Molecular characterization of national cocoa collection from the leading traditional growing areas in Ecuador

Ecuador is the leading producer and exporter of fine cocoa, with plantations over 80 years old, preserving distinctive aroma and flavor characteristics. The research objective was to screen the genetic variability of a collection of National cocoa from Ecuador's leading traditional cocoa growing areas, denominated as Centennial National Cocoa Plants (CCNC). This germplasm collection with 243 accessions was analyzed with 20 microsatellites (SSR) markers. DNA genotyping was highly informative, generating a total of 109 SSR alleles with an average of 5.5 alleles per locus. Only 0.8% of duplicate accessions were identified. The average genetic diversity obtained was 0.447, and the polymorphic content index was 0.414, which shows a high genetic diversity. The clustering, main coordinates, and population assignment analysis revealed that the samples are classified into two subpopulations (GN and GM), differentiated by their level of heterozygosity, with a fixation index value of 0.105. The results showed that microsatellite markers and statistical tools provide useful information that favors managing and conserving genetic variability in CCNC collection. Keywords: fine and aroma cocoa, Sabor Arriba, DNA genotyping, SSR markers

Novel nonylphenol-degrading bacterial strains isolated from sewage sludge: Application in bioremediation of sludge

Nonylphenol (NP) is an anthropogenic pollutant frequently found in sewage sludge due to the insufficient degrading effectiveness of conventional WWTPs and has attracted attention as an endocrine disruptor. The aim of this study was to isolate specific NP-degrading bacteria from sewage sludge to be used in the degradation of this contaminant through bioaugmentation processes in aqueous solution and sewage sludge. Up to eight different bacterial strains were isolated, six of them not previously described as NP degraders. Bacillus safensis CN12 presented the best NP degradation in solution, and glucose used as an external carbon source increased its effect, reaching DT₅₀ degradation values (time to decline to half the initial concentration of the pollutant) of only 0.9 days and a complete degradation in <7 days. Four NP metabolites were identified throughout the biodegradation process, showing higher toxicity than the parent contaminant. In sewage sludge suspensions, the endogenous microbiota was capable of partially degrading NP, but a part remained adsorbed as bound residue. Bioaugmentation was used for the first time to remove NP from sewage sludge to obtain more environmentally friendly biosolids. However, B. safensis CN12 was not able to degrade NP due to its high adsorption on sludge, but the use of a cyclodextrin (HPBCD) as availability enhancer allowed us to extract NP and degrade it in solution. The addition of glucose as an external carbon source gave the best results since the metabolism of the sludge microbiota was activated, and HPBCD was able to remove NP from sewage sludge to the solution to be degraded by B. safensis CN12. These results indicate that B. safensis CN12 can be used to degrade NP in water and sewage sludge, but the method must be improved using consortia of B. safensis CN12 with other bacterial strains able to degrade the toxic metabolites produced.

Bioremediation of a trifluralin contaminated soil using bioaugmentation with novel isolated bacterial strains and cyclodextrin

Trifluralin (TFL) is a highly persistent with a strong adsorption capacity on soil particles herbicide. This study was to isolate microbial consortia and bacterial strains from a soil with a historical application of pesticides to evaluate their potential to degrade TFL in soil. Different bioremediation techniques were considered for increasing the effectiveness of TFL degradation in soil. These techniques consisted of: i) biostimulation, using a nutrients solution (NS); ii) bioaugmentation, using a natural microbial consortium (NMC), seven individual bacterial strains isolated from NMC, and an artificial bacterial consortium formed by the seven TFL-degrading bacterial strains (ABC); iii) bioavailability enhancement, using a biodegradable compound, a randomly methylated cyclodextrin, RAMEB. Biostimulation using NS leads up to 34 % of soil TFL biodegraded after 100 d. When the contaminated soil was inoculated with NMC or ABC consortia, TFL loss increased up to 62 % and 74 %, respectively, with DT₅₀ values (required time for the pollutant concentration to decline to half of its initial value) of 5.9 and 11 d. In the case of soil inoculation with the isolated individual bacterial strains, the extent of TFL biodegradation ranged widely from 2.3 % to 55 %. The most efficient bacterial strain was Arthrobacter aurescens CTFL7 which had not been previously described in the literature as a TFL-degrading bacterium. Bioaugmentation with CTFL7 bacterium was also tested in the presence of RAMEB, provoking a drastic increase in herbicide biodegradation up to 88 %, achieving a DT₅₀ of only 19 d. Cyclodextrins had never been tested before for enhancement of TFL biodegradation. An ecotoxicity assay was performed to confirm that the proposed bioremediation techniques were also capable to reduce toxicity. A Microtox® test showed that after application A. aurescens CTF7 and A. aurescens CTF7 + RAMEB, the TFL-contaminated soil, which initially presented acute toxicity, became non-toxic at the end of the biodegradation experiments.

