J Environ Manage, 2005 Feb, 74(3), 195 - 205 Life cycle assessment of EPS and CPB inserts: design considerations and end of life scenarios; Tan RB et al.; Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and corrugated paperboard (CPB) are used in many industrial applications, such as containers, shock absorbers or simply as inserts . Both materials pose two different types of environmental problems . The first is the pollution and resource consumption that occur during the production of these materials; the second is the growing landfills that arise out of the excessive disposal of these packaging materials . Life cycle assessment or LCA will be introduced in this paper as a useful tool to compare the environmental performance of both EPS and CPB throughout their life cycle stages . This paper is divided into two main parts . The first part investigates the environmental impacts of the production of EPS and CPB from 'cradle-to-gate', comparing two inserts-both the original and proposed new designs . In the second part, LCA is applied to investigate various end-of-life cases for the same materials . The study will evaluate the environmental impacts of the present waste management practices in Singapore . Several 'what-if' cases are also discussed, including various percentages of landfilling and incineration . The SimaPro LCA Version 5.0 software's Eco-indicator 99 method is used to investigate the following five environmental impact categories: climate change, acidification/eutrophication, ecotoxicity, fossil fuels and respiratory inorganics. Huan Jing Ke Xue, 2004 Sep, 25(5), 138 - 42 {Cycling characteristics of phosphorus in an urban lake and its eutrophication potentiality}; Zhou QX et al.; Input and output pathway, fluxes, characteristics and temperature-increasing responses of phosphorus cycling in the East Lake located at the centre of Linhai City, Zhejiang Province, China were analyzed . On the basis of the annual field observation on the lake, it was indicated that chlorophyll a in water was being increased at the average rate of 0.14-0.56 microg/L, the transparence in water was being decreased at the average rate of 0.38-0.49 m, and dissolved oxygen in water was being reduced at the average rate of 0.21-0.71 mg/L . Relationships between the representative measurable parameters which can reflect the eutrophication potentiality of a lake and total phosphorus (TP) in water were set up, thus revealing that a change of phosphorus in lake water can be used to comprehensively judge the nutrition situation of a lake through forecasting changes in other factors and their relationships . This work can thus provide a scientific basis for decreasing eutrophication and improving water quality of lakes. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2004 Aug, 15(8), 1447 - 50 {Purification of eutrophicated water by aquatic plant}; Tong C et al.; In this study, aquatic plants were used to control the pollution of eutrophicated water . The results showed that aquatic plants had a higher ability to remove total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and nitrate nitrogen . Among them, foxtail alga (Myriophyllum verticillatum) and grain leaf pondweed (Potamogeton maackianus) could effectively remove TN (83.84% and 77.54%), TP (91.3%) and nitrate nitrogen (95.85% and 90.65%), but had no significant effect on removing ammonia nitrogen (only 14% to 70%) . Sediment shielded by plastic could prolong the release of the nutrients from it for 15 to 20 days, and show the compensation effect later . The results also showed that aquatic plants could greatly improve the transparency of water, but could not improve the COD and DO of water effectively. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2004 Nov 22, 271(1555), 2361 - 5 Water turbidity by algal blooms causes mating system breakdown in a shallow-water fish, the sand goby Pomatoschistus minutus; Jarvenpaa M et al.; Eutrophication as a result of human activity has resulted in increased algal blooms and turbidity in aquatic environments . We investigated experimentally the effect of algal turbidity on the mating system and sexual selection in the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas), a marine fish with a resource-defence mating system and paternal care . Owing to male-male competition and female choice, large males can monopolize multiple mates, while some males do not achieve mating at all . We show that the number of eggs laid was the same in both turbid and clear tanks but that mating success was more evenly distributed among males in turbid than in clear water . The opportunity for sexual selection was lower in turbid conditions . In turbid conditions mating success was less skewed towards large males . Our results suggest that increased turbidity can change mating systems and decrease the opportunity for sexual selection as well as selection intensity. Water Res, 2004 Dec, 38(20), 4446 - 54 A practical application of Droop nutrient kinetics (WR 1883); Cerco CF et al.; Algal growth kinetics based on internal phosphorus concentration were incorporated into an existing eutrophication model . Application to a closed system resulted in damped oscillations in algal biomass and phosphate relative to a model with fixed composition . Peak biomass did not differ substantially, however, from that attained using a model with fixed, minimal phosphorus-to-carbon ratio . Sensitivity analyses were conducted following model application to the lower St . Johns River, Florida . Factor-of-two changes in key parameters had little influence on computed chlorophyll . Varying model parameters exerted a larger influence on dissolved phosphate concentration . We conclude Droop kinetics present a mechanism for regulating computed nutrient concentrations rather than computed chlorophyll concentrations. J Environ Qual, 2004 Nov-Dec, 33(6), 2201 - 9 Rainfall timing and poultry litter application rate effects on phosphorus loss in surface runoff; Schroeder PD et al.; Phosphorus (P) in runoff from pastures amended with poultry litter may be a significant contributor to eutrophication of lakes and streams in Georgia and other areas in the southeastern United States . The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of litter application rate and initial runoff timing on the long-term loss of P in runoff from surface-applied poultry litter and to develop equations that predict P loss in runoff under these conditions . Litter application rates of 2, 7, and 13 Mg ha(-1), and three rainfall scenarios applied to 1- x 2-m plots in a 3 x 3 randomized complete block design with three replications . The rainfall scenarios included (i) sufficient rainfall to produce runoff immediately after litter application; (ii) no rainfall for 30 d after litter application; and (iii) small rainfall events every 7 d (5 min at 75 mm h(-1)) for 30 d . Phosphorus loss was greatest from the high litter rate and immediate runoff treatments . Nonlinear regression equations based on the small plot study produced fairly accurate (r(2) = 0.52-0.62) prediction of P concentrations in runoff water from larger (0.75 ha) fields over a 2-yr period . Predicted P concentrations were closest to observed values for events that occurred shortly after litter application, and the relative error in predictions increased with time after litter application . In addition, previously developed equations relating soil test P levels to runoff P concentrations were ineffective in the presence of surface-applied litter. J Environ Qual, 2004 Nov-Dec, 33(6), 2174 - 82 Effects of near-surface hydraulic gradients on nitrate and phosphorus losses in surface runoff; Zheng FL et al.; Phosphorous (P) and nitrogen (N) in runoff from agricultural fields are key components of nonpoint-source pollution and can accelerate eutrophication of surface waters . A laboratory study was designed to evaluate effects of near-surface hydraulic gradients on P and N losses in surface runoff from soil pans at 5% slope under simulated rainfall . Experimental treatments included three rates of fertilizer input (control {no fertilizer input}, low {40 kg P ha(-1), 100 kg N ha(-1)}, and high {80 kg P ha(-1), 200 kg N ha(-1)}) and four near-surface hydraulic gradients (free drainage {FD}, saturation {Sa}, artesian seepage without rain {Sp}, and artesian seepage with rain {Sp + R}) . Simulated rainfall of 50 mm h(-1) was applied for 90 min . The results showed that near-surface hydraulic gradients have dramatic effects on NO(3)-N and PO(4)-P losses and runoff water quality . Under the low fertilizer treatment, the average concentrations in surface runoff from FD, Sa, Sp, and Sp + R were 0.08, 2.20, 529.5, and 71.8 mg L(-1) for NO(3)-N and 0.11, 0.54, 0.91, and 0.72 mg L(-1) for PO(4)-P, respectively . Similar trends were observed for the concentrations of NO(3)-N and PO(4)-P under the high fertilizer treatment . The total NO(3)-N loss under the FD treatment was only 0.01% of the applied nitrogen, while under the Sp and Sp + R treatments, the total NO(3)-N loss was 11 to 16% of the applied nitrogen . These results show that artesian seepage could make a significant contribution to water quality problems. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2004 Nov, 70(11), 6559 - 68 Phylogenetic characterization of methanogenic assemblages in eutrophic and oligotrophic areas of the Florida Everglades; Castro H et al.; Agricultural activities have produced well-documented changes in the Florida Everglades, including establishment of a gradient in phosphorus concentrations in Water Conservation Area 2A (WCA-2A) of the northern Everglades . An effect of increased phosphorus concentrations is increased methanogenesis in the eutrophic regions compared to the oligotrophic regions of WCA-2A . The goal of this study was to identify relationships between eutrophication and composition and activity of methanogenic assemblages in WCA-2A soils . Distributions of two genes associated with methanogens were characterized in soils taken from WCA-2A: the archaeal 16S rRNA gene and the methyl coenzyme M reductase gene . The richness of methanogen phylotypes was greater in eutrophic than in oligotrophic sites, and sequences related to previously cultivated and uncultivated methanogens were found . A preferential selection for the order Methanomicrobiales was observed in mcrA clone libraries, suggesting primer bias for this group . A greater diversity within the Methanomicrobiales was observed in mcrA clone libraries than in 16S rRNA gene libraries . 16S rRNA phylogenetic analyses revealed a dominance of clones related to Methanosaeta spp., an acetoclastic methanogen dominant in environments with low acetate concentrations . A significant number of clones were related to Methanomicrobiales, an order characterized by species utilizing hydrogen and formate as methanogenic substrates . No representatives of the orders Methanobacteriales and Methanococcales were found in any 16S rRNA clone library, although some Methanobacteriales were found in mcrA libraries . Hydrogenotrophs are the dominant methanogens in WCA-2A, and acetoclastic methanogen genotypes that proliferate in low acetate concentrations outnumber those that typically dominate in higher acetate concentrations. Adv Parasitol, 2004, 57, 191 - 253 Review of the trematode genus Ribeiroia (Psilostomidae): ecology, life history and pathogenesis with special emphasis on the amphibian malformation problem; Johnson PT et al.; Trematodes in the genus Ribeiroia have an indirect life cycle involving planorbid snails as first intermediate hosts, fishes or amphibians as second intermediate hosts and birds or mammals as definitive hosts . Although rarely pathogenic in definitive hosts, Ribeiroia infection can cause severe pathology and mortality in snails and amphibians . This group of parasites has gained notoriety for its prominent rol in the recent rash of amphibian deformities in North America . Under some circumstances, these malformations may enhance parasite transmission by rendering infected amphibian hosts more susceptible to definitive host predators . However, increasing reports of malformations in North American amphibian populations emphasize the importance of understanding infection patterns . Here we review important aspects of the biology, ecology, life cycle and pathogenesis of parasites in the genus Ribeiroia and identify priorities for future research . Based on available morphological descriptions and preliminary molecular data, three species of Ribeiroia are recognized: R . ondatrae in the Americas, R . marini in the Caribbean and R . congolensis/C . lileta in Africa . We further evaluate the influence of abiotic and biotic factors in determining the intensity and prevalence of Ribeiroia infection and malformations in amphibians, highlighting the importance of habitat alteration and secondary factors (e.g . aquatic eutrophication, contaminants) in promoting infection . Although not a "new" parasite, Ribeiroia may have increased in range, prevalence, or intensity in recent years, particularly within amphibian hosts . Nevertheless, while much is known about this intriguing group of parasites, there remains much that we do not know . Particular importance for future research is placed on the following areas: evaluating the phylogenetic position of the genus, establishing the molecular mechanism of parasite-induced malformations in amphibians, isolating the drivers of parasite transmission under field conditions and studying the consequences of malformations for parasite and host populations . Investigation of these questions will benefit enormously from a multidisciplinary approach that effectively integrates parasitology, developmental biology, immunology, herpetology and aquatic ecology. Environ Geochem Health, 2004 Jun-Sep, 26(2-3), 97 - 103 Soil quality evolution after land use change from paddy soil to vegetable land; Cao ZH et al.; A survey was done in 15 typical villages, 150 soil and 86 vegetable plant samples were taken in Jiaxin prefecture of the Taihu Lake region, northern Zhejian province . Results indicate that after 15-20 years land use changed from the paddy rice-wheat (or oilseed rape) double cropping system, to a continuous vegetable land has caused soil quality dramatic change . (1) Acidification: average soil pH was 5.4; about 61% of total samples were pH < 5.5 . It was 0.9 units lower than 10 years ago with same upland vegetable cultivation and was 1.2 units lower than soil pH of paddy rice-wheat (or oilseed rape) rotation . (2) Fertilizer salt accumulation: the average salt content was 0.28%, among these about 36.2% of the total samples contained more than 0.3% . (3) Nitrate N and available phosphorus (P) over accumulation: on average it was 279 mg NO3-N/kg, and 45-115 mg P/kg . Nitrate N four times higher and available P 4-10 times more than it is in present paddy rice-wheat rotation soils respectively . This has caused wide concern because of possible groundwater and well drinking water pollution by leached nitrate N and the P losses to water by runoff from vegetable lands induce surface water eutrophication. Ambio, 2004 Aug, 33(6), 316 - 23 Environmental impact assessment of salmonid feeds using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Papatryphon E et al.; Understanding the environmental burdens associated with aquafeeds is a critical component for assessing and improving the environmental performance of aquaculture . The aim of the study was to assess the environmental impacts associated with feeds for rainbow trout production in France, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) . The stages assessed are: the extraction of the raw materials, the production and transformation of the primary ingredients used, the manufacturing of the feeds, the use of the feeds at the farm, transport at all stages, and the production and use of energy resources . The assessment revealed that the use of fishery resources (such as biotic resource use) and nutrient emissions at the farm (such as eutrophication potential) contribute most to the potential environmental impacts of salmonid aquafeeds . Improvements in feed composition and management practices seem to be the best ways for improving the environmental profile of aquafeeds. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol, 2003, 179, 1 - 36 Physical, chemical, and biological changes in the Gulf of Gdańsk ecosystem (southern Baltic sea); Kot-Wasik A et al.; This review presents the present state of knowledge of the physical, chemical, and biological changes in waters of the Gulf of Gdansk (Baltic Sea) . The general characteristics of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Gdansk with brief description of changes in the ecosystem are included . Among meteorological parameters describing climate in the coastal zone, water temperature changes together with considerations of precipitation and sea level are presented . It has been confirmed that the sea level rise over the past 40 yr was very distinct . Throughout the past 30 yr an evident increase in eutrophication has been observed . Therefore, changes in salinity, oxygen content, and nutrient fluctuations with special attention paid to variability in silicate, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations in the water layer are presented . Also, discussion on the presence of toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals, PCBs, PAHs, and some pesticides, in the water body of the Gulf of Gdansk has been included . Because of their ability to bioaccumulate and biomagnify in living organisms, these substances are of crucial importance for future marine life in the Gulf of Gdansk . Finally, biological conditions of the coastal waters of the Gulf of Gdansk were discussed . Data show that the ecosystem structure of the Gulf of Gdansk has undergone tremendous changes . The species pattern has changed significantly--many species have disappeared and others have become dominant. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Aug 1, 38(15), 4165 - 8 Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of individual algal cells: effects of herbicide on Spirogyra distenta at different growth stages; Endo R et al.; Serious environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems has been caused by eutrophication and by pollutants such as herbicides . Therefore, measurement of in situ algal photosynthetic activity is important for environmental monitoring . With ordinary nonimaging fluorometers, algal chlorophyll fluorescence can be measured easily, but heterogeneity within samples cannot be detected . Effects of a herbicide preparation containing 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1 -dimethylurea (DCMU) on photosynthetic activity at different growth stages of Spirogyra distenta were investigated by using a computer-aided microscopic imaging system for chlorophyll afluorescence . Photosystem II photochemical yield (phiPSII) images were used to diagnose photosynthetic activity of spiral filate chloroplasts in algal cells . The herbicide treatment caused a stronger decline in phiPSII values in younger than in mature algae cells . This result indicated that heterogeneity within algal samples should be considered when algae are used for environmental monitoring . Thus, measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence from young and mature chloroplasts with a microscopic imaging system makes it possible to improve the sensitivity for monitoring the environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Aug, 49(4), 344 - 53 Nutrient enrichment caused by in situ fish farms at Eilat, Red Sea is detrimental to coral reproduction; Loya Y et al.; Recent studies report conflicting results concerning the effects of eutrophication on coral reproduction . The present study examines reproductive effort in the brooding coral Stylophora pistillata exposed to chronic eutrophication caused by in situ fish cages (FC) in the northern Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba) . Histological studies of 20 S . pistillata colonies transplanted to each of two study sites, one close to the nutrient enriched FC site and the other at a reference site (IUI), 8 km southwest of the FC site, show that, overall, corals from the FC site have a significantly higher percentage of polyps containing oocytes and testes than corals from the IUI site . However, average oocyte size and the percentage of oocytes reaching the size at which fertilization occurs (i.e., >200 microm) were both significantly greater in colonies at the IUI site compared to the FC site . As the reproductive season progressed, colonies at the IUI site exhibited a decrease in the percentage of polyps containing oocytes, concomitant with an increase in the number of polyps containing planulae, indicating successful development of oocytes into planulae . In contrast, in colonies at the FC site oocyte numbers were greatest at the end of the reproductive season, and overall, numbers of planulae were significantly lower compared with the IUI colonies, suggesting relative failure of oocyte maturation, fertilization and ensuing larval development . The significantly higher lipid content found during the reproduction season in IUI colonies compared with FC colonies corroborates this assertion . This data strongly suggest that nutrients released from the fish farms have adverse effects on successful production of larvae of S . pistillata . In view of the recent severe deterioration of the coral reefs of Eilat and their present critical state of health, the only chance for their renewal is the use of immediate, prudent and rational protection measures against all man-made perturbations. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Sep, 49(5-6), 496 - 503 Distribution and characteristics of suspended particulate matter in a heavily eutrophic estuary, Tokyo Bay, Japan; Suzumura M et al.; Bulk suspended particulate matter (SPM), chlorophyll a (Chl a), ignition loss, particulate organic carbon (POC), organic nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus (PIP), and organic phosphorus were investigated in the heavily eutrophic Arakawa River estuary, Japan . Chl a was high (approximately 35 microg l(-1)) in summer and low (approximately 6.7 microg l(-1)) in winter and autumn . POC from living phytoplankton accounted for approximately 34% and approximately 70% of total POC during low- and high-biomass seasons, respectively . During the low-biomass season, detrital POC distribution was conservative, and less reactive, land-derived materials mainly composed particulate organic materials (POM), but complex mixing of land-derived POM and autochthonous planktonic detritus caused nonconservative detrital POC behavior during the high-biomass season . PIP concentration in SPM decreased with increasing salinity, likely by desorption of soluble orthophosphate (ortho-P) . The ortho-P released from SPM, 56% of the ortho-P input from the Arakawa River to the bay, was a significant potential source of biologically available phosphorus causing eutrophication of coastal environments . J Anim Sci, 2004 Jul, 82(7), 2115 - 22 Environmental impacts of the Japanese beef-fattening system with different feeding lengths as evaluated by a life-cycle assessment method; Ogino A et al.; The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef-fattening system using the life-cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of feeding length on the LCA results . The functional unit was defined as one animal, and the stages associated with the beef-fattening life cycle, such as feed (concentrate and rough-age) production, feed transport, animal management, animal body (i.e., biological activity of cattle), and the treatment of cattle wastes, were included in the system boundary . Our results suggest that enteric or gut CH4 emissions of cattle were the major source in the impact category of global warming (2,851 kg of CO2 equivalents), whereas NH3 emissions from cattle waste were the major source in the impact categories of acidification (35.1 kg of SO2 equivalents) and eutrophication (6.16 kg of PO4 equivalents) . Feed production also contributed a great deal to all categories . A shorter feeding length resulted in lower environmental impacts in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, such as global warming and acidification, although there was a difference in effect of reducing environmental impacts among the categories. Environ Toxicol Chem, 2004 Mar, 23(3), 682 - 90 Silver uptake by a marine diatom and its transfer to the coastal copepod Acartia spinicauda; Xu Y et al.; Silver (Ag) is an important metal contaminant in many coastal waters and often is accompanied by high nutrient concentrations in the effluent outfall . The biological uptake of Ag by the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana at various levels of nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate was examined under different growth conditions of the cells . The biological uptake of Ag increased significantly with increasing concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate, presumably because of the increase in algal growth rate or increasing sulfur-containing ligands available for Ag transport . The calculated Ag uptake rate constants increased by 3 to 16 times with increasing nitrate and ammonium concentration from 5.88 microM to 176 microM . The assimilation efficiency (AE) of Ag by the coastal copepod Acartia spinicauda was quantified under different ecological and chemical conditions of the diatom prey . The Ag AEs were in the range of 3 to 23%, and increased with decreasing diatom food concentrations or when the diatoms were grown at a lower nutrient level . Significant correlations were demonstrated between the AE and the distribution of Ag in the diatom's cytoplasm, the Ag concentration factor in the diatoms, Ag retention in the particles during the feeding period, and the Ag gut passage time in the copepods . Desorption within the copepod's gut appears to play a critical role in Ag assimilation and partially accounts for the variability of Ag AEs under different food and geochemical conditions . Our study highlights that several geochemical and physiological processes all significantly affect Ag trophic transfer in marine copepods . Given the dependence of Ag transfer on its concentration in ingested particles and food concentration, dietary uptake of Ag is probably variable in natural environments . The influence of eutrophication on Ag trophic transfer is dependent on the degree to which each kinetic parameter is affected by nutrient enrichments. J Environ Sci (China), 2004, 16(3), 358 - 63 Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on the water quality in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area during and after its construction; Liu H et al.; A survey concerning the concentration of the nutrients in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area was carried out . This paper presents the parameters(NO3- -N, NO2- -N, Kjeldahl-N, non-ionic ammonia, P-PO4 and TP) determined at 16 sampling sites from 1997 to 1999 . The dominant soluble nitrogen form was NO3- -N followed by Kjeldahl-N, NO1- -N and non-ionic ammonia . Mean values of NO3- -N, NO2- -N, Kjeldahl-N and non-ionic ammonia ranged from 0.50 to 2.37 mg/L, 0.022 to 0.084 mg/L, 0.33 to 0.99 mg/L and 0.007 to 0.092 mg/L respectively . Mean values of P-PO4 at most sampling sites were higher than 0.1 mg/L for subject to eutrophication . The major factors influencing the concentrations of N and P might be agricultural runoff, municipal and industrial effluents . In addition, 6 kinds of soil were sampled at the area where would inundated after the dam completed . Two approaches were adopted to simulate the N and P release from the inundated soils . The results showed that the soils would release nitrogen and phosphorus to the overlying water when the soils were inundated . The characteristics of soil affected the equilibrium concentrations of N and P between the soil and the overlying water. J Environ Biol, 2003 Jul, 24(3), 331 - 7 Heavy metal pollution in various canals originating from river Yamuna in Haryana; Kaushik A et al.; Heavy metal pollution due to Fe, Ni, Pb, Cd, Co and Zn in the water of major canals originating from the river Yamuna in Haryana was studied . All these metals except Zn were found to be present in