Soil contamination in outdoor shooting ranges (OSRs) is a major threat for human health, particularly when, after the end of activities, the land is used for recreational areas or agricultural ...production. The status of land degradation of an OSR in southern Italy was assessed using a multisensor approach. It was based on: i) proximal sensors, including electromagnetic induction (EMI) for measuring soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and magnetic susceptibility (MSa), γ-ray spectrometry for K, eU and eTh analyses and ultrasonic penetrometry detecting cone index (CI) data representative of soil's strength, ii) field surveys on soil thickness (ST), and iii) laboratory analyses of potentially-toxic-elements (PTEs) by portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas-chromatography. Spatial variability of measurements was modelled and mapped using geostatistical methods. The most densely measured covariate (i.e., the ECa of the topsoil) was used within kriging with external drift to improve the PTEs predictions. The PTEs maps were complemented by maps of spatial uncertainty. A robust multivariate principal component analysis (rPCA) was applied to proximal sensor and laboratory data and allowed to identify associations of PAHs, lead, CI with the topsoil ECa along the first component (PC1), highlighting the correlation between land anthropogenic effects and EMI measures; while the association between the ST (estimating the depth of underground travertine hard-layers) and the bottom soil ECa and MSa along the second component (PC2) evidenced the influence of soil stratigraphy on the EMI measures. This study demonstrates that the simultaneous use of different proximal sensors associated with laboratory analysis can allow to assess and model the spatial variability of the land degradation status of an OSR, including soil compaction, organic and inorganic contamination. The correlation between EMI data with the PTEs content highlights the potential of this technique in the field of soil contamination.
Display omitted
•EMI data allows reproducing soil contamination pattern due to the shooting activity.•ECa was used as an external drift in kriging to improve PTEs prediction.•Highly compacted soil layers occurred in the areas mostly contaminated by PTEs.•Robust PCA disclosed the relations between proximal sensing data and PTEs.•PC1 might explain the anthropic effects produced by the shooting activities.
How interactions between plants, the rhizosphere, and contaminated soil affect environmental sustainability is still under research. We tested the effects of two root endophytic fungi, the arbuscular ...mycorrhiza fungus (AMF)
and the beneficial endophyte
, on sweet basil (
) growing on soil contaminated with lead and copper in a pot experiment under defined greenhouse conditions. Both fungi caused an increase in shoot and root dry weight of sweet basil plants under all conditions and decreased the amount of lead in shoots. The amount of copper was reduced by
, while the AM fungus showed this effect only when the soil is contaminated with both copper and lead. Furthermore the AMF, but not the endophyte
caused a strong increase on the concentrations of the essential oils linalool and eucalyptol even on sweet basil growing on contaminated soils. Hence, cultivating sweet basil in combination with beneficial fungi in case of difficult environmental conditions could be of interest for industry located in countries with widespread land pollution, because quantity and quality of plants are increased while the amount of heavy metals is generally reduced.
The European project OFFICAIR aimed to broaden the existing knowledge regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) in modern office buildings, i.e., recently built or refurbished buildings. Thirty-seven office ...buildings participated in the summer campaign (2012), and thirty-five participated in the winter campaign (2012−2013). Four rooms were investigated per building. The target pollutants were twelve volatile organic compounds, seven aldehydes, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5μm (PM2.5). Compared to other studies in office buildings, the benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene concentrations were lower in OFFICAIR buildings, while the α-pinene and d-limonene concentrations were higher, and the aldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 concentrations were of the same order of magnitude. When comparing summer and winter, significantly higher concentrations were measured in summer for formaldehyde and ozone, and in winter for benzene, α-pinene, d-limonene, and nitrogen dioxide. The terpene and 2-ethylhexanol concentrations showed heterogeneity within buildings regardless of the season. Considering the average of the summer and winter concentrations, the acetaldehyde and hexanal concentrations tended to increase by 4–5% on average with every floor level increase, and the nitrogen dioxide concentration tended to decrease by 3% on average with every floor level increase. A preliminary evaluation of IAQ in terms of potential irritative and respiratory health effects was performed. The 5-day median and maximum indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde and ozone did not exceed their respective WHO air quality guidelines, and those of acrolein, α-pinene, and d-limonene were lower than their estimated thresholds for irritative and respiratory effects. PM2.5 indoor concentrations were higher than the 24-h and annual WHO ambient air quality guidelines.
Display omitted
•VOCs, aldehydes, O3, NO2 and PM2.5 were measured in 37 office buildings in 2 seasons.•The α-pinene and d-limonene concentrations were higher compared to those from past studies.•The indoor concentrations in summer and winter varied significantly.•An influence of floor level on indoor concentrations was observed for some pollutants.•An evaluation of IAQ in terms of respiratory health effects was performed.
