Download or read book In Situ and in Vitro Evaluation of Viral host Dynamics in Soils and Uranium contaminated Subsurface Aquifers written by Sharath Srinivasiah and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation seeks to answer the following first order questions within terrestrial viral ecology: what is the biogeographic distribution of viruses? How do viruses respond to the perturbation of bacterial communities? Do viral infection processes impact bacterial communities during biostimulation of uranium-polluted groundwater environments? A fingerprint comparison technique based on random amplification of polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) was also developed and applied to investigations of these first order questions. Biogeographic investigations revealed that viral communities changed over short geographic distances in Antarctic soils across a transect extending upslope from dry valley ponds. Changing land use practices also resulted in different viral communities within the soils of Kellogg Biological Station. Perturbation of soil bacterial communities by the addition of recalcitrant (chitin) or readily utilizable (yeast-extract) substrates resulted in considerable changes in viral abundance and diversity. Moreover, the timing and magnitude of changes in viral communities roughly corresponded with the timing and magnitude of changes in bacterial respiration, abundance, and diversity. Untreated soils showed minimal changes in viral and bacterial parameters over time. This investigation confirmed that soils contain abundant populations of bacteriophages which respond quickly to changes in the activity and composition of bacterial communities. Within uranium-polluted groundwater environments viral production occurred at levels approaching those seen for productive estuarine environments. High viral production rates suggested equally high levels of viral loss and turnover. Biostimulation of bacterial activity through acetate amendment resulted in up to 10-fold more viral-mediated mortality of bacterial cells and RAPD-PCR analyses indicated that biostimulation enriched for specific viral populations. These findings are a first indication that viral processes within groundwater environments may have an influence on co-occurring bacterial communities and thereby shape the efficiency of uranium-remediation during biostimulation. Overall these investigations indicate that viruses are an active ecological feature shaping microbial communities within soil and sub-surface environments.
Download or read book Soil pollution a hidden reality written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2018-04-30 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document presents key messages and the state-of-the-art of soil pollution, its implications on food safety and human health. It aims to set the basis for further discussion during the forthcoming Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18), to be held at FAO HQ from May 2nd to 4th 2018. The publication has been reviewed by the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soil (ITPS) and contributing authors. It addresses scientific evidences on soil pollution and highlights the need to assess the extent of soil pollution globally in order to achieve food safety and sustainable development. This is linked to FAO’s strategic objectives, especially SO1, SO2, SO4 and SO5 because of the crucial role of soils to ensure effective nutrient cycling to produce nutritious and safe food, reduce atmospheric CO2 and N2O concentrations and thus mitigate climate change, develop sustainable soil management practices that enhance agricultural resilience to extreme climate events by reducing soil degradation processes. This document will be a reference material for those interested in learning more about sources and effects of soil pollution.
Download or read book The First Global Integrated Marine Assessment written by United Nations and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-17 with total page 978 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The World Ocean Assessment - or, to give its full title, The First Global Integrated Marine Assessment - is the outcome of the first cycle of the United Nations' Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects. The Assessment provides vital, scientifically-grounded bases for the consideration of ocean issues, including climate change, by governments, intergovernmental agencies, non-governmental agencies and all other stakeholders and policymakers involved in ocean affairs. Together with future assessments and related initiatives, it will support the implementation of the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly its ocean-related goals. Moreover, it will also form an important reference text for marine science courses.
Download or read book Drinking Water from Forests and Grasslands written by and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Nanofiltration Membranes written by Lau Woei Jye and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2016-12-19 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covering fabrication, characterization, and applications nanofiltration (NF) membranes, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of NF membrane technology over the past decade. It uniquely covers a variety of fabrication techniques, comparing the procedures of each technique to produce polymeric membranes of different morphologies. The book also discusses advances in the materials used in thin film composite (TFC) polyamide membrane fabrication and their influences on properties with respect to structural and separation characteristics. A comprehensive review on NF characterization methods and techniques is provided, assessing physical and chemical properties and separation characteristics and stability. Technical challenges in fabricating a new generation of NF membranes are also reviewed and the possible approaches to overcome the challenges are provided. The book concludes with relevant case studies on the use of NF membranes in industrial implementation of both aqueous and nonaqueous media. Details the latest progress on the fabrication techniques of asymmetric and composite NF membranes. Discusses characterization methods used in assessing membrane physical/chemical properties, separation characteristics, and performance stability. Describes the potential of advanced materials in improving properties of polyamide selective layer as well as microporous substrate. Reviews the technical challenges in fabricating a new generation of composite membrane—thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane—possible approaches to overcome challenges. Offers case studies on the applications of NF membranes for both aqueous and nonaqueous media.
