Valeria B. Stoyanova, Tsenka I. Tsacheva,
Miko V. Marinov
Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
Received: 25.09.05;
Cited: 28.01.06
Abstract:
An attempt is done for qualitatively and quantitatively
comparison of the levels of technogenic pollution in the low
atmosphere by applying of express electron microprobe analysis (SEM
and EDX) and SEI and BEI mode of image. Dust collected by free
sedimentation on polished carbon substrates from several urban
and rural regions of Bulgaria was investigated. The obtained by
EDŐ-ray
integral spectra of the elemental contents reflect the
background soil-mineral influence. Size distribution,
morphological characteristics and individual elemental spectra
of particles smaller than 10
mm
(PM10), known as risk inhalant, were studied in detail. Express
distinguishing of technogenic from natural PM10 was developed by
viewing them in BEI-COMPO image regime as bright objects. Their
individual elemental spectra show the amount of heavy elements (Pb,
Ba, Fe, Cu, Zn, etc.) These technogenic PM10 are classified in a
few principal categories (cluster groups) and their partial
surface concentrations are compared and discussed with respect
to ground urban and rural pollution in Bulgaria.
Key words:
Atmospheric Pollutants, PM10, Technogenic Inhalatory Particles,
Pb, SEM, EPMA
Pages 1-24
Relationship between
germination and electrical conductivity of Pinus brutia
und Pinus pinea seeds
Ioannis A. Takos, Georgios K. Varsamis,
Theodora P. Merou, Elissavet P. Konstantinidou
and Spyridon A. Galatsidas
Technological Educational
Institute (T.E.I.) of Kavala, Department of Forestry &Natural
Environment Management, 66100 Drama, Greece. E-mail:
itakos@teikav.edu.gr
Received: 15.02.06;
Cited: 28.02.06
Abstract:
In this paper electrical conductivity and its
relationship to germination percentage of Pinus brutia and Pinus
pinea seeds of 1997, 2002 and 2003 collection years that were
examined in 2005, are presented. In both species seeds of 1997
collection year presented no germination, while their electrical
conductivity measurements after 240 hours,
being expressed in dry seed
weight, were 67.39
μS*g-1
for Pinus pinea
and 194.47 μS*g-1
for Pinus brutia respectively.
On the contrary, in both species seeds of 2002 and 2003
collection years, showed high germinability, which was not
statistically different between collection years, with the
respective germination percentages being 93% and 100% in
Pinus pinea
and 60.5% and 57.5% in Pinus brutia seeds. Similarly, their
electrical conductivity, after 240h, was not statistically
different between collection years and presented low values
which were 8.38
μS*g-1
and
8.57 μS*g-1
in
Pinus pinea
and 23.97 μS*g-1
and
31.07 μS*g-1
in
Pinus
brutia seeds. The
correlation between seed electrical conductivity and germination
percentages was high. Although, in the present research, the
conductivity testing lasted 240h, it could be much shorter, as
the correlation coefficient was high from the beginning of the
measurements. Thus, the duration of the conductivity testing can
be 36 h for the P. brutia seeds and 168 h for the P. pinea
seeds.
Key words:
electrical
conductivity, germination,
Pinus brutia, Pinus pinea,
seed
Pages 25-34
Sustainable neighbourhoods:
Assessment tools for renovation and development
Andreas Blum*, Marcus Grant**
*Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional
Development (IOER)
Weberplatz 1, 01217 Dresden (D)
**University of the West of England (UWE)
Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, BS16 1QY, Bristol (UK)
Received: 15.02.06;
Cited: 28.02.06
Abstract:
The main results of the of the
European FP5 Project “Sustainable Renovation of Buildings for
Sustainable Neighbourhoods” (HQE²R – Haute Qualité
Environnementale et Economique Réhabilitation;
http://hqe2r.cstb.fr) are a general approach and the necessary
tools to promote sustainable development and quality of life on
the crucial and likewise challenging level of urban
neighbourhoods: The HQE²R toolkit for sustainable neighbourhood
regeneration.
