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Assessing mercury pollution at a primary ore site with both ancient and industrial mining and smelting activities
Get PDFThe Minamata Convention on Mercury has mandated a renewed global effort to tackle Hg pollution. The present study evaluates Hg pollution at a primary Hg production site exploited since the Qin Dynasty (200s BC), with intensive industrial scale production over the past four decades. This single location accounts for over 95% total Hg production in China in recent years. To assess the environmental risk and effectiveness of recently implemented control measures, we collected 90 soil samples, 60 plant tissue samples, 47 sediment samples, and 47 river water samples from the site and its vicinity. A site-specific conceptual site model was established based on the sources, migration transformation pathways of Hg pollutant and its exposure scenarios. The maximum soil Hg concentration reached 10,451 mg·kg-1, posing a high health and ecological risk. Vegetable and crop Hg concentrations outside the site reached 0.23 mg·kg-1 in rice grains and 4.24 mg·kg-1 in green onion. The highest health risk, with a hazard quotient of 130.66, was observed in the Ore Storage Site, which reduced to 17.14 when Hg bioavailability was considered. Risk control measures implemented in recent years included a stormwater collection system and capping of the tailing pond area with clean imported soil. These measures were generally successful; however, Hg in the tailings were found to be contaminating the imported surficial soil due to rainfall saturation and upward migration, suggesting a need for long-term post remedial site monitoring and maintenance. We also found that mining and smelting activities have contaminated a 6 km stretch of a nearby river, with sediment Hg concentrations reaching 2,819 mg·kg-1, and water column concentrations reaching 193.21 ng·L-1. The sediment and water concentrations are highly correlated (R2=0.78), suggesting that, with risk control measures in place, a reservoir of Hg in polluted river sediment is now driving pollution in the water column. This work demonstrates that primary Hg mining has caused widespread and serious soil and water pollution. Risk control measures can reduce human health and ecological risks, but robust monitoring and maintenance are required for remediation to be effective in the long-term
Stakeholder Challenges and Opportunities of GPS Shock Collars to Achieve Optimum Welfare in a Conservation or Farm Setting
Get PDFVirtual fences for livestock facilitated by a GPS shock collar (GPS-SC) and phone app
were introduced to the UK in cattle herd trials in 2020. Technology which uses aversive shocks to
control livestock movement on farms and in other settings poses a significant risk to livestock welfare.
There are currently no welfare protocols in place in the UK to ensure the ethical use of GPS-SCs.
The objective of this study was to understand how GPS-SCs were being used in practice in the UK
and gather data to assist researchers and policymakers in the future research and development of a
welfare protocol for the UK. We studied how the technology performs in terms of welfare challenges
and opportunities, covering extensive livestock production, conservation settings, “rewilding”, and
regenerative farming practices, where the technology is currently being applied. Semistructured
interviews were conducted with key stakeholders. In-depth interviews (n = 8) supported the previous
literature that the use of GPS-SCs in restricted grazing settings poses a risk to animal welfare. This is
due to the wavering virtual fence boundary line (which is affected by satellite movements), a lack of
visual markers, and, in some “rewilding” and conservation settings, livestock keepers, which require
training and support to enable optimal welfare in practice and prevent misuse of the technology.
Results also indicated that there are opportunities for enhancing livestock welfare with GPS-SCs in
very extensive farm settings, where targeted care can be facilitated by using the data to monitor and
track livestock using GPS-SCs, and which can also prevent cattle injury or fatality through virtual
pastures designed to protect livestock from hazards such as roads or bogs. Future research is needed
to focus on minimising shocks in the training period and to better understand the value of visual
electric fences in the training process
An updated assessment of the direct costs of invasive non-native species to the United Kingdom
Get PDFAbstract Estimates of the economic impact of
invasive non-native species (INNS) are important
to support informed decision-making and prioritise
resources. A detailed estimate of the direct costs of
INNS to Great Britain, covering many sectors of the
economy and the impacts of many INNS in diverse
habitats, was made in 2010 and extended to Northern Ireland in 2013. These estimates are increasingly
out of date as a result of changes in distribution and
impacts of species, new knowledge, changes in management and newly established INNS. We, therefore,
updated the estimated costs for the United Kingdom
(UK) for sectors where new information was available and applied an infation factor to the remaining
sectors and species. The results show changes in all
sectors and species and the new estimated annual
costs to the UK economy is £4014 m, with £3022 m,
£499 m, £343 m and £150 m to England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively. Overall, we
found a 45% increase in comparable costs since 2010,
with most estimated costs increased, often more
than inflation, although in some cases the costs have
decreased as a result of changes in the population size
of INNS, such as was the case for rabbits. A comparison with the previously estimated costs revealed that
the costliest species and sectors of 2010 remain the
same, but the newly established, widely distributed
and highly impactful ash dieback is now one of the
most costly diseases caused by an INNS. We discuss
reasons for these changes and the evolution of costs
in comparison to other studies. Overall, these results
confirm the enormous cost of INNS to the UK economy and highlight the need for continued efforts to
mitigate the impacts of established INNS, whilst also
supporting measures to limit the entry and establishment of new, potentially harmful non-native species