Download or read book Prospects for Managed Underground Storage of Recoverable Water written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2008-01-07 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing demands for water in many parts of the nation are fueling the search for new approaches to sustainable water management, including how best to store water. Society has historically relied on dams and reservoirs, but problems such as high evaporation rates and a lack of suitable land for dam construction are driving interest in the prospect of storing water underground. Managed underground storage should be considered a valuable tool in a water manager's portfolio, although it poses its own unique challenges that need to be addressed through research and regulatory measures.
Download or read book Climate change Unpacking the burden on food safety written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2020-03-01 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is causing unprecedented damage to our ecosystem. Increasing temperatures, ocean warming and acidification, severe droughts, wildfires, altered precipitation patterns, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and amplification of extreme weather events have direct implications for our food systems. While the impacts of such environmental factors on food security are well known, the effects on food safety receive less attention. The purpose of Climate change: Unpacking the burden on food safety is to identify and attempt to quantify some current and anticipated food safety issues that are associated with climate change. The food safety hazards considered in the publication are foodborne pathogens and parasites, harmful algal blooms, pesticides, mycotoxins and heavy metals with emphasis on methylmercury. There is also, a dedicated section on the benefits of forward-looking approaches such as horizon scanning and foresight, which will not only aid in anticipating future challenges in a shifting global food safety landscape, but also help build resilient food systems that can be continually updated as more knowledge is assimilated. By building a more widespread and better understanding of the consequences climate change has on food safety, it is hoped that this document will aid in fostering stronger international cooperation in making our food safer by reducing the global burden of these concerns.
Download or read book Organohalide Respiring Bacteria written by Lorenz Adrian and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-03 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the current state of knowledge concerning bacteria that use halogenated organic compounds as respiratory electron acceptors. The discovery of organohalide-respiring bacteria has expanded the range of electron acceptors used for energy conservation, and serves as a prime example of how scientific discoveries are enabling innovative engineering solutions that have transformed remediation practice. Individual chapters provide in-depth background information on the discovery, isolation, phylogeny, biochemistry, genomic features, and ecology of individual organohalide-respiring genera, including Dehalococcoides, Dehalogenimonas, Dehalobacter, Desulfitobacterium and Sulfurospirillum, as well as organohalide-respiring members of the Deltaproteobacteria. The book introduces readers to the fascinating biology of organohalide-respiring bacteria, offering a valuable resource for students, engineers and practitioners alike.
Download or read book Microbiomes of the Built Environment written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-10-06 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.
Download or read book Bioremediation of Salt Affected Soils An Indian Perspective written by Sanjay Arora and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-31 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume focuses on the characterization, reclamation, bioremediation, and phytoremediation of salt affected soils and waterlogged sodic soils. Innovative technologies in managing marginal salt affected lands merit immediate attention in the light of climate change and its impact on crop productivity and environment. The decision-making process related to reclamation and management of vast areas of salt affected soils encompasses consideration of economic viability, environmental sustainability, and social acceptability of different approaches. The chapters in this book highlight the significant environmental and social impacts of different ameliorative techniques used to manage salt affected soils. Readers will discover new knowledge on the distribution, reactions, changes in bio-chemical properties and microbial ecology of salt affected soils through case studies exploring Indian soils. The contributions presented by experts shed new light on techniques such as the restoration of degraded lands by growing halophyte plant species, diversification of crops and introduction of microbes for remediation of salt infested soils, and the use of fluorescent pseudomonads for enhancing crop yields.