This paper presents one of the major parts of
the toolkit, the “HQE²R index and directory of assessment tools
for the built environment”. After a short section on “What is a
sustainable neighbourhood”, theoretical basics of the assessment
of urban development projects are presented. The third part
gives a brief description of selected examples of existing
European evaluation approaches and certificates for sustainable
construction on building and neighbourhood scale including an
introduction to the HQE²R tools “INDI” (INDicator based
sustainability Impact assessment), “ENVI” for environmental
concerns and “ASCOT” for the estimation of sustainability
related construction costs. The paper concludes with a summary
of the assessment experience made within the demonstration
neighbourhoods being partner within the project.
Key words:
neighbourhood, regeneration, sustainability, assessment,
evaluation
Pages 35-52
POST FIRE RECOVERY IN A
MEDITERRANEAN CONIFER ECOSYSTEM
Ioannis D. Mitsopoulos1, Georgios
S. Efthimiou2
1Laboratory
of Forest Protection, School of Forestry and Natural
Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O.Box: 228,
54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
2Forest
Research Institute, NAGREF, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Received: 28.02.06;
Cited: 10.03.06
Abstract:
Post fire seedling establishment and fuel dynamics were
investigated in a Mediterranean conifer ecosystem dominated by
Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine) in central Greece between 5
and 15 years after fire. Seedling establishment was analyzed
according to stem density, height and diameter at ground base.
One-way ANOVA was used to test vegetation structure differences
among sites and Duncan multiple range tests for mean pair
comparisons. The results showed a rapid increase of height and
mean diameter at ground base, as early as the 10th and the 15th
post fire year respectively. A relatively high initial pine
seedling density after fire followed by a decrease during the
10th and 15th post fire year respectively is shown. Fuel
components were separated into size classes and regression
equations that estimate fuel load by diameter class were
derived. This series of equations provide quantitative fuel
attributes for use in fire behavior models and fire management
in Aleppo pine stands.
Key words:
Wildland fire,
post fire recovery, seedling establishment, fuel dynamics,
Mediterranean Basin.
Pages
53-63
EFFECTS OF THE KOLA AIR
POLLUTION SOURCES TO AIR QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENT IN NORTHERN
FINLAND
Jussi Paatero, Ulla Makkonen, Seppo Haarala,
Outi Tolonen-Kivimäki, and Timo Salmi
Finnish Meteorological Institute
P.O.Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland
Received: 28.02.06;
Cited: 10.03.06
Abstract:
The mining and
metallurgical industry at Kola peninsula, north-west Russia is
the most important source of air pollution next to Norilsk in
the Arctic. The gas- and particle-phase pollutants have a
serious impact to the atmosphere and biosphere at Kola peninsula
and, to a lesser extent, in northern Finland. The effects
include acidification, ecotoxicological effects, and even human
health effects. The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has
monitored air quality, e.g. sulphur dioxide, airborne sulphate
and deposited trace metals and sulphate in several monitoring
stations in northern Finland close to the Russian border to
study these effects.
Key words:
Kola peninsula, metal smelters, emissions, air pollution
Pages
64-73
KURTULUS C1.,
BOZKURT A2., ENDEŞ H.
KOCAELI UNIVERSITY, ENGINEERING FACULTY,
Kocaeli-Izmit, TURKEY
Received:
28.02.06; Cited: 10.03.06
Abstract:
The investigation area is
located between the Gulf of Izmit and Lake Sapanca in the
north-west of Turkey. Three sedimentary units of different age
are placed in this area. These are the Quaternary and Pliocene
sediments and the Pre-Quaternary rocks. The borehole data
indicated that the Quaternary sediments are formed of
alternating silty clay, gravely silty clay and clayey silt
whilst the Pliocene sediments consist of conglomerate, sandy
silty clay. The Pre-Quaternary sedimentary rocks are formed of
claystone, sandstone, marl and siltstone.
