Anthropogenic Residues Research Articles

Unraveling the interplay between humans and carnivores in El Olivo Cave during the Middle and Upper Paleolithic period (Llanera, Asturias, Spain)

El Olivo Cave (Llanera, Asturias, Spain) is a small karst cave within the Aboño River watershed. It holds a significant archaeological and paleontological record dating from the Middle and late Upper Paleolithic, featuring several lithic artifacts and faunal remains in each archaeological level. The study of the faunal remains reveals a high representation of ungulates, with Cervus elaphus and Equus ferus being the main ones. Carnivores are also represented by diverse species such as Vulpes vulpes and Canis lupus, among others. The taphonomic analysis evidenced the presence of human activity, accompanied by a significant incidence of tooth marks across all stratigraphic units and water-related processes in the lower part of the sequence. During this temporal range, there were faunal accumulations of anthropogenic origin altered by the action of other agents, especially carnivores. A diverse array of carnivore used the same space and taking advanced of the anthropogenic residues as scavengers. Moreover, we suggest a commensal synanthropic behavior exhibited by foxes. Consequently, El Olivo Cave is an illustrative case to explore the carnivore action in levels with human presence, something unusual at the late Upper Paleolithic sites in Northern Iberia.

Bioaccumulation of metals and genotoxic effects in females of Colomesus asellus collected in an Amazon River estuary, Amapá, Brazil

Colomesus asellus (Amazonian Puffer) is endemic to the Amazon Basin. It uses channels and streams to reproduce, spawn and feed. In areas close to urban centers, these fish may be exposed to anthropogenic residues containing mixtures of metals that can be bioaccumulated, resulting in genetic alterations. Therefore, we aimed to determine the extent of nuclear alterations in erythrocytes of female C. asellus resulting from the bioaccumulation of metals in tissues and organs. Metal concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Tissue metal concentrations decreased in the following order: Fe > Zn > Cu > Mn > Hg > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cr. In fish tissues/organs, the concentration of metals followed, in decreasing order, liver > skin > gonads > musculature > bones. The most frequent nuclear alterations were nuclear invagination, nuclear budding and lobulated nucleus. Metal concentrations and resultant nuclear alterations observed can damage C. asellus, thus compromising the conservation of this species at the mouth of the Amazon River.

High Temperature Winkler gasification of Rhenish lignite in an optimized 500 kWth pilot plant

Gasification processes are an important part of a broad variety of value chains from low grade feedstocks to energy. The process considered in this work consists of a 0.5 MWth fluidized bed gasifier, a gas cleaning unit and a catalyst test rig. This paper presents experimental results from the stand-alone operation of the gasifier in order to investigate the behavior of the gasification of two feedstocks, a dried lignite steam coal and a commercially available low sulfur, low ash lignite. Furthermore, the results of the gasification of the gasifier start-up material hearth furnace coke are given. The reactor with a height of 11 m and an inner diameter of 400 mm was operated at up to 870 °C. Carbon dioxide, steam and oxygen can be introduced into the reactor through different nozzle levels.Four test campaigns were conducted and seven balance points with different feedstock and loads were investigated. The results show carbon conversions of almost 96 % and cold gas efficiencies up to 65 % with coal from fluidized bed drying showing the highest cold gas efficiencies and carbon conversions. Several trace gases were measured by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and a positive correlation between benzene and methane concentration is detected.The experience gained serves as a basis for the gasification step in the polygeneration process and for gasification of other feedstock, especially biogenic and anthropogenic residues.

TIME SERIES ANALYSIS OF URBANISATION IMPACT ON THE TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS OFF MUMBAI COAST

Abstract. Urbanisation is an ever-evolving, complicated continuous process distinct from its surroundings, having the tendency to create a micro-scale system with characteristic local environmental conditions. Large-scale urbanization near the coasts has a definite impact on the coastal processes due to dynamic interactions of the coastal waters with the urban atmospheric, hydrological and anthropogenic residues. This study focuses on understanding the contribution of immediate atmospheric variations due to urbanization on surface temperature of coastal waters along the Mumbai coast. Different meteorological and air quality parameters such as Air Temperature (AT), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Precipitation (P), Relative Humidity (RH), Wind Speed (WS) and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) collectively were used as determinants of local urban climatic environment; to analyse and understand the impact of urbanization on Sea Surface Temperature (SST) representing coastal system. ERA5 Reanalysis meteorological data and MODIS satellite data products were used to extract information of the said parameters for a period of 20 years and time-series analysis was performed for each using Mann-Kendall method to establish their trend. Harmonic regression using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Neural Network Autoregression (NNAR) were used to model the existing and forecast the future trend of SST which showed an increasing trend with comparatively better representation by NNAR (RMSE 0.4 – 0.7 K). Further, a polynomial multiple regression model was built to correlate the influence of all urban climatic parameters with SST, which clearly indicated positive forcing of local climate variation on the coastal waters with an R2 value of 0.93.

