BIOSENSORS: ABIOTICS

Soil Quality

1. Aggregate Stability

   1. “measure of water stable aggregates that resist forces of flowing water” (n.d. “AESA”)

2. Boron

   1. Micronutrient

3. Bulk density

   1. Varies with particle density

   2. Indicated compaction, soil structure, texture, organic matter content, and erosion potential

4. Carbon, Organic

   1. Soil Organic Matter

   2. Essential to organic compounds

   3. 56% of SOM

5. Chloride

   1. Micronutrient

6. Clay

   1. More likely to have micronutrients than sand

7. Copper

   1. Micronutrient

   2. Necessary during plant's reproductive growth stage

   3. Affects chlorophyll production

   4. As SOM increases, Copper levels decrease

8. Depth to Resistance Layer

   1. Compaction layers limit air and water movement

   2. Compaction impedes root growth

9. Earth Worms

   1. Represent soil biodiversity

   2. More common in undisturbed systems

   3. Affected by temperature, soil properties, food source and soil disturbance.

10. Electrical Conductivity

11. Fertilizer

    1. As fertilizer decreases, SOM decreases

12. Free Lime, CaCO3

    1. Precipitates the Micronutrients

13. Iron

    1. Micronutrient

    2. Necessary for chlorophyll formation and photosynthesis

    3. Necessary in plant enzyme systems and respiration

14. Manganese

    1. Micronutrient

    2. Necessary for carbohydrate and Nitrogen metabolism

15. Molybdenum

    1. Micronutrient

16. Nickel

    1. Micronutrient

17. Nitrate

18. good for estimating crop yield

19. Nitrogen, Organic

    1. Soil Organic Matter

    2. Macronutrient

    3. Used in the forms NO3- or NH4+.

    4. 2 to 5% of total Nitrogen in soil

20. pH

    1. As pH increases, micronutrient levels decrease

    2. Affected by temperature and precipitation

21. Phosphorus

    1. Macronutrient

    2. Necessary for primary mechanisms for energy transfer

    3. Necessary for gene encoding

22. Potassium

    1. Macronutrient

23. Precipitation

    1. As precipitation increases, micronutrient consumption decreases

    2. As precipitation decreases, SOM decreases

24. Respiration, Soil

    1. “CO2 is a byproduct of biological activity” (n.d. “AESA”)

25. Salinity

    1. Hinders plant growth by taking up water

26. Temperature

    1. As temperature decreases, micronutrient consumption decreases

    2. As temperature increases, SOM decreases

27. Tillage (farming)

    1. As tillage increases, SOM decreases

28. Water Content, Soil

    1. Moisture in Soil

    2. Affected by precipitation and temperature

29. Zinc

    1. Micronutrient

    2. Necessary for sugar regulation

    3. Necessary for enzymes controlling plant growth, i.e. Root growth

• DTPA extraction used to analyze copper, iron, manganese, and zinc.

• Aerial photography used to analyze visible salinity.

• To estimate mineralizable N in soil, use Oness (1984) equation: Nt = No(1-e^-kt)y,where Nt is cumulative N mineralized, No is the potential mineralizable nitrogen, k is the rate constant, t is time, and y is soil water content.

Air Quality

Principle Pollutants:

1. Carbon Monoxide, CO

2. Ozone, O3

3. Lead, Pb

4. Nitrogen Oxides, NOx

5. Sulfur Dioxide, SO2

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs)

¹ Not to be exceeded more than once per year.

² To attain this standard, the expected annual arithmetic mean PM10 concentration at each monitor within an area must not exceed 50 ug/m³.

³ To attain this standard, the 3-year average of the annual arithmetic mean PM_2.5 concentrations from single or multiple community-oriented monitors must not exceed 15.0 ug/m³.

⁴ To attain this standard, the 3-year average of the 98th percentile of 24-hour concentrations at each population-oriented monitor within an area must not exceed 65 ug/m³

⁵ To attain this standard, the 3-year average of the fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone concentrations measured at each monitor within an area over each year must not exceed 0.08 ppm.

⁶ (a) The standard is attained when the expected number of days per calendar year with maximum hourly average concentrations above 0.12 ppm is <= 1, as determined by appendix H.

(b) The 1-hour NAAQS will no longer apply to an area one year after the effective date of the designation of that area for the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The effective designation date for most areas is June 15, 2004. (40 CFR 50.9; see Federal Register of April 30, 2004 (69 FR 23996).)

