Cadmium in phytoplankton Cadmium in seawater can be a nutritional substitute for zinc in some phytoplankton species. As a result, cadmium seawater concentrations may be controlled by algal uptake and regeneration. W. Sunda and S. Hunstman studied Thalassiosira pseudonana and showed that cellular Cd:C ratios in the diatom depend on Cd2+ concentration, specific growth rate, and Zn+2 and Mn+2 concentrations. Results suggest that although coastal Cd2+ concentrations are higher than ocean concentrations, algal Cd concentrations are higher in ocean waters and lower in coastal waters because Cd uptake is suppressed by the high Zn+2 and Mn+2 content of coastal waters. {Environ. Sci. Techno!., ,his iisue, ,p. 2966-2968)
Oil fires. The acute toxicity of particles found in smoke from the Kuwaiti oil fires is comparable to that of urban particles. (Brain, J. D.; Long, N. C ; Wolfthal, S. R; Dumyahn, T.; Dockery, D. W. "Pulmonary Toxicity in Hamsters of Smoke Particles From Kuwaiti Oil Fires," Environ. Health Perspect. 1998, 106(3), 141-146) Particulate matter. Nonsmoking adults experienced chronic health effects due to long-term exposure to particulate matter. (Abbey, D. A.; Nishino, N.; McDonnell, W E "Development of Chronic Productive Cough as Associated With Long-Term Ambient Inhalable Particulate Pollutants (PM10) in Nonsmoking Adults: The AHSMOG Study," Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 1998, 73(6), 444-452) Transportation fuels. Results suggest reduced health risks may be experienced in communities that make substantial use of alternative-fueled vehicles. (Coburn, T. C; Kelly, K. J.; Bailey, B. K. "Reduction in Vehicle Emissions Attributable to Alternative Transportation Fuels and Its Prospective Impact on Air Quality and Public Health," Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 1998, 13(6), 395-495)
Indoor air Moldy houses. Streptomyces sp. may lead to respiratory tract disorders in individuals who live in moldy houses. (Hirvonen, M-R.; Nevalainen, A.; Makkonen, N.; Monkkonen, J.; Savolainen, K. "Induced Production of Nitric Oxide, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and Interleukin-6 in RAW 264.7 Macrophages by Streptomycetes From Indoor Air of Moldy Houses," Arch. Environ. Health 1998, 52(6) 426-432)
Measurements Complex mixtures. The Immunoaffinity extraction-liquid chromatogra-
phy-membrane introduction mass spectrometry (IAE-LC-MIMS) analysis method is an economical, timesaving alternative to EPA reference methods, when analytes of interest are in complex sample matrixes at very low concentrations. (Ouyang, S.; Xu, Y.; Chen, Y. H. "Selective Determination of a Group of Organic Compounds in Complex Sample Matrixes by LC/MIMS With Online Immunoaffinity Extraction," Anal. Chem. 1998 70(5), 931-935)
a Closed System Using a New In Situ Optical Absorbance Method," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 1998, 17(7), 1216-1221)
Risk Farm chemicals. Farmers perceived little or no threat to water quality, food safety, and other assessed items from use of farm chemicals. (Tucker, M.; Napier, T L. "Perceptions of risk associated with use of farm chemicals: Implications for Conservation Initiatives," Environ. Manage. 1998, 22(4), 575-587) Smoking risk. The current prevalence of passive smoking in the workplace creates a significant risk among nonsmoking office workers. (Repace, J. L.; Jinot, J.; Bayard, S.; Emmons, K.; Hammond, S. K. "Air Nicotine and Saliva Cotinine as Indicators of Workplace Passive Smoking Exposure and Risk," Risk. Anal. 1998, 18(1) 71-82)
Soil Herbicide detection. Postderivatization following solid-phase microextraction can be used to monitor and screen acidic herbicides in aqueous environmental samples. (Lee, M-R.; Lee, R-J.; Lin, Y-W; Chen, C-M.; Hwang, B-H. "Gas-Phase Postderivatization Following Solid-Phase Microextraction for Determining Acidic Herbicides in Water," Anal. Chem. 1998 70(9), 1963-1968)
Methods Formaldehyde sampling. A novel method for sampling formaldehyde at concentrations ranging from 15 ppbv to greater than 3000 ppbv is described that requires no alterations to conventional gas chromatographic equipment and can be used with flame ionization detectors. (Martos, R A.; Pawliszyn, J. "Sampling and Determination of Formaldehyde Using Solid-Phase Microextraction With On-Fiber Derivatization " Anal. Chem. 1998, 70(11), 2311-2320) Henry's law constants. A new method for measurement of Henry's law constants is described, and values are reported for benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene at 298 °K. (Allen, J, M.; Balcavage, W X.; Ramachandran, B. R.; Shrout, A. L. "Determination of Henry's Law Constants by Equilibrium Partitioning in
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Insecticide sequestration. When aged in soils, DDT and dieldrin became less toxic and exhibited low bioavailability. (Robertson, B. K.; Alexander, M. "Sequestration of DDT and Dieldrin in Soil: Disappearance of Acute Toxicity but not the Compounds," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 1998, 17(6), 1034-1038)
Wastewater Novel bacteria. The presence in a wastewater treatment system of bacteria from the Nitrospira phylum has been observed for the first time. (Burrell, R C ; Keller, I.; Blackall, L. L. "Microbiology of a Nitrite-Oxidizing Bioreactor," Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 1998, 64(5), 1878-1883)
Contributors: Michael Brauer, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Brian Eitzer, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Conn.; Stephen Geiger, Remediation Technologies, Inc., King of Prussia, Pa.; Vincent Hand, Miami University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Oxford, Ohio; Louis Kovach, Ecolife Associates, Wilmington, Del.; and Raewyn Town, Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