Geophysical survey and geotechnical tests have been conducted in
this region to determine the engineering soil parameters and
soil classes. The Attarberg limits of the Quaternary sediments
are obtained as LL=38.0-40.72%, PL=18.0-20.33%, PI=18-20.39%,
W=20-22.64%, Cc=0.26-0.89, Ic=0.86-0.89, and that of the
Pliocene sediments are determined as LL=41.2-42.72%, PL=21.4-22.34%,
PI=20.09-22.31%, W=22.76-23.69%, Cc=0.28-0.31, Ic=0.91-0.24. The
soil classes of the Quaternary sediments are figured out as CL,
CH, and that of The Pliocene sediments are obtained as SM, ML.
The RQD values of the Pre-Quaternary sedimentary rocks are
determined as TCR=60-75% and RQD=75-90%.
The
P-and S-velocities are obtained as 881-895 m/s and 392-398 m/s
for the second layer of the Quaternary sediments, 840-960 m/s
and 350-400 m/s for the second layer of the Pliocene sediments,
and 1408-1539 m/s and 687-751 m/s for the second layer of the
Pre-Quaternary rocks.
The
Bearing capaticies are determined for the Quaternary sediments
4.5-4.52 kg/cm2, for the Pliocene sediments 3.75-4.14
kg/cm2, and for the Pre-Quaternary rocks 6.78-7.26 kg/cm2.
Salty water intrusion was detected in the
sediments near the east of the Gulf of Izmit having the
resistivity value of 3
Wm.
EVALUATION OF 55Fe AND
63Ni DEPOSITION LEVELS IN THE IGNALINA NPP
ENVIRONMENT USING MOSSES AS BIOINDICATORS
Arūnas
Gudelis, Rūta Druteikienė, Benedikta Lukšienė, Rasa
Gvozdaitė
Institute of
Physics, Savanorių Ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
Received: 28.02.06; Cited:
10.03.06
Abstract:
The Ignalina NPP
with two RBMK-1500 reactor units operates in Lithuania
for more than 20 years. It is located on the shore of
Lake Drūkšiai the water of which is used for
technological applications of the plant. An impact to
lake environment had been extensively investigated
during the campaigns in 1989-1993, when gamma-ray
emitting radionuclides (54Mn, 58Co,
59Fe, 60Co, 95Zr,
95Nb, 134Cs, and 137Cs) were
determined in soil, sediments, meadow and water plants,
and in 1996, when moss samples had been analyzed by
gamma-spectrometry. Only 137Cs and 60Co
were detected in moss samples, with the maximum
deposition level of the latter of 30 Bq/m2.
Recent investigations into the artificial
radionuclides content in both operational and industrial
waste originated at the Ignalina NPP involved
determination of so called “difficult-to-measure”
nuclides including activation products, such as 55Fe
and 63Ni.
The aim of this work is to evaluate the deposited
activities of 55Fe and 63Ni in the
vicinity of the source by experimental methods. For this
task, moss and soil samples were taken from 10 locations
around the Ignalina NPP in November 2005.
Non-destructive analysis by HPGe gamma-spectrometry was
followed by radiochemical separation and liquid
scintillation counting for simultaneous determination of
55Fe and 63Ni from the single
sample aliquot.
Key words:
Ignalina NPP, RBMK-1500, moss,
liquid scintillation counting,
55Fe,
63Ni,
gamma-spectrometry, 60Co,
137Cs.