Dissipation of a mix of priority PAHs in soils by using availability enhancers. Effect of aging and pollutant interactions

A remediation strategy using three non-toxic availability enhancers (two cyclodextrins and a rhamnolipid biosurfactant) was applied to various soils artificially contaminated with a mix of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) considered priority pollutants at two levels of contamination: only with 7 low molecular weight PAHs (LMW PAHs, 5 with 3-ring and 2 with 4-ring - fluoranthene and pyrene) or with 14 PAHs (from 3 to 6 rings). Natural attenuation of PAHs in all soils showed degradation capacity for the LMW PAHs, with a final content of LMW PAHs <5% of their initial concentration. Conversely, the rest of PAHs (high molecular weight PAHs, HMW) remained in the soils (61% - 83.5%), indicating abiotic dissipation of HMW PAHs due to formation of non-extractable residues in soils. The influence of the presence of HMW PAHs on the degradation of the 7 LMW PAHs was also tested, showing a general decrease in the time to obtain 50% dissipation (DT₅₀), statistically significant for acenaphthene, acenaphthylene and fluorene. Availability enhancers showed different effects on PAHs dissipation. 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP) decreased DT₅₀ of some of the lighter PAHs, whereas the rhamnolipid (RL) caused a slight DT₅₀ increase due to its initial toxicity on native soil microorganisms, but showing later high degradation rate for LMW PAHs. On the contrary, randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB) slowed down PAHs degradation due to its high adsorption onto soil surface, blocking the desorption of PAHs from the soils. The high number of experimental factors not studied simultaneously before (soil type, co-contamination, availability enhancers and incubation time) allowed to conduct a statistical analysis which supported the conclusions reached. Principal Component Analysis separated the studied PAHs in 3 groups, in relation with their molecular weight and Kow. The first principal component was related with LMW PAHs, and separate the inefficient RAMEB from the other availability enhancers.

Extraction of nonylphenol, pyrene and phenanthrene from sewage sludge and composted biosolids by cyclodextrins and rhamnolipids

Sewage sludge generated by Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are frequently used as organic amendments in agriculture, but they contain pollutants such as Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) and organic contaminants which contaminate the agricultural soils. The study presented here is part of a larger study based on the application of environmentally friendly chemical and biological techniques to decrease the content of organic pollutants in sewage sludge before agricultural application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of biodegradable extractants, such as some cyclodextrins (CDs), β-cyclodextrin (BCD), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) and randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB), and a biosurfactant (rhamnolipid, RL) on the removal and availability of pyrene (PYR), phenanthrene (PHE) and nonylphenol (NP) from several biosolids samples in order to improve their subsequent biodegradation. The influence of pollutants retention time on biosolids was studied, as well as the effect of each extractant on PTEs solubilization. Results obtained were pollutant and extractant-dependent. BCD extracted similar amounts of pollutants compared to water, whereas HPBCD and RAMEB actually increased the availability of the three pollutants in most of the samples and aging times. RL seems to be the best election for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) extraction from biosolids, with percentages of extraction multiplied by more than 80 and 40 times for PHE and PYR, respectively, relative to water extraction. The extraction enhancement was the highest for NP, the most hydrophobic pollutant, reaching more than 500-fold higher with HPBCD and RAMEB. PTEs extractability was not affected by the different CDs used, but RL caused an increment in their soluble content what could endanger a subsequent biodegradation of the organic pollutants.

