Improving Biodegradation of VOCs in Soil by Controlling Volatilization

The use of microbial inoculum and a hydrocarbon adsorbent as a soil amendment was examined to improve bioremediation efficacy of soil contaminated by volatile hydrocarbons. Biodegradation and volatilization losses of VOCs were assessed under contained composting in the laboratory and technical scales. Rhodococcus opacus GM-14, a degrader of a multitude of different hydrocarbons was used as an inoculum and activated carbon as a VOC adsorbent on a laboratory scale. Inoculating soil with R. opacus (0.02 mg R. opacus biomass per 1 mg of benzene) reduced volatilization of benzene from 80% to 40%. Amending the soil with activated carbon reduced volatilization of benzene to 15% and further to 4% when used together with R. opacus. Both amendments promoted mineralization when used separately but slowed down the mineralization when combined. Activated carbon improved the biodegradation of VOCs also during technical scale compostings (700-1100 kg of soil with 1.6-2.4 kg of VOC) from 30-40% to 86% and reduced volatilization from 40-50% to 2-5%. Reduction of VOC volatilization by use of the activated carbon improved the efficiency of VOC biodegradation on a technical scale. The activated carbon addition improves the occupational safety at the contaminated site and during transport.     

Effects of Initial Age Structure of Managed Norway Spruce Forest Area on Net Climate Impact of Using Forest Biomass for Energy

We investigated how the initial age structure of a managed, middle boreal (62°N), Norway spruce-dominated (Picea abies L. Karst.) forest area affects the net climate impact of using forest biomass for energy. The model-based analysis used a gap-type forest ecosystem model linked to a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool. The net climate impact of energy biomass refers to the difference in annual net CO₂ exchange between the biosystem using forest biomass (logging residues from final felling) and the fossil (reference) system using coal. In the simulations over the 80-year period, the alternative initial age structures of the forest areas were (i) skewed to the right (dominated by young stands), (ii) normally distributed (dominated by middle-aged stands), (iii) skewed to the left (dominated by mature stands), and (iv) evenly distributed (same share of different age classes). The effects of management on net climate impacts were studied using current recommendations as a baseline with a fixed rotation period of 80 years. In alternative management scenarios, the volume of the growing stock was maintained 20% higher over the rotation compared to the baseline, and/or nitrogen fertilization was used to enhance carbon sequestration. According to the results, the initial age structure of the forest area affected largely the net climate impact of using energy biomass over time. An initially right-skewed age structure produced the highest climate benefits over the 80-year simulation period, in contrast to the left-skewed age structure. Furthermore, management that enhanced carbon sequestration increased the potential of energy biomass to replace coal, reducing CO₂ emissions and enhancing climate change mitigation.     

Trends in major and trace elements in decomposing needle litters during a long-term experiment in Swedish forests

The dynamics of 47 major and trace elements were examined during a long-term (up to 8 years between 1979 and 1988) litter decomposition experiment in European boreal and nemoboreal forests (Sweden). Litterbags were incubated in 11 monocultural stands at 10 different locations including seven with Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and four with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Principal component analysis and manual scatter plots revealed groups of elements behaving in a similar manner. One group consisted mainly of nutrients, but also of the unessential or toxic elements Rb, Sc, Sr and Tl, and had a general trend with decreasing mass-normalised (mn) concentrations during decomposition. Another group contained mostly unessential and potentially toxic elements, whose concentrations generally increased during the decay process. An exception from this increasing trend was found for Cd, Hf, Hg, Ta and Zr, for which the mn-concentrations increased initially followed by a net leaching from the litter. The influence of sea spray was identified in the early stages of the experiment (in particular for Na), and the impact of the anthropogenic component of atmospheric deposition was clearly visible (e.g. Pb, Cd, Hg). A regional northern Sb source is indicated in the pine, but not in the spruce, needles. The fact that the samples were collected at a time of higher atmospheric metal deposition than at present provides additional information and usefulness of the results.     

Two-photon excitation fluorometric measurement of homogeneous microparticle immunoassay for C-reactive protein

Recent developments in infrared laser technology have enabled the design of a compact instrumentation for two-photon excitation microparticle fluorometry (TPX). The microparticles can be used in immunoassays as the antibody-coated solid phase to capture an antigen and then detect it with a fluorescently labeled tracer antibody. Unlike most other methods, TPX technology allows low-volume, homogeneous immunoassays with real-time measurements of assay particles in the presence of a moderate excess of fluorescent tracer. In this study, the TPX assay system was used for the reagent characterization and the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) in diluted plasma samples, targeting the assay range useful in infectious disease diagnosis. The pentameric structure of the CRP permitted the optimization of an assay with the lowest detectable concentration of 1 microg/L (7.5 pM) by using a single monoclonal antibody both for capture and as the tracer. With a 1:200 predilution of samples, the measurement range of the assay was 1-150 mg/L, but an additional 1:10 dilution was required for higher concentrations. The TPX method showed a good correlation with the reference result obtained in a routine hospital laboratory, demonstrating the feasibility of the technology for immunodiagnostic applications.     

Glutamate uptake in blood platelets from epileptic patients

Glutamate, the major excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter, is involved in epileptogenesis and initiation and spread of seizures. We studied glutamate uptake into blood platelets from patients with distinct epileptic syndromes: included were 20 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis (TLE+HS), 20 with juvenile myoclonus epilepsy (JME) and 20 healthy volunteers matched for age and sex. The affinity of glutamate for the transporters was highest in patients with TLE+HS, but the maximal velocity of transport was highest in controls. There were no differences in the plasma levels of glutamate. Carbamazepine (CBZ), valproate (VPA) and lamotrigine (LTG) did not affect the uptake in vitro. The alterations observed in the uptake of glutamate in TLE+HS patients may reflect an up-regulated uptake of glutamate in the brain.