Herbicide transport to surface waters at field and watershed scales in a Mediterranean vineyard area.

The contamination of soil and runoff water by two herbicides, diuron [N'-(3,4-dichlorphenyl)-N,N-dimethylurea] and simazine (6-chloro-N,N'-diethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine), were monitored on two fields, one no-till and one tilled. Experiments were carried out in a 91.4-ha watershed in southern France during the 1997 growing season in order to understand the patterns of pesticide transport from field to watershed. The persistence of the herbicides in soil was prolonged due to the climatic conditions. At the field scale, annual herbicide loads were due to overland flow and amounted to 65.6 and 6.3 g ha(-1) of diuron for the no-till and tilled field, respectively, and to 29.6 and 1.83 g ha(-1) of simazine. Maximum herbicide concentrations exceeded 580 microg L(-1) during the first storm event after application and decreased thereafter but remained for 8 mo above 0.1 microg L(-1). At the watershed outlet, estimated annual loads amounted to 4.12 g ha(-1) of diuron and 0.56 g ha(-1) of simazine. Among them, 96% of the losses in diuron and 83% of those in simazine were caused by the fast transmission through the network of ditches of the overland flow exiting the fields. For diuron, which was sprayed over most of the vineyards, its in-stream concentrations during storm flow were close to those at the outlet of the fields. The herbicide loads in baseflow were smaller than 0.2 g ha(-1). The patterns of the loads at the field and watershed scales suggested that a major part of the herbicides leaving the fields reinfiltrated to the ground water by seepage through the ditches, and was there degraded or adsorbed.

Broadband ultrasound attenuation at the calcaneus measured using a new contact ultrasound unit.

We evaluated a new contact ultrasound device, developed and manufactured in France, for measuring broadband ultrasound attenuation at the calcaneus. We first studied the influence on measurement results of a number of parameters including the nature of the coupling agent, heel position, transducer temperature, and foot vasodilation. We then determined the reproducibility of the measurements (2.14 +/- 1.07% in the medium-term) and established reference values in women (n = 612) and men (n = 106). Broadband ultrasound attenuation decreased between 25 and 85 years of age by 34% in women and 17% in men. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of decreased bone mass at the calcaneus were 85.5% and 81.5%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of the measurement at the calcaneus as compared to the lumbar spine were 90.7% and 89.1%, respectively. This unit intended for screening purposes is very easy to use, and the measurements it provides are immediately available. It can be expected to help determine the optimal strategy for use of ultrasound in the management of osteoporosis.