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for Zinc written by and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Microorganisms in Environmental Management written by T. Satyanarayana and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-01-02 with total page 827 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Microbes and their biosynthetic capabilities have been invaluable in finding solutions for several intractable problems mankind has encountered in maintaining the quality of the environment. They have, for example, been used to positive effect in human and animal health, genetic engineering, environmental protection, and municipal and industrial waste treatment. Microorganisms have enabled feasible and cost-effective responses which would have been impossible via straightforward chemical or physical engineering methods. Microbial technologies have of late been applied to a range of environmental problems, with considerable success. This survey of recent scientific progress in usefully applying microbes to both environmental management and biotechnology is informed by acknowledgement of the polluting effects on the world around us of soil erosion, the unwanted migration of sediments, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the improper treatment of human and animal wastes. These harmful phenomena have resulted in serious environmental and social problems around the world, problems which require us to look for solutions elsewhere than in established physical and chemical technologies. Often the answer lies in hybrid applications in which microbial methods are combined with physical and chemical ones. When we remember that these highly effective microorganisms, cultured for a variety of applications, are but a tiny fraction of those to be found in the world around us, we realize the vastness of the untapped and beneficial potential of microorganisms. At present, comprehending the diversity of hitherto uncultured microbes involves the application of metagenomics, with several novel microbial species having been discovered using culture-independent approaches. Edited by recognized leaders in the field, this penetrating assessment of our progress to date in deploying microorganisms to the advantage of environmental management and biotechnology will be widely welcomed.
Download or read book Marine Metagenomics written by Takashi Gojobori and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-24 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the state-of-art marine metagenome research and explains the method of marine metagenomic analysis in an easy-to-understand manner. Changes in the marine environment due to global warming and pollution have become a major global problem. Maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem requires advanced environmental monitoring and assessment systems. As such, the book presents a novel metagenomic monitoring method, which has been developed for comprehensive analyses of the DNA of microorganisms living in seawater to further our understanding of the dynamics of the marine environment. The book can be used as a primer for new researchers and as a manual on experimental methods.
Download or read book Environmental Geochemistry of Potentially Toxic Metals written by Frederic R. Siegel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Risk Assessment Methods written by V.T. Covello and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-06-29 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much has already been written about risk assessment. Epidemiologists write books on how risk assessment is used to explore the factors that influence the distribution of disease in populations of people. Toxicologists write books on how risk assess ment involves exposing animals to risk agents and concluding from the results what risks people might experience if similarly exposed. Engineers write books on how risk assessment is utilized to estimate the risks of constructing a new facility such as a nuclear power plant. Statisticians write books on how risk assessment may be used to analyze mortality or accident data to determine risks. There are already many books on risk assessment-the trouble is that they all seem to be about different sUbjects! This book takes another approach. It brings together all the methods for assessing risk into a common framework, thus demonstrating how the various methods relate to one another. This produces four important benefits: • First, it provides a comprehensive reference for risk assessment. This one source offers readers concise explanations of the many methods currently available for describing and quantifying diverse types of risks. • Second, it consistently evaluates and compares available risk assessment methods and identifies their specific strengths and limitations. Understand ing the limitations of risk assessment methods is important. The field is still in its infancy, and the problems with available methods are disappoint ingly numerous. At the same time, risk assessment is being used.
Download or read book Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-06-29 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the late 1980s, the National Cancer Institute initiated an investigation of cancer risks in populations near 52 commercial nuclear power plants and 10 Department of Energy nuclear facilities (including research and nuclear weapons production facilities and one reprocessing plant) in the United States. The results of the NCI investigation were used a primary resource for communicating with the public about the cancer risks near the nuclear facilities. However, this study is now over 20 years old. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested that the National Academy of Sciences provide an updated assessment of cancer risks in populations near USNRC-licensed nuclear facilities that utilize or process uranium for the production of electricity. Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1 focuses on identifying scientifically sound approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility, judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of various statistical power, ability to assess potential confounding factors, possible biases, and required effort. The results from this Phase 1 study will be used to inform the design of cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2. This report is beneficial for the general public, communities near nuclear facilities, stakeholders, healthcare providers, policy makers, state and local officials, community leaders, and the media.
Download or read book Taking an Exposure History written by Arthur L. Frank and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
