01.01.70

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Ecology, Environment & Conservation -- Current study results on Environmental Atmospheric Research have been published. According to news reporting from Guelph, Canada, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "The contribution of PCDD/PCDF emissions from soil during open burning of biomass was examined. Mass labelled PCDD/PCDF was added to soil containing native PCDD/PCDF and biomass was laid out on this soil and burnt, simulating sugarcane trash and forest fires."

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research, "Smoke samples were collected using a high volume portable field sampler. After each fire the concentration of all mass labelled PCDD/PCDF congeners in the surface soil decreased, however, the concentration of some native 2,3,7,8 substituted congeners increased, indicating that formation was occurring. Mass labelled PCDD/PCDF congeners were detected in all ash samples, mean 2.8 pg g(-1) (range 0.5-8 pg g(-1)), demonstrating release from the soil. Additionally, mass labelled PCDD/PCDF congeners were detected in all air samples mean 1.2 mu g (t fuel)(-1) (range 0.2-2.0 mu g (t fuel)(-1)), again demonstrating release from the soil. Native 2,3,7,8 substituted congeners detected in the air samples were dominated (in terms of contribution to total congener mass) by Cl8DD (90% for forest litter and 77% for sugarcane). The major contributor to TEQ of emissions from both forest litter and sugarcane was 1, 2, 3, 7, 8-Cl5DD (40-64% and 57-75%, respectively).

Source: Equities.com

by Devin Keay

William Shotyk , Bocock Chair in Agriculture and the Environment, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, will present a seminar on Thursday, 19 January  at 12:30 pm in the Wyatt Lecture Room (236 Earth Sciences Building) University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta .

Abstract : The Elmvale Groundwater Observatory (Springwater Township, Ontario) consists of two dedicated groundwater sampling systems designed exclusively for sampling and testing trace metals. The first well was constructed entirely of surgical stainless steel, the other made using high density polyethylene (HDPE). Both wells are artesian flow systems and the entire volume of water in the pipes is exchanged ca. 50 times per day. Using ICP-SMS and clean lab methods it is possible to measure all of the trace metals of contemporary environmental interest. Sampling the water within a laminar flow clean air cabinet helps to eliminate variability by protecting the samples from anthropogenic aerosols in ambient air. Many trace metals such as Cr and Pb are found at concentrations significantly lower than the “cleanest” layers of ancient Arctic ice. The significance of the results are discussed in relation to environmental analytical chemistry, drinking water quality, the geochemistry of soils and waters, watershed management, and public education....

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Jan. 2, discussing how DNA barcoding technology can detect mislabelled seafood.

The article looks at a Victoria-based seafood importer that has implemented DNA testing on seafood processed in China. Mislabelling and substitution are systemic in the North American market, Hanner says. He has taken part in research projects that involve collecting fish samples from restaurants and markets in Toronto, Guelph and New York City. Those studies have found that about 25 per cent of the fish was mislabelled.

Hanner is associate director of the Canadian Barcode of Life Network, which is headquartered at the U of G-based Biodiversity Institute of Ontario. He also co-ordinates the Fish Barcode of Life campaign intended to barcode the world’s fish species.

DNA barcoding is a molecular technique honed at Guelph that allows scientists to match up barcodes from specimens of unknown identity to those derived from expert-identified reference specimens.

U of G’s role in...

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