Environmental evaluation of alternative chemicals to methyl bromide for fumigation of quarantine pests in transit     

A. G. S. Cuthbertson  K. Mills  T. Wonter-Smith  L. F. Blackburn  J. J. Mathers  P. Northing 《International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology》2013,10(5):1057-1066

The majority of recent quarantine schedules have relied on methyl bromide fumigation. However, due to the phase-out of this fumigant in January 2005 alternative treatments are needed. Four alternative chemical fumigants were tested for their potential to replace methyl bromide as a control agent for Bemisia tabaci, Liriomyza huidobrensis and Frankliniella occidentalis. Phosphine at 2 g/m³ gave promising results at 15 °C with complete mortality of all insects after 24 h exposure. Sulphuryl fluoride, ethyl formate and acetaldehyde caused severe damage to plant foliage after only 4 h exposure. However, sulphuryl fluoride produced 100 % mortality of L. huidobrensis pupae after only 2 h exposure. In a large scale test using phosphine 2 g/m³ at 15 °C complete mortality of L. huidobrensis eggs and pupae was recorded after a 24 h exposure. However, only 98.5 and 86 % mortality of B. tabaci eggs and F. occidentalis eggs, respectively, was recorded after this treatment. Treatments with phosphine produced no significant detrimental effects on subsequent plant growth. The potential of these chemicals to act as alternatives to methyl bromide as quarantine fumigants is discussed.  相似文献   

Intrinsic bioremediation of a petroleum-impacted wetland   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

Mills MA  Bonner JS  McDonald TJ  Page CA  Autenrieth RL 《Marine pollution bulletin》2003,46(7):887-899

Following the 1994 San Jacinto River flood and oil spill in southeast Texas, a petroleum-contaminated wetland was reserved for a long-term research program to evaluate bioremediation as a viable spill response tool. The first phase of this program, presented in this paper, evaluated the intrinsic biodegradation of petroleum in the contaminated wetland. Sediment samples from six test plots were collected 11 times over an 11-month period to assess the temporal and spatial petroleum concentrations. Petroleum concentrations were evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analyses of specific target compounds normalized to the conservative biological marker, C(30)17alpha,21beta(H)-hopane. The analyses of specific target compounds were able to characterize that significant petroleum biodegradation had occurred at the site over the one-year period. Total resolved saturate and total resolved aromatic hydrocarbon data indicated the petroleum was degraded more than 95%. In addition, first-order biodegradation rate constants were calculated for the hopane-normalized target compounds and supported expected biodegradation patterns. The rapid degradation rates of the petroleum hydrocarbons are attributed to conditions favorable to biodegradation. Elevated nutrient levels from the flood deposition and the unconsolidated nature of the freshly deposited sediment possibly provided a nutrient rich, oxic environment. Additionally, it is suggested that an active and capable microbial community was present due to prior exposure to petroleum. These factors provided an environment conducive for the rapid bioremediation of the petroleum in the contaminated wetland.  相似文献   

A Robust Surface Matching Technique for Integrated Monitoring of Coastal Geohazards     

Pauline Miller  Jon Mills  Stuart Edwards  Paul Bryan  Stuart Marsh  Peter Hobbs 《Marine Geodesy》2013,36(1-2):109-123

At the dynamic coastal fringe, numerous processes interact with local morphology. In soft-cliff environments, this can often lead to the occurrence of coastal geohazards. These can pose a major threat to property and cultural heritage, and an effective monitoring strategy is therefore essential. While contemporary monitoring techniques have been applied, these are often unsuitable in isolation. This paper presents an integrated approach, with the development of weighted surface matching software enabling reliable dataset fusion and multi-temporal change detection, even where significant surface differences exist. Evaluation of this approach is presented and discussed.  相似文献   

Auriacusite, Fe3+Cu2+AsO4O, the first M 3+ member of the olivenite group, from the Black Pine mine, Montana, USA     

Stuart J. Mills  Anthony R. Kampf  Glenn Poirier  Mati Raudsepp  Ian M. Steele 《Mineralogy and Petrology》2010,99(1-2):113-120

