects of effluent exposure on fish reproductive physiology. Observations of exposure to androgens and estrogens continue to be observed and new evidence suggests that antiestrogens may be present. The presence of androgenic steroids remains a consistent observation, and those androgens appear to be native to wood. Recent studies have also suggested a number of alternate mechanisms beyond androgens or estrogens. One such possibility is that neuroactive substances are interfering with endocrine balance critical to reproduction. A second possibility is that some reproductive effects in the field may be due to nutritional factors, and thus reproductive impacts are caused by indirect effects of pulp mill effluent exposure. Ongoing mechanistic studies, particularly with paired field-lab components, are required to make further progress.
Masculinization of Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia) and Exposure to Pulp and Paper Discharge: Diminished Responses Following Mill Process Modifications
Authors: Noggle Jessica J. , Gross Timothy S. , Holm Stewart E.
Published: May 2018

The abnormal induction of anal fin elongation (masculinization) in female Gambusia was first reported in the 1980s for Florida streams receiving pulp and paper effluents. Although these early reports indicated masculinization responses that were similar to the complete development of a gonopodium (male secondary sex structure), additional evaluations throughout the 1990s demonstrated significant reductions in this response. These historic data suggested that mill process modifications may have been responsible for the reduced masculinization responses. The objective of the current study was to utilize Georgia Pacifics Palatka Mill to monitor a series of mill process modifications and their effects on masculinization responses in Mosquitofish (Gambusia). Gambusia were collected from upstream, discharge, and downstream sites in the Palatka Mill receiving stream (Rice Creek) and masculinization was evaluated. Collections were conducted annually during 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009, before and after a series of modifications which included: conversion to elemental chlorine free bleaching, conversion of secondary treatment to aerobic degradation, reduction of in-mill black liquor losses, addition of condensate stripping, reduction in water usage from 136 to 83 million litres per day (36 to 22 million gallons per day), installation of new brown stock washers, and oxygen delignification. Masculinization responses were evaluated using the anal fin index (ratio or anal fin rays 4 and 6). Reductions in this masculinization response were observed gradually across 1999 through 2009, with an absence of response in female Gambusia during 2004, 2006, and 2008 to 2009. These data indicate that pulp and paper mill upgrades and process modifications have resulted in the elimination of this biological response in Gambusia.
Effects of Neutral Sulfite Semichemical Pulp Mill Effluent in the Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus.) Adult Fish Reproductive Test
Authors: Bosker Thijs , Hewitt L. Mark , Doyle Meghan A. , MacLatchy Deborah L.
Published: May 2018

Short-term adult fish reproductive tests using freshwater species have demonstrated negative impacts on egg production in fish exposed to complex pulp and paper mill effluents. In an effort to address the ability of laboratory tests to predict effects on wild fish, mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) were exposed in saltwater conditions for 21 days to 3 and 30% final effluent of a neutral sulfite semichemical pulp mill that discharges into an estuarine environment in eastern Canada. Although no effects on gonad size, liver size, or condition factor were found, egg production was significantly increased by 31% and decreased by 30% when fish were exposed to 3 and 30% final effluent, respectively. This study i) is the first to demonstrate a decrease in egg production when fish are exposed to complex effluents under estuarine conditions and ii) provides the first linkage of effects on gonad size in wild fish to egg production from laboratory testing in the same species. In so doing, this study also demonstrates the utility of egg production measurements to further investigate the causes and solutions to the effects of mill effluents in both freshwater and marine wild fish.
Impact of a Kraft Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent on Phytoplankton and Macroinvertebrates in River Nzoia, Kenya
Authors: Ojunga Salome , Masese Frank O. , Manyala Julius O. , Etiegni Lazare , Onkware Augustino O. , Senelwa Kingiri , Raburu Phillip O. , Balozi Bekuta K. , Omutange Elijah S.
Published: May 2018

Phytoplankton and macroinvertebrate assemblages were used to assess the impact of a kraft pulp and paper mill effluent in Kenya, on River Nzoia downstream of the discharge point in relation to changes in water quality during May to June and November 2008 (rainy and dry seasons, respectively). Total phosphorus concentration increased from 0.027 mg.L-1 upstream to 0.04 mg.L-1 downstream. Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration was 0.51 mg.L-1 upstream and 0.86 mg.L- 1 downstream. Nitrate concentration stood at 1.18 mg.L-1 upstream compared with the 2.23 mg.L-1 downstream. The pH changed from 4.5 to 5.0 upstream to 5.5 to 6.0 downstream, while DO increased from 6.57 to 7.03 mg.L-1 downstream. The BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand after five days) values remained almost unchanged from 4.63 mg.L-1 upstream to 4.67 mg.L-1 downstream. Taxon composition of phytoplankton and macroinvertebrates correlated with adverse environmental gradients resulting from the mill's effluent discharge. Overall, there was a shift in composition and abundance of both phytoplankton and macroinvertebrates, with the downstream site recording high numbers of tolerant taxa (i.e., Microcystis sp. and Chironomus sp.). It was recommended that water quality monitoring with effluents of this nature be done using a combination of chemical analysis and biological indicators such as phytoplankton and macroinvertebrates.
Dissolved and Colloidal Fraction Transport of Antibiotics in Soil under Biotic and Abiotic Conditions
Authors: Kim Sung-Chul , Yang Jae E. , Ok Yong-Sik , Carlson Kenneth
Published: May 2018