Nationally-Assessed Air Toxics:

1. acetaldehyde

   1. Uses: intermediate in the synthesis of other chemicals, food preservative, and solvent

   2. Sources:Mainly, residential woodstoves and fireplaces. Also, vehicle exhaust, tobacco buring, coal refining, waste processing, and coffee roasting. Product of incomplete wood combustion.

   3. Acute exposure: eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation

   4. Chronic: symptoms similar to alcoholism's. Carcinogen

2. acrolein

   1. Uses: intermediate in acrylic acid manufacture

   2. Sources: breakdown of pollutants,and burning tobacco, coal, and gasoline

   3. Acute exposure: respiratory tract irritation and congestion

   4. Chronic exposure:

3. acrylonitrile

   1. Uses: acrylic acid and modacrylic fiber manufacture

   2. Sources: occupational

   3. Acute exposure: mucous membrane irritation, heachaches, dizziness, and nausea

   4. Chronic exposure:

4. arsenic compounds

   1. Uses: wood preservation,and semiconductor manufactor.

   2. Sources: Mainly, food. Volcanoes

   3. Acute exposure: nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and central & peripheeral nervous system disorders

   4. Chronic exposure: skin and mucous membrane irritation, anemia, peripheral neuropathy, skin lesions, hyperpigmentation, and liver & kidney damage. Carcinogen

5. benzene

   1. Uses:chemical intermediate, fuel constituent, solvent, and manufactor of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyestuffs

   2. Sources: burning coal and oil, vehicle exhaust

   3. Acute exposure: drowsiness, dizziness, headaches,eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and unconsciousness

   4. Chronic exposure: aplastic anemia and leukemia

6. beryllium compounds

   1. Uses: alloy and chemicals

   2. Sources: mainly, occupational. Burning of coal, fuel, and tobacco

   3. Acute exposure: acute pneumonitis

   4. Chronic exposure: berylliosis

7. 1, 3-butadiene

   1. Uses:rubber and plastics production

   2. Sources: vehicle exhaust

   3. Acute exposure: eye, nasal, throat, and lung irritation

   4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen: leukemia, cardiovascular disease, possibly.

8. cadmium compounds

   1. Uses:pigment and battery manufacture, metal-alloy and plastics

   2. Sources:mainly, burning coal, oil, and municipal waste. Zinc, lead, and copper smelting

   3. Acute exposure: lung irritation

   4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, kidney disease

9. carbon tetrachloride

   1. Uses: refrigerant and propellant

   2. Sources: cleaning agents and accidental releases

   3. Acute exposure: headaches, weakness, lethargy, nausea, and vomiting

   4. Chronic exposure:carcinogen, liver and kidney damage

10. chloroform

    1. Uses: HCFC-22 manufacture

    2. Sources: chlorination in bodies of water, pulp and paper mills, sanitary landfills, and hazardous waste sites

    3. Acute exposure: central nervous system depression

    4. Chronic exposure: hepatitis, jaundice, depression, and irritability

11. chromium compounds

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure: shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, septum perforations, bronchitis, decreased pulmonary function, and pneumonia

12. coke oven emissions

    1. Uses: byproducts are raw materials for plastics, drugs, insulation, paint, etc. manufacture

    2. Sources: occupational

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen,conjunctivitis, sever dermatitis, amd respiratory and digestive system lesions

13. 1, 3-dichloropropene

    1. Uses: soil fumigant manufacture

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure: mucous membrane irritation, chest pain, and breathing difficulties

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, skin sensitization, urinary bladder and nasal mucosa damage

14. diesel particulate matter

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure:

15. ethylene dibromide

    1. Uses: fumigant, intermediate in dyes, resins, waxes and gums

    2. Sources: emissions form produciton and processing facilities

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, impair reproduction in men

16. ethylene dichloride

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure:

17. ethylene oxides

    1. Uses: intermediate, fumigant, sterilant

    2. Sources: industrial and vehicle exhaust emissions, smoking tobacco

    3. Acute exposure:central nervous system (CNS) depr4ession, and eye and mucous membrane irritation

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, brain and nerve functioning problems, and eye, skin, and mucous membrane irritation

18. formaldehyde

    1. Uses: chemical intermediate, resin manufacture

    2. Sources: building materials and home furnishings

    3. Acute exposure: eye, nose, and throat irritation

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, and eye, nose, and throat irritation