White spruce (
) emits monoterpenes that function as defensive signals and weapons after herbivore attack. We assessed the effects of drought and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, used as a proxy ...for herbivory, on monoterpenes and other isoprenoids in
. The emission of monoterpenes was significantly increased after MeJA treatment compared to the control, but drought suppressed the MeJA-induced increase. The composition of the emitted blend was altered strongly by stress, with drought increasing the proportion of oxygenated compounds and MeJA increasing the proportion of induced compounds such as linalool and (
)-β-ocimene. In contrast, no treatment had any significant effect on the levels of stored monoterpenes and diterpenes. Among other MEP pathway-derived isoprenoids, MeJA treatment decreased chlorophyll levels by 40%, but had no effect on carotenoids, while drought stress had no impact on either of these pigment classes. Of the three described spruce genes encoding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) catalyzing the first step of the MEP pathway, the expression of only one,
, was affected by our treatments, being increased by MeJA and decreased by drought. These findings show the sensitivity of monoterpene emission to biotic and abiotic stress regimes, and the mediation of the response by DXS genes.
Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, n-alkanes and polar organic compounds were investigated in the marine atmosphere of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in the frame of the ...scientific cruise of Urania ship between 27 July and 11 August 2013. The PM10 fraction of aerosol to which most organic substances are associated, were collected daily; contemporarily, gaseous regulated toxicants (ozone, nitrogen oxides and carbon oxide) and carbonyls were recorded. Samplings were carried out in front of Palermo and Messina, respectively the start and end harbors, and along the cruise, both in movement (transects, N = 14) and at stops (N = 11). Total PAHs ranged from 0.06 ng/m3 up to 1.8 ng/m3, with the maximums observed close to harbors. Unlike total concentrations that were in general comparable, the percent composition of PAHs was distinct for harbors, transects and stops, which allowed to draw insights about the pollution sources impact. Concentrations of n-alkanes (C18–C35) ranging from 6.7 to 43 ng/m3 were quantified. The carbonyls evaluation revealed relatively high concentrations of formaldehyde (∼4–24 μg/m3) and acetone (∼5–35 μg/m3) near harbors, and of acrolein (up to 12 μg/m3) offshore, while benzaldehyde was quite independent of the site type (≈0.5 μg/m3). Nicotine and caffeine were detected, at different extents (0.0–2.2 ng/m3 and 0.01–0.17 ng/m3, respectively), in ca. 70% and 100% of samples. Alkyl phthalates ranged from 2.7 to 67 ng/m3 and showed variable percentages in the samples. Finally, traces of N,N-diethyl-meta-toluene amide (up to 0.4 ng/m3) were found at all sites.
•The patterns of PAHs and n-alkanes over Mediterranean Sea were investigated.•Vehicles exhausts seemed to be the principal PAH source over Mediterranean Sea.•Relevant differences were observed among n-alkane concentrations in marine sites.•This study underlined the role of anthropogenic sources near harbors.
The methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis produces chlorophyll side chains and compounds that function in resistance to abiotic stresses, including carotenoids, and ...isoprene. Thus we investigated the effects of moderate and severe drought on MEP pathway function in the conifer
Picea glauca
, a boreal species at risk under global warming trends. Although moderate drought treatment reduced the photosynthetic rate by over 70%, metabolic flux through the MEP pathway was reduced by only 37%. The activity of the putative rate-limiting step, 1-deoxy-
D
-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS), was also reduced by about 50%, supporting the key role of this enzyme in regulating pathway metabolic flux. However, under severe drought, as flux declined below detectable levels, DXS activity showed no significant decrease, indicating a much-reduced role in controlling flux under these conditions. Both MEP pathway intermediates and the MEP pathway product isoprene incorporate administered
13
CO
2
to high levels (75–85%) under well-watered control conditions indicating a close connection to photosynthesis. However, this incorporation declined precipitously under drought, demonstrating exploitation of alternative carbon sources. Despite the reductions in MEP pathway flux and intermediate pools, there was no detectable decline in most major MEP pathway products under drought (except for violaxanthin under moderate and severe stress and isoprene under severe stress) suggesting that the pathway is somehow buffered against this stress. The resilience of the MEP pathway under drought may be a consequence of the importance of the metabolites formed under these conditions.