Pages 88-97
ECOLOGY AND STRATEGIES OF
DESICCATION-TOLERANT PLANTS AND VEGETATIONS
Tuba, Z.1,2
1Department
of Botany and Plant Physiology and 2Departmental
Research Group of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Faculty
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Szent István
University, H-2103 Gödöllő, Páter K. u. 1., Hungary
Received:
28.02.06; Cited: 10.03.06
Abstract:
The desiccation-tolerant (DT) plants are poikilohydric
and capable of surviving the loss of at least 90-95 % of
their cell water content. DT plants are important
constituents of many ecosystems from the arctic (lichen
and moss vegetations) to the tropics (lichen, moss and
flower vegetations) regions and large pools of nutrients
and carbon can be found in the DT vegetations of these
ecosystems, and therefore significant aspects of
ecosystem function depend on their ecophysiological
responses, production and turnover pattern. In the
tropics the inselbergs as ecologically isolated habitats
from the surrounding areas are evolutional centers of
the flower DT plants and vegetations, which are among
the key ecosystems of plant taxonomical and functional
diversity. On inselbergs the flower DT vegetations cover
globally significant areas with globally significant
amount of biomas and C-pool. The DT plants do have a
direct practical significance, also: to develop crops
that are tolerant of the harmful effects of drought. The
paper will summarize the recent development in our
understanding of ecology and strategies of DT plants and
vegetation.
Key words:
desiccation-tolerance, poikilohydry, inselberg,
tropical/subtropical, poikilochlorophylly, desoccoplast
Pages 98-105
Preparation of hydrophobic
Pt-catalysts for tritium removal from NUCLEAR efFluents
Irina
Popescu, Gh. Ionita, D. Dobrinescu and I. Stefanescu
Institute for Cryogenics and
Isotopic Technologies, 4 Uzinei Street, Rm. Valcea,
Romania,
ipop@icsi.ro
Received: 28.02.06; Cited:
10.03.06
Abstract:
Based on the long experience of the
authors, in the preparation, testing and evaluation of
the performances of hydrophobic catalysts, and based on
the reviewed references, this paper presents up-to-date
R&D activities on the application of the hydrophobic
catalysts, in deuterium and tritium separation from
nuclear effluents. Unlike the conventional hydrophilic
catalysts, the hydrophobic catalysts kept a high
catalytic activity and stability, even under the direct
contact to liquid water or in presence of saturated
humidity. A large diversity of catalyst types (over 100
catalysts) was prepared and tested in order to make
feasible the hydrogen isotopes separation processes
The enrichment of deuterium and
tritium by isotopic exchange between water and hydrogen,
tritium removal from heavy water reactor and nuclear
reprocessing plant, the cleanup of atmosphere and
gaseous effluents by catalyzed hydrogen-oxygen
recombination, are largely presented and discussed.
The objectives of the work are: (1)
to provide a database for selection of the most
appropriate catalyst and catalytic packing for above
mentioned processes, (2) the designing and operation of
reactor packed with hydrophobic catalysts, (3) to
evaluate the potentiality of hydrophobic Pt-catalysts in
the deuterium and tritium enrichment.
The merits of the hydrophobic catalysts are shown in
comparison to hydrophilic catalysts. Some suggestions
concerning the deuterium and tritium enrichment by means
of hydrophobic catalysts are also discussed.
Key words:
hydrophobic catalysts,
tritium removal.
Pages 106-114
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
OZONE DOSE
AND TEMPERATURE REGIME
IN
TWO FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Nikolina Tzvetkova,
University of Forestry,
Sofia
Received: 28.02.06; Cited:
10.03.06
Abstract:
The data, obtained by monitoring of air pollution and
climatic factors at two forest ecosystems - natural
coniferous stand of Đicea abies L. and Abies alba L. in
station Yundola, and deciduous stand of Fagus sylvatica
L. in station Vitinia was presented. An estimation of
relationship between ozone dose and air temperature and
radiation during the growth period of 2003 was
established for the stations. The cumulative ozone dose
during separate months of the growth period (AOT40) and
air temperature fluctuation showed some peculiarities in
coniferous and deciduous forest. These characteristics
are discussed in relation to the dynamics of ozone
concentrations and radiation regime in the ecosystems.
The results presented are part of Swiss-Bulgarian
project “monitoring of Forest Ecosystems”
Key words:
air pollution,
cumulative ozone dose, air temperature, solar radiation,
forest ecosystems.
Pages 115-124