19. hexachlorobenzene

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources: occupational

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, liver disease, and skin lesions

20. hydrazine

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources: occupational, smoking tobacco

    3. Acute exposure: eye, nose, throat irritation, dizziness, headaches, nausea, pulmonary edema, seizures, coma,dermatitis, and liver, kidney, and CNS damage

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen

21. lead compounds

    1. Uses: battery, pain, ceramic glaze, and metal products manufacture

    2. Sources: waste, coal and oil combustion, and tobacco smoke

    3. Acute exposure: brain and kidney damage, and gastrointestinal distress

    4. Chronic exposure: affects in blood, CNS, kidneys, and Vitamin D metabolism, reduced growth in children

22. manganese compounds

    1. Uses: steel, battery, matches, and fireworks manufacture, catalyst, and water purification

    2. Sources: occupational, natural

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: CNS effects, manganism, affects in visual reaction time, hand steadiness, and eye-hand coordination, impotence and loss of libido in men

23. mercury compounds

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure: tremors, mood change, slowed sensory and motor nerve function, nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, blindness, deafness, and impaired level of consciousness

    4. Chronic exposure: erethism, irritability, excessive shyness, tremors, kidney damage, parathesia, blurred vision, malaise, and speech difficulties

24. methylene chloride

    1. Uses: solvent, propellant, and fumigant

    2. Sources: occupational

    3. Acute exposure: decreased auditory, visual, and motor functions

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen

25. nickel compounds

    1. Uses: alloys, batteries, coins, and plumbing

    2. Sources :mainly food, occupational

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, nickel dermatitis

26. perchloroethylene

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure:

27. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources: food

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: respiratory, liver, and gastrointestinal effects, chloracne, and skin and eye irritation

28. polycyclic organic matter (POM, 7-PAH)

    1. Uses: treat skin disorders

    2. Sources: vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoking, home heating, laying tar, and grilling meat

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure: carcinogen, respiratory tract tumors, leukemia, forestomach tumors, and lung tumors

29. propylene dichloride

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure:

30. quinoline

    1. Uses: manufacture intermediate, catalyst, and inhibitor

    2. Sources: cigarette smoke, occupational, coal and oil emissions

    3. Acute exposure: eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, and nausea

    4. Chronic exposure:

31. 1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloroethane

    1. Uses: chemical intermediate and solvent

    2. Sources:occupational

    3. Acute exposure: stinging and burning sensations on skin

    4. Chronic exposure:

32. trichloroethylene

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources: industrial degreasing operations

    3. Acute exposure: dizziness, headaches, euphoria, facial numbness, weakness, and liver, kidney, immunological, endocrine, and developmental effects

    4. Chronic exposure: dizziness, headaches, euphoria, facial numbness, weakness, and liver, kidney, immunological, endocrine, and developmental effects

33. vinyl chloride

    1. Uses:

    2. Sources:

    3. Acute exposure:

    4. Chronic exposure:

Water Quality

1. Natural Constituents in Water

   1. Common constituents

      1. Bicarbonate

      2. Calcium

      3. Chlorine

      4. Oxygen_(g)

         1. reflective of biological reactions

         2. solubility decreases as temperature increases

         3. Bacteria

            • main source of depletion

            • Usually when water is eutrophic

      5. Sodium

   2. Plant nutrients (harmful if exceed standards)

      1. Nitrogen

         1. Forms: N₂, NO₂, NO₃, NH₄,

      2. Phosphorus

   3. Trace elements (harmful if exceed standards)

      1. Arsenic

      2. Chromium

      3. Radon_(g)

      4. Selenium

2. National Primary Drinking Water Standards

3. Outbreaks from Public Water Systems

4. Tables of Approved Methods

5. Other factors in Salt Water Ecosystems

   1. Salt concentrations: however, doesn't change much in the ocean

   2. Light intensity: especially for plant and coral reef populations

   3. Water movement (currents): affect species dipersal

   4. Carbon Dioxide_(g)

      1. Forms carbonic acid

      2. Lowers pH

   5. Copper: can have adverse affects

Related Links:

1. National Primary Drinking Water Standards

2. Outbreaks from Public Water Systems

3. Tables of Approved Methods

4. Biosensors

   1. Biosensors: Species on Galapagos

   2. Biosensors: Networks

   3. Biosensors: Types

   4. Biosensors: Urban Populations

5. Volcanoes

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