Natural and assisted dissipation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a long-term co-contaminated soil with creosote and potentially toxic elements

An enhanced bioremediation strategy was applied to an industrial soil co-contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs). Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) and a natural mixture of two rhamnolipids (RL) were added to increase PAHs bioavailability, and combined with a microbial consortium (MC) to biodegrade soil PAHs. Bioavailability of only six PAHs (3-, 4-ring PAHs) increased when using HPBCD, with a maximum increase about 2.8-fold higher. The highest dose of HPBCD (5%) enhanced PAH degradation, with the best results for 4-ring PAHs with treatments of HPBCD + MC (up to 48% degradation for pyrene and 43% for fluoranthene), whereas dissipation for 5-ring PAHs was very low and for 6-ring was negligible. The use of RL increased the bioavailability of 13 of the 16 PAHs studied, reaching up to 60-fold higher values for phenanthrene or 18-fold higher for acenaphtene. RL addition did not show degradation improvement in any situation, and even inhibited the scarce degradation observed in the control treatment. The high increase in availability of both PAHs and mainly PTEs when using RL as amendment could make them toxic for microorganisms. In fact, Microtox Acute Toxicity test using Aliivibrio fischeri and the absence of colony forming units (CFUs) of indigenous bacteria demonstrated the extremely high levels of toxicity in RL treated soil.

Lignin and ethylcellulose in controlled release formulations to reduce leaching of chloridazon and metribuzin in light-textured soils

In this research, controlled release formulations (CRFs) of the herbicides chloridazon and metribuzin, identified as potential leachers, have been evaluated in soils with different texture. To prepare the CRFs, ethylcellulose (EC) and dibutylsebacate (DBS) have been used as coating agents in lignin-polyethylene glycol based formulations. Mobility experiments have been carried out in two light textured soils (sandy and sandy-loam). Breakthrough curves have shown that the use of CRFs reduces the presence of chloridazon and metribuzin in the leachate compared to technical and commercial products, being the lignin CRF coated with EC and DBS the most efficient to diminish the herbicide leaching. Mass balance study has shown a higher amount of chloridazon and metribuzin recovered in soils when these herbicides were tested as CRFs compared to technical and commercial products. The gradual release of herbicides from the CRFs resulting in a rather available levels of chloridazon and metribuzin in soil for a longer time. A good correlation between percentages of herbicide recovered in leachates and T₅₀ values (time corresponding to 50% release of herbicide in water) was obtained, which allows to select the most appropriate CRF in each agro-environmental practice to reduce the potential pollution of groundwater by chloridazon and metribuzin.

Combined use of microbial consortia isolated from different agricultural soils and cyclodextrin as a bioremediation technique for herbicide contaminated soils

The phenylurea herbicide diuron is persistent in soil, water and groundwater and is considered to be a highly toxic molecule. The principal product of its biodegradation, 3,4-dichloroaniline, exhibits greater toxicity than diuron and is persistent in the environment. Five diuron degrading microbial consortia (C1C5), isolated from different agricultural soils, were investigated for diuron mineralization activity. The C2 consortium was able to mineralize 81.6% of the diuron in solution, while consortium C3 was only able to mineralize 22.9%. Isolated consortia were also tested in soil slurries and in all cases, except consortium C4, DT₅₀ (the time required for the diuron concentration to decline to half of its initial value) was drastically reduced, from 700 days (non-inoculated control) to 546, 351, and 171 days for the consortia C5, C2, and C1, respectively. In order to test the effectiveness of the isolated consortium C1 in a more realistic scenario, soil diuron mineralization assays were performed under static conditions (40% of the soil water-holding capacity). A significant enhancement of diuron mineralization was observed after C1 inoculation, with 23.2% of the herbicide being mineralized in comparison to 13.1% for the control experiment. Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, a biodegradable organic enhancer of pollutant bioavailability, used in combination with C1 bioaugmentation in static conditions, resulted in a significant decrease in the DT₅₀ (214 days; 881 days, control experiment). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of soil-isolated microbial consortia in combination with cyclodextrins proposed as a bioremediation technique for pesticide contaminated soils.