Veterinary antibiotics, leached from contaminated manure that is applied as fertilizer, could be transported to surface water as runoff or infiltrated to groundwater after a significant rainfall. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the transport behaviour of ten antibiotics belonging to four different groups in soil through the column leaching study under biotic and abiotic conditions. Among compared antibiotic groups, tetracyclines (TCs) were found to have no residual in the leachate and mainly remained sorbed to the fixed column soil ranging 34~81% of initially applied mass. In contrast, sulfamethazine(SMTs), one of the sulfonamides (SAs) group, was mostly recovered in the leachate at the ranges of 74~83% of the total mass applied. Also, colloidal-facilitated transport of antibiotics was observed. Depending on the antibiotics, recovered mass of colloidal-facilitated transport was 0.4~22.7% for biotic and 0.2~62.5% for abiotic treatment as compared to total mass applied in soil. In general, a less mass was recovered in biotic leachate and soil columns indicating that microorganism activity might be a minor attenuation mechanism. Results indicated that phase partitioning of antibiotics would be a major factor to be assessed in evaluation of fate and transport of antibiotics in soil.
Case Study of Particle-Related UV Shielding of Microorganisms When Disinfecting Unfiltered Surface Water
Authors: Cantwell Raymond E. , Hofmann Ron , Rand Jennie L. , Devine Patrick M. , VanderMarck Monique
Published: May 2018

The goal of this case study was to provide pilot-scale information about the ability of ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect unfiltered surface water. A pilot-scale (0.25 L/s) UV reactor with low-pressure UV lamps was installed on raw water entering an aqueduct from the Pardee Reservoir at the East Bay Municipal District, California. A pilot monitoring system also collected hourly particle count (2 to 100 m), turbidity, and ultraviolet transmittance (UVT) measurements for 14 months. Grab microbial samples were collected and analyzed for indigenous total coliforms and total aerobic spores (TAS) both before and after UV disinfection, to correlate survival of the organisms across the UV reactor to water quality characteristics. Concentrations of indigenous coliforms and TAS ranged up to 163 and 1,383 per 100 mL respectively, before UV exposure. The data showed that the ability of UV to disinfect coliforms was essentially unaffected by the presence of particles (up to 703>10 m per mL and 1.3 nephelometric turbidity unit [NTU]) in the unfiltered surface water. In 13 of 14 samples, no coliforms were detected in the UV treated water. Log-linear inactivation of TAS up to 2.5-log suggests that at least 99.6% of the TAS were not protected from UV disinfection by particles.
Catchment Residents-Based SWOT Analysis of a Reservoir Ecosystem for Sustainable Water Management: A Case Study From the Region of Alentejo, Portugal
Authors: Matias Nuno-Gonçalo
Published: May 2018

The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) makes public participation a requirement in managing water resources and maintaining water quality in a watershed. Whilst participatory approaches to sustainable water management are supported by a growing body of research, actively involving people affected by water resources is far from straightforward. This paper investigates the use of the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis framework as a consultation tool to support catchment populations participation in water resources management by a case study developed in a reservoir ecosystem. The application of a multiple correspondence analysis helped identify underlying structures of respondents SWOT stated issues and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics and type of reservoir ecosystem uses. In particular, five clusters of responses were suggested by this analysis, focusing on: the use and importance of the reservoir ecosystem for agriculture, existing qualities/amenities at the study area for recreation, socioeconomic issues, concerns about littering and litter management of the area, and issues about reservoir water quality and management. Overall, the issues raised information about public perceptions and understandings of the reservoir ecosystem, which may enable decision makers and water managers to perform fair and sustainable management of water resources.
A Comparison of Urbanization Effects on Stream Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Water Chemistry in an Urban and an Urbanizing Basin in Southern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Bazinet Normand L. , Gilbert Beth M. , Wallace Angela M.
Published: May 2018

Benthic invertebrate communities were compared in several watersheds within an urban basin and an urbanizing basin in southern Ontario, Canada. The urban watersheds of the Lake Ontario basin and the urbanizing watersheds within the Lake Simcoe basin share similar geologies, soils, and climates, but differ in the stage of urban development within these two basins. Correspondence analysis showed that invertebrate populations formed distinct groups split between these two basins owing to intense urban development in the Lake Ontario watersheds versus the agricultural nature of the Lake Simcoe basin. Canonical correspondence analysis ordinations indicated that the major environmental gradients were related to urban land cover (imperviousness), chloride, nitrates and stream order factors. Urban land cover and chloride were most strongly associated with the first axis. The typical logarithmic relationship between urban land cover and benthos found in other studies was not evident in this study. Rather, 9 of the 12 metrics tested had significant linear relationships with urban land cover. The Hilsenhoff Family Biotic Index and percent Oligochaeta metrics showed the strongest positive linear relationships with urban land cover. Pollution sensitive groups (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) along with richness and diversity measures decreased with increasing urbanization.
Potential Aquatic Health Impacts of Selected Dechlorination Chemicals
Authors: Basu Onita D. , Dorner Sarah M.
Published: May 2018