Excerpted Abstracts of the 7th Water Efficiency Conference 2022
Get PDFIn an increasingly uncertain world, water is constant and central to most things: the economy, energy, transport, agriculture, health, leisure, well-being, social and cultural life. The 7th Water Efficiency (WATEF) Conference 2022 was, for the first time, held outside Europe in the Caribbean, at the Faculty of Engineering, The University of the West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago on 14th-16th December, 2022. Many challenges reflect the changing climate, increasingly unpredictable weather, and the efforts towards sustainable development necessary for social equity and economic growth. Proactive partnerships and collaborations across civil society is necessary to succeed in this effort. A conference on water efficiency and resilience is justified in the face of these challenges and during an energy, cost-of-living, food, and other crises. The WATEF-2022 Conference's theme was "Water Resources Resilience for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)". Trinidad and Tobago has a relatively high reliable water infrastructure (including desalination plants) for its population but in recent times water resources have been impacted by unforeseen climate change events. This twin-island republic was best suited for this conference, geographically and technically. Parallel with invited keynotes and feature speeches, technical presentations and panel discussions were made addressing various topics and areas associated with the conference's theme. This paper contains a total of 28 abstracts excerpted from the Conference proceedings that address towards collaborative solutions to the water and resilience challenges faced globally and experienced more intensely by SIDS
Evaluation of cardiopreventive effects of Ximenia americana (Linn.) and Pappea capensis (Eckl. and Zeyh.) leaf aqueous extracts in rat models with myocardial infarction
Get PDFBackground
Myocardial infarction is a significant health issue in both wealthy and underdeveloped nations. Globally, it is the leading cause of deaths among cardiovascular diseases. In 2012, myocardial infarction-related deaths were about 14.1 million out of 17.5 million cardiovascular disease-related deaths. Clinical management of myocardial infarction remains a challenge because most conventional drugs provide symptomatic relief only. In addition, conventional remedies are associated with numerous advese effects and arguably, in many cases are quite expensive. Hence, herbal remedies, which are widely available, with comparatively fewer side effects, and are affordable, provide a more attractive therapeutic alternative. This study aimed at determining cardiopreventive effects of aqueous leaf extracts of X. americana and P. capensis. Phytochemical screening was done using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Wistar albino rats were employed to test for cardiopreventive effects of the extracts and were randomized into 6 groups of 5 animals each. Groups I, II, and III were normal, negative, and positive controls, respectively, and rats were given normal saline, salbutamol (7.5 mg/Kg bw), and propranolol, respectively. Groups IV, V, and VI rats were treated with extracts dose levels 50, 100, and 150 mg/Kg bw, respectively. Biochemical analysis was done to determine effects of the extracts on levels of serum cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase-1, and lipid profiles. Levels of oxidative stress markers were determined in the heart tissue.
Results
The LC–MS analysis revealed different phytocompounds in the extracts, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, glycosides and tannins, which are known to confer cardioprotective activities. The extracts significantly prevented increase in cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase-1, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and MDA levels, as well as a significant increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and HDL levels.
Conclusions
This study confirmed that Ximenia americana and Pappea capensis extracts have the potential to prevent myocardial infarction in rats. Generally, P. capensis extract showed better activity as compared to X. americana extract. The effects of the extracts could be attributable to the presence of various cardioactive phytocompounds. Therefore, these plants can be considered in the development of potent and safe cardiopreventive drugs
Narcoleptic Type Behaviours of the Horse: an exploratory study into temperament differences and neural function
No full textNarcoleptic Type Behaviours (NTB’s*) are characterised by intermittent periods of apparent somnolence followed by loss of muscle tone resulting in instability of the front limbs, creating potential risks for handlers and bystanders. This exploratory study examined the potential drivers of NTB’s in horses (Equus caballus) with a focus upon temperament variables, autonomic nervous system function and inferred measures of dopamine transmission. Thirteen horses of varying age (5 years old – 24 years old) and breed all exhibiting NTB’s, were recruited for the study along with thirteen control equivalents all confirmed as being free from the condition. A previously validated temperament questionnaire was initially applied to all animals by the horse owners, followed by recordings at rest of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) on 3 occasions for 30 minutes to assess the integrity of the autonomic nervous system. Finally, Spontaneous Blink Rate (SBR) and Behavioural Initiation Rate (BIR) were applied in triplicate (30 minutes) as inferred indicators of dopamine system tone in all animals. Curiosity scores were significantly lower (p<0.05) in NTB versus control horses, as were those for vigilance (p<0.05). Conversely, scores for Cooperation were higher in the NTB cohort (p<0.05). There were no differences between groups for any of the physiological variables, although there was a significant negative correlation between SBR and Low Frequency / High Frequency (LF / HF) ratio (rs= -0.56, p<0.01) for the control, but not the NTB equivalents. Similarly, a strong negative correlation between BIR and LF/HF ratio was uncovered in the control group (rs= -0.68, p<0.01) which was absent in NTB animals. The differences in temperament variables pave the way towards possible diagnostic / predictive indicators, whilst the lack of correlation between central and peripheral nervous system indicators in the NTB cohort tentatively implies a decoupling of these systems, although further research is required to ascertain the functional dimensions of these findings
