The siting impasse and a rational choice model of regulatory behavior: An agency for power plant siting

Reasons for the current siting impasse, including participatory activism, regulatory failure, the multiplication of considered interests, and the “investigative