The acid drops project: pollution monitoring by young people

The spectrum of research at the Field Studies Council spans generations of scientists, from fully qualified and experienced staff to quite young children engaged in serious environmental monitoring. Pollution monitoring networks run by young people have a proven history, starting in 1971 with the Advisory Centre for Education air and water surveys, up to the present day with the Watch/Field Studies Council acid rain projects. Each project has demonstrated how a well coordinated network of unqualified volunteers, using inexpensive kits and simple techniques, can produce data worthy of scientific attention.     

The FSG Oil Pollution Research Unit–the 1980s and beyond

Research into the effects of oil contamination in estuaries and coastal waters has been the fundamental aim of OPRU since its inception in 1967. The development of the Unit's research programme has taken place in response to the needs of government and industry. In recent years it includes moves into the international field and away from solely oil and marine projects. The accumulated research and educational experience has wide applications in future environmental monitoring, management and protection.     

Ecology of streams draining forested and non-forested catchments in an area of central Scotland subject to acid precipitation

A study of 12 streams draining forested and non-forested catchments was made in an area of central Scotland where slow-weathering bedrock was predominantly quartzite, schists and slates. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carriere) was the most common tree species. Precipitation in the area had an annual mean pH in the range 4.3–4.5. Streams within the planted zone were always more acid than those outside and had higher concentrations of aluminium and manganese. With one exception, trout were absent from streams within long-established forests and planted salmon eggs (Salmo salar L.) died within a few weeks. A high proportion of such eggs survived in streams outside the forest. Siphlonurus lacustris Eaton was the only mayfly nymph found in the most acid streams in summer collections. In winter samples, mayfly nymphs, Heptagenia lateralis (Curtis) were found in only one forest stream but several species were present in the non-forested catchments. It is suggested that spruce forests can effectively collect acid pollutants which are subsequently washed out, thus accelerating the acidification of the soil. Streams therefore become increasingly acid as the neutralisation capacities of their catchments decrease.     

水稻叶片对模拟酸雨伤害的生理反应

水稻暴露于ｐＨ２．５～４．２的模拟酸雨中２个月后测定表明：叶片叶绿素含量下降,细胞液离子外渗率增加,气孔阻抗增高,蒸腾速率降低。不同叶位的水稻叶片对模拟酸雨的敏感性不同,杂交稻（汕优６３）对模拟酸雨的敏感性较粳稻（中粳８６４）高     

From bench to the clinic: gamma-linolenic acid therapy of human gliomas

Malignant gliomas are among the most devastating of cancers and are a major cause of mortality in a young population with a median survival time of 9 months following cytoreductive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Recent studies showed that polyunsaturated fatty acids especially gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) have selective tumoricidal action especially against malignant glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Limited open label clinical studies showed that intratumoral injection/infusion of GLA is safe and effective against malignant gliomas. In view of this, large-scale, double blind studies are needed to establish the usefulness of GLA in the treatment of malignant brain tumors.     

Foliar metabolic heat rate of seedlings and mature trees of Pinus ponderosa exposed to acid rain and ozone

We investigated the effects of acid rain and ozone on respiration rates of 1-year-old and current-year foliage of half-sib seedlings and mature clones of a ponderosa pine genotype by measurement of foliar metabolic heat rates. Two rain regimes (pH 5-1 and 3-0) were applied weekly to foliage only, from January to April 1992. Two ozone regimes (ambient and twice-ambient) were applied from September 1991 to November 1992. Metabolic heat rate was measured in April on 1-year-old foliage, in June on both 1-year-old and current-year foliage, and in November on current-year foliage in 1992. Except for current-year foliage in June, the metabolic heat rate was calculated per unit of both foliar dry mass and N mass. In seedlings, both measures of metabolic heat rate increased in late June for 1-year-old foliage exposed to twice-ambient ozone, and in November for current-year foliage exposed to the combination of twice-ambient ozone and pH 3-0 rain. In mature trees, metabolic heat rate was not affected significantly by ozone, rain acidity, or their interaction. In June, when both 1-year-old and current-year tissues were examined, the metabolic heat rate of expanding, current-year foliage was higher than that of fully expanded, 1-year-old foliage regardless of plant age or treatment combination.     