‘I Believe What I’m Saying More Than the Test’: The Complicated Place of Rapid, Point-of-Care Tests in Veterinary Diagnostic Practice
Get PDFAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health and development threat, with calls for the optimisation of antimicrobial use (AMU) in the treatment of both humans and animals prevalent across national and international policy. Rapid, low-cost and readily available diagnostics that specifically identify pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles have been identified as essential parts of this optimisation process, yet questions over the assumed utility of novel rapid technology as a cornerstone of tackling agricultural AMU still exist. To understand whether this technology may support the optimisation of AMU in the treatment of animal disease, this study qualitatively examines the discourse between veterinarians, laboratory representatives, veterinary researchers and (cattle) farmers within three participatory events concerning diagnostic testing on UK farms, to offer a critical examination of the interaction between veterinary diagnostic practice and agricultural AMU. Veterinarian-led discussion suggested that veterinary rationales for engaging with diagnostic testing are nuanced and complex, where veterinarians (i) were driven by both medical and non-medical motivators; (ii) had a complex professional identity influencing diagnostic-test engagement; and (iii) balanced a multitude of situated contextual factors that informed “gut feelings” on test choice and interpretation. In consequence, it is suggested that data-driven diagnostic technologies may be more palatable for veterinarians to promote to their farm clients in the pursuit of better and more sustainable AMU, whilst also being in synergy with the emerging preventative role of the farm veterinarian
Nectar Abundance in Semi-natural Species-Rich Grassland Compared to Agri-Environmental Wildflower Strips
No full textLand use change including agricultural intensification have caused pollinators to decline. Given the extensive pollinator loss, it has become important to quantify their food resource to help develop and improve conservation actions. Nectar resources have been measured within urban and rural landscapes, but few studies have undertaken a comparative quantification for agri-environmental schemes such as semi-natural species-rich grasslands and planted agri-environmental wildflower strips, leaving an important knowledge gap in plant-pollinator interactions and food resources within these habitats. This study quantified the nectar supply of two habitats - semi natural species rich grasslands and planted agri-environmental wildflower strips in three farms in the Cotswolds and West Midlands. Overall, thirty-six flowering plants were identified and assigned a nectar sugar value using secondary data to enable the comparison of nectar between the two habitats. Twenty-eight pollinator species were identified within the 90 quadrats and were assigned a behaviour of feeding, collecting pollen, foraging, and resting to investigate how pollinators within the groups Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera interacted with the flowering plant species identified. The planted agri-environmental wildflower strips provided twice as much nectar than the semi-natural species-rich grassland. Which was underpinned by a low number of flowering plants, Centaurea nigra and Leucanthemum vulgare providing most of the nectar resources. A total of 228 pollinator visits were recorded. Though no significant results the pollinators did use the habitats differently. Butterflies were found mostly in the semi-natural species-rich grassland and bumblebees and hoverflies mostly found within the planted agri-environmental wildflower strips. These results indicate that pollinators are using the habitats differently for their resources needs of food and nesting. Centaurea nigra was highest visited flowering plant with 48% of the total visits. There were two significant relationships with floral traits that attracted pollinator visits, which were the amount of open floral units and the nectar value
Metabolomics reveals the response of hydroprimed maize to mitigate the impact of soil salinization
Get PDFSoil salinization is a major environmental stressor hindering global crop production. Hydropriming has emerged as a promising approach to reduce salt stress and enhance crop yields on salinized land. However, a better mechanisitic understanding is required to improve salt stress tolerance. We used a biochemical and metabolomics approach to study the effect of salt stress of hydroprimed maize to identify the types and variation of differentially accumulated metabolites. Here we show that hydropriming significantly increased catalase (CAT) activity, soluble sugar and proline content, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and peroxide (H2O2) content. Conversely, hydropriming had no significant effect on POD activity, soluble protein and MDA content under salt stress. The Metabolite analysis indicated that salt stress significantly increased the content of 1278 metabolites and decreased the content of 1044 metabolites. Ethisterone (progesterone) was the most important metabolite produced in the roots of unprimed samples in response to salt s tress. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, which relate to scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), was the most significant metabolic pathway related to salt stress. Hydropriming significantly increased the content of 873 metabolites and significantly decreased the content of 1313 metabolites. 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, a methyl donor for methionine, was the most important metabolite produced in the roots of hydroprimed samples in response to salt stress. Plant growth regulator, such as melatonin, gibberellin A8, estrone, abscisic acid and brassinolide involved in both treatment. Our results not only verify the roles of key metabolites in resisting salt stress, but also further evidence that flavone and flavonol biosynthesis and plant growth regulator relate to salt tolerance