Donald Mullins - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Donald Mullins

Journal of Environmental Quality, Apr 1, 1993

Methods to dispose of unused concentrated and dilute formulated pesticide suspensions or solution... more Methods to dispose of unused concentrated and dilute formulated pesticide suspensions or solutions such as rinsate are urgently needed by small-scale farm operators and applicators. The suitability of solidstate fermentation (SSF) techniques to dispose of atrazine (2.chloro-4-[ethylamino]-6-[isopropylamino]-l,3,5.triazine, purity 99.0%) and carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate, purity 99.0%) formulations was evaluated. Pesticides were added to bioreactors containing either sphagnum peat moss or steam-exploded wood (SEW) and monitored periodically for disappearance. Soil column leaching studies and the USEPA standard toxicity characteristic leaching procedure were used to assess the potential environmental hazard of land application of spent lignocellulosic matrix materials. Pesticide bioavailability was determined with plant or animal bioassay indicators. In peat-filled bioreactors containing atrazine at loading rates of 1.4, 2.0, and 7.2 g kg-~ (dry wt. basis), solvent extractable atrazine decreased to less than 0.2% of starting levels within 480 d. For the SEW-filled bioreactors containing atrazine at a loading rate of 2.0 g kg-t , solvent extractability decreased to 20~ of starting levels within 320 d. Extractable earbofuran in peat-filled (initial loading rates 0.7, 1.8, and 5.0 g kg-t) and SEW-filled (initial loading rate 5.0 g kg-t) bioreactors decreased to less than 0.05% of starting levels within 480 d. Both leachability and bioavailability of pesticides were dramatically reduced during the process of SSF. The amount of leachable pesticide remaining in peat sorbent following bioreactor start-up was dependent on the initial pesticide loading rate and the length of bioreactor operation time. The use of SSF techniques to dispose of pesticide waste may prove a viable alternative to other disposal methods that are either too expensive or technically sophisticated.

... August 31, 2001 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Glycine max, defoliation, leaf area index, pla... more ... August 31, 2001 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Glycine max, defoliation, leaf area index, plant canopy analyzer Copyright 2001, Sean Malone Page 2. Assessment of Soybean Leaf Area for Redefining Management Strategies for Leaf-Feeding Insects Sean M. Malone ...

Waste Management, 1993

Abstract Small-scale farm operators have a pressing need for methods to dispose of unused concent... more Abstract Small-scale farm operators have a pressing need for methods to dispose of unused concentrated and dilute formulated pesticide suspensions or solutions such as rinsate. The suitability of solid state fermentation (SSF) techniques to dispose of chlorpyrifos and metolachlor was evaluated. Pesticides were added to bioreactors containing either sphagnum peat moss, steam-exploded wood (SEW), or a wheat straw-horse manure mixture. Sorbent material was sampled periodically to determine pesticide content. In peat, SEW, and wheat straw-horse manure filled bioreactors containing chlorpyrifos at a loading rate of 1.0 g kg −1 (dry wt. basis), solvent extractable levels of pesticide decreased to 0.5, 24, and 0.6% of starting levels in 290, 270, and 290 days of bioreactor operation, respectively. In peat, SEW, and wheat straw-horse manure filled bioreactors containing metolachlor at a loading time of 2 g kg −1 (dry wt. basis), solvent extractable levels of pesticide decreased to 23, 49, and 0.3% of starting levels within 315, 315, and 120 days of reactor operation, respectively. Soil column leaching studies were conducted using peat and wheat straw-horse manure sorbents following bioreactor shutdown, to assess the potential environmental hazard of land applying spent sorbent materials. The amount of chlorpyrifos and metolachlor leached from peat was greater than that from wheat straw-horse manure. Based on leachability studies, the wheat straw-horse manure was superior to peat as a disposal matrix material. The use of SSF techniques to dispose of pesticide waste may prove a viable alternative to other disposal methods that are either too expensive or technically sophisticated.

Nuclear and Chemical Waste Management, 1985

... 8. Doyle, RC, Kaufman, DD, and Burt, GW Effect of dairy manure and sewage sludge on "C-p... more ... 8. Doyle, RC, Kaufman, DD, and Burt, GW Effect of dairy manure and sewage sludge on "C-pesticide degradation in soil. ... Mullins, DE and Eaton, JL Labeled "CO, production by moths injected with "C-glucose in response to light stimuli: A method and a preliminary investigation. ...