the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) exceeding the maximum permissible limits . In the Sunder branch (SB), the heavy metal concentration was relatively more . Concentrations of the metals were, however, relatively less in the highly eutrophicated waters of Agra canal and Gurgaon canal as compared to that in WYC but Fe concentration were much higher . Except Zn and Ni the metal concentrations exceeded the standard permissible limits in these canals also. J Environ Qual, 2004 Jul-Aug, 33(4), 1452 - 63 Relationship between soil test phosphorus and phosphorus in runoff: effects of soil series variability; Schroeder PD et al.; Phosphorus loss in runoff from agricultural fields has been identified as an important contributor to eutrophication . The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between phosphorus (P) in runoff from a benchmark soil (Cecil sandy loam; fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludult) and Mehlich III-, deionized water-, and Fe(2)O(3)-extractable soil P, and degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) . Additionally, the value of including other soil properties in P loss prediction equations was evaluated . Simulated rainfall was applied (75 mm h(-1)) to 54 1-m(2) plots installed on six fields with different soil test phosphorus (STP) levels . Runoff was collected in its entirety for 30 min and analyzed for total P and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) . Soil samples were collected from 0- to 2-, 0- to 5-, and 0- to 10-cm depths . The strongest correlation for total P and DRP occurred with DPS (r(2) = 0.72) . Normalizing DRP by runoff depth resulted in improved correlation with deionized water-extractable P for the 0- to 10-cm sampling depth (r(2) = 0.81) . The STP levels were not different among sampling depths and analysis of the regression equations revealed that soil sampling depth had no effect on the relationship between STP and P in runoff . For all forms of P in runoff and STP measures, the relationship between STP and runoff P was much stronger when the data were split into groups based on the ratio of oxalate-extractable Fe to Al . For all forms of P in runoff and all STP methods, R(2) increased with the inclusion of oxalate-extractable Al and Fe in the regression equation . The results of this study indicate that inclusion of site-specific information about soil Al and Fe content can improve the relationship between STP and runoff P. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Aug, 49(3), 206 - 19 Plankton of the Baltic estuarine ecosystems with emphasis on Neva Estuary: a review of present knowledge and research perspectives; Telesh IV; Different levels of eutrophication and pollution in the Baltic coastal waters in general, and in estuaries particularly define variations in the buffering capacity of ecosystems of these important filter zones between rivers and the adjacent Baltic Proper . Phyto- and zooplankton in the estuaries form important components of the pelagic food webs that participate in producing and structuring the matter, energy, and information fluxes in the ecosystems . Due to salinity gradients, estuaries provide a large variety of aquatic habitats for native populations of marine, brackish and fresh water plankton species . Non-indigenous planktonic species that expand their bio-geographical range and invade the Baltic coastal ecosystems also find favourable environments, establish permanent populations there, and impact aboriginal ecosystems . The dynamics of abundance, species diversity, population structure, productivity of planktonic communities, and peculiarities of trophic interactions in different Baltic estuaries are influenced by a number of common environmental factors . Being measured on the unified basis and monitored, changes (or stability) of structural and functional parameters of plankton communities can serve as indicators of alterations to the ecosystems . Comparative analyses and quantitative estimates of long-term changes in phyto- and zooplankton can contribute to evaluation of functional response of Baltic coastal ecosystems to anthropogenic stress . Both theoretical (modeling) and empirical studies of interactions within plankton communities aimed at the assessment of the role of planktonic organisms in water quality regulation, and applicability of these data for the evaluation of the status of ecosystems and their management can be considered as major goals for the future investigations in Baltic estuaries. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Aug, 49(3), 186 - 95 Eutrophication in the Polish coastal zone: the past, present status and future scenarios; Lysiak-Pastuszak E et al.; In the Baltic Sea eutrophication processes have accelerated in the past 50 years of the 20th century and presently there exists a major ecological problem for this sea . The Polish coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea is the recipient of riverine inputs from two major sources, namely the Odra and Vistula, as well as a number of smaller rivers along the central coast . Hence, the entire coastal zone remains under severe anthropogenic pressure . The variability of nutrient concentrations, especially the winter nutrient pool in the euphotic zone, summer level of total nitrogen and total phosphorus, together with such eutrophication indicators as water oversaturation with oxygen and the summer oxygen minimum, were analysed in the data time series 1959-2001 . The temporal trends were investigated using linear regression and the non-parametric Whirsch test . The future characteristics of the Baltic Sea are discussed taking into account the development of driving forces. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Aug, 49(3), 148 - 53 Chlorophyll a and its derivatives in sediments of the Odra estuary as a measure of its eutrophication; Kowalewska G et al.; Chlorophyll a and its selected derivatives, as well as chlorophylls b and c have been determined in samples of recent (0-10 cm) sediments, collected at 30 stations in the Szczecin Lagoon, Pomeranian Bay and the Bornholm Deep . Samples were retrieved in different seasons between 1992 and 2001, including the time before and after the great flood of July 1997 . Regarding the content of chlorophyll a and its derivatives in sediments, the Szczecin Lagoon may be classified as permanently eutrophic and the Pomeranian Bay and Bornholm Deep as mesotrophic . A lack of correlation between chlorophylls b, c and chlorophyll a indicated that intensive blooms of cyanobacteria occur in the Szczecin Lagoon, which is a characteristic of eutrophic zones . The chlorin a results are related to selected parameters characterizing the aquatic environment . The values for nutrients, salinity and temperature in near-bottom waters, as well as granulometry and organic carbon in the sediments verify the above conclusions. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 2004 Jun, 39(6), 1455 - 77 Eutrophication modeling in Shihmen Reservoir, Taiwan; Wu RS et al.; Based on the measured data, including total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and Secchi disk depth, the Shihmen Reservoir in the state of mesotrophic to eutrophic . A two-dimensional, laterally averaged, finite-difference hydrodynamic, and water quality model was applied to simulate water quality conditions in the reservoir to determine appropriate strategies for the management of water quality . Data collected in the field for a two-year period were utilized to calibrate and verify the model . The model calibration and verification were achieved with water surface elevation, temperature, and water quality constituents such as nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a . Then the model was used to simulate chlorophyll a concentrations under several scenarios corresponding to various waste load reduction ratios . A 90% reduction of nutrient loadings will upgrade the existing eutrophic/mesotrophic conditions to oligotrophic condition in both 2001 and 2002, exception January in 2001 . The modeling effort had yielded valuable information that can be used by decision maker for the evaluation of different management strategies of reduction of nutrients coming from the catchment area. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Jul, 49(1-2), 89 - 92 Reactive sulfides relationship with metals in sediments from an eutrophicated estuary in Southeast Brazil; Machado W et al.; The potential association of acid-volatile sulfides (AVS) and reactive (HCl soluble) Fe with the distribution of reactive trace metals (Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn) was investigated in sediment cores collected in the Iguacu river estuarine system (Guanabara bay, Brazil), within the river (core R) and the bay (core B) areas . Moderate to extremely high AVS concentrations (33-314 micromol g(-1)) were found in the rapidly-accumulated sediments of this eutrophicated estuary . AVS showed significant correlations with Fe, Ni and Pb in core B, whereas no correlation between AVS and metals was observed in core R . Results suggest that the AVS:Fe molar ratio may often reflect the diagenetic conditions controlling the distribution of Cd and Cu in core B better than AVS and Fe levels themselves . A shift in the biogeochemical controls of metal distribution from the river to the open bay sediments is suggested, with a greater association of most metals with AVS and Fe in bay sediments. Environ Pollut, 2004 Sep, 131(2), 313 - 21 Performance of a narrow buffer strip in abating agricultural pollutants in the shallow subsurface water flux; Borin M et al.; The performance of a narrow buffer strip in abating dissolved P, electrical conductivity and herbicides (terbuthylazine, alachlor, nicosulfuron, pendimethalin, linuron) in subsurface water coming from cropland was tested in an experiment carried out on the low plains of the Veneto Region (NE Italy) . The experiment lasted from December 1997 to June 1999, monitoring subsurface water quality entering and exiting a buffer composed of a grass strip (5 m wide) and 1 m wide row of trees . Dissolved phosphorus concentrations were reduced by almost 100% passing through the buffer and in most cases exiting water satisfied the limit for avoiding eutrophication . A positive effect was also detected on ECW (reduced by 20%), while pH was not significantly altered . Herbicide concentration abatement varied between 60 and 90%, depending on the chemical and the time elapsed since application. J Environ Qual, 2004 May-Jun, 33(3), 1124 - 32 Phosphorus removal in a wetland constructed on former arable land; Liikanen A et al.; Phosphorus in surface runoff water may cause eutrophication of recipient water . This study clarifies the mechanisms of P removal in the wetland of Hovi, Finland, constructed on arable land in 1998 . Before the construction, the surface soil (removed in the construction) and subsoil (the current wetland bottom) were analyzed for Al and Fe oxides (Al(ox) and Fe(ox)) reactive in P sorption, and for the distribution of P between various pools as well as for P exchange properties . Retention of P from runoff water within the wetland was studied from 1999 to 2001 in situ and factors affecting the P removal (O2 availability and P concentration in water) were investigated in a laboratory microcosm . The processes taking place in the wetland diminished by 68% the total P load and by 49% the dissolved reactive P load . Desorption-sorption tests indicated that without removal of the surface soil, there would have been a risk of the wetland being a source of P, since the equilibrium P concentration of the soil removed was high compared with the mean P concentration of the inflowing water . The subsoil contained less P and high amounts of reactive oxides, which could bind P . Evidently, the P sorption by Al(ox) played an important role in a first phase removal of P, since the wetland retained P efficiently even under anoxic conditions, where Fe tends to be reduced . Fine-textured, mineral soil on the bottom of the wetland (subsoil of the former arable land) seemed to be very efficient in retaining P from agricultural runoff. J Environ Qual, 2004 May-Jun, 33(3), 1048 - 54 Reducing phosphorus runoff from swine manure with dietary phytase and aluminum chloride; Smith DR et al.; Phosphorus (P) runoff from fields fertilized with swine (Sus scrofa) manure has been implicated in eutrophication . Dietary modification and manure amendments have been identified as best management practices to reduce P runoff from manure . This study was conducted to compare the effects of dietary modification and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) manure amendments on reducing P in swine manure and runoff . Twenty-four pens of nursery swine were fed either a normal diet or a phytase-amended diet . Each pen was connected to a separate manure pit, which was treated with AlCl3 to give final concentrations in the liquid manure of 0 (control), 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75% (v/v) . Manure was collected and applied to plots cropped with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and simulated rainfall was applied at 50 mm h(-1), sufficient to generate a minimum of 30 min of continuous runoff . Samples of manure and runoff were analyzed for P and Al concentrations . Phytase reduced manure soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) by 17%, while AlCl3 reduced manure SRP by as much as 73% compared with normal manure . Phosphorus runoff was reduced from 5.7 to 2.6 mg P L(-1) (a 53% reduction) using AlCl3 . The mean SRP concentration in runoff from phytase diets without AlCl3 was 7.1 mg P L(-1) during the first rainfall simulation . When phytase and AlCl3 were used together, both manure SRP and P runoff were reduced more than if either treatment were used without the benefit of the other . Use of AlCl3 did not increase soluble Al in manure or Al lost in runoff . Results from this study indicate that producers should use dietary manipulation with phytase and AlCl3 manure amendments to reduce potential P losses from fields fertilized with swine manure. Environ Pollut, 2004 Sep, 131(1), 93 - 105 Comparison of throughfall and soil