Auriacusite, ideally Fe³⁺Cu²⁺AsO₄O, is a new arsenate mineral (IMA2009–037) and the Fe³⁺ analogue of olivenite, from the Black Pine mine, 14.5 km NW of Philipsburg, Granite Co., Montana, USA. It occurs lining quartz vughs and coating quartz crystals and is associated with segnitite, brochantite, malachite, tetrahedrite and pyrite. Auriacusite forms fibrous crystals up to about 5?µm in width and up to about 100?µm in length, which are intergrown to form fibrous mats. Individual crystals are a brownish golden yellow, whilst the fibrous mats are ochreous yellow. The crystals have a silky lustre and a brownish yellow streak. Mohs hardness is about 3 (estimated). The fracture is irregular and the tenacity is brittle. Auriacusite crystals are biaxial (+), with α?=?1.830(5), β?=?1.865(5) and γ?=?1.910(5), measured using white light, and with 2V _meas.?=?83(3)º and 2V _calc. = 84.6º. Orientation: X?=?a, Y?=?c, Z?=?b. Crystals are nonpleochroic or too weakly so to be observed. The empirical formula (based on 5 O atoms) is (Fe _1.33 ³⁺ Cu_0.85Zn_0.03)_Σ2.21(As_0.51Sb_0.27Si_0.04?S_0.02Te_0.01)_Σ0.85O₅. Auriacusite is orthorhombic, space group Pnnm, a?=?8.6235(7), b?=?8.2757(7), c?=?5.9501(5) Å, V?=?424.63(6) ų, Z?=?4. The five strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d _obs in Å / (I) / hkl]: 4.884 / (100) / 101, 001; 2.991 / (92) / 220; 2.476 / (85) / 311; 2.416 / (83) / 022; 2.669 / (74) / 221. The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data utilising synchrotron radiation and refined to R ₁?=?0.1010 on the basis of 951 unique reflections with F _o?>?4σF. Auriacusite is identified as a member of the olivenite group with Fe³⁺ replacing Zn²⁺ or Cu²⁺ in trigonal bipyramidal coordination. Evidence suggests that auriacusite is an intermediate member between olivenite and an as yet undescribed Fe³⁺Fe³⁺-dominant member. The name is derived from the Latin auri (golden yellow) and acus (needle), in reference to its colour and crystal morphology.  相似文献   

Comparison of Two Computational Methods for Estimating Transmissivity Based on the Picking Equation     

A. Mills 《Ground water》2020,58(5):813-821

A comparison is presented of two computational methods, PICKINGmodel and PPC-Recovery, to estimate transmissivities based on the Picking equation using water-level recovery data from brief pumping tests of relatively low-yielding domestic wells. The tests were performed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 50 domestic bedrock wells in south-central New York State, and USGS staff performed the analysis using PICKINGmodel based on the Picking equation. The results indicated that the estimated transmissivities ranged from 0.86 to 2900 ft²/d (0.080 to 270 m²/d) with a median of 41 ft²/d (3.8 m²/d). The same data were later analyzed using PPC-Recovery also based on the Picking equation. The two sets of estimated transmissivities were compared and statistically had the same median value at a probability of 95%. In another analysis, the PPC-Recovery method was applied to the same data that had been truncated at the point when the slope of the recovery data curve began to deviate from a straight line aligned with the middle portion of the recovery data. Comparing these resulting estimates of transmissivity with values originally obtained using the PICKINGmodel, the two had statistically the same median value for transmissivity at a probability of 95%. It was concluded that using PPC-Recovery in this manner to estimate transmissivity in low-yielding domestic wells will yield transmissivity values sufficiently close to the results had PICKINGmodel been used, and with less time and effort.  相似文献   

The Irish Sea: Is it eutrophic?     

R.J. Gowen  P. Tett  K. Kennington  D.K. Mills  T.M. Shammon  B.M. Stewart  N. Greenwood  C. Flanagan  M. Devlin  A. Wither 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008

The question of whether the Irish Sea is eutrophic is addressed by reviewing the evidence for anthropogenic nutrient enrichment, elevated phytoplankton production and biomass and undesirable disturbance in the context of the EU and OSPAR definitions of eutrophication. Winter concentrations of dissolved available inorganic phosphate (DAIP), nitrogen (DAIN as nitrate and nitrite) and silicate (Si) in coastal waters and concentrations of DAIP and Si in offshore waters of the Irish Sea are elevated relative to winter Celtic Sea shelf break concentrations (0.5 μM DAIP, 7.7 μM DAIN and 2.7 μM Si). Significant, negative nutrient salinity relationships and analysis of the Isle of Man nutrient time-series indicate that the elevated Irish Sea levels of DAIP and DAIN are the result of anthropogenic enrichment with highest concentrations (≈2.0 μM DAIP, 30 μM DAIN and 17 μM Si) measured in near shore eastern Irish Sea waters.  相似文献   

An updated assessment of lightning-related fatality and injury risk in Canada: 2002–2017     

Mills  Brian 《Natural Hazards》2020,102(3):997-1009

Cloud-to-ground lightning is a common and dangerous natural atmospheric hazard in southern Canada. Previous research conducted by the author and colleagues, using data from 1994 to 2003, estimated that lightning directly or indirectly kills 9–10 people and injures 92–164 more each year in Canada. Repeating the analysis using data from the same government agency and media sources for the 2002–2017 period, the author found that lightning-related mortality decreased to 2–3 deaths per year, roughly 0.08 deaths per million population. An average of 180 lightning-related injuries each year (5.3 per million population) was estimated for the same period, slightly greater than the maximum documented in the 1994–2003 analysis. About half of the drop in mortality between periods may be attributed to the reduction in reported deaths associated with lightning-ignited municipal fires since 2000. The remainder may be due to a combination of greater availability and use of communication technology, faster emergency response and medical treatment, and increased public awareness of lightning hazards and safety. Further research is required to explain why lightning-related injury rates have remained stable; better understand the interaction of technological, behavioral and other factors; and to determine the efficacy of past and potential future safety interventions.

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