Municipal wastewater effluents are one of the largest single effluent discharges in Canada. Chlorination of wastewater effluents is a widespread practice throughout Canada (excluding Quebec), the United States and parts of Europe. As chlorine in wastewater effluents is toxic to aquatic biota, dechlorination chemicals may be used to reduce residual chlorine concentrations to below 0.02 mg/L (as Cl2) as mandated by Canadian law. However, the potential aquatic health impacts of residual dechlorination chemicals must also be determined. Seven dechlorination agents (ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide, calcium thiosulfate, sodium sulfite, sodium thiosulfate, sodium metabisulfite, sodium bisulfite) were evaluated with regards to their 48 hour acute toxicity. Tests were conducted using Daphnia magna to identify the acute (48 h) toxicity affects of the dechlorination chemicals over a range of concentrations (0-200 mg/L). Sodium sulfite and thiosulfate were found to have the least aquatic mortality effects while hydrogen peroxide and calcium thiosulfate had the most deleterious effects.
Prediction of Scale Formation in Calcium Carbonate Aqueous Phase for Water Treatment and Distribution Systems
Authors: Bahadori Alireza
Published: May 2018

Accurate estimation of scale formation in distribution systems for drinking water and water treatment technologies is of utmost importance. A novel and simple method is presented here to predict the formation of calcium carbonate scaling as a function of pH, temperature, ionic strength of the solution, calcium cation, and bicarbonate anion concentrations, in order to evaluate the effect of solution conditions on precipitation tendency. The proposed simple method covers concentrations of calcium cations and bicarbonate anions up to 10,000 mg/L, temperatures up to 90°C, pressures up to 500 kPa, total ionic strength up to 3.6, and pH values ranging between 5.5 and 8. The predicted values are found to be in good agreement with the reported data with average absolute deviations being less than 2.6%. Predictive tool presented in the paper can be of immense practical value for engineers and researchers to have a quick check on the formation of calcium carbonate scaling at various conditions without opting for any experimental measurements. In particular, personnel dealing with water treatment and distribution systems would find the proposed method to be user-friendly with transparent calculations involving no complex expressions.
Compost Biofilters For Highway Stormwater Runoff Treatment
Authors: Finney Karen , Gharabaghi Bahram , McBean Ed , Rudra Ramesh , MacMillan Glenn
Published: May 2018

Stormwater runoff containing pollutants deposited on highways from vehicular traffic and urban activities has been identified as a serious threat to aquatic habitats. Although many urban stormwater management technologies serve to reduce the concentrations of pollutants from being transported to larger bodies of water, these stormwater management installations do not always meet the provincial water quality guidelines. In summer 2007, a compost biofilter was installed in a ditch near Highway 8 in Kitchener, Ontario and monitored for 18 storm events spanned over two years for both flow rate and water quality. The main objectives of the study were to determine highway runoff quality and biofilter pollutant removal efficiency. This study shows that the key factors that affect the build-up of the pollutants on a highway are the average annual daily traffic (AADT) and the antecedent dry days (ADD), and the main factors that affect the wash-off of pollutants, include total rainfall depth and rainfall intensity. Before filtration, highway runoff contaminant levels often exceeded the Ontario Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO). However, the biofilter reduced the total suspended solids, zinc, copper and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 42, 32, 29, and 66%.
Investigation of Laboratory-Scale and Pilot-Scale Attached Growth Ammonia Removal Kinetics at Cold Temperature and Low Influent Carbon
Authors: Delatolla Robert , Tufenkji Nathalie , Comeau Yves , Gadbois Alain , Lamarre Daniel , Berk Dimitrios
Published: May 2018

A mobile testing center was installed at a lagoon wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Terrebonne, Canada to investigate the rate of ammonia removal of attached growth treatment systems at 4°C and at low influent carbon concentrations. The testing center housed two laboratory-scale reactors, a pilot-scale BioStyr system (Veolia Water) and a pilot-scale moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) system (Veolia Water). Although the rates of laboratory-scale and the pilot-scale systems demonstrated that the exposure time to low temperature has a significant effect on the kinetics of the system, the ammonia removal rates of all the systems were shown to be significant at 4°C. A strong correlation was demonstrated between the rates of ammonia removal produced by the laboratory-scale reactors, the pilot BioStyr system and pilot MBBR system; thus verifying the scaleup capability of the laboratory-scale reactors and demonstrating that nitrifiers can achieve ammonia removal under cold temperature conditions for elapsed periods of time independent of the reactor design. Finally, the ammonia removal rates of the laboratory-scale systems, the BioStyr pilot system, and the MBBR pilot system were all accurately predicted by a recently proposed Theta model.