solution chemistry between a high-density Corsican pine stand and a naturally regenerated silver birch stand; De Schrijver A et al.; In Flanders, critical loads for acidification and eutrophication are exceeded in the majority of the forest stands, and many previously nitrogen limited forest ecosystems have become nitrogen saturated . The present study investigates whether a naturally regenerated stand of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) contributes less to the acidification and eutrophication of the forest soil than a high-density plantation of Corsican pine (Pinus nigra ssp . laricio Maire) . Throughfall deposition of inorganic nitrogen was about 3.5 times higher in the Corsican pine stand than in the birch stand . Potassium throughfall deposition was significantly higher under birch due to higher canopy leaching . Magnesium throughfall deposition was significantly higher under the pine canopy due to higher dry deposition . The lower nitrogen throughfall deposition in the birch stand was reflected in a 60% lower nitrate percolation at 1m depth compared with pine . Nitrate soil percolation is linked to losses of aluminium and base cations. Water Res, 2004 Jun, 38(11), 2764 - 74 Bayesian methods for regional-scale eutrophication models; Lamon EC 3rd et al.; We demonstrate a Bayesian classification and regression tree (CART) approach to link multiple environmental stressors to biological responses and quantify uncertainty in model predictions . Such an approach can: (1) report prediction uncertainty, (2) be consistent with the amount of data available and (3) be flexible enough to permit updates and improvements . Tree-based methods are a flexible approach useful for variable subset selection and when the analyst suspects global nonlinearity and cannot (or does not want to) specify the functional form of possible interactions a priori . We use the US EPA National Eutrophication Survey data to fit three models demonstrating the methods and to highlight important differences arising from slightly different model specifications . The Bayesian approach offers many advantages, including the estimation of the value of new information and proper probability distributions on the variable of interest as an output, which can be directly used in risk assessment or decision-making. Sci Total Environ, 2004 Jul 26, 328(1-3), 207 - 18 The impact of surface water exchange on the nutrient and particle dynamics in side-arms along the River Danube, Austria; Hein T et al.; Results of two monitoring programs obtained in the free-flowing section of the Danube downstream of Vienna were used to evaluate the effects of river restoration designed to increase surface water inputs into side-arms . Functional descriptors like hydrochemical parameters and plankton react immediately to restored hydrological conditions and offer the opportunity to elucidate the hydrological control on organic processing as an important ecosystem function in fluvial landscapes . Two hydraulic parameters were estimated and linked to basic ecological properties . The level of hydrological connectivity was defined as the average annual duration (days per year) of upstream surface connection and can be used as a 'simple to estimate' parameter within the planning phase . Water age, an adapted measure of residence time based on more detailed information, allow description of the temporal development in side-arms . Greater hydrological connectivity leads to lower conductivity levels and increased nutrient concentrations due to the shift of the dominating source to river water . The contribution of river flow is indicated by higher suspended solid concentrations in side-arms than disconnected water bodies . The phytoplankton biomass shows the highest mean values at a duration of integration of 1 month a(-1) and decrease with increasing connectivity . The relationships point to a more 'main channel like' hydrochemical situation in the side-arms, with a medium level of phytoplankton biomass and increased autochthonous carbon export . No evidence of eutrophication was found due to the shift of the side-arm from an organic matter sink to a source . On a more detailed level, water age demonstrates the temporal patterns of riverine input, the development of plankton production and the shift between hydrological and biological control of phytoplankton vs . riverine flow in a side-arm . The hydrologic parameters were useful predictors for evaluating the effects of restoration measures in river floodplain systems . Water Sci Technol, 2004, 49(7), 189 - 97 Drainage basin security of hazardous chemical fluxe in the Yodo River basin; Matsui S; The Yodo River basin consists of three major tributary basins (and other small river basins) namely Uji, Katsura and Kizu, which overlap respectively Shiga, Kvoto and Nara prefectures' administrative areas . Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, drains water through the Uji river . The water quality of the lake, in terms of BOD, continuously improved over the last decade . However, the quality in terms of COD did not show any improvement in spite of a large amount of infrastructure finance being introduced . Eutrophication of the lake still continues, showing no improvement in the nitrogen concentration level . Non-point as well as point source control is not strong enough . There is a gap between BOD and COD evaluations of the lake water quality . Hazardous chemical fluxes are estimated based upon PRTR reports of Japan (2001) . PCBs are still discharged into the lake, although the report of Shiga Prefecture showed zero discharge . Dace fish monitoring clearly showed that PCB contamination of the fish had not changed since the 1980s in spite of a ban on use and production of PCBs in the 1970s . There is still leakage of PCBs into the lake . The major exposure of dioxins to Japanese is fish rather than meat and eggs . The risk of water contamination must take into consideration not only drinking water safety but also ecological magnification of food chains in water . The ecological health aspect of hazardous chemicals is also important, such as organotins with imposex of sea snails . Finally, public participation in hazardous chemical management is very important using the method of risk communication based upon the annual report of PRTR in Japan. Rev Biol Trop, 2003 Jun, 51(2), 381 - 90 {Limnology of high mountain tropical lake, in Ecuador: characteristics of sediments and rate of sedimentation}; Gunkel G; Equatorial high mountain lakes are a special type of lake occurring mainly in the South American Andes as well as in Central Africa and Asia . They occur at altitudes of a few thousand meters above sea level and are cold-water lakes (< 20 degrees C) . Relatively little is known about them . A long-term limnological study was therefore undertaken at Lake San Pablo, Ecuador, to analyze the basic limnological processes of the lake, which has a tendency for eutrophication . Sediment quality of San Pablo Lake is given under consideration of horizontal and vertical distribution using sediment cores . Significance of sediments for eutrophication process of lakes is demonstrated using phosphorus concentration of sediments as well as the phosphorus retention capacity of the sediments by ratio Fe/P . Dating of the sediments is done using 137Cs and 210Pb, but the activity of 137Cs in the sediment was very low nearly at the detection level . Sedimentation rate is determined to be 3.5 mm/year and the sediment cores represent about 110 years . P concentration of the sediments is high (approximately 5 g/kg dry substance), and P retention capacity by Fe is insufficient (Fe/P = 4) . The sediment quality did not change significantly during the past decades, and the trophic state of San Pablo Lake was already less or more eutrophic 110 years ago . The contamination of the lake sediments by heavy metals is insignificant. Rev Biol Trop, 2003 Mar, 51(1), 99 - 106 On the phytoplankton of Awba reservoir, Ibadan, Nigeria; Akin-Oriola GA; The physico-chemical characteristics and phytoplankton of Awba reservoir in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, were monitored to determine the impact of eutrophication on phytoplankton composition . The principal component analysis identified three major components influencing the physicochemistry of the water, namely trace metals, dissolved oxygen and ionic composition . Comparative analysis with a previous study showed a phenomenal increase in zinc, copper and iron levels over a 10-year period . Furthermore, the ferruginous nature of the soil contributed to the high levels of iron which exceeded the World Health Organization Standards for drinking water quality . The most abundant phytoplankton species was Microcystis aeruginosa which has been implicated in toxic blooms in freshwaters . The conditions favouring cyanophyte blooms and their implications are discussed. Environ Pollut, 2004 Jul, 130(2), 187 - 98 Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their methoxylated derivatives in pike from Swedish waters with emphasis on temporal trends, 1967-2000; Kierkegaard A et al.; Temporal trends of five tetra- to hexabromodiphenyl ethers {BDE47, BDE99, BDE100, BDE153 and BDE154) and two methoxy-tetraBDEs {6-methoxy-2,2',4,4'- tetraBDE (6-MeO-BDE47) and 2'-methoxy-2,3',4,5'- tetraBDE (2'-MeO-BDE68)} in pike from Lake Bolmen for the years 1967-2000, are presented . All BDE congeners show increasing trends up to the mid-1980s (Sigma5PBDE from 60 to 1600 pg/g wet weight in 1989, i.e . a more than 25-fold increase), and then decrease or level off . The decreasing trends of PBDEs after the 1980s were considerably slower in the present study than was found in a study of an environmental matrix from the Baltic Proper covering the same time period . This difference suggests local sources near Lake Bolmen . The MeO-BDEs show initially decreasing concentrations, which for 6-MeO-BDE47 continues until the early 1990s . The concentrations of 6-MeO-BDE47 in herring from five locations along the Swedish coast increased from south to north in the Baltic Sea . No correlation between the concentrations of the BDE congeners and the MeO-BDEs was observed, indicating sources other than PBDEs for these compounds . The presence of MeO-BDEs in fish from lakes with different characteristics suggests a natural production not favoured by eutrophication, or dependent on sampling season and geographical location. Environ Manage, 2004 Jul, 34(1), 125 - 39 Epub 2004 May 13. Observed winter warming of the Chesapeake Bay estuary (1949-2002): implications for ecosystem management; Preston BL; A large number of studies have documented 20th century climate variability and change at the global, hemispheric, and regional levels . However, understanding the implications of climate change for environmental management necessitates information at the level of the ecosystem . Historical monitoring data from the Chesapeake Bay estuary were used to identify temporal patterns of estuarine temperature anomalies in the surface (</=1 m) and subsurface (>/=15 m) between 1949 and 2002 . Data indicated a trend in surface and subsurface warming of +0.16 degrees C and +0.21 degrees C per decade, respectively, driven by warming during winter and spring . These trends suggest warming of the estuary since the mid-20th century of approximately 0.8-1.1 degrees C . Estuarine temperatures correlated well with other independent data records for sea surface and surface air temperatures in the region and to a lesser extent, the northern hemisphere . Gross long-term temperature variability in the estuary was consistent with North Atlantic climate variability associated with the prolonged positive North Atlantic Oscillation/Arctic Oscillation and increased anthropogenic radiative forcing, although localized environmental drivers likely are important as well . A simple spatial analysis revealed strong seasonal latitudinal and longitudinal gradients in estuarine temperature as well as a north-south gradient in long-term temperature trends . Continued warming of the estuary will have important implications for ecosystem structure and function as well as attempts to manage existing challenges such as eutrophication and benthic hypoxia . However, such management efforts must be cognizant of the effects of various climate and nonclimate drivers of environmental variability and change operating over different spatial and temporal scales. Oecologia . 