Behaviour of glyphosate in a reservoir and the surrounding agricultural soils

Glyphosate (GPS) is an herbicide currently used on olive crops in Spain, and can be transported to the nearby reservoirs currently used for human consumption. The purpose of this work was to study the behaviour and environmental fate of GPS in water and sediments of the Vibora Reservoir, its tributary river, and the surrounding agricultural soils to assess the risk of water pollution of this reservoir. The adsorption of GPS by different matrices was as follows: heading of the reservoir sediment (Cabecera)>tail sediment (Cola)>soils>Vibora sediment. The highest amount of oxides (especially Fe oxides) was observed in sediments from Cabecera and Cola whereas the lowest values were recorded on Vibora sediment. Results indicate that the highest GPS adsorption is due to the amorphous oxides and the edge sites of the clay minerals. Glyphosate adsorption increased with decreasing pH from 8 to 7. The desorption percentage of GPS from the four soils studied ranged only from 0.40 to 1.22%. Desorption was almost irreversible for Cabecera and Cola sediments, with values between 0 and 1.1%. Conversely, Vibora sediment presented about 20% desorption, probably due to its coarse texture and lower levels of amorphous oxides. Hockey-stick first-order kinetics was the best descriptor for water glyphosate dissipation at the Cabecera and Cola locations, and simple first-order kinetic for the water from the tributary Vibora River. The half-lives (DT50) were between 6.3 and 11.0days. The rapid degradation of GPS in surface waters and its practically irreversible sorption on these soils and sediments implies that GPS use in similar agricultural areas is of very low environmental risk. This manuscript also outlines the importance of the presence of photo-sensitizers in waters in the degradation routes of GPS in reservoirs.

Advanced technologies for the remediation of pesticide-contaminated soils

The occurrence of pesticides in soil has become a highly significant environmental problem, which has been increased by the vast use of pesticides worldwide and the absence of remediation technologies that have been tested at full-scale. The aim of this review is to give an overview on technologies really studied and/or developed during the last years for remediation of soils contaminated by pesticides. Depending on the nature of the decontamination process, these techniques have been included into three categories: containment-immobilization, separation or destruction. The review includes some considerations about the status of emerging technologies as well as their advantages, limitations, and pesticides treated. In most cases, emerging technologies, such as those based on oxidation-reduction or bioremediation, may be incorporated into existing technologies to improve their performance or overcome limitations. Research and development actions are still needed for emerging technologies to bring them for full-scale implementation.

Bioremediation of diuron contaminated soils by a novel degrading microbial consortium

Diuron is a biologically active pollutant present in soil, water and sediments. It is persistent in soil, water and groundwater and slightly toxic to mammals and birds as well as moderately toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Its principal product of biodegradation, 3,4-dichloroaniline, exhibits a higher toxicity than diuron and is also persistent in the environment. On this basis, the objective of the study was to determine the potential capacity of a proposed novel diuron-degrading microbial consortium (DMC) for achieving not only diuron degradation, but its mineralisation both in solution as well as in soils with different properties. The consortium was tested in a soil solution where diuron was the only carbon source, and more than 98.8% of the diuron initially added was mineralised after only a few days. The consortium was composed of three diuron-degrading strains, Arthrobacter sulfonivorans, Variovorax soli and Advenella sp. JRO, the latter had been isolated in our laboratory from a highly contaminated industrial site. This work shows for the first time the potential capacity of a member of the genus Advenella to remediate pesticide-contaminated soils. However, neither of the three strains separately achieved mineralisation (ring-¹⁴C) of diuron in a mineral medium (MSM) with a trace nutrient solution (NS); combined in pairs, they mineralised 40% of diuron in solution, but the most relevant result was obtained in the presence of the three-member consortium, where complete diuron mineralisation was achieved after only a few days. In the presence of the investigated soils in suspension, the capacity of the consortium to mineralise diuron was evaluated, achieving mineralisation of a wide range of herbicides from 22.9 to 69.0%.

