Spatial assessment and source identification of trace metal pollution in stream sediments of Oued El Maadene basin, northern Tunisia.

An extensive spatial survey was conducted on trace metal content in stream sediments from Oued El Maadene basin, northern Tunisia. Our objectives were to evaluate the level of trace metal pollution and associated ecological risk and identify the major sources of metal pollution. A total of 116 stream sediment samples were collected and analysed for total As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, and Zr concentrations. The results showed that concentrations of Cr, Ni, V, and Zr were close to natural levels. In contrast, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn had elevated concentrations and enrichment factors compared to other contaminated regions in northern Tunisia. Ecological risk to aquatic ecosystems was highlighted in most areas. Principal component analysis showed that Cr, Ni, V, and Zr mainly derived from local soil and bedrock weathering, whilst As, Cd, Pb, and Zn originated from mining wastes. Trace metals could be dispersed downstream of tailings, possibly due to surface runoff during the short rainy season. Surprisingly, Cu, and to a lesser extent As, originated from agricultural activities, related to application of Cu-based fungicides in former vineyards and orchards. This study showed that, despite the complete cessation of mining activities several decades ago, metal pollution still impacts the local environment. This large pollution, however, did not mask other additional sources, such as local agricultural applications of fungicides.

A medium-term, stochastic forecast model to support sustainable, mixed fisheries management in the Mediterranean Sea.

A medium-term (10 year) stochastic forecast model is developed and presented for mixed fisheries that can provide estimations of age-specific parameters for a maximum of 10 stocks and 10 fisheries. Designed to support fishery managers dealing with complex, multi-annual management plans, the model can be used to quantitatively test the consequences of various stock-specific and fishery-specific decisions, using non-equilibrium stock dynamics. Such decisions include fishing restrictions and other strategies aimed at achieving sustainable mixed fisheries consistent with the concept of maximum sustainable yield (MSY). In order to test the model, recently gathered data on seven stocks and four fisheries operating in the Ligurian and North Tyrrhenian Seas are used to generate quantitative, 10 year predictions of biomass and catch trends under four different management scenarios. The results show that using the fishing mortality at MSY as the biological reference point for the management of all stocks would be a strong incentive to reduce the technical interactions among concurrent fishing strategies. This would optimize the stock-specific exploitation and be consistent with sustainability criteria.

Distribution of 16 EPA-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sludges collected from nine Tunisian wastewater treatment plants.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds which may be present as contaminants in wastewater sewage sludge. Due to their toxicity and persistence in the solid phase, information should be gathered relating to their presence in sewage sludge in order to determine their contamination risks after land application. In this study, sewage sludge samples from nine Tunisian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were characterized for the total content in 16 EPA-priority PAHs using an optimized extraction protocol. These WWTPs differ in the type of applied treatment and the wastewater source. Through this first assessment of PAHs in Tunisian sludges, their total concentration varied from 96 to the highest level of 7718 ng g(-1). Regardless of the source of wastewater, the highest PAH content was found in sludges deriving from untreated wastewater (natural lagooning). In addition, some correlation was found between the distribution patterns of each PAH, the type of applied treatment on one hand and the wastewater source on other hand.

PVC discrimination using the QRS power spectrum and self-organizing maps.

This paper deals with the discrimination of premature ventricular contraction (PVC) arrhythmia using the fractal behavior of the power spectrum density of the QRS complexes. The linear interpolation of the QRS complex power spectrum density in Bode diagram in two different frequency intervals gives two straight lines with two different slopes. The scatter plot of one slope versus the other shows that there exists two distinct regions which represent the normal beats and the PVC beats. Therefore the PVC beats are classified using a self-organizing map fed by the two slopes of the QRS complex power spectrum. The MIT/BIH arrhythmia database is then used to evaluate the usefulness of the proposed method in the discrimination of the premature ventricular contraction (PVC) arrhythmia. The results have indicated that the method has achieved 82.71% of sensitivity and 88.06% of specificity over 46 records from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database.

Fractional wavelet for R-Wave detection in ECG signal.

In this paper, we propose a method for the R-wave detection of the QRS complex of the ECG signal using a fractional wavelet. This fractional wavelet is defined, in this context, as the second derivative of the Cole-Cole distribution function of relaxation times, which is widely used in mathematical modeling of fractional order systems. In order to reduce the noise level for the ECG data, our detection algorithm incorporates the proposed fractional wavelet whose parameters are obtained by maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio of the ECG. The scales of this wavelet are chosen based on the spectral characteristics of the ECG. The proposed algorithm performances were evaluated using the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The numerical results show that the proposed algorithm achieved a detection rate of about 99.56%.

Reductive degradation of carbaryl in water by zero-valent iron.