2004 May 14; {Epub ahead of print} Genetic and environmental variation in performance of a marine isopod: effects of eutrophication; Hemmi A et al.; Environmental variation in food resources modifies performance of herbivores, in addition to genetic variation and maternal effects . In marine benthic habitats, eutrophication may modify herbivores' diets by changing host species composition or nutritional quality of algae for herbivores . We studied experimentally the effects of diet breadth and nutrient availability for the host algae on fitness components of the herbivorous isopod Idotea baltica . We fed the adult isopods with the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus and Pilayella littoralis and juveniles with the green alga Cladophora glomerata . By using half-sib families, we were able to separate the genetic, environmental and maternal effects on intermolt duration and size of the juveniles . The mothers confined to the diet consisting of both Fucus and Pilayella grew better and produced larger egg mass than those having consumed Fucus alone . Nutrient enhancement of algae did not influence the performance of the adult herbivores . However, the juveniles achieved twice the weight as well as shorter intermolt duration when consuming nutrient-treated C . glomerata . Mother's nutrition, either nutrient enrichment of her food algae or diet breadth, did not affect juvenile survival or growth as such, but we found evidence that the broader diet consumed by the mother mediated offspring performance by further accelerating growth rate of the offspring that fed on nutrient-treated alga . Intermolt duration was a highly heritable trait, but size showed very low heritability . Instead, maternal effects on size were substantial, suggesting that differences among mothers in their egg-provisioning ability strongly affect weight gain of their offspring . A high amount of additive genetic variance in intermolt duration implies potential for quick evolutionary responses in the growth schedule in the face of changes in the selective environment . We conclude that eutrophication, in addition to improving growth and reproduction of I . baltica by enhancing food quality and by providing opportunity for broader, more profitable diets, may act as a selective agent on life-history traits . Eutrophication of coastal waters is thus likely to reflect in herbivore density, population dynamics and eventually, grazing pressure of littoral macroalgae. Environ Pollut, 1998, 99(2), 177 - 98 Temporal trends of organochlorines in Northern Europe, 1967-1995 . Relation to global fractionation, leakage from sediments and international measures; Bignert A et al.; The time trend monitoring of organochlorine pollution was carried out in Sweden since the late 1960s . This report presents data on concentrations of DDT, PCB, HCHs and HCB in biota samples collected and analysed annually . All the matrices and compounds studied show a significant decrease over time . The data cover severely polluted Swedish marine and fresh water in southern Sweden as well as locally unpolluted waters in remote northern Arctic regions of Sweden . A total of 13 time series representing different locations and species are presented for the different pollutants . The period studied covers the time when pollution was serious as well as the time of recovery . All monitoring activities were carried out at the same laboratories over the entire study period, which means that comparability over time is good in the sets of data presented . The various time trends show a convincing agreement with trends and annual change over time, although the concentrations differ between the species and locations investigated, the highest concentrations being in the south . Since the annual changes are normally similar regardless of locations and species, spatial variations in concentrations remain over time, although concentrations are lower today . The onset of changes in concentrations over time can be related to international measures or other circumstances that lowered releases into the environment . Similarities in the annual changes, as well as the time when changes began, are discussed with respect to suggested hypotheses on the fate of the investigated organochlorines . It was not possible to verify that the oxygenation of anoxic sediments mobilised old pollution in Baltic sediments . Neither was it possible to conclude that eutrophication has caused a measurable effect on the rate and timing of the decreases . Finally, long-range transport to Arctic regions seems to be due more to a one step transport than to the 'Grass-hopper' effect . The comprehensive database used, clearly shows how important it is to have datasets big enough to describe between-year variation before attempting to evaluate the time trend . In addition, if between-year variation is not known, it is then also difficult to evaluate spatial variation on the basis of single year observations. Environ Pollut, 1999, 100(1-3), 223 - 40 The evolution of mass balance models of persistent organic pollutant fate in the environment; Wania F et al.; Current approaches to modelling the fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment have evolved in response to four dominant characteristics of these substances; namely: (1) the presence of POPs in virtually all environmental phases and the ease with which they move from one to the other requires multi-compartmental modelling . Describing transport across phase boundaries becomes as, or even more, important as quantifying transport within the phases; (2) POPs may persist in the environment for many decades . For chemicals that 'have time', concepts such as equilibrium partitioning and steady-state become more important than for short-lived substances whose fate is more controlled by the rates of transformation; (3) measuring POPs is difficult and expensive and observed concentrations of POPs are not available in high spatial or temporal resolution . Consequently, high resolution tends not to be a high priority in POP models; and (4) detrimental effects of POPs often manifest themselves in top predators, which has led to a focus on modelling biotic uptake and transfer within food chains . The task of building a POPs model is viewed as combining the four 'building blocks' of partitioning, transport, transformation and source data with the help of the law of the conservation of mass . Process models, evaluative models, models of real local, regional and global fate, as well as biological uptake models are presented and references to numerous examples are provided . An attempt is made to forecast future directions in the field of POPs modelling . It is expected that modelling techniques that do not rely on quantitative emission estimates as well as approaches that take into account spatial, temporal and climatic variability as well as parameter uncertainty will increase in importance . Finally, the relationship between modelling POPs and models of other pollutant issues is addressed, as are potential interactions between POPs and pollutant issues such as eutrophication, acidification and global climate change. Environ Pollut, 1999, 100(1-3), 179 - 96 Eutrophication: impacts of excess nutrient inputs on freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems; Smith VH et al.; In the mid-1800s, the agricultural chemist Justus von Liebig demonstrated strong positive relationships between soil nutrient supplies and the growth yields of terrestrial plants, and it has since been found that freshwater and marine plants are equally responsive to nutrient inputs . Anthropogenic inputs of nutrients to the Earth's surface and atmosphere have increased greatly during the past two centuries . This nutrient enrichment, or eutrophication, can lead to highly undesirable changes in ecosystem structure and function, however . In this paper we briefly review the process, the impacts, and the potential management of cultural eutrophication in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems . We present two brief case studies (one freshwater and one marine) demonstrating that nutrient loading restriction is the essential cornerstone of aquatic eutrophication control . In addition, we present results of a preliminary statistical analysis that is consistent with the hypothesis that anthropogenic emissions of oxidized nitrogen could be influencing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide via nitrogen stimulation of global primary production. Environ Pollut, 2000 Aug, 109(2), 293 - 301 Gram stain index of a natural bacterial community at a nutrient gradient in the freshwater environment; Saida H et al.; Species succession of a natural bacterial community was indicated by the Gram stain index (GSI) using an experimental nutrient gradient in an oligotrophic pond created with an in situ gradostat . Various trophic conditions, ranging from eutrophic to mesotrophic, were formed experimentally with continuous inflow of sterile peptone solution in the gradostat, while the water mass outside the gradostat was oligotrophic . The GSI spectra of the natural bacterial populations show different profiles in accordance with the trophic level of the ambient water and the time progression of adaptation to different levels of eutrophication . Therefore, GSI can be used as a potential indicator of organic pollution in aquatic environments. Environ Pollut, 1987, 46(3), 163 - 75 The effectiveness of lime-based amendments and bauxite residues at removing phosphorus from piggery effluent; Weaver DM et al.; Piggery effluent may contribute to the eutrophication of waterways, if it is not treated before disposal, because of high levels of phosphorus . Limes and red muds (a residue from bauxite refining) were used to remove phosphorus from piggery effluent (41 mg litre(-1) total P) . Lime-based amendments were more effective than the red muds at removing phosphorus when compared at the same liquid: solid ratios . Based on laboratory data, the cost of treating effluent increased rapidly as the final required phosphorus concentration decreased to less than 4 mg litre(-1) . Kiln dust was the cheapest amendment tested down to 2 mg litre(-1) . Hydrated lime was able to clarify and flocculate the effluent to 1 mg litre(-1) within 60 min . The re-useability of all limes may be determined by a simple pH test . Red mud could be used to remove phosphorus when its pH was lowered to 6.0-6.5 and it is used at liquid:solid ratios <20:1. Environ Pollut, 1994, 83(1-2), 95 - 111 Agriculture's share in the emission of trace gases affecting the climate and some cause-oriented proposals for sufficiently reducing this share; Isermann K; This paper discusses agriculture's share in the world-wide emissions of climate-affecting gases and in the global warming potential (GWP) . Proposals also are presented to reduce these emissions adequately, using a cause-oriented approach . Largely due to the fertilization and cultivation of agriculture as well as the burning of biomass, agriculture has a very high share in the anthropogenic emissions of NH(3), N(2)O, CH(4) and CO at >95%, 81%, 70% and 52%, respectively, while its share in the NO(x) and CO(2) emissions is relatively small at 35% and 21% . The GWP of agriculture, based on annually {Formula: see text} tons of CO(2), approaches 63% of the GWP of the energy sector or 80% of the GWP of its CO(2) emissions . At 34% and 32%, respectively, the main originators in the GWP of agriculture would seem to be CO(2) (changing land use) and CH(4) (animal husbandry/rice cropping/biomass burning) followed at 15% by NO(2) (technical and biological N fixation/(cultivation and recultivation/biomass burning) and 10% and 9% by CO and NO(x) . The GWP of 3 German dairy cows corresponds with 13.2 tonnes CO(2) per year the GWP of two average German automobiles . However, the ozone-destroying effect of N(2)O and the climate-relevant effects of NH(3) are not yet included here . As with the therapy for other 'modern' boundary-crossing environmental damages, such as acidification or eutrophication, global climate change therapy likewise needs a therapy for the respective effects of reactive compounds of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur also emitted by agriculture . Proposals for reducing these emissions within the agricultural sector include need-oriented plant, animal and human nutrition, more efficient external and internal nutrient recycling, the cessation of further clearing by burning, along with intensified afforestation mainly in the tropics, targeted measures to reduce nutrient losses/emissions, and measures for more efficient use of nutrients in plant, animal and human nutrition . These measures would at best result in reduced pollution of the global environment but not put it to an end . Decisive, therefore, is both the tolerable extent of mankind and its long-term sustainable way of life. Environ Pollut, 1994, 84(3), 227 - 35 Phosphorus leaching in soils amended with piggery effluent or lime residues from effluent treatment; Weaver DM et al.; Phosphorus (P) in wastes from piggeries may contribute to the eutrophication of waterways if not disposed of appropriately . Phosphorus leaching, from three soils with different P sorption characteristics (two with low P retention and one with moderate P retention) when treated with piggery effluent (with or without struvite), was investigated using batch and leaching experiments . The leaching of P retained in soil from the application of struvite effluent was determined . In addition, P leaching from lime residues (resulting from the treatment of piggery effluent with lime to remove P) was determined in comparison to superphosphate when applied to the same three soils . Most P was leached from sandy soils with low P retention when effluent with or without struvite was applied . More than 100% of the filterable P applied in struvite effluent was leached in sandy soils with low P retention . Solid, inorganic forms of P (struvite) became soluble and potentially leachable at {Formula: see text} or were sorbed after dissolution if there were sufficient sorption sites . In sandy soils with low P retention, more than 39% of the total filterable P applied in recycled effluent (without struvite) was leached . Soil P increased mainly in surface layers after treatment with effluent . Sandy soils pre-treated with struvite effluent leached 40% of the P retained in the previous application . Phosphorus decreased in surface layers and increased at depth in the soil with moderate P retention after leaching the struvite effluent pre-treated soil with water . The soils capacity to adsorb P and the soil pH were the major soil properties that affected the rate and amount of P leaching, whereas the important characteristics of the effluent were pH, P concentration and the forms of P in the effluent . Phosphorus losses from soils amended with hydrated lime and lime kiln dust residues were much lower than losses from soils amended with superphosphate . Up to 92% of the P applied as superphosphate was leached from sandy soils with low P retention, whereas only up to 60% of the P applied in lime residues was leached . The P source contributing least to P leaching was the lime kiln dust residue . The amount of P leached depended on the water-soluble P content, netralising value and application rate of the P source, and the pH and P sorption capacity of the soil. Environ Pollut, 1994, 86(1), 43 - 82 Effects of atmospheric ammonia on vegetation-A review; Fangmeier A et al.; Atmospheric ammonia does not only cause acute injuries at vegetation close to the source, but significantly contributes to large scale nitrogen eutrophication and acidification of ecosystems because the amount of sources is high and after conversion to ammonium it can reach remote areas by long-range atmospheric transport . Besides having acute toxic potential, NH(3) and NH(4)(+) (= NH(y)) may disturb vegetation by secondary metabolic