Natural attenuation of fluorene and pyrene in contaminated soils and assisted with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. Effect of co-contamination

The objectives of this study were to investigate the mutual effect of the PAHs fluorene and pyrene on their respective biodegradation and dissipation processes in an agricultural soil, and to determine the effect of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD), used to increase the bioavailability of PAHs, on such processes. Fluorene dissipation was primarily due to abiotic processes, although a small contribution from biodegradation was also observed. Therefore, fluorene dissipation did not increase with HPBCD and its presence did not significantly alter the dehydrogenase activity. In contrast to fluorene, pyrene dissipation depended primarily on biotic factors, with endogenous soil microorganisms capable of degrading pyrene, with large increases in dehydrogenase activity. HPBCD increased biodegradation rate of pyrene. The co-contamination of soil with both PAHs did not affect fluorene evolution, but significantly inhibited pyrene biodegradation. The different abilities of soil bacterial consortia to catabolize these PAHs are discussed. Additionally, the possibility that the abiotic loss of fluorene through volatilization had a significant effect on the microbial community biodegradation of both fluorene and pyrene is examined.

Saponin determination, expression analysis and functional characterization of saponin biosynthetic genes in Chenopodium quinoa leaves

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a highly nutritious pseudocereal with an outstanding protein, vitamin, mineral and nutraceutical content. The leaves, flowers and seed coat of quinoa contain triterpenoid saponins, which impart bitterness to the grain and make them unpalatable without postharvest removal of the saponins. In this study, we quantified saponin content in quinoa leaves from Ecuadorian sweet and bitter genotypes and assessed the expression of saponin biosynthetic genes in leaf samples elicited with methyl jasmonate. We found saponin accumulation in leaves after MeJA treatment in both ecotypes tested. As no reference genes were available to perform qPCR in quinoa, we mined publicly available RNA-Seq data for orthologs of 22 genes known to be stably expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana using geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper algorithms. The quinoa ortholog of At2g28390 (Monensin Sensitivity 1, MON1) was stably expressed and chosen as a suitable reference gene for qPCR analysis. Candidate saponin biosynthesis genes were screened in the quinoa RNA-Seq data and subsequent functional characterization in yeast led to the identification of CqbAS1, CqCYP716A78 and CqCYP716A79. These genes were found to be induced by MeJA, suggesting this phytohormone might also modulate saponin biosynthesis in quinoa leaves. Knowledge of the saponin biosynthesis and its regulation in quinoa may aid the further development of sweet cultivars that do not require postharvest processing.

Characterization of microsatellites identified by next-generation sequencing in the Neotropical tree Handroanthus billbergii (Bignoniaceae)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

We developed microsatellite (simple sequence repeat [SSR]) markers in the Neotropical tree Handroanthus billbergii (Bignoniaceae), to be applied in assessment of genetic diversity in this species as a reference for inferring the impact of dry forest fragmentation in Ecuador.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using next-generation sequencing, we detected a total of 26,893 putative SSRs reported here. Using an ABI 3500xl sequencer, we identified and characterized a set of polymorphic markers in 23 individuals belonging to three populations of H. billbergii.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a set of 30 useful SSR markers for H. billbergii and a large list of potential microsatellites for developing new markers for this or related species.

Solubilization of herbicides by single and mixed commercial surfactants

The solubilization capabilities of micellar solutions of three single surfactants, two alcohol alkoxylates B048 and B266, and the tallow alkyl ethoxylated amine ET15, and their equimolar mixed solutions toward the herbicides flurtamone (FL), metribuzin (MTZ) and mesotrione (MST) were investigated. The solubilization capacity was quantified in terms of the molar solubilization ratio (MSR), critical micellar concentration (CMC), micelle-water partition coefficient (Kmc), binding constant (K1), number of aggregation (Nagg) and Stern-Volmer constant (Ksv). The herbicides were greatly solubilized into different loci of the micelles: FL within the inner hydrophobic core, MST at the micelle/water interface and MTZ in the palisade region. Equimolar binary surfactant mixtures did not improve the solubilization of herbicides over those of single components, with the exception of MTZ by the B266/ET15 system which enhanced solubilization by 10-20%. This enhanced solubilization of MTZ was due to an increased number of micelles that arise from both the intermediate Nagg relative to that of the single surfactants and the lower CMC. The use of Ksv values was a better predictor of the solubilization of polar molecules within binary mixtures of these surfactants than the interaction parameter β(M) from regular solution theory (RST). The results herein suggest that the use of mixed surfactant systems for the solubilization of polar molecules in environmental remediation technologies may be very limited in scope, without clear advantages over the use of single surfactant systems.

