Environmental DNA Reveals the Impact of Submarine Groundwater Discharge on the Spatial Variability of Coastal Fish Diversity.

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) has recently been recognized as an influential factor in coastal ecosystems; however, little research has been conducted on its effects on coastal fish diversity. To investigate the relationship between SGD and fish diversity, we conducted a survey at the coastal island scale using the environmental DNA (eDNA) method. Our findings indicate that fish species richness and functional richness peak at stations with high SGD.

Nitrous oxide emissions during biological soil disinfestation with different organic matter and plastic mulch films in laboratory-scale tests.

Nitrous oxide (NO), which is a greenhouse gas, may be more emitted as an intermediate product of denitrification during biological soil disinfestation. The biological soil disinfestation is a method to suppress soil-borne pathogens under reductive soil conditions produced by the application of organic matter and water irrigation with plastic film. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of different organic matter and mulch films on NO emissions during biological soil disinfestation.

Cascade utilization of water chestnut: recovery of phenolics, phosphorus, and sugars.

Overgrowth of aquatic plants, such as water chestnut, has been reported as a regional problem in various areas. We proposed cascade utilization of water chestnut through the recovery of phenolics, phosphorus, and sugars. Phenolics were extracted using 50 g (wet weight) of biomass with 300 mL of acetone, methanol, or hot water, and the yields of total phenolics were 80.

Comparison of simultaneous and separate processes: saccharification and thermophilic L-lactate fermentation of catch crop and aquatic plant biomass.

Catch crop candidates (corn, guinea grass) for recovering nutrients from farm soil and aquatic plants (water caltrop, water hyacinth) were utilized to produce L-lactic acid. The efficiencies ofpre-treatment methods for enzymatic saccharification and L-lactate production of two fermentation processes, thermophilic simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), as well as separate saccharification and fermentation, were compared. Conditions were set at 55 degrees C and pH 5.

Behavior of inorganic elements during sludge ozonation and their effects on sludge solubilization.

The behavior of inorganic elements (including phosphorus, nitrogen, and metals) during sludge ozonation was investigated using batch tests and the effects of metals on sludge solubilization were elucidated. A decrease of ∼ 50% in the ratio of sludge solubilization was found to relate to a high iron content 80-120 mgFe/gSS than that of 4.7-7.