Variation in temperature of peak trait performance constrains adaptation of arthropod populations to climatic warming.

The capacity of arthropod populations to adapt to long-term climatic warming is currently uncertain. Here we combine theory and extensive data to show that the rate of their thermal adaptation to climatic warming will be constrained in two fundamental ways. First, the rate of thermal adaptation of an arthropod population is predicted to be limited by changes in the temperatures at which the performance of four key life-history traits can peak, in a specific order of declining importance: juvenile development, adult fecundity, juvenile mortality and adult mortality. Second, directional thermal adaptation is constrained due to differences in the temperature of the peak performance of these four traits, with these differences expected to persist because of energetic allocation and life-history trade-offs. We compile a new global dataset of 61 diverse arthropod species which provides strong empirical evidence to support these predictions, demonstrating that contemporary populations have indeed evolved under these constraints. Our results provide a basis for using relatively feasible trait measurements to predict the adaptive capacity of diverse arthropod populations to geographic temperature gradients, as well as ongoing and future climatic warming.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) distribution in landfill gas collection systems: leachate and gas condensate partitioning.

While per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been reported extensively in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate,they have rarely been quantified in landfill gas or in discrete landfill liquids such as landfill gas condensate (LGC), and the potential for PFAS to partition to the condensate has not been reported. LGC and leachate collected from within gas wells known as gas well pump-out (GWP) from three MSW landfills underwent physical-chemical characterization and PFAS analysis to improve understanding of the conditions under which these liquids form and to illuminate PFAS behavior within landfills. LGC was observed to be clear liquid containing ammonia and alkalinity while GWP strongly resembled leachate - dark in color, high in chloride and ammonia. Notably, arsenic and antimony were found in concentrations exceeding regulatory thresholds by over two orders of magnitude in many LGC samples. LGC contained a lower average concentration of ΣPFAS (19,000 ng L) compared to GWP (56,000 ng L); however, LGC contained more diversity of PFAS, with 53 quantified compared to 44 in GWP. LGC contained proportionally more precursor PFAS than GWP, including more semi-volatile PFAS which are rarely measured in water matrices, such as fluorotelomer alcohols and perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanols. This study provides the first detailed comparison of these matrices to inform timely leachate management decisions.

Landfill gas as a source of anthropogenic antimony and arsenic release.

Antimony is used extensively in consumer goods, including single use plastic bottles, electronics, textiles and automobile brakes, which are disposed of in landfills at the end of their service lives. As a result, Sb is a constituent of concern in landfill emissions. Previous research has focused on leachate (liquid) and waste incineration flue gas emissions; however, Sb has the potential to volatilize through chemical and microbial processes within a landfill. In this study, iron-amended granular activated carbon was used to adsorb volatile metals directly from gas in a full-scale landfill gas collection system. Metals were quantified using acid digestion and ICP-AES analysis. Antimony concentrations far exceeded those previously reported, at up to 733 µg m-3 (mean: 254 µg m-3). In addition to Sb, As was also measured at high levels compared to previous research, as high as 740 µg m-3 (mean: 178 µg m-3). Using US EPA landfill and landfill gas databases, total Sb emissions via landfill gas are estimated to be approximately 27.3 kg day-1 in the US. Based on other estimates of national and global Sb emissions, this corresponds to approximately 4.5% of total US atmospheric emissions of Sb and 0.42% of global atmospheric emissions. Sb mass release via landfill gas is approximately 3.9 times higher than via leachate emissions. Although gas emissions are higher than expected, the vast majority (99.9%) of Sb present in landfilled MSW remains within the waste mass indefinitely. In addition to these mass release estimates, this experiment suggests that iron-amended activated carbon may offer significant metals removal from LFG, especially in the first months of new well operation.

Life cycle GHG emissions of MSW landfilling versus Incineration: Expected outcomes based on US landfill gas collection regulations.

From a GHG perspective, most LCA studies find incineration (MSWI) to be preferred over landfilling because of high energy recovery offsets. In some studies, however, landfilling results in less greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions than MSWI. We investigated using LCA, the landfill gas (LFG) collection efficiencies and waste composition that led to landfills resulting in less GHG emissions. Then, we explored what theoretical minimum lifetime gas collection efficiencies can be expected when following US LFG regulations. Only landfills with high LFG collection efficiencies (at least 81%) and recovery of methane for energy resulted in less GHG emissions compared to the management of the same waste stream in MSWI; required efficiency increased to 93% without LFG energy recovery. Expected theoretical lifetime LFG collection efficiencies were modeled in the range of 30-80%, with the lower rates associated with landfills having smaller input masses, high decay rates, and low concentrations of nonmethane organic compounds (CNMOC). Our modeling found that only under a limited combination of conditions (e.g., high CNMOC, high waste input rate, low decay rate) could a landfill expect to achieve a LFG collection efficiency as high as 80%, and that this value falls just under the 81-93% collection efficiency threshold needed for a landfill to result in less GHG emissions than MSWI. When exploring the influence of higher oxidation rates, changing decay rates, varying electricity grids, and inclusion of nonferrous metals recovery offsets the collection effciency range needed increased in nearly all cases; the electricity grid and nonferrous metals offsets had the greatest influence.

The Role of Vector Trait Variation in Vector-Borne Disease Dynamics.

Many important endemic and emerging diseases are transmitted by vectors that are biting arthropods. The functional traits of vectors can affect pathogen transmission rates directly and also through their effect on vector population dynamics. Increasing empirical evidence shows that vector traits vary significantly across individuals, populations, and environmental conditions, and at time scales relevant to disease transmission dynamics. Here, we review empirical evidence for variation in vector traits and how this trait variation is currently incorporated into mathematical models of vector-borne disease transmission. We argue that mechanistically incorporating trait variation into these models, by explicitly capturing its effects on vector fitness and abundance, can improve the reliability of their predictions in a changing world. We provide a conceptual framework for incorporating trait variation into vector-borne disease transmission models, and highlight key empirical and theoretical challenges. This framework provides a means to conceptualize how traits can be incorporated in vector borne disease systems, and identifies key areas in which trait variation can be explored. Determining when and to what extent it is important to incorporate trait variation into vector borne disease models remains an important, outstanding question.

Polyurethane scaffold with in situ swelling capacity for nucleus pulposus replacement.

Nucleus pulposus (NP) replacement offers a minimally invasive alternative to spinal fusion or total disc replacement for the treatment of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. This study aimed to develop a cytocompatible NP replacement material, which is feasible for non-invasive delivery and tunable design, and allows immediate mechanical restoration of the IVD. A bi-phasic polyurethane scaffold was fabricated consisting of a core material with rapid swelling property and a flexible electrospun envelope. The scaffold was assessed in a bovine whole IVD organ culture model under dynamic load for 14 days. Nucleotomy was achieved by incision through the endplate without damaging the annulus fibrosus. After implantation of the scaffold and in situ swelling, the dynamic compressive stiffness and disc height were restored immediately. The scaffold also showed favorable cytocompatibility for native disc cells. Implantation of the scaffold in a partially nucleotomized IVD down-regulated catabolic gene expression, increased proteoglycan and type II collagen intensity and decreased type I collagen intensity in remaining NP tissue, indicating potential to retard degeneration and preserve the IVD cell phenotype. The scaffold can be delivered in a minimally invasive manner, and the geometry of the scaffold post-hydration is tunable by adjusting the core material, which allows individualized design.