Effect of contact time and the use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in the removal of fluorene and fluoranthene from contaminated soils

Sorption-desorption experiments of fluorene (FLU) and fluoranthene (FLT) in soils were carried out and correlated to their removal from aged contaminated soils using aqueous solutions in the absence and in the presence of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) as the extraction agent. FLU became more resistant to extraction in aged contaminated soils due to its initial adsorption onto the mineral and amorphous soil organic matter (SOM) domains, sites of lower binding energy from which, due to its small size, it could spread towards the condensed SOM as the contact time increased. Therefore, FLU will not be easily desorbed from aged contaminated soils due to physical entrapment mechanisms, even when using HPBCD as extractant, presenting FLU low risks to the environment. On the contrary, FLT was extracted from aged soils in the presence of HPBCD in solutions to a much greater extent than in its absence. Due to its more hydrophobic character FLT sorption in soils was relatively quicker, remaining more or less fixed on hydrophobic sites of the organic matter (OM) with different energies, and therefore the amount of FLT extracted was almost constant for different ageing times. During extraction experiments, the influence of the OM quality of the soils was also highlighted because an inverse proportionality between OM content of soil and extractability of sorbed FLT was observed. It was concluded that soils with lower OM content that had more diagenetically processed OM could block the extraction of FLT more effectively than soils with higher OM content that are less humified. This indicates the need to use not only adsorption-desorption data in contaminant fate and transport models, but also extraction studies in aged contaminated soils and other complementary analytical approaches when assessing soil contamination-related risks.

Comparative effects of several cyclodextrins on the extraction of PAHs from an aged contaminated soil

The objective of the present study was to characterise the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) content of an aged contaminated soil and to propose remediation techniques using cyclodextrins (CDs). Four CDs solutions were tested as soil decontamination tool and proved more efficient in extracting PAHs than when an aqueous solution was used; especially two chemically modified CDs resulted in higher extraction percentages than natural β-CD. The highest extraction percentages were obtained for 3-ring PAHs, because of the appropriate size and shape of these compounds relative to those of the hydrophobic cavities of the CDs studied. A detailed mechanistic interpretation of the chemical modification of CDs on the extraction of the different PAHs has been performed, and connected with the role that the different hydrophobicities of the PAHs play in the extraction behaviour observed for the 16 PAHs, limiting their accessibility and the remaining risk of those PAHs not extractable by CDs.

Soil pollution by PAHs in urban soils: a comparison of three European cities

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in samples of urban soil from three European cities: Glasgow (UK), Torino (Italy) and Ljubljana (Slovenia). Fifteen PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene) were measured in urban soil samples, using harmonised sampling, sample extraction and analyte quantification methods. Although the mean concentration of each PAH in urban soils of each city showed a wide range of values, high levels of contamination were only evident in Glasgow, where the sum of concentrations of 15 PAHs was in the range 1487-51,822 microg kg(-1), cf. ranges in the other two cities were about ten-fold lower (89.5-4488 microg kg(-1)). The three predominant PAHs were phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene, with the sum of these compounds about 40% of the total PAH content. These data, together with some special molecular indices based on ratios of selected PAHs, suggest pyrogenic origins, especially motor vehicle exhausts, to be the major sources of PAHs in urban soils of the three cities. The largest concentrations for PAHs were often found in sites close to the historic quarters of the cities. Overall, the different climatic conditions, the organic carbon contents of soil, and the source apportionment were the dominant factors affecting accumulation of PAHs in soil.