Marine debris ingestion and the use of diagnostic imaging in sea turtles: A review

Worldwide, sea turtles are affected by anthropic waste. Animals, unable to differentiate anthropic waste from food, ingest this waste from their surroundings. After ingestion, the waste may cause a digestive tract blockage, thereby compromising the feeding and digestion capacity of the turtles, causing malnutrition, which may lead to death. Radiological imaging can be performed in turtles under rehabilitation to identify alterations of the digestive tract, such as intussusceptions, impactions, obstructions, torsions, neoplasms, and foreign bodies. These alterations are a result of either the ingestion of anthropogenic residues or natural causes. Moreover, diagnostic imaging exams play an important role in interventional medicine as they can indicate the location and type of ingested waste, thereby facilitating decision-making for the treatment of the afflicted animals. The aim of this study was to analyse the published scientific literature surrounding the effects of the ingestion of anthropogenic residue by sea turtles and the main imaging modalities used for their diagnosis. This was undertaken to provide clinicians with a greater amount of information regarding the digestive tract diseases of these animals and consequently, provide better outcomes of the rehabilitation processes. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study provide key information regarding the conservation of these species, among others.

Characterization of the feeding behavior of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the Juréia-Itatins Mosaic's Conservation Units, South Coast of the São Paulo state

The Chelonia mydas occurs most frequently in the Cananeia-Iguape-Peruibe Environmental Protection Area and Conservation Units Jureia-Itatins, using coastal regions of the continent and islands of the region as a feeding area. It presents a habitat change during its ontogenetic development. The individuals migrate from the pelagic environment, in this stage they had an omnivorous diet, when they change this feeding area, to the neritic environment, they can have predominantly herbivorous´ diet. However, recent studies have suggested that both habitats change and, consequently, the diet changes may be optional. The objective of this study was to characterize the feeding behavior of green turtles in the municipality of Peruibe, south coast of Sao Paulo. The data were collected from October/2018 to October/2019, with the monitoring of the beaches and the study of the specimens found. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee on The Use of Animals (CEUA/IBIMM) n°. 008/18 and by the Biodiversity Authorization and Information System (SISBIO/ICMBio/MMA) n°. 50132. In the period, 7 individuals were collected who were submitted to biometrics, necropsy and food content collection to verify their composition. Organic and inorganic constituents were separated and the macroalgae found in the esophagus and stomach samples were submitted to a second screening, using morphology and staining as criteria. The mass frequency of each phylum of macroalgae was calculated. The results showed that the individuals were juveniles with CCL 36.33 cm and presented predominantly herbivore feeding behavior, because there was no food from animal origin, consisting only of shell fragments of molluscs and exoskeletons of crustaceans, whose intake may have been accidental. The total survey of macroalgae present in the esophagus and stomach were Chlorophyta (42.76%), Rhodophyta (33.19%) and Heterokontophyta (24.05%), the presence of diatoms was observed complementing the diet of the animals. In addition, it was found that all had anthropogenic residues in their gastrointestinal tracts, and 73.33% of total constituents found are associated with plastic and plastic bags from fishing activities. It was concluded that the Region of Peruibe is an important feeding and development habitat for the species. A problem related to solid waste pollution was observed which consequently shows the need to develop environmental education work with fishers, population and tourists oriented to recycling and the reduction of anthropogenic actions on site.

Aquatic environments in the One Health context: modulating the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon

Abstract: From an anthropocentric perspective, aquatic environments are important to maintain health and survival, however, as they are sometimes managed based on misconception, they are considered a convergent pathway for anthropogenic residues and sanitation. Thus, it is observed that these ecosystems have been threatened by chemical pollution due to xenobiotics, especially from a more contemporary approach, by the selective pressure associated with antimicrobials. There are several studies that report the enrichment of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and mobilizable antimicrobial resistance genes in aquatic and adjacent ecosystems. From the perspective of the emerging and reemerging number of diseases related to the interplay of human, animal, and environmental factors, a new conception arose to address these issues holistically, which is known as the One Health approach. Scientific and political discourse on this conception should lead to effective action plans for preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases in open environment, including those impacted by anthropogenic activities. Therefore, nowadays, discussions on antimicrobial resistance are becoming broader and are requiring a multi-disciplinary view to address health and environmental challenges, which includes aquatic environment management. Water may represent one of the most important ecosystems for the in antimicrobial resistance phenomenon that arises when a dynamic and singular microbial community may be influenced by several characteristics. As antimicrobial substances do not all degrade at the same time under the same treatment, strategies concerning their removal from the environment should consider their individualized chemical characteristics.