Cleaning agents often emit terpenes that react rapidly with ozone. These ozone-initiated reactions, which occur in the gas-phase and on surfaces, produce a host of gaseous and particulate oxygenated ...compounds with possible adverse health effects in the eyes and airways. Within the European Union (EU) project OFFICAIR, common ozone-initiated reaction products were measured before and after the replacement of the regular floor cleaning agent with a preselected low emitting floor cleaning agent in four offices located in four EU countries. One reference office in a fifth country did not use any floor cleaning agent. Limonene, α-pinene, 3-carene, dihydromyrcenol, geraniol, linalool, and α-terpineol were targeted for measurement together with the common terpene oxidation products formaldehyde, 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene (4-AMCH), 3-isopropenyl-6-oxo-heptanal (IPOH), 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one, (6-MHO), 4-oxopentanal (4-OPA), and dihydrocarvone (DHC). Two-hour air samples on Tenax TA and DNPH cartridges were taken in the morning, noon, and in the afternoon and analyzed by thermal desorption combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and HPLC/UV analysis, respectively. Ozone was measured in all sites. All the regular cleaning agents emitted terpenes, mainly limonene and linalool. After the replacement of the cleaning agent, substantially lower concentrations of limonene and formaldehyde were observed. Some of the oxidation product concentrations, in particular that of 4-OPA, were also reduced in line with limonene. Maximum 2 h averaged concentrations of formaldehyde, 4-AMCH, 6-MHO, and IPOH would not give rise to acute eye irritation-related symptoms in office workers; similarly, 6-AMCH, DHC and 4-OPA would not result in airflow limitation to the airways.
The plastidic 2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway supplies the precursors of a large variety of essential plant isoprenoids, but its regulation is still not well understood. Using ...metabolic control analysis (MCA), we examined the first enzyme of this pathway, 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS), in multiple grey poplar (
×
) lines modified in their DXS activity. Single leaves were dynamically labeled with
CO
in an illuminated, climate-controlled gas exchange cuvette coupled to a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer, and the carbon flux through the MEP pathway was calculated. Carbon was rapidly assimilated into MEP pathway intermediates and labeled both the isoprene released and the IDP+DMADP pool by up to 90%. DXS activity was increased by 25% in lines overexpressing the DXS gene and reduced by 50% in RNA interference lines, while the carbon flux in the MEP pathway was 25-35% greater in overexpressing lines and unchanged in RNA interference lines. Isoprene emission was also not altered in these different genetic backgrounds. By correlating absolute flux to DXS activity under different conditions of light and temperature, the flux control coefficient was found to be low. Among isoprenoid end products, isoprene itself was unchanged in DXS transgenic lines, but the levels of the chlorophylls and most carotenoids measured were 20-30% less in RNA interference lines than in overexpression lines. Our data thus demonstrate that DXS in the isoprene-emitting grey poplar plays only a minor part in controlling flux through the MEP pathway.
Abstract
Is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) useful to counteract severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in positive asymptomatic patients? Asymptomatic persons seem to account ...for approximately 45% of SARS-CoV-2 infections, and they can transmit the virus to others for an extended period, perhaps longer than 14 days. In patients dying from SARS-CoV-2 infection, the mean number of concomitant diseases was 3.6 (median 3, standard deviation 2.1). Many of these diseases are correlated with the nitric oxide synthase genetic polymorphism and reduced nitric oxide synthesis risk for coronary heart disease: odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.74 (1.78–3.85). HBO2T significantly increases the production of nitric oxide and free radicals which, in laboratory tests, inhibit the replication of the SARS-CoV. HBO2T upregulates hypoxia inducible factor, which promotes the expression of human antiviral peptides: defensins and cathelicidins, both effective to block the virus. Thus, HBO2T regulates the inflammatory response. We share our pilot study conclusions as a basis for clinical trials.
The C5 hemiterpenes isoprene and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO) are important biogenic volatiles emitted from terrestrial vegetation. Isoprene is emitted from many plant groups, especially trees such as
..., while emission of MBO is restricted to certain North American conifers, including species of
. MBO is also a pheromone emitted by several conifer bark beetles. Both isoprene and MBO have typically been measured by proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), but this method cannot accurately distinguish between them because of their signal overlap. Our study developed a method for using selective ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) that allows simultaneous on-line measurement of isoprene and MBO by employing different reagent ions. The use of
/
(NO
) = 68 u for isoprene and
/
(O
) = 71 u for MBO gave minimal interference between the compounds. We tested the suitability of the method by measuring the emission of young trees of
,
, and
. Our results largely confirm previous findings that
,
, and
emit isoprene and
emits MBO, but we also found MBO to be emitted by
. Thus SIFT-MS provides a reliable, easy to use, on-line measuring tool to distinguish between isoprene and MBO. The method should be of use to atmospheric chemists, tree physiologists and forest entomologists, among others.
PDF