Reduction of carbaryl solution by zero-valent iron powder (ZVIP) was studied in a rotator batch system (70 rpm) in order to evaluate the utility of this reaction in remediation of carbamate contaminated water. Degradation with different amount of ZVIP: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 g/ml at pH 6.6 and at ambient temperature was investigated. The results show that the process exhibits a degradation rate appearing to be directly proportional to the surface contact area of ZVIP (325-mesh) with the carbaryl molecules. Three analytical techniques were used to monitor carbaryl degradation: (1) A UV-Vis diode array spectrophotometer was used to record all spectra. (2) A high performance liquid chromatography was used to separate by-products and examine the evolution of breakdown products. (3) A home-built spectrophosphorimeter that uses the solid surface room temperature phosphorescence (SSRTP) was employed to observe selectively the decline of the carbaryl concentration at different amount of ZVIP on Whatman no. 1 filter paper. Results show that the reducing degradation of carbaryl with ZVIP as the source of electrons is effective with a half-life close to several minutes.

Use of diffuse reflectance spectrometry in spot test reactions for quantitative determination of cations in water.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy can be successfully used for the quantitative determination of small amounts of pollutants like metals. The remission function was found to be linearly proportional to the concentration, when we applied the Kubelka-Munk equation. The color reactions of Cu(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) with dithiooxamide, were realised on filter paper. Reaction between Fe(III) and ammonium thiocyanate was realized on filter paper and gelatine matrix. All measurements were accomplished with a laboratory-constructed reflectometer. We have obtained a calibration curve by plotting the optical density of reflectance A(R) vs log of the mol l(-1) concentration. Limits of detection at the 10(-4) M level were estimated for all the compounds. Linear dynamic range extend over one order of magnitude and shows the potential of device for the quantitative analysis of environmental pollutants.

Quantitative measurements of ammonium, hydrogenophosphate and Cu(II) by diffuse reflectance spectrometry.

Diffuse reflectance spectrometry is shown to be useful for the quantitative determination of small amounts of pollutants. The relation between sample concentration and reflectance is described by the Kubelka-Munk equation. The experiments were performed with a laboratory constructed diode array spectrophotometer. We can obtain the quantitative reflectance values of different precipitates like ammonium with Nessler's reagent, hydrogenophosphate with silver nitrate and a complex such as Cu(II) with dithiooxamide 'rubeanic acid' by forming a spot colour on filter paper. We have obtained for each reagent a calibration curve by plotting the relative intensity of reflectance versus the log of the mol (dm(3))(-1) concentration. The linearity was obtained for Cu(II) from 8x10(-4) to 2.5x10(-2) mol l(-1) with r(2)=0.9838 and from 10(-3) to 10(-1) mol l(-1) for polyphosphate with r(2)=0.9975 and from 5x10(-4) to 5x10(-2) mol l(-1) for ammonium with r(2)=0.9889. We can consider that for a direct measurement of the intensity of reflectance, it is possible to perform quantitative spot-test analysis.

Analysis of polarization dynamics by singularity decomposition method.

The driving point immittance (impedance or admittance) function is commonly used in electrical characterization of polarized materials and interfaces. The immittance function typically attenuates following a power function dependence on frequency. This fact has been recognized as a macroscopic dynamical property manifested by strongly interacting dielectric, viscoelastic and magnetic materials and interfaces between different conducting substances. Linear interfacial polarization processes which occur at metal electrode-electrolyte interfaces have been represented by the Fractional Power Pole [FPP] function in single or multiple stages. The FPP function is referred to as the Davidson-Cole function in the dielectrics literature. A related function widely used in mathematical modeling of dielectric and viscoelastic polarization dynamics is the Cole-Cole function. The fractional power factor which parametrizes the FPP or the Davidson-Cole function has been shown earlier to equal the logarithmic ratio of the locations of the pole-zero singularities. In this paper we first review a modified form of the singularity decomposition of the FPP function accomplished within a prescribed error range. The distribution spectrum and the corresponding simulation by a cascade R-C network, as opposed to the synthesis by a ladder R-C network, are readily obtained as the next step in the simulation. The method is then applied to decompose the Cole-Cole function; the pole-zero placement of the singularity function is determined and the equivalent cascade R-C network is synthesized.

Fractal system--a time domain approach.

A method to analyze the fractal system in the time domain is presented so that the dynamic behavior of the system can be studied. The fractal system is represented by a set of linear time-varying differential equations whose order depends on the order of the system under non-fractal condition. Four different types of fractal system are considered and their solutions in the time domain are presented. These analyses show that the fractal system is dynamically more stable with smooth changes of magnitude and less oscillatory than the non-fractal system. Examples of the physiological system of the conduction pathways in the heart and also the polarization phenomena of noble metal are presented to illustrate the phenomena.