Transactions of the ASAE, 1984

F ACULTATIVE and aerobic digesters for livestock wastes were used to degrade pesticide materials ... more F ACULTATIVE and aerobic digesters for livestock wastes were used to degrade pesticide materials (chlordane, Diazinon, Baygon) in the laboratory. Three different animal wastes were used as digester media for the process: swine, chicken and dairy cattle manure. Process effects on disappearance of the pesticides was observed over periods of 0 to 8 weeks (facultative) and 0 to 6 weeks (aerobic). Disappearance ranged from 10 to 72% under facultative conditions, and 29 to 100% under aerobic conditions. The study was extended to the use of field animal waste lagoons.

Journal of Medical Entomology, Jul 1, 1990

An apparatus for evaluating vapor-induced dispersal of Blattella germanica (L) is described. It i... more An apparatus for evaluating vapor-induced dispersal of Blattella germanica (L) is described. It is made of two 750-ml crystallizing dishes connected by a glass and wire mesh tube. Its use is illustrated by experiments on exposure of late instars to vapors of a propoxur in oil formulation and those of its solvent system.

Journal of Economic Entomology, Dec 1, 1988

Oothecae, first instars, and late instars of the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, ar... more Oothecae, first instars, and late instars of the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, are compared with those of B. germanica (L.). First oothecae are visibly smaller than those of B. germanica . The difference is due to a smaller size of individual egg compartments rather than to the number of compartments per ootheca. First instars are smaller than those of B. germanica . Head widths of 1-d-old nymphs averaged 0.64 ± 0.006 (5E) compared with 0.77 ± 0.007 and 0.78 ± 0.001 mm in two strains of B. germanica . The number of antennal annuli (23) in first instars is less than in B. germanica (24-25). Margins of the abdomen and spots along the abdominal midsection of late instars are colorless (appearing white), whereas those areas are lightly pigmented in B. germanica .

Naturwissenschaften, Jun 22, 2012

The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand, Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Adelgidae... more The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand, Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Adelgidae) has been a significant mortality agent of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis Carriere) throughout a large portion of its geographic range. During a study investigating adelgid vigor in relation to host health, it was noted that adelgid extracts ranged from a yellow to a deep red color. Analysis by GC-MS identified the presence of the anthraquinone, chrysophanol and its anthrone precursor, chrysarobin in the extract. These compounds are predator deterrents in several other insects, including chrysomelid beetles. It is hypothesized that these compounds serve a similar purpose in the hemlock woolly adelgid.

... Ann Arbor Press, 1nc., Chelsea, M1., 1996, 588 pp. ... 200 DE Mullins el al./Organic sorption... more ... Ann Arbor Press, 1nc., Chelsea, M1., 1996, 588 pp. ... 200 DE Mullins el al./Organic sorption/biodegradation of pesticides [9] TD Ferguson, ed.. Proceedings of 1nternational Workshop on Research in Pesticide Treatment/ Disposal/Waste Minimization, United States Environmental ...

Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B. Comparative biochemistry, 1983

German cockroaches were injected with either [14C]glycine ' [~ 4C]formate, or [14C]xanthine and m... more German cockroaches were injected with either [14C]glycine ' [~ 4C]formate, or [14C]xanthine and maintained on different dietary nitrogen levels. They were analyzed for whole body radiolabel retention and incorporation of radiolabel into the urate fraction after feeding on various diets for one to two weeks. Groups of cockroaches were injected with labelled urate precursors and the 1'*CO2 released was collected. Release of 14COz was examined in relation to dietary nitrogen levels. 2. Radiolabelled glycine was metabolized rapidly, some of it being released as ~4CO2. There was a direct relationship between x4C incorporation into body urates and maintenance on different dietary nitrogen levels. 3. Radiolabelled formate was rapidly partitioned into body urates by cockroaches maintained on specific diets. Comparatively low levels of ~4CO2 were released. 4. Incorporation of 14C-xanthine into urates was found to increase with elevated dietary nitrogen levels. Dietary effects on its metabolism were mirrored by ~4CO2 released and other metabolites excreted in the feces.