Copper and zinc retention by an organically amended soil

This paper describes changes in retention of Cu and Zn in laboratory experiments by a sandy soil that had been amended in the field with different composted wastes. The amounts of the metals retained increased as a result of the amendments, especially after two years. Desorption of the sorbed metals was always negligible, regardless of the treatment. The proportion of Cu retained was considerably higher than that of Zn, suggesting a higher affinity of the soil for the former. The greater sorption in the amended soils indicates a build-up of fresh sites for metal retention. The use of 'log(activity) vs. pH' plots showed that the nature of the surfaces retaining metals on the untreated and amended soils is different. At comparable pH values, the amended soils gave higher solution metal concentrations. Some of the possible environmental consequences of the use of these amendments for remediation purposes are discussed.

The effect of dissolved glyphosate upon the sorption of copper by three selected soils

The effect of the pesticide glyphosate (GPS) on adsorption processes of copper onto three soils of different characteristics has been studied. Cu adsorption decreases in general with increasing GPS concentration in solution, due principally to the lower equilibrium pHs, although this is not the only variable affecting copper adsorption. For the same pH values, Cu adsorption is higher in two of the three soils in the presence of GPS, but for the third soil, Cu adsorption is higher in the absence of GPS. This behavior is explained by the possibility of GPS adsorption on these soils and by the formation of Cu-GPS complexes in solution. The soils showing a higher Cu adsorption in the presence of GPS than in its absence for the same pH are able to adsorb this pesticide. In these soils, copper can be adsorbed directly on the soil surfaces, and also through the formation of bonds with GPS previously adsorbed. The third soil was not able to adsorb GPS. Consequently, all the pesticide remained in solution, forming strong Cu complexes with low tendency to be adsorbed on this soil. For this reason, the concentration of free Cu in solution is drastically reduced, and the adsorption of copper on this soil is lower.

Ethyl cellulose polymer microspheres for controlled release of norfluazon

The pesticide norfluazon has been microencapsulated using ethyl cellulose to develop controlled-release formulations that decrease its mobility through the soil and protect it from photodegradation. Ethyl cellulose microspheres loaded with norfluazon were prepared by the solvent-evaporation method. To obtain the microspheres, certain conditions (pesticide/polymer ratio, percentage of emulsifying agent and solvent) were varied. The shape and size of the microspheres obtained were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Other parameters, such as solids recovery, encapsulation efficiency and pesticide loading, were also studied. The release rate of norfluazon from the different microspheres was slower than that of pure norfluazon. In particular, microspheres obtained with o-xylene, which provided the largest diameter, retarded the initial release of the pesticide relative to microspheres obtained with chloroform, or to pure norfluazon. Moreover, the studies showed that the pesticide/polymer ratio controlled the release of norfluazon, which was slower when this ratio was low. Release rates conformed to a generalised kinetic equation for a diffusion-controlled release mechanism, and the time taken for 50% of the active ingredient to be released into water, t50, was calculated.

Leaching of 2,4-D from a soil in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin: laboratory columns experiments

This study reports on the effect of the presence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) on the adsorption and mobility of the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) through soil columns. The previous application of beta-CD to the soil produced a retarded leaching of 2,4-D through the soil column, due probably to herbicide adsorption on the soil through beta-CD adsorbed. However, the application of beta-CD solution to the soil column where 2,4-D had been previously adsorbed, led to the complete desorption of the herbicide, due to the formation of water-soluble 1:1 inclusion complexes between 2,4-D and beta-CD. Beta-CD can be viewed as a microscopic organic-phase extractant. It can be an advantage to remove from soil pesticides which are able to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins, making them possible candidates for use in in situ remediation efforts.