外生菌根缓解植物酸雨胁迫的机理研究进展

森林作为陆地生态系统的主体,是酸雨污染的主要受体,酸雨对生态系统产生着巨大的影响。菌根是菌根真菌与植物营养根的共生体。外生菌根真菌与宿主植物间互惠互利,在森林生态系统中,外生菌根在维持生态系统的养分平衡和改善树木营养等方面有重要的作用。本文综述了国内外关于菌根和酸雨关系的研究,酸雨能抑制外生菌根的形成,降低其活力;但另一方面,外生菌根能够缓解酸雨造成的植物危害,提高植株对酸雨的耐受力。外生菌根主要通过以下几方面缓解酸雨胁迫:(1)菌根形态结构的物理屏蔽作用;(2)增加养分吸收,增加御酸能力;(3)增强酶活性,提高植物生存能力;(4)产生有机酸或其他物质。     

Hawaii: an ideal model for international aerobiological research

Future aerobiological studies important to mankind's understanding of our planet must demonstrate the ecological interrelationships between the aerial biota of island ecosystems and meteorological, chemical, physical and geographic factors. For example, air quality as related to human health and plant pathology can be more easily ascertained using oceanic islands such as Hawaii with the establishment of an international interdisciplinary aerobiological research team. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of acid rain and ozone on soil heavy metals under loblolly pine trees: A field study

A field growth chamber study was conducted to determine the effects of ozone and simulated acid rain (SAR) on soil heavy metals. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), grown in open-top chambers, was exposed to three concentrations of ozone (charcoal filtered air with 0.026 µL O₃ L^-1, and two non-filtered treatments in which ozone concentrations were 0.074 µL L^-1 and 0.147 µL L^-1, respectively) and two levels of SAR (pH 3.5 and 5.2). Ozone was applied for 12 h d^-1 for 9 months and acid rain deposition was 125 mm event^-1. After 9 months exposure, soil pH, organic matter and DTPA-extractable heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu) were determined on soil samples collected from exposed chambers at two depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm). Simulated acid rain decreased the original soil pH. The concentrations of Cd, Pb and Mn at SAR pH 3.5 were significantly higher than at SAR pH 5.2. Ozone did not affect Zn, Fe and Cu, but a significant interaction between pH and O₃ on Mn, Pb and Cd was observed. Due to the poor drainage capacity of this soil, leaching of heavy metals was not observed.     

The nature and context of exploratory experimentation: an introduction to three case studies of exploratory research

My aim in this article is to introduce readers to the topic of exploratory experimentation and briefly explain how the three articles that follow, by Richard Burian, Kevin Elliott, and Maureen O'Malley, advance our understanding of the nature and significance of exploratory research. I suggest that the distinction between exploratory and theory-driven experimentation is multidimensional and that some of the dimensions are continuums. I point out that exploratory experiments are typically theory-informed even if they are not theory-driven. I also distinguish between research programs and experiments. Research programs that are largely exploratory, such as the ones discussed in these case studies, can involve both exploratory and theory-driven experimentation.     

From structure to solutions: the role of basic research in developing anthrax countermeasures: Microbiology Graduate Program Seminar: Anthrax toxin

Dr. John Collier traced the discoveries that elucidated the structure and function of the anthrax toxin in his talk "Anthrax Toxin," which was part of the Microbiology Graduate Program Seminar Series at Yale School of Medicine on February 23, 2012. Dr. Collier, Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard University, began by noting the advantages to studying anthrax pathogenesis in a biosafety level-1 lab. This designation does not merely facilitate his research, but also reflects a larger trend of basic research being leveraged to develop translational applications. Basic research on toxin structure has led to the development of a vaccine by Dr. Collier's group. Next-generation prophylactics also may stem from recent discoveries uncovering a role for cellular cofactors that mediate toxin function. Finally, basic research into the toxin substructure has facilitated efforts to change the receptor tropism to target dysregulated cells for therapeutic purposes. The urgency around biodefense agents makes the choice of research priorities a salient issue. As such, this author submits that basic research occupies a unique and lucrative niche driving clinical applications.     