changes due to increased NH(y) uptake and assimilation leading to higher susceptibility to abiotic (drought, frost) and biotic (pests) stress . Prevention of damage to natural and semi-natural ecosystems will only be achieved if NH(3) emissions are drastically reduced . In this paper, the current knowledge on NH(y) emission, deposition, and its effects on vegetation and ecosystems are reviewed . Critical levels and critical loads for nitrogen deposition are discussed. Ambio, 2004 Feb, 33(1-2), 107 - 13 Ocean pollution from land-based sources: East China Sea, China; Li D et al.; The environment of East China Sea (ECS) has been faced by huge stresses from anthropogenic activities and population growth in the Yangtze River drainage basin and the areas along the coasts . Improper use of natural resources and short-term economic objectives have resulted in severe environmental degradation in a fairly short time frame and the degradation has now reached a level where the health and well being of the coastal populations are threatened . The main pollutants are inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, oil hydrocarbons, organic matters and heavy metals . Nutrients cause eutrophication of the coastal waters and the estuarine area and very often stimulate the occurrence of red tides . The environmental pollution of Yangtze River basin directly impact on the state of the marine environment in the ECS . The ecosystem stability is maintained by a steady water discharge from the river, that mixes with the marine salty water in the estuary, and the sediment loads from the river that balance ocean erosion in the delta and its adjacent coastal area . The large-scale water transfer and dam constructions in the Yangtze River basin will change this basis . For the ECS the challenge is to reverse the negative processes taking place and to restore ecosystem balance . The main challenge is to integrate socioeconomic and environmental decision making in order to promote sustainable development . A better understanding of the driving forces in society that cause these environmental pressures is required in order to overcome these obstacles . International cooperation may be an important contributor to the progress and in particular provide access to financial, technological, scientific and human resource assistance. Ambio, 2004 Feb, 33(1-2), 13 - 23 Mitigation of environmental problems in Lake Victoria, East Africa: causal chain and policy options analyses; Odada EO et al.; Lake Victoria is an international waterbody that offers the riparian communities a large number of extremely important environmental services . Over the past three decades or so, the lake has come under increasing and considerable pressure from a variety of interlinked human activities such as overfishing, species introductions, industrial pollution, eutrophication, and sedimentation . In this paper we examine the root causes for overfishing and pollution in Lake Victoria and give possible policy options that can help remediate or mitigate the environmental degradation. Chemosphere, 2004 Jun, 55(10), 1429 - 38 A new protocol to measure the effects of toxicants on daphnid-algae interactions; Clement B et al.; Inhibition of zooplankton grazing by toxicants present at sublethal concentrations in freshwater ecosystems can lead to uncontrolled algal growth and consequently exacerbate eutrophication problems . Short-term measurements of cladoceran grazing inhibition have been reported for some toxicants, but these studies do not mimic the actual interactions between microalgae, daphnids and toxicants, since algal growth is not allowed . On the opposite, algal blooms in complex microcosm or mesocosm assays have been interpreted as consequences on zooplankton, but effects on grazing, survival, growth or reproduction could not be easily discriminated . In this study, a simple assay with daphnids and microalgae is proposed to measure effects on grazing in dynamic conditions (algal growth over 6 days), and applied to copper and lindane . In the same time, direct effects on algal growth can be shown and taken into account . Results are compared with daphnid response measured with different endpoints (immobilization test and static grazing assay) . For both toxicants, effects at sublethal concentrations were demonstrated . Copper impaired daphnid grazing at 10 microg/l (60% inhibition) in the 48 h-static test and 15 microg/l (40% inhibition) in the 6 day-dynamic test, whereas 48 h-EC50 for daphnid mobility was 47 microg/l . The EC50s for lindane were 50 microg/l for daphnid grazing (48 h-static and 6 day-dynamic tests) and 383 microg/l for the immobilization test (48 h). Sci Total Environ, 2004 May 5, 323(1-3), 211 - 8 Effects of nitrogen deposition on nitrogen cycling in an Aleppo pine stand in Athens, Greece; Michopoulos P et al.; High levels of nitrogen deposition measured in throughfall fluxes in 2002, reaching 38 kg ha(-1) year(-1), affected the biogeochemical cycle of N in an Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) stand situated in Athens, the capital of Greece . The N fluxes in bulk deposition were far lower than those in throughfall indicating high levels of dry deposition in the city of Athens . The amounts of N in litterfall and those stored in the forest floor and mineral soil were not high, while the mean residence time of N in the forest floor, derived from fluxes equations, decreased considerably due to the high levels of N fluxes in throughfall deposition . Nitrogen concentration in needle tissues was high and this resulted in a high ratio of N/Zn . Zinc availability was low due to the alkaline nature of soil in the study area . Fast N cycling may affect the living status of Aleppo pine, which is an oligotrophic plant species capable of occupying poor soil sites . Nitrogen eutrophication may adversely affect forests grown on calcareous soils by developing nutrition imbalances between N and micronutrients, the solubility of which depends on soil pH values. J Environ Qual, 2004 Mar-Apr, 33(2), 678 - 84 Phosphorus leaching in relation to soil type and soil phosphorus content; Djodjic F et al.; Phosphorus losses from arable soils contribute to eutrophication of freshwater systems . In addition to losses through surface runoff, leaching has lately gained increased attention as an important P transport pathway . Increased P levels in arable soils have highlighted the necessity of establishing a relationship between actual P leaching and soil P levels . In this study, we measured leaching of total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) during three years in undisturbed soil columns of five soils . The soils were collected at sites, established between 1957 and 1966, included in a long-term Swedish fertility experiment with four P fertilization levels at each site . Total P losses varied between 0.03 and 1.09 kg ha(-1) yr(-1), but no general correlation could be found between P concentrations and soil test P (Olsen P and phosphorus content in ammonium lactate extract {P-AL}) or P sorption indices (single-point phosphorus sorption index {PSI} and P sorption saturation) of the topsoil . Instead, water transport mechanism through the soil and subsoil properties seemed to be more important for P leaching than soil test P value in the topsoil . In one soil, where preferential flow was the dominant water transport pathway, water and P bypassed the high sorption capacity of the subsoil, resulting in high losses . On the other hand, P leaching from some soils was low in spite of high P applications due to high P sorption capacity in the subsoil . Therefore, site-specific factors may serve as indicators for P leaching losses, but a single, general indicator for all soil types was not found in this study. J Environ Qual, 2004 Mar-Apr, 33(2), 576 - 80 Trophic transition in a lake on the Virginia coastal plain; Pensa MA et al.; To examine possible connections between lake trophic status and runoff from surrounding subwatersheds, we determined patterns of sediment and nutrient deposition in a hypereutrophic, 16-ha impoundment on the Virginia coastal plain . Spatial survey of nutrients in surface sediments documented a strong correlation between total P and extractable Fe (r2 = 0.53) . Elevated biogenic silica concentrations up to 0.25% by weight were measured in sections of the lake receiving perennial stream discharge . Sediment C to N ratios were > 20 in those same sections, suggesting a large allochthonous contribution to organic matter deposition . Sediment cores 0.9 to 2.3 m in length, representing 70 years of deposition, were analyzed to develop vertical profiles of changes in sediment and nutrient deposition in deltas downstream from two more-developed and three less-developed subwatersheds (with 49 and 9% commercial and residential development, respectively) . The average sediment weight percent +/- standard deviation of biogenic silica (0.027 +/- 0.037 vs . 0.009 +/- 0.006%) and total P (0.040 +/- 0.025 vs . 0.024 +/- 0.019%) was significantly higher downstream of more-developed subwatersheds . Using elevated P loadings and biogenic silica deposition as proxies for algal production, transition of the lake to its current hypereutrophic state appears to have occurred in the last 70 yr . Changes in trophic status as revealed by sediment analysis of this small lake on the Virginia coastal plain reflect a common pattern of eutrophication observed for the entire Chesapeake Bay drainage basin . Analysis of sediments from stream deltas appears to be a reasonable strategy for identifying and targeting subwatershed areas needing better management of nutrient runoff that otherwise would lead to eutrophication of downstream waters. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 49(3), 101 - 8 Environmental effects of manure policy options in The Netherlands; Oenema O et al.; This study explores the effects of manure policy options for agricultural land in The Netherlands on nitrate leaching to groundwater, ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions to the atmosphere and on eutrophication of surface waters . The implementation of the farm gate balance MINAS at farm level, with levy-free N surpluses in the range of 300 to 40 kg per ha per year, and levy-free P surpluses in the range of 17.5 to 0.4 kg of P per ha per year, have been examined . Results indicate that nitrate concentrations in the upper groundwater are related to N surplus, land use, soil type and groundwater level . On dry sandy soils, the N surplus has to be below 60 to 140 kg of N per ha per year, depending on land use, to decrease the nitrate concentrations in the upper groundwater to below 50 mg nitrate per litre . Decreases of N and P concentrations in surface waters, upon lowering levy-free surpluses appear relatively small . For improving the ecological state of surface waters, we recommend a combination of low levy-free N and P surpluses with dredging P rich sediments, flushing of ditches, and decreasing discharges from other sources. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 49(3), 37 - 45 Modelling diffuse nutrient flow in eutrophication control scenarios; Arheimer B et al.; The Swedish Water Management Research Programme (VASTRA) focuses on the development and demonstration of tools for more efficient eutrophication control when implementing the EU water framework directive in Sweden . During the first half of the programme, models for nitrogen flow were developed, and at present, similar models for phosphorus are under construction (e.g . HBV-P) . The programme is interdisciplinary, and scientists are collaborating in actor-games and focus group evaluations including scenario analysis . The scenarios modelled in VASTRA phase I, show that (i) changed agricultural practices can be the most effective and least expensive way to reduce nitrogen transport from land to the sea; (ii) constructed agricultural wetlands may only have small impact on riverine nitrogen transport in some regions, due to natural hydrometeorological dynamics; (iii) removing planktivorous fish may be an efficient way of reducing the algal concentrations in lakes without the undesired side-effect of increased nutrient load to the down-stream river system . In VASTRA phase II, one of the highlights will be interdisciplinary scenario-modelling of different measure strategies in a pilot catchment of southern Sweden (Ronne a). Water Sci Technol, 2004, 49(3), 21 - 8 Modelling nutrient fluxes from diffuse and point emissions to river loads: the Estonian part of the transboundary Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe drainage basin (Russia/Estonia/Latvia); Mourad D et al.; First results are presented of a large-scale GIS-based nutrient transport modelling for the 1985-1999 period in the Estonian part of the transboundary drainage basin of Lake Peipsi (Estonian)/Chudskoe (Russian), one of the largest lakes in Europe, shared by Russia and Estonia . Although the lake is relatively undisturbed by human pollution, it is vulnerable for eutrophication by increased river loads, as shown in the past, when the north-eastern part of the former Soviet Union suffered from intensive agriculture . The collapse of the Soviet Union caused a dramatic decline in fertilizer application rates and widespread abandonment of agricultural land . Although concentration measurements and modelling results indicate a general decrease in nutrient loads, modelling is complicated by the transfer of nutrients from diffuse emissions, which is strongly governed by retention and assumed periodic release from storages within the river basin, like the root zone, tile drains, ditches, channels, bed sediments, floodplains and lakes . Modelling diffuse emission contribution to river loads can be improved by better knowledge about the spatial and temporal distribution of this retention and release within the drainage basin. Environ Int, 2004 Jul, 30(5), 721 - 39 Life cycle assessment part 2: current impact assessment practice; Pennington DW et al.; Providing our society with goods and services contributes to a wide range of environmental impacts . Waste generation, emissions and the consumption of resources occur at many stages in a