Development of controlled release formulations of alachlor in ethylcellulose

The herbicide alachlor (2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)-acetamide) is frequently implicated in groundwater contamination. Microencapsulated alachlor should have reduced potential for leaching in the soil while maintaining effective biological activity. Microspheres of alachlor were prepared using ethylcellulose, according to the solvent evaporation method. The influence of formulation variables affecting the release rate of pesticide, such as the molecular weight of ethylcellulose, the amount of emulsifying agent, the pesticide/polymer ratio and the particle size, were investigated. The results showed that microspheres retarded the release of alachlor in different degrees. Pesticide/polymer ratio and particle size were the more important factors determining the alachlor release. Ethylcellulose microspheres may prove useful for the prolonged release of alachlor.

Glyphosate adsorption on soils of different characteristics. Influence of copper addition

Results of glyphosate (GPS) adsorption on three soils of different characteristics show that the interaction of this pesticide with the soils was not related to their CEC and clay minerals content, but to the content of iron and aluminum amorphous oxides and organic matter. The presence of Cu in treatment solutions enhanced GPS adsorption, due to several reasons: GPS coordinates strongly to Cu, and Cu GPS complexes formed seem to have higher ability to be adsorbed on the soil than free GPS; GPS adsorption can take place on sites where Cu was previously adsorbed, acting as a bridge between the soil and GPS; when Cu was present the solution pH decreased, and GPS adsorption increased, since lower pHs lead to the formation of GPS species with lower negative charge, which are adsorbed more easily on the negatively charged soil surfaces.

Activation of latent Graves' disease in children. Review of possible psychosomatic mechanisms

In some children, psychological events have appeared to be important in the triggering of Graves' disease. This report examines the case histories of three children in whom the appearance of symptomatology of Graves' disease was associated with depression following the death of a loved one. An analysis of neuroendocrine and immunologie pathways suggests that depression, set off by bereavement, causes low levels of norepinephrine in the brain. The latter in turn may mediate an increase in ACTH and cortisol, leading to reductions in immune surveillance and resultant production of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins, hence the development of Graves' disease.

Bereavement as an antecedent factor in thyrotoxicosis of childhood: four case studies with survey of possible metabolic pathways

Various organic and psychosomatic factors have been postulated over the years as etiologic events antedating the onset of Graves' disease. In some patients psychological events have appeared to be important in the evocation of symptoms. Although examples of the latter have been described in adults for many years, there is little published on this phenomenon in children. The present study delineates findings in two boys and two girls with an age range of 8 to 14 years. Separating experiences appeared to be related to the onset or relapse of Graves' disease in these particular cases. In three of the patients the trigger event was represented by bereavement after death of a close relative; in the fourth case the boy's loss was enforced and traumatic separation from his mother figure. In all these children depression was the common response to loss. The observed relationship between the affective disturbance and Graves' disease is compatible with one or more hypothetical models. One such pathway, via depletion of brain monoamines associated with the state of depression, could cause an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with resultant suppression of immune surveillance. This could permit the formation of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI) and hence Graves' disease in genetically susceptible (HLA B-8) persons.

Effect of transurethral resection on coagulation in carcinoma of prostate

Eleven patients with cancer of the prostate and 10 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) had thirteen parameters of coagulation evaluated before and after transurethral resection (TUR). Changes in fibrinogen and fibrin split products in both groups suggested potential incipient disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). It is concluded that prostatic cancer patients are no more susceptible to DIC than patients with BPH.

Hypertriiodothyroninemia in hypothyroidism treated with thyroglobulin

Hypertriiodothyroninemia during therapy with thyroglobulin was noted in six hypothyroid patients aged 9 to 25 years. Causes of hypothyroidism were thyroiditis, congenital athyreosis, cryptothyroidism, or goitrous hypothyroidism. Serum thyroxine level, measured at the same time, was below normal in three patients. Findings attributable to excess of thyroid hormones were none other than slight nervousness or transitory heat intolerance. Substitution of levothyroxine for thyroglobulin was done in all patients and was associated with return to normal of serum triiodothyronine (T3) values in those tested. A high content of T3 in thyroglobulin used for medication seems the most probable cause of the observed hypertriiodothyroninemia. Since similar findings have been reported previously for hypothyroid patients treated with desiccated thyroid preparations, it seems clear that therapy with levothyroxine offers a significant advantage over the use of desiccated thyroid or thyroglobulin.