Anthrosols and ancient agriculture at Sanyangzhuang, Henan Province, China

Although soils are classically considered to be formed through a variety of geological and biological processes, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that human activity also played a significant role in soil formation in antiquity. By identifying anthropogenic additions into ancient soils, archaeologists can understand many of the social and geological processes that formed ancient landscapes. We present geoarchaeological research from the Sanyangzhuang site, Henan Province, China, to examine how this area's long history of agricultural production altered soils from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. We use soil micromorphology and geochemistry to study the anthropogenic residues left behind in ancient soils and compare our results with the historical and archaeological records. Our results suggest that the transition from wooden to iron tools at the beginning of the Iron Age played an important role in the long-term formation of ancient agricultural soils at Sanyangzhuang, and by extension, in much of ancient China.

Dry reforming of biogas in fluidized bed: Process intensification

Biogas is a renewable resource obtained mainly from the anaerobic fermentation of agro-industrial and anthropogenic residues. The production of hydrogen by dry reforming of methane represents a potential application for this renewable energy carrier. This could play a positive contribution towards meeting the challenge of providing a global supply of energetically sustainable and environmentally friendly energy. This work combines a catalytic reaction, a separation and the catalyst regeneration in a single reactor. To this end, a two zone fluidized bed reactor (TZFBR) with hydrogen selective membranes has been employed (TZFBR + MB). The operating conditions for the process of dry reforming of biogas have been optimized experimentally, both in TZFBR and TZFBR + MB. Several catalysts were prepared (Ni/Al2O3, NiCe/Al2O3, NiCo/Al2O3), characterized and tested in reactions in both TZFBR and in TZFBR + MB. Finally, the influence of using oxygen or carbon dioxide as regenerating gases in the process has been studied. Experimental results show the feasibility of using CO2 for in situ catalyst regeneration, avoiding the potential problems associated with the use of O2.

A geochemical analysis of 18th-century Inuit communal house floors in northern Labrador

This paper reports on a multidisciplinary study carried out on three 18th-century Inuit communal sod houses at two archeological sites in Labrador, northern Canada (Houses 1 and 2 at Oakes Bay 1 and House 7 at Uivak Point 1). Geochemical analyzes were used in order to determine if the occupational layer of those dwellings had been impacted by human occupation. They revealed multiple geochemical indicators of human activities within the archeological deposits. For example, enriched concentrations of Porg, CaO, Sr, Ba and Na2O, which could have been generated by cooking and lamp maintenance activities, were found in floor deposits where burnt and fresh bone fragments had been observed. The entrance tunnel was also rich in geochemical indicators of food waste (notably Porg, CaO and Sr) and lamp maintenance (S and Zn). However, the spatial analysis of the geochemical results did not identify specific activity areas within House 2 and House 7. In fact, the statistical analysis revealed a scattered pattern of the anthropogenic residues within all areas of the houses. The effects of depositional and post-depositional processes, which could have been amplified by the fact that the houses were unoccupied and exposed to the elements several months per year, could have generated this pattern. The anthropogenic residues could also have been dispersed, or even removed, by the circulation of the inhabitants in the houses or by cleaning events.

The Study of Archaeological Floors: Methodological Proposal for the Analysis of Anthropogenic Residues by Spot Tests, ICP-OES, and GC-MS

The identification of chemical activity residues on archaeological surfaces requires the analysis of large numbers of samples, which can be costly and time consuming. Researchers wishing to apply sediment chemistry often are confronted with a dilemma of which technique to use and how to accommodate sediment chemistry into their budget. We propose an approach to the identification of chemical activity residues in which semiquantitative spot tests, which are cheap, quick, and easy to apply, are employed as an initial phase of analysis in order to leverage the results of more time-consuming and costly instrumental techniques. Three examples that pair spot tests with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry analysis show that spot tests successfully identify areas of interest. This approach can save both time and research funds.

Cation exchange capacity of an oxisol amended with an effluent from domestic sewage treatment

The addition of Na-rich anthropogenic residues to tropical soils has stimulated the scientific community to study the role of sodium in both the soil solution and the exchange complex. In this study, several different methods were used to calculate the concentration of exchangeable and soluble cations and this data was then used to establish correlations between the level of these cations and both the accumulation of various elements and the dry weight of maize grown in a greenhouse under different conditions. In the closed environments of the pots, the most suitable method for calculating the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) was the cation exchange capacity calculated by cations removed with barium chloride solution (CEC S). Then again, the actual cation exchange capacity (CEC A) should be measured by using Mg adsorption to prevent ionic force from influencing electric charges. A strong positive correlation was obtained between the concentrations of Na in the 1:2 soil:water extracts and the accumulation of Na in the maize plants, indicating saline or double acid extractors are not needed when monitoring the Na concentration only.

A review of biomarker compounds as source indicators and tracers for air pollution.

An overview of the application of organic geochemistry to the analysis of organic matter on aerosol particles is presented here. This organic matter is analyzed as solvent extractable bitumen/ lipids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The organic geochemical approach assesses the origin, the environmental history and the nature of secondary products of organic matter by using the data derived from specific molecular analyses. Evaluations of production and fluxes, with cross-correlations can thus be made by the application of the same separation and analytical procedures to samples from point source emissions and the ambient atmosphere. This will be illustrated here with typical examples from the ambient atmosphere (aerosol particles) and from emissions of biomass burning (smoke). Organic matter in aerosols is derived from two major sources and is admixed depending on the geographic relief of the air shed. These sources are biogenic detritus (e.g., plant wax, microbes, etc.) and anthropogenic particle emissions (e.g., oils, soot, synthetics, etc.). Both biogenic detritus and some of the anthropogenic particle emissions contain organic materials which have unique and distinguishable compound distribution patterns (C(14)-C(40)). Microbial and vascular plant lipids are the dominant biogenic residues and petroleum hydrocarbons, with lesser amounts of the pyrogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and synthetics (e.g., chlorinated compounds), are the major anthropogenic residues. Biomass combustion is another important primary source of particles injected into the global atmosphere. It contributes many trace substances which are reactants in atmospheric chemistry and soot paniculate matter with adsorbed biomarker compounds, most of which are unknown chemical structures. The injection of natural product organic compounds into smoke occurs primarily by direct volatilization/steam stripping and by thermal alteration based on combustion temperature. Although the molecular composition of organic matter in smoke particles is highly variable, the molecular tracers are generally still source specific. Retene has been utilized as a tracer for conifer smoke in urban aerosols, but is not always detectable. Dehydroabietic acid is generally more concentrated in the atmosphere from the same emission sources. Degradation products from biopolymers (e.g., levoglucosan from cellulose) are also excellent tracers. An overview of the biomarker compositions of biomass smoke types is presented here. Defining additional tracers of thermally-altered and directly-emitted natural products in smoke aids the assessment of the organic matter type and input from biomass combustion to aerosols. The precursor to product approach of compound characterization by organic geochemistry can be applied successfully to provide tracers for studying the chemistry and dispersion of ambient aerosols and smoke plumes.

Characterization of Organic Constituents in Aerosols in Relation to Their rigin and Transport: A Review

Abstract Organic matter in aerosols is derived from two major sources and is admixed depending on the geographic area. These sources are biogenic detritus (e.g. plant wax, microbes, etc.) and anthropogenic emissions (e.g. oils, soot, etc.). Both biogenic detritus and some of the anthropogenic emissions contain organic materials (C14- C40 +) extractable by solvent, which have unique and distinguishable compound distribution patterns. Molecular composition analysis has been applied to such extracts after suitable chemical separation into subfractions (i.e. hydrocarbons, ketones, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and wax esters). Microbial and vascular plant lipids are the dominant biogenic residues and petroleum hydrocarbons, with lesser amounts of the pyrogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), are the major anthropogenic residues. These lipid fractions are quantified and characterized in terms of their contents of both homologous compound series and specific molecular markers. Samples from rural sites c...

Application of molecular marker analysis to reconcile sources of carbonaceous particulates in tropospheric aerosols

Carbonaceous particulates in aerosols are derived from two major sources and are admixed depending on the geographic area. These sources are biogenic detritus (eg. pollen, microbes, etc.) and anthropogenic emissions (eg. soot, charcoal, etc.). Both biogenic detritus and some of the anthropogenic emissions contain organic materials (C 14–C 40+) extractable by solvents, which have unique and distinguishable compound distribution patterns. Molecular marker analysis has been applied to such extracts after suitable chemical separation into subfractions. Microbial and vascular plant lipids are the dominant biogenic residues and petroleum hydrocarbons, with lesser amounts of the pyrogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are the major anthropogenic residues. The sources of these compound classes can be reconciled by the applications of the same analytical techniques to composited vegetation samples and emissions from vehicles (both gasoline and diesel) and fires. This approach is of utility in tracing air parcels from particular geographic regions and as tags for vehicular emissions.