Ecophysiological responses of Japanese forest tree species to ozone, simulated acid rain and soil acidification

In this review, I summarized the results obtained from experimental studies on the ecophysiological responses of Japanese forest tree species to O₃, simulated acid rain and soil acidification. Based on the studies conducted in Japan, exposure to ambient levels of O₃ below 100 nl·l⁻¹ (ppb) for several months is sufficient to inhibit dry matter production and net photosynthesis of sensitive Japanese forest tree species such as Siebold's beech and Japanese zelkova. On the other hand, exposure to simulated acid rain with a pH of 4.0 or above for several months cannot induce any adverse effects on dry matter production and physiological functions of Japanese forest tree species. However, when the pH of simulated rain or fog is lowered below 4.0, negative effects appear on dry matter production and physiological functions such as transpiration in several sensitive Japanese forest tree species such as Japanese fir and Nikko fir. Based on limited information, it may be concluded that (1) Al dissolved into soil solution is the most important limiting factor for dry matter production, physiological functions and nutrient status of Japanese forest tree species grown in acidic soil, (2) the (Ca+Mg+K)/Al molar ratio in soil solution is a useful indicator to evaluate and predict the effects of soil acidification due to acid deposition on whole-plant dry matter production of Japanese forest tree species at the present time and in the future, and (3) Japanese coniferous tree species such as Japanese cedar and red pine are relatively sensitive to a reduction in (Ca+Mg+K)/Al molar ratio in soil solution compared with European forest tree species such as Norway spruce.     

Effects of simulated acid rain on the physiology of carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduvals) (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract:  The physiological effect of simulated acid rain sprayed on carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduvals) and host plant, were measured in a series of laboratory trials. We examined potential changes in three kinds of protective enzymes [peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)] and three hydrolases [acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and carboxylesterase (CarE)] in response to changes in pH values of simulated acid rain at different time of exposure. POD, SOD and CAT activities increased significantly with the increase in the acidity of the acid rain, reaching the highest levels at pH 4.0 or 3.0, and then declined. Changes in ACP activity were similar to those observed in the protective enzymes. The increasing extent of the activities of these four enzymes after 30 and 45 days treatment became smaller than that after 15 days treatment . ALP activities decreased as pH value declined. There were no significant changes in CarE activities after 15 and 45 days, but that in pH 4.0 and 3.0 decreased after 30 days. The enhanced anti-oxidation enzyme levels (POD, SOD and CAT) and ACP activities in pH 4.0 and 3.0 reduced the effects of these toxic products on mites, resulting in the strengthening of the defensive power, and increase in survival and reproductive power of the mites, thus leading to an increase in the density of mites on host plant. From these results, we inferred that POD, SOD, CAT and ACP might be relevant to population changes of mites under acid rain pressure.     

Hydrothermal Oxidation of Oily Wastes: an Alternative to Conventional Treatment Methods

Under current legislations most oils used are considered hazardous wastes and its safe collection and disposal must be ensured. Since conventional treatment methods are often inefficient or environmentally unacceptable, the development and application of new technologies is highly necessary. Wet Air Oxidation (WAO) and Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) are two forms of hydrothermal oxidation that have been proved to be effective processes to treat a wide variety of industrial wastes, but they have hardly been tested for oily wastes. In this work, the suitability of hydrothermal oxidation to the treatment of oily wastewaters is described by the results obtained with three different substrates: free fatty acids, cutting oils and bilge wastes. The efficiency of the treatment process is demonstrated for the three oily wastes tested. At temperatures below 350 °C and reaction times of 40 minutes, a 70‐‐90 % of COD elimination is achieved, obtaining an effluent with low molecular weight compounds, mainly carboxylic acids. At 500 °C, a 99 % of COD removal is achieved in less than one minute. At this temperature the reaction seems to proceed mainly through total mineralization to carbon dioxide and water.     

Clinical research law in Jordan: an ethical analysis

An ethical analysis of Jordan's Clinical Research Law, which became effective in 2001, was performed. Accordingly, this paper discusses the major components, key strengths and weaknesses of this law. As an initial effort, the Law addresses important aspects of research ethics and, hence, should serve as an example for other Arab Countries in the Middle East. Unique aspects of the Law include the requirement that those conducting any study have insurance that can compensate for research injuries and a system of fines and punishments for noncompliance with the Law. There are, however, some key items missing in the Jordanian Law. For example, the Law does not mention the requirement of a favourable assessment of risks and benefits, the fair selection of subjects, or articles regarding the protection of the rights and welfare of children and other vulnerable subjects participating in research. The paper concludes with the suggestion that new amendments should be considered for future revisions of the Clinical Research Law in Jordan.