product's life cycle-from raw material extraction, energy acquisition, production and manufacturing, use, reuse, recycling, through to ultimate disposal . These all contribute to impacts such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, photooxidant formation (smog), eutrophication, acidification, toxicological stress on human health and ecosystems, the depletion of resources and noise-among others . The need exists to address these product-related contributions more holistically and in an integrated manner, providing complimentary insights to those of regulatory/process-oriented methodologies . A previous article (Part 1, Rebitzer et al., 2004) outlined how to define and model a product's life cycle in current practice, as well as the methods and tools that are available for compiling the associated waste, emissions and resource consumption data into a life cycle inventory . This article highlights how practitioners and researchers from many domains have come together to provide indicators for the different impacts attributable to products in the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phase of life cycle assessment (LCA). Environ Int, 2004 Jul, 30(5), 701 - 20 Life cycle assessment part 1: framework, goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, and applications; Rebitzer G et al.; Sustainable development requires methods and tools to measure and compare the environmental impacts of human activities for the provision of goods and services (both of which are summarized under the term "products") . Environmental impacts include those from emissions into the environment and through the consumption of resources, as well as other interventions (e.g., land use) associated with providing products that occur when extracting resources, producing materials, manufacturing the products, during consumption/use, and at the products' end-of-life (collection/sorting, reuse, recycling, waste disposal) . These emissions and consumptions contribute to a wide range of impacts, such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, tropospheric ozone (smog) creation, eutrophication, acidification, toxicological stress on human health and ecosystems, the depletion of resources, water use, land use, and noise-among others . A clear need, therefore, exists to be proactive and to provide complimentary insights, apart from current regulatory practices, to help reduce such impacts . Practitioners and researchers from many domains come together in life cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate indicators of the aforementioned potential environmental impacts that are linked to products-supporting the identification of opportunities for pollution prevention and reductions in resource consumption while taking the entire product life cycle into consideration . This paper, part 1 in a series of two, introduces the LCA framework and procedure, outlines how to define and model a product's life cycle, and provides an overview of available methods and tools for tabulating and compiling associated emissions and resource consumption data in a life cycle inventory (LCI) . It also discusses the application of LCA in industry and policy making . The second paper, by Pennington et al . (Environ . Int . 2003, in press), highlights the key features, summarises available approaches, and outlines the key challenges of assessing the aforementioned inventory data in terms of contributions to environmental impacts (life cycle impact assessment, LCIA). Ambio, 2003 Dec, 32(8), 577 - 85 Assessing Secchi and photic zone depth in the Baltic Sea from satellite data; Kratzer S et al.; Long-term trends in the Secchi depth of the Baltic Sea have been interpreted in terms of eutrophication . The spectral attenuation coefficient Kd (490) can be estimated from remote sensing data . Given the empirical and theoretical relationships between diffuse attenuation and Secchi depth, it is therefore possible to estimate the trophic state from remote sensing data . This paper considers relationships among remotely sensed and in-water measured K (490), and Secchi depth data obtained during dedicated sea-truthing campaigns in the eastern Baltic Proper in 1999 (4) and in the western Baltic Proper/Himmerfjarden area during 2001 and 2002 . In-water measurements are used to establish the relationship between the PAR and the spectral attenuation coefficient in the Baltic Sea via regression analysis . The analysis showed that in the area of investigation Kd(490) is about 1.48 times higher than Kd (PAR) . This relationship is then used to define the link between the photic zone depth and the remote sensing optical depth, Kd (490)-1 . The results show that the depth of the euphotic zone is about 6.8 times Kd (490)-1 . The regression analysis between Kd (PAR) and Secchi depth confirmed previous work that Kd (PAR) is about 1.7 of the inverse Secchi depth . Furthermore, an in-water algorithm between Secchi depth and Kd (490) is used to simulate a Secchi depth map of the Baltic Sea from SeaWiFS Kd(490) data . This map is verified against sea-truthing data . Kd (490) data derived from satellite is compared to in situ Kd (490), and the sources of error are discussed. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Mar 1, 38(5), 1487 - 95 Geochemical controls on the production and distribution of methylmercury in near-shore marine sediments; Hammerschmidt CR et al.; We examined temporal differences in sedimentary production of monomethylmercury (MMHg) at three sites in Long Island Sound (LIS) . Sediment-phase concentrations of Hg species decreased from west to east in LIS surface sediments, following the trend of organic matter . However, Hg methylation potentials, measured by incubation with an isotopic tracer (200Hg), increased from west to east . 200Hg methylation potentials were enhanced in August relative to March and June, attributable to differences in activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria . Organic matter and acid-volatile sulfide influenced the distribution coefficient (KD) of inorganic Hg (Hg(II) = total Hg - MMHg) and inhibited 200Hg methylation in surface sediments . 200Hg methylation varied inversely with the KD of Hg(II) and positively with the concentration of Hg(II), mostly as HgS0, in LIS pore waters . Accordingly, we posit that a principal control on MMHg production in low-sulfide, coastal marine sediments is partitioning of Hg(II) between particle and dissolved phases, which regulates availability of Hg substrate to methylating bacteria . Most of the partitioning in LIS sediments is due to Hg-organic associations . This suggests that reductions in the organic content of coastal sediment, a potential result of nutrient abatement programs intended to inhibit eutrophication of near-shore waters, could enhance MMHg production by increasing the bioavailability of the large reservoir of "legacy Hg" buried within the sediment. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr . 2003;12 Suppl:S32. Dietary phytase supplementation and the utilisation of phosphorus by Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed a canola meal-based diet; Sajjadi M et al.; Background - Plant proteins offer a promising source of protein for fish meal replacement in aquafeeds, but there are some limitations to their use . Phytate is an antinutritional factor that found in many plant meal . Phytate phosphorus is lost via fish faeces, contributing to pollution and eutrophication of the aquatic environment . Phytase hydrolyses phytate to release phosphorus and it has been used successfully to increase phosphorus digestibility for several monogastric animals . Its potential with Atlantic salmon has yet to be tested thoroughly . Objective - To determine the effect of dietary phytase on phosphorus digestibility in Atlantic salmon fed a plant meal-based diet . Design - Four diets were made with canola meal as main protein source . The control diet contained 35% canola meal and three experimental diets were formulated to contain phytase; inorganic phosphorus (diabasic sodium phosphate); phytase and inorganic phosphorus . Outcomes - Phosphorus digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) higher in fish fed phytase supplemented diets in comparison with the control diet . The control fish had significantly lower bone ash (46.53 +/- 0.75%) and bone phosphorus (9.78 +/- 0.23%) content . Phosphorus load was the lowest in fish fed phytase supplemented diet (3.9g kg(-1)) and the highest value was observed in fish fed diet supplemented with inorganic phosphorus (8.1g kg(-1)) . Conclusions - Inclusion of phytase in an Atlantic salmon diet increased phytate phosphorus utilisation . The use of supplementary phytase was shown to be effective in Atlantic salmon feeds and to have the potential to limit pollution when plant proteins are used. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2004, 11(1), 11 - 7 Nutrient dynamics in shallow lakes of Northern Greece; Petaloti C et al.; GOAL, SCOPE, BACKGROUND: Shallow lakes display a number of features that set them apart from the more frequently studied deeper systems . The majority of lakes in Northern Greece are small to moderate in size with a relatively low depth and are considered as sites of high value of the wetland habitat . However, the water quality of these lakes has only been evaluated segmentally and occasionally . OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to thoroughly investigate nitrogen and phosphorus speciation in lakes of a high ecological significance located in N . Greece, in order to evaluate their eutrophication status and possible nutrient limitation factors, and to investigate the main factors/sources that affect the water quality of these systems . METHODS: An extensive survey was carried out during the period from 1998-1999 . Water samples were collected on a monthly basis from lakes Koronia, Volvi, Doirani, Mikri Prespa and Megali Prespa located in N . Greece . Water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity), organic indices (COD, BOD5), and N- and P-species (NO3(-), NO2(-), NH4(+), and PO4(3-), Kieldahl nitrogen and acid-hydrolysable phosphorus) were determined according to standard methods for surface water . Statistical treatment of the data was employed . RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The physicochemical parameters determined in the lakes studied revealed a high temporal variation . The trophic state of the lakes ranged from meso- to hypertrophic . The nutrient limiting factor varied among lakes suggesting either P-limitation conditions or mixed conditions changing from P- to N-limitation throughout the year . Urban/industrial activities and agricultural runoff are the major factors affecting all lakes, although with a varying contribution . RECOMMENDATION AND OUTLOOK: This lake-specific research offers valuable information about water quality and nutrient dynamics in lakes of significant ecological value located in N . Greece that can be useful for an effective pollution control/management of these systems . Due to the large intra-annual variability of certain physicochemical parameters, a properly designed monitoring program of lake water is recommended. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2003 Nov, 14(11), 2057 - 61 {Advances in research of biological purification of eutrophic water body}; Quan W et al.; Eutrophication is a global problem, and the key of its controlling is to manipulate the structure of aquatic ecosystem, to recover the function of natural, healthy and stable aquatic ecosystem, and to improve the biological purification capability of eutrophic water body . Aquatic higher plant and vegetation is the most important primary producer in aquatic ecosystem, because of its large individual, long life cycle, and strong capability of absorbing nutrients . Maintaining and restoring a certain amount of aquatic plant could restrain the growth of phytoplankton, improve the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystem, and stabilize its structure . Aquatic animal plays an important role in material and energy cycles of aquatic ecosystem . Zooplankton and benthos can graze phytoplankton directly, so as to controll the number of phytoplankton . It is possible to improve the number of zooplankton by changing the structure of fish population, which might control the serious reproduction of phytoplankton, and achieve the goal of controlling eutrophication . The research of biological purification is still at its initial stage in China . In future, the following two aspects of researches should be enforced: the key technology of biological purification of aquatic higher plant and vegetation; the new model of breed aquatics . These technologies will have a important significance to controlling eutrophication and in sustainable utilization of water body. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2003 Nov, 14(11), 1963 - 6 {Structural characteristics of phytoplankton community during harmful algae bloom in Jiaozhou Bay}; Liu D et al.; Based on two days survey in August, 2001 in Jiaozhou Bay, the structural characteristics of phytoplankton community during harmful algae bloom was studied . The results showed that phytoplankton community was composed mainly by the coastal warm species, which were dominated by the diatom including 37 species . Only 7 Pyrrorophya and 1 Chlorophyta species were identified . The highest value of species number appeared in the central of Jiaozhou Bay, which included 37 species, but the lowest value in the edge of Jiaozhou Bay was only 10 species . The highest value of cell abundance appeared in the eastern waters of Jiaozhou Bay, being 6.96 x 10(3) cell.m-3, and the lowest value appeared in the mouth of Jiaozhou Bay, being 3.18 x 10(6) cell.m-3 . The diversity and eveness of phytoplankton was the lowest in the eastern waters of Jiaozhou bay, but was higher in the mouth and the central of Jiaozhou Bay . Water mass movement and eutrophication were the main factors affecting the distribution of phytoplankton community in Jiaozhou Bay. Bioresour Technol, 2004 May, 93(1), 71 - 5 Integrated vermi-pisciculture--an alternative option for recycling of solid municipal waste in rural India; Ghosh C; Vermicomposts as a biofertilizer can be a great option for pond manuring as they never cause any long term harm to the soil like chemical fertilizer . In this study vegetable and horticulture waste was used as an important media for vermiculture . Three separate cemented tanks (6 m(3) each) were used in the system as control tank, vermicompost fertilized tank and inorganic fertilizer manured tank . Monoculture of fish was carried out with cat fish, Clarias batrachus . The produced earthworms were used as fish feed . Regular monitoring of water parameter was conducted in three different ponds . Specifically, the algal biomass variation was quite helpful in analyzing the behavior of the ponds . NPK value of soil samples were analyzed intermittently to know the eutrophication level . Despite the hot summer temperature in northern part of India, which is not ideal for fish growth, we have recorded an encouraging growth performance in organic manured pond along with inorganic fertilizer treated and control pond . Among eutrophicated pond, the fish biomass from vermicompost fed pond showed an increasing trend compared to inorganic fertilizer treated pond . Water retention capacity of vermicompost pond soil was better in comparison to other ponds . Result shows that the low cost model by integrating two production system vermiculture and pisciculture could be a commercially and environmentally viable option. Environ Toxicol Chem, 2004 Feb, 23(2), 521 - 9 A freshwater food web model for the combined effects of nutrients and insecticide stress and subsequent recovery; Traas TP et al.; A microcosm experiment that addressed the interaction between eutrophication processes and contaminants was analyzed using a food web model . Both direct and indirect effects of nutrient additions and a single insecticide application (chlorpyrifos) on biomass dynamics and recovery of functional groups were modeled . Direct toxicant effects on sensitive arthropods could be predicted reasonably well using concentration-response relationships from the laboratory with representative species . Model predictions showed that nutrient additions alone caused only small effects on toxicant fate and effects probably due to the relatively high dissipation rate of chlorpyrifos . Enhancement of eutrophication effects by the insecticide was relatively small and seemed to be additive . The recovery of some affected functional groups was hampered in the indoor microcosms due to their isolation from outdoor seed populations . Introducing recolonization scenarios in the model simulated dose-dependent recovery . Recolonization increased the recovering rate after exposure to the pesticide . Modeling can extend the use of microcosms as a link between laboratory and field as this allows the prediction of effects and recovery of ecosystems for concentrations that have not been experimentally tested. J Environ Sci (China), 2003 Nov, 15(6), 728 - 33 Chemical forms and extractability of iron in sediments of three contrasting lakes of China and UK; Zhou QX et al.; Iron is a limiting factor for the eutrophication of lakes, especially those lakes that are enriched with phosphorus . Extractability of iron in sediments of West Lake and Taihu Lake in China and Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland of UK was comparatively investigated on the basis of analysing chemical forms of iron using different extractants . It was shown that extractable iron in sediments of the lakes was greatly different using various extractants . Reactive iron or easily released iron such as "active" iron oxides, total free iron oxide and water-soluble iron was not high, only accounting for 0.01%-0.15% of total iron . The efficiency of the extractants for exchangeable iron was decreased in the sequence 0.1 mol/L HCl >> DTPA + TEA mixed solution > 1 mol/L NH4OAc > 0.5 mol/L MgCl2 = 0.5 mol/L CaCl2 . It seems that the complexion of iron by organic matter was not strong because the concentration of organically bound iron was significantly lower than the concentration it was forecasted . Extractable iron is not entirely consistent with or dependent on total iron in lake sediments . To a certain extent, phosphate can inhibit the release of iron in sediments of the lakes . The selection of extractants is thus the first key step to evaluate bioavailability of iron in lake sediments. J Gen Appl Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 49(6), 329 - 36 Amino acids as main substrates for sulfate-reducing bacteria in surface sediment of a eutrophic bay; Takii S; The inner part of Tokyo Bay, Japan, is highly eutrophicated as shown by the frequent occurrence of red tide . The bottom water is anoxic during warm seasons especially at artificially dredged sites . In the sediment slurries prepared from surface sediment samples collected from the dredged sites, substrate addition stimulated the consumption of sulfate during anaerobic incubation . Of the substrates added, the seston composed mainly of diatom stimulated consumption more than lactate and acetate . Its effect was nearly equal to that of casamino acids . Casamino acids and some amino acids also accelerated the rate of sulfate reduction measured by the tracer method in sediment samples more than lactate or acetate . Anaerobic incubation of the sediment slurry amended with casamino acids showed that the consumption of amino acids was retarded by the addition of molybdate (final concentration; 20 mM) . In the slurry amended with only molybdate, glutamate was accumulated distinctively and linearly with time . Its accumulation rate in molar base was comparable to the rate of sulfate reduction . These results suggested that amino acids were the main substrates for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the sediment . The MPN values of SRB in these sediment samples were often higher with the enumeration medium containing casamino acids instead of lactate . Furthermore, during a week incubation of sediment slurries amended with substrates, casamino acids and seston more greatly stimulated the growth of SRB enumerated by both media than lactate. Water Res, 2004 Feb, 38(3), 507 - 16 Phosphorus in periphyton mats provides the best metric for detecting low-level P enrichment in an oligotrophic wetland; Gaiser EE et al.; Growing concern over the ecological consequence of phosphorus (P) enrichment in freshwater wetlands has elicited considerable debate over the concentration of water column P associated with eutrophication . In the oligotrophic Everglades, the displacement of native communities by enriched ones is widespread and has occurred at sites experiencing only minimal elevations in P input . To help define regulatory criteria for P inputs to the Everglades, we constructed an experiment that mimics P input to the natural system by continuously delivering P at concentrations elevated 5, 15 and 30 microgl(-1) above ambient to 100-m long flow-through channels . We compared patterns of P accumulation in the water, periphyton, detritus and soils among the channel treatments and also along a 16 km transect from an enriched canal that inflows to the interior of the same marsh . Water column TP and SRP were unrelated to input TP concentration in both the experiment and the marsh transect . However, concentrations of TP in periphyton mats were significantly elevated at all levels of experimental enrichment and as far as 2 km downstream from water inputs into the marsh . Elevated periphyton TP was associated with significant loss of periphyton biomass . In oligotrophic wetlands, traditional measures of water column SRP and TP will substantially underestimate P loading because biotically incorporated P is displaced from the water column to benthic surfaces . Using periphyton TP as a metric of P enrichment is uncomplicated and analogous to pelagic TP assessments in lakes where most P is sequestered in phytoplankton. Mikrobiol Z, 2003 Sep-Oct, 65(5), 3 - 7 {Variation of bacterioplankton number in the north-western part of the Black Sea depending on hydrological and hydrochemical factors}; Kovaleva NV; Quantitative analysis of total bacteria numbers variations under influence of river outflow and development of anaerobic conditions has been carried out on the basis of long-term field research in the north-western part of the Black Sea . The regressive equations describing dependence of the total bacteria number on temperature, salinity and water saturation with oxygen have been calculated . These results allow to characterize more completely the regularities of eutrophication processes on the Black Sea shelf. J Environ Manage, 2003 Dec, 69(4), 323 - 37 The setting of standards for agricultural nitrogen emissions: a case study of the Delphi technique; Angus AJ et al.; The Delphi technique is a means of aggregating the judgement of a panel of experts in order to improve the quality of decision-making . This paper provides a case study of the technique by undertaking a three-round Delphi study to determine a package of best available techniques to reduce nitrogen emissions from a poultry unit under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC) . Forms of nitrogen addressed included ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) nitrogen oxides (NOx), dusts and nitrate (NO3-), with the study providing a means to prioritise the pollution concerns on different spatial scales . The priority pollutant issues were the contribution of NH3 to eutrophication, the global cooling effect of NH4+ aerosol, the role of NH4+ as a vector for atmospheric transport of NOx and SO2, the contribution of N2O to global warming, and NO3- leaching . Reduced nitrogen (NHx) was rated as a priority on all scales, while N2O and NO3- were rated as priorities only on global and local scales, respectively . The study indicated the need for abatement techniques at each stage of poultry rearing and waste management, with particular attention to reduce NH3 emissions, reflecting the priority pollutant concerns . Measures identified by the panel include maintenance of dry litter, low emission removal of litter from housing and storage of litter under cover . Once the litter has left the farm, this should either be used as a biofuel for electricity generation or rapidly incorporated into agricultural soils . The amounts and timing of manure application should be tuned to crop needs . Uncertainties in the Delphi technique limit its suitability as a stand-alone decision making tool . However, the Delphi technique proved useful in identifying priority pollutant issues, areas of agreement, disagreement and where information is lacking . This demonstrates its use when dealing with the complex issues of prioritising pollution issues and abatement approaches. J Environ Qual, 2003 Nov-Dec, 32(6), 2334 - 40 Halting the upward trend in soluble phosphorus transported from a grassland catchment; Smith RV et al.; An upward trend in soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in Northern Ireland rivers leading to increased eutrophication has been reported for the last two decades . To identify if a similar trend could be observed in land drainage waters SRP and other P fractions were measured weekly from 1989 to 1997 in land drainage from a 9-ha grassland catchment in Northern Ireland that had a mean P surplus applied of 23.4 kg P ha(-1) yr(-1) . Regressions of annual median concentrations of P fractions in land drainage waters against time for 1989 through to 1997 showed significant increases of SRP and soluble unreactive phosphorus (SUP) of 2.4 and 1.2 microg P L(-1) yr(-1), respectively . However, the annual flow-weighted concentrations and loads of all P fractions did not show significant increases with time . During the period 1998-2000 a change of management was introduced when only maintenance dressings of P were applied to the catchment according to Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food guidelines . This resulted in significant reductions in SRP concentrations in 2000 compared with 1997. J Environ Qual, 2003 Nov-Dec, 32(6), 2007 - 16 Contribution of particulate phosphorus to runoff phosphorus bioavailability; Uusitalo R et al.; Runoff P associated with eroded soil is partly solubilized in receiving waters and contributes to eutrophication, but the significance of particulate phosphorus (PP) in the eutrophying P load is debatable . We assessed losses of bioavailable P fractions in field runoff from fine-textured soils (Cryaquepts) . Surface runoff at four sites and drain-flow at two of them was sampled . In addition to dissolved molybdate-reactive phosphorus (DRP) losses, two estimates of bioavailable PP losses were made: (i) desorbable PP, assessed by anion exchange resin-extraction (AER-PP) and (ii) redox-sensitive PP, assessed by extraction with bicarbonate and dithionite (BD-PP) . Annual losses of BD-PP and AER-PP were derived from the relationships (R2 = 0.77-0.96) between PP and these P forms . Losses of BD-PP in surface runoff (94-1340 g ha(-1)) were typically threefold to fivefold those of DRP (29-510 kg ha(-1)) or AER-PP (13-270 g ha(-1)) . Where monitored, drainflow P losses were substantial, at one of the sites even far greater than those via the surface pathway . Typical runoff DRP concentration at the site with the highest Olsen-P status (69-82 mg kg(-1)) was about 10-fold that at the site with the lowest Olsen P (31-45 mg kg(-1)), whereas the difference in AER-PP per mass unit of sediment was only threefold, and that of BD-PP 2.5-fold . Bioavailable P losses were greatly influenced by PP runoff, especially so on soils with a moderate P status that produced runoff with a relatively low DRP concentration. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2003 Aug, 14(8), 1351 - 3 {Effects of rehabilitation of submerged macrophytes on nutrient level of a eutrophic lake}; Wu Z et al.; The effects of rehabilitation of submerged aquatic vegetation on nutrient level of eutrophic waters were investigated by using large-scale enclosure system installed in a hyper-eutrophicated lake, Lake Donghu of Wuhan . The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) of the enclosures with artificially recovered submerged macrophytes were significantl