We evaluated the ecoregion approach to stream classification frequently used in establishing bioc... more We evaluated the ecoregion approach to stream classification frequently used in establishing biocriteria. The two objectives were: (1) to determine if the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in western Virginia streams corresponds with the proposed ecoregions and subregions, and (2) compare two alternative classification schemes (landscape and biotic) with the ecoregion approach for predicting the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in streams of western Virginia. We compared the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of three ecoregions; Blue Ridge Mountains (66), Central Appalachian Ridges and Valleys (67), Central Appalachians (69), and their component subregions. Regional comparisons were made using individual taxa comprising ≥1% of the abundance in any region, benthic macroinvertebrate community metrics, and community similiarity indices. We found little or no difference between the the Blue Ridge Mountains ecoregion and the Central Appalachian Ridges and Valleys ecoregion. The Central Appalachians ecoregion had significantly greater abundances of taxa characteristic of headwater streams as well as significantly different benthic macroinvertebrate community structure than the Blue Ridge Mountains ecoregion and Central Appalachian Ridges and Valleys ecoregion. However, given the relatively small number of sites sampled, these results may not be representative of the entire region. Analysis of the benthic macroinvertebrates across subregions showed differences in community structure. We found that it was more accurate to rearrange the subregions into three new regions called bioregions (landscape approach): the forested hills and mountains (subregion 69a), the valleys and plateaus (subregions 66c, 67a, and 67b), and the mountains (subregions 66a, 66b, 67c, and 67d). A multiple discriminant analysis showed that the bioregion classification framework was a better predictor of benthic macroinvertebrate community structure than the original ecoregions or subregions.

Pest Management Science, 2009

BACKGROUND: Imidacloprid is the primary insecticide used against the exotic invasive insect hemlo... more BACKGROUND: Imidacloprid is the primary insecticide used against the exotic invasive insect hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, a pest of eastern hemlock [Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière] trees in the eastern United States. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated for quantification of imidacloprid in eastern hemlock wood and needle tissues. RESULTS: Matrix effects in the form of false positives and overestimated imidacloprid concentrations were observed in both wood and needle extracts. Tissues required a 100-1000-fold dilution with water in order to reduce matrix effects. Standard curves in 1% wood or needle extract were not significantly different from standard curves prepared in water. Matrix effects were more pronounced at concentrations in the lower working range of the kit, with recovery of 5 µg L −1 imidacloprid more accurate than recovery of 0.2 µg L −1. CONCLUSION: ELISA remains a valuable tool for semi-quantitative imidacloprid detection within the hemlock system because of its sensitivity, cost and ease of use. However, a 1000-fold dilution of hemlock tissue extract is recommended to ensure accurate imidacloprid determinations.

Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B. Comparative biochemistry, 1977

... Academic Press, New York. BRADY J. (1975) Circadian changes in central excitability--The orig... more ... Academic Press, New York. BRADY J. (1975) Circadian changes in central excitability--The origin of behavioural rhythms in tsetse flies and other animals? J. Ent. ... EATON JL (1975) Electroretinogram components of the ocellus of the adult cabbage looper moth Tricoplusia ni. ...

Insects, 2021

Ticks are susceptible to environmental conditions and, to ensure survival during winter condition... more Ticks are susceptible to environmental conditions and, to ensure survival during winter conditions, they adopt a wide variety of physiological and behavioral adaptations including utilization of a suitable niche with insulation (e.g., leaf coverage). To investigate the potential overwintering survival of three tick populations emerging within Appalachian Virginia (Haemaphysalis longicornis, Amblyomma americanum, and Amblyomma maculatum), both a laboratory experiment assessing super-cooling points and a two-factor (elevation and insulation coverage) field experiment assessing overwintering survivability were conducted across a natural southwestern Virginian winter (2020–2021). Dermacentor variabilis adults were included in this study as an example of a well-established species in this region known to overwinter in these conditions. Our study indicated that A. americanum and H. longicornis wintering tolerance is based on life stage rather than external factors such as insulation (e.g....

Journal of Environment Quality, 1996

Environmental Entomology, 2012

Few baseline data exist regarding the role of wild, primarily native, non-Apis bees in pollinatin... more Few baseline data exist regarding the role of wild, primarily native, non-Apis bees in pollinating crops through the growing season in the mid-Atlantic United States. Apis mellifera L., honey bees, generally are assumed to provide the majority of crop pollination, with the value of pollination provided by non-Apis bees estimated at between one-half and one-sixth the value of honey bees, though many non-Apis bees are known to be more effective in pollinating some crops. In this study, the Þrst documenting wild bees visiting crop ßowers through the growing season, non-Apis bees accounted for the majority of crop visitation for several economically important entomophilous crops in Virginia, such as apple, blueberry, caneberry, and cucurbit) and likely provided most of the pollination. Wild bees made up between 68% (in caneberries) and 83% (in cucurbits) of bees visiting crop ßowers. Between 43 and 59 non-Apis bee species visited ßowers of each crop (105 species overall). Species turnover was very high between sites, ranging from only 13% shared species in pairwise comparisons for blueberries to 30% shared species for caneberries. Native bee taxa most abundant on crops were Andrena F., mining bees, Bombus Latreille, bumble bees, and Osmia Panzer, mason bees, on apples and blueberries; Lasioglossum Curtis, sweat bees, on caneberries; and Peponapis pruinosa Say, squash bees, and Bombus on cucurbits. Overall, this study highlights the substantial role of native bees in agricultural pollination in this region. KEY WORDS non-Apis bee crop pollination, mid-Atlantic agriculture, native bees, wild bees, ecosystem services Wild, primarily native bees are important pollinators of both wild and cultivated plants, contributing an estimated one-half to one-sixth the crop production value provided by Apis mellifera L., honey bees (Losey and Vaughan 2006), and an unknown value to natural communities (Buchmann and Nabhan 1996, NRC 2007). With annual losses of honey bees continuing at 30% in the United States (Hackett et al. 2010), increasing demand for pollination services in agriculture (Aizen and Harder 2009) paralleling pollinator declines around the globe (Potts et al. 2010, Cameron et al. 2011), and the lack of baseline data regarding crop pollinators other than honey bees and a few other managed species in North America (NRC 2007), understanding alternative sources of pollination and ways to support alternative pollinator populations is vital (Cane and Tepedino 2001). Research in the eastern United States has highlighted the abundance or pollination efÞciency of native and introduced non-Apis bees in a variety of entomophilous crops, including apple (Malus Miller) (Thomson and Goodell 2001, Gardner and Ascher 2006, Park et al. 2010); blueberry (Vaccinium L.), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton), and deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum L.) (Mackenzie and Averill 1995, Cane 1996b, Stubbs and Drummond 1996); cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), squash (Cucurbita L.), and watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] (Stanghellini et al. 1998, Winfree et al. 2008); and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) (Morandin et al. 2001, Velthuis and van Doorn 2006). ϷSix hundred species of wild non-Apis bees inhabit the mid-Atlantic region (Droege et al. 2011). Some of these are known to be at least as effective as honey bees on a bee per ßower basis in pollinating fruit trees, berries, or cucurbits, including Andrena F., mining bees (Javorek et al. 2002); Bombus Latreille, bumble bees (Stubbs and Drummond 2001); Megachile Latreille, leaf-cutting bees (Stubbs and Drummond 1996);

Canadian Journal of Zoology, 1977

A preliminary investigation of the general relationships between different levels and sources of ... more A preliminary investigation of the general relationships between different levels and sources of dietary nitrogen and lesion formation in the alimentary canal of adult female American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana (L.), has been conducted. Increasing levels of casein protein in the diet could not be clearly correlated with an increased incidence of lesions, but very high casein protein levels produced gross tissue abnormalities in the hindgut. Diets containing casein hydrolysate appeared to enhance lesion formation. When 1% additions of kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, tryptophan, and uric acid were made as supplemental sources of nitrogen, lesions appeared in a greater number of animals. Except in the case of uric acid, these spiked diets resulted in a lower total lesion area than when the nitrogen source was casein hydrolysate alone. Additions of an antibiotic, neomycin, to casein hydrolysate diets resulted in a lower level of lesion-forming activities.Lesion formation which...