scholarly journals Improving Carbonate Equilibria-Based Estimation of pCO2 in Anthropogenically Impacted River Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omme K. Nayna ◽  
Most Shirina Begum ◽  
Lishan Ran ◽  
Ji-Hyung Park

Estimating riverine carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has been constrained by lacking field measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and inaccuracies in calculating pCO2 using carbonate equilibria-based models such as CO2SYS. To evaluate potential errors in applying the carbonate equilibria-based pCO2 calculation to river systems affected by monsoon rainfall and water pollution, we compared pCO2 values calculated using CO2SYS and those measured by headspace equilibration in five Asian rivers (Ganges, Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow, and Han rivers) undergoing various water pollution stages. Across the five rivers, calculated and measured pCO2 values exhibited larger discrepancies during the monsoon season, particularly in the low pH range, while in the Han River mismatches were also noticeable during the dry season. In the Han River, pH was negatively correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during the monsoon, indicating organic acids flushed from soils during rainfalls as a key factor for overestimated pCO2 at sites with low pH and alkalinity, whereas dry-season overestimation of pCO2 may be ascribed to non-carbonate alkalinity including organic acids and inorganic anions delivered by wastewater effluents or sporadic rainfalls. The four large rivers exhibited a positive correlation between pH and DOC in tributaries during the monsoon season, indicating that DOC flushed from soils may be diluted by monsoonal floods to such a degree as to exert little influence on pH and hence pCO2. Therefore, the monsoonal overestimation of pCO2 at sites with low pH and alkalinity warrants further investigation of other factors than non-carbonate alkalinity to explain the increased sensitivity of pCO2 to subtle changes in acidity and buffering. These results illustrate the importance of direct measurements of pCO2 in highly polluted rivers, especially during the monsoon season. For river systems lacking pCO2 measurements, we suggest that carbonate equilibria-based models be complemented with corrective measures: 1) presenting pCO2 values calculated from low pH values (pH < 6.5 for monsoon and pH < 6.3 for dry season) together with the pH range to warn potential overestimation; 2) using pre-established regressions between measured pCO2 and environmental variables to correct pCO2 values, particularly during wet periods when large changes in pH and acid buffering are expected.

2009 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Alvo

I monitored Common Loon (Gavia immer) breeding success in relation to lake pH (range 4.0–8.5) between 1982 and 2007 on 38 single-pair lakes (5–88 ha) in the Sudbury, Ontario, area. No chicks fledged on lakes with pH < 4.4. Chicks fledged on lakes with slightly higher pH only if the lakes were relatively large. Acidic lakes became less acidic as sulphur dioxide emissions from the Sudbury smelters and sulphur deposition from other long-range sources decreased. Two lakes initially too acidic to support successful loon reproduction eventually had successful reproduction. One loon pair used two large acidic lakes (combined area 140 ha) connected by shallow rapids, and one of the adults made extremely long dives (average = 99 s) while foraging for the chicks. One chick died on that lake after apparently ingesting a very large food item; the lack of smaller items was attributed to the lake’s acidity. My results suggest that a shortage of food for chicks is the main reason why low pH reduces breeding success. I suggest that, for lakes without high levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the critical pH for loon breeding success is approximately 4.3, and the suboptimal pH is approximately 4.4–6.0.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
Thu- Rein

Studies on percent cover and biomass of seagrasses from Shwe Thaung Yan coastal areas (Inn Din Gyi, Kyauk Nagar and Phoe Htaung Gyaing), the Southern parts of Rakhine Coastal Region, were carried out between March and August, 2018. A total of 8 species of seagrasses, namely Syringodiumisoetifolium (Ascherson) Danty, Halodulepinifolia (Miki) den Hartog, Haloduleuninervis (Forsskal) Ascherson, Cymodocearotundata Ehrenberg et Hemprich ex Ascherson, C. serrulata (R. Brown) Ascherson et Magnus, Thalassiahemprichii(Ehrenberg) Ascherson, Halophila major (Zoll.) Miquel and Enhalusacoroides (Linnaeus f.) Royle, were recorded in three study sites. Seagrass meadow in this study showed seasonal variations in both percent cover and biomass. Total seagrass coverage and biomass were higher in the dry season than in the monsoon season. Total seagrass coverage ranged between 8% and 75% in Phoe Htaung Gyaing, between 10% and 42% in Kyauk Nagar, and between 15% and 43% in Inn Din Gyi. Total seagrass mean biomass was 50.2413-259.846gdry.wtm-2 in Phoe Htaung Gyaing, 63.0194 -321.535gdry.wtm-2 in Kyauk Nagar, and 98.6819-416.237gdry.wtm-2 in Inn Din Gyi.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 2011-2030 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Nair ◽  
K. Parameswaran ◽  
K. Rajeev

Abstract. Aerosol distribution over the oceanic regions around the Indian subcontinent and its seasonal and interannual variabilities are studied using the aerosol optical depth (AOD) derived from NOAA-14 and NOAA-16 AVHRR data for the period of November 1995–December 2003. The air-mass types over this region during the Asian summer monsoon season (June–September) are significantly different from those during the Asian dry season (November–April). Hence, the aerosol loading and its properties over these oceanic regions are also distinctly different in these two periods. During the Asian dry season, the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are dominated by the transport of aerosols from Northern Hemispheric landmasses, mainly the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Arabia. This aerosol transport is rather weak in the early part of the dry season (November–January) compared to that in the later period (February–April). Large-scale transport of mineral dust from Arabia and the production of sea-salt aerosols, due to high surface wind speeds, contribute to the high aerosol loading over the Arabian Sea region during the summer monsoon season. As a result, the monthly mean AOD over the Arabian Sea shows a clear annual cycle with the highest values occurring in July. The AOD over the Bay of Bengal and the Southern Hemisphere Indian Ocean also displays an annual cycle with maxima during March and October, respectively. The amplitude of the annual variation is the largest in coastal Arabia and the least in the Southern Hemisphere Indian Ocean. The interannual variability in AOD is the largest over the Southeast Arabian Sea (seasonal mean AOD varies from 0.19 to 0.42) and the northern Bay of Bengal (seasonal mean AOD varies from 0.24 to 0.39) during the February–April period and is the least over the Southern Hemisphere Indian Ocean. This study also investigates the altitude regions and pathways of dominant aerosol transport by combining the AOD distribution with the atmospheric circulation. Keywords. Atmospheric composition and structure (Aerosols and particles) – Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (Climatology) – Oceanography: physical (Ocean fog and aerosols)


1938 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurin M. Chase ◽  
Charles Haig

The absorption spectra of visual purple solutions extracted by various means were measured with a sensitive photoelectric spectrophotometer and compared with the classical visual purple absorption spectrum. Hardening the retinas in alum before extraction yielded visual purple solutions of much higher light transmission in the blue and violet, probably because of the removal of light-dispersing substances. Re-extraction indicated that visual purple is more soluble in the extractive than are the other colored retinal components. However, the concentration of the extractive did not affect the color purity of the extraction but did influence the keeping power. This suggests a chemical combination between the extractive and visual purple. The pH of the extractive affected the color purity of the resulting solution. Over the pH range from 5.5 to 10.0, the visual purple color purity was greatest at the low pH. Temperature during extraction was also effective, the color purity being greater the higher the temperature, up to 40°C. Drying and subsequent re-dissolving of visual purple solutions extracted with digitalin freed the solution of some protein impurities and increased its keeping power. Dialysis against distilled water seemed to precipitate visual purple from solution irreversibly. None of the treatments described improved the symmetry of the unbleached visual purple absorption spectrum sufficiently for it to resemble the classical absorption spectrum. Therefore it is very likely that the classical absorption spectrum is that of the light-sensitive group only and that the absorption spectra of our purest unbleached visual purple solutions represent the molecule as a whole.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Ji ◽  
Xiameng Dong ◽  
Kailun Zhang ◽  
Libo Jin ◽  
Renyi Peng ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe non-conventional yeast Pichia kudriavzevii possesses a unique ability to tolerate various environmental stresses particularly low-pH stress. Thus, it is considered to be a promising biotechnological host for the production of various organic acids under low-pH conditions. However, little is known about the low-pH stress response in P. kudriavzevii, which significantly restricts its future development. ResultsIn this study, P. kudriavzevii JLY1107 showed great tolerance to low-pH stress, but its cell aggregation upon acidic conditions is unfavorable for the development of low-pH fermentation. To explore the molecular basis, we conducted RNA-Seq to compare global gene expression in response to low-pH. Among the 429 differentially expressed genes, the genes associated with regulation of membrane lipid composition, filamentous growth and arginine metabolism were selected for in-depth discussions. The up-regulation of genes associated with arginine uptake and degradation suggests a potential role of arginine in response to low-pH strsss. We therefore present data supporting the hypothesis that P. kudriavzevii maintains intracellular homeostasis by using the ammonia produced by arginine catabolism. Furthermore, external addition of arginine significantly enhances growth and reduces cell aggregation of P. kudriavzevii under low-pH conditions.ConclusionsArginine was demonstrated to be a promising molecule for improving cell growth and preventing cell aggregation under extremely low-pH conditions. Our study is a step towards developing the non-conventional yeast P. kudriavzevii as a platform host for the production of organic acids under low-pH conditions.


1989 ◽  
Vol 259 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Montecucco ◽  
G Schiavo ◽  
B R Dasgupta

The interaction of botulinum neurotoxin serotypes A, B and E with membranes of different lipid compositions was examined by photolabelling with two photoreactive phosphatidylcholine analogues that monitor the polar region and the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer. At neutral pH the neurotoxins interacted both with the polar head groups and with fatty acid chains of phospholipids. At acidic pHs the neurotoxins underwent structural changes characterized by a more extensive interaction with lipids. Both the heavy and light chain subunits of the neurotoxins were involved in the process. The change in the nature and extent of toxin-lipid interaction occurred in the pH range 4-6 and was not influenced by the presence of polysialogangliosides. The present data are in agreement with the idea that botulinum neurotoxins enter into nerve cells from a low pH intracellular compartment.


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