International Journal Of Environmental Research
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Winter 2014

The phytoplankton structure and dynamics were analysed in relation to abiotic variables in Paso de las Piedras Reservoir, Argentina. Phytoplankton driving forces were explored using a functional approach. A total of 15 functional groups were identified among which D, P, H1, F, J and C were the most important. A Canonical variate analysis indicated that the categorization of the species in functional groups and its relationship with the temporal species clustering was not a random result. In the redundancy analysis, temporal ordination dynamics of functional groups was well described by the distribution of samples. Remarkable shifts in composition and biomass of phytoplankton occurred in agreement with changes in temperature, N:P ratio and transparency. The group succession could be summarized as: P/J (early summer)→P/ H1 (late summer)→P (early autumn)→P/F (late autumn)→C (early winter)→D (late winter)→Y (early spring)→D (early spring)→P (late spring). The majority of the associations detected were typical of eutrophichypertrophic systems. With the exception of H1, the groups that most contribute to biovolume were those characteristics of mixed aquatic environments, i. e., non-stratifying lakes or deep, well-mixed epilimnia of stratifying lakes. The diversity indices, in terms of functional groups, were low, meaning that a small number of traits were present and/or that there was an inequitable distribution.

This study assesses the air quality of two urban localities, Fahaheel and Al-Rabia City, to assist local authorities to generate information supporting the planning of pollution control strategies to keep pollutants within safe limits in the long run. In terms of diurnal and seasonal variations, almost all measured pollutants exhibited two peaks: one in the morning and another in the afternoon. These two peaks resulted from numerous activities (schools, open stores, traffic, restaurants and markets, and central heating) practiced in these two cities during associated peaks hours. Nevertheless, there were noteworthy differences in air pollutants’ magnitude (values) between the two cities. There were a number of exceedances of KUEPA air quality threshold values in both urban localities; the highest numbers were in NMHC and the lowest numbers were in O3 and CO. No exceedances were found in SO2 in Al-Rabia City. In an attempt to identify the most probable sources of air pollution, concentration roses were plotted for annual durations for both Fahaheel and Al-Rabia. Furthermore, the Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) model was developed to quantify the contribution of each prevalent source to measured emission concentration. Results show that the main emission sources in Fahaheel were petroleum downstream facilities and highway traffic, which accounted for 69% and 17%, respectively. In Al-Rabia City, highway traffic and the area’s commercial activity accounted for 79% and 13%, respectively.

Current standards for indoor comfort are based on studies of adults, but they also apply to children, even though children differ in terms of metabolic rates, clothing types, activity levels, and preferences in space arrangement. Children are also more sensitive to a range of environmental factors, they are usually unable to interact with their environment, and they accept indoor conditions passively. This study aims to extend research into indoor environmental quality (IEQ) for children by providing analysis, measurements and surveys carried out in an Italian primary school. Continuous monitoring was combined with a detailed spot monitoring campaign, during which pupils completed a questionnaire so that subjective and objective evaluations could be compared. Thermal comfort was also evaluated by comparing pupils’ sensations based on the two most common approaches: the heat balance and adaptive comfort models. Tests revealed that there was no clear, uniform correspondence between subjective response and acoustic and thermal measurements. Children reacted actively to discomfort, suggesting that they should be allowed to interact with their environment. Building acoustics were also measured in order to evaluate the insulating properties of building elements. The following tests were conducted: façade sound insulation, sound insulation of the vertical and horizontal partitions between classrooms, and the impact levels between overlapped classrooms. Reverberation time and background noise were measured in unoccupied, furnished classrooms after school hours. Impulse response and Speech Transmission Index (STI) measurements were also performed in one classroom.

The use of solar collectors in combination with heat pipes is rapidly growing in recent years.Heat pipes, as heat transfer components, have undeniable advantages in comparison with other alternatives. The most important advantage is their high rate of heat transfer at minor temperature differences. Although there have been numerous studies on the heat analysis or first thermodynamic analysis of flat plate solar collectors in combination with heat pipes, the exergy analysis of these collectors is needed to be investigated. In this work, energy and exergy analysis of a flat plate solar collector with a heat pipe is conducted theoretically. Next, the exergy efficiency of pulsating heat pipe flat plate solar collectors (PHPFPSC) is compared with conventional collectors by using the experimental data. The results indicate that the use of heat pipes for heat transfer from the absorption plate to the water reservoir has significantly higher availability and exergy efficiency than the case with conventional collectors with intermediate fluid.

The extent of groundwater arsenic (As) contamination and associated health-risks were studied in the four villages: Chaukia and Terahrasiya (Vaishali); Mamalkha and Masharu (Bhagalpur) in Bihar, India. Groundwater samples were tested using the standard Silverdiethyledithiocarbamate method at 520nm by Thermo UV-1 spectrophotometer. The As levels in both the districts exceeded the WHO standard of 10μg/L for drinking water with a maximum value of 20μg/L in Vaishali and 143μg/L in Bhagalpur. However, the FAO standard of 100μg/L of As for irrigation water was only exceeded in Bhagalpur. The calculated range of the hazard index (HI) for Vaishali was 0.9 to 10, and for Bhagalpur was 10.40 to 40.47. Both ranges exceed the accepted normal toxic HI of 1.00. The cancer risk was derived as 1-5/1000 people to 5 16/10,000 people in Vaishali, and 7-21/1000 and 5-16/1000 people in Bhagalpur. Prevalence of skin pigmentation was double in Vaishali in comparison to Bhagalpur. The analysis of principal components showed that only two components had a fundamental role in defining variance for cancer risk assessment. A more extensive screening of As contamination of groundwater and a follow-up clinical study are necessary to accurately assess the likelihood of As-related cancers in these districts.

This paper presents a mapping procedure for risk mapping of water and wind erosion, which helps to identify protective measures needed in the planning and management of natural parks. The map of water erosion risk was developed by combining the original and revised universal soil loss equation methodologies (USLE-RUSLE), and the map of wind erosion risk was developed using Quirantes’ method. Using GIS techniques allows parametric characterisation of the factors involved in the processes of soil degradation. The validation procedure was carried out in two natural parks in the Spanish Central System. Integration of the two maps resulted in a risk map of water and wind erosion. This mapping shows a high risk of water erosion in areas of high slopes and elevations with little agricultural activity and undulating reliefs. The risk of wind erosion is lower in sectors with analytical and textural high erodibility and low vegetation cover.

Behaviour of the dilution characteristics of the coastal waters off Tuticorin is presented in the background of setting up of a desalination plant. Simulations of dispersion and spreading of the proposed discharges has been carried out. Scenarios of dilutions were assessed based on the results of a 2D model using the advection-dispersion theory. It is observed that under prevailing currents in the region, the dispersion of the discharge will be advected away as a combined plume. Ambient conditions are found achieved in close proximity zones within the discharge location and thus there will not be any changes in the water quality in the adjacent coastal waters. Model validation results showed that the values are well in agreement with the observed values. It is suggested that the offshore waters at a distance of 2 Km away from the coastline could be considered as optimum where the environmental impact on the ecosystem due to the disposal operations is considered to be minimum.

To examine how water retention characteristics in a landfill environment change as a result of solid waste settlement and to derive the evolution of pore size distribution, a lab scale long column experiment was carried out at two different time periods while keeping all the other characteristics constant. Two columns, Column 1 and Column 2, were used in the study. The log normal distribution model was applied to model the experiment data. The Column 1 was used to obtain the water retention curve at time 0 day and the Column 2 at time 180 day. During the experiment period, landfill settlement was mainly in the primary stage of settlement. Pore size distribution was obtained by assuming that the capillary theory is applicable in the landfill environment. The results showed that water retention characteristics in solid waste landfill environment is varied with time and influenced by landfill settlement due to the changes in pore spaces. The obtained results will be taken into consideration when simulating unsaturated leachate and gas flow in municipal solid waste landfill environment.

In this research, energetic andexergetic analysis of calcium oxide formation, CO2 emissions, and environmental effects during the clinker production process in rotary kilnare investigated. First the energy and exergy analysis of rotary kiln were carried out according to the first and second law of thermodynamics based on dead state, respectively. Consequently, the amount of CO2 emissions associated with calcination and fuel combustion processes, improvement potential and sustainability index are determined. In this system, the energy efficiency is calculated to be higher than the exergy efficiency, e.g. 53.4% and 28.6% for the energy and exergy efficiencies. The exergy destruction due to irreversible calcination and fuel combustion processes is determined 33,884 kW which is 40.6% of inlet exergy. Results also shows that 18.4% of exergy input is lost by exhaust hotgases.Thetotalemissions are estimated 157,228 kg/hr, which 31.3 % of it isdue tocalcination and 0.9 % of it is due to fuel combustion. The improvement potential (IP) and sustainability index (SI) are calculated 24,193.176 kWand 1.4, respectively.

To determine the extent and the size of the environment pollution with heavy metals, biological methods, investigating the enzymatic activity of soil can be applied. Most frequently, the enzymes investigated in the soils threatened with anthropogenic contamination are phosphatases, dehydrogenases as reacting fastest to the increase in the content of heavy metals in the environment. The aim of the paper was to apply the results of the research to the activity of selected oxydo-reducing and hydrolytic enzymes to define the pollution of soils with zinc, copper and nickel of the Unisław Basin, the Kujawy and Pomorze Province. The total contents of Cu, Zn and Ni in the soils of the region allow for classifying the soils as unpolluted with those metals, while the contents of the forms extracted with the DTPA solution point to a low mobility of the elements and to their availability to plants. In terms of the negative effect of those heavy metals on the activity of selected enzymes, they have been ordered as follows: dehydrogenases: Ni>Zn, alkaline phosphatase: Zn>Cu, acid phosphatase: Zn>Cu. The use of enzymatic tests to evaluate the ecochemical condition of soils even with a natural content of heavy metals facilitates the long-term monitoring and identifying the trends.

The proposition that natural areas need protection from the destructive actions of people is widely accepted. This paper examines Iran’s e-society attitudes and capital towards biodiversity conservation and evaluates economically Iran’s national parks (NPs). 2,121 respondents answered an online questionnaire conducted in summer 2012. The majority of respondents had visited one of Iran’s NPs. Almost all respondents were willing to voluntarily participate in conservation and environmental projects; willing to pay for protection; willing to increase the protected areas; willing to visit the NPs in the future; and they were mostly young. There is a resurgent interest in conservation amongst Iranian citizen scientists. Respondents showed that they could collaborate for resource management. They think ecological problems and solutions are human problems and not simply biological problems. Biodiversity conservation in Iran has been threatened by mismanagement, lack of funds, park-other organization conflict, lack of biodiversity awareness, and lack of public participation. Conservation biologists can help engage Iran’s society in conservation efforts by striving to achieve three goals: adjusting the public’s perception of biodiversity, increasing public participation in biodiversity conservation, and encouraging ecotourism by tour packages to develop conservation and local. Furthermore, the government should see the human and environmental condition as one intricate system. The governor must focus on conservation projects that engage the urban populace and support the goal of developing a biodiversity ethic. It should consider updating management, enhancing environmental educational programs, designing environmental volunteer plans, treating ecotourism tour packages, installing real collaborative principles, and establishing co-management and community-based conservation.

The present study illustrates the long-term changes in selected socioeconomic variables (population, industrial activities, settlement dispersion, and land-use) together with climate aridity trends in Thriasio, the larger industrial area of Greece located twenty kilometers far from Athens. This region, originally devoted to agriculture, experienced fast industrial and economic development during the early 1990s coupled with growing population. According to statistical data covering the period between 1848 and 2011, human pressure increased rapidly in the area determining drastic changes in land-use. The analysis of climate regimes based on meteorological data collected between 1958 and 2010 also indicate a tendency towards aridity possibly contributing to air pollution, soil degradation and desertification. Without a sustainable land management strategy changes in bio-physical and socioeconomic variables are altering irreversibly the fragile ecological equilibrium leading to ecosystem degradation in a highlypopulated area since millennia.

In vascular plants, the soil solution is transported from the roots to the leaves through small diameter vessels found in the xylem; this transport not only allows the nutrient uptake but also the accumulation of heavy metals in their shoots. By analogy to this phenomenon, the present study aimed at the evaluation of heavy metals transport (Pb, Cr, As, Cd, Zn, Ni and Al) in pH 4 and pH 8 solutions using a capillary siphon consisting of small pore diameter materials. Determination of the metal concentration in the solutions was performed by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma. The largest transport of metal ions is produced at pH 4, on ascending order, Cr Keywords: Capillary transport, Heavy metals, Small pore diameter materials, Soil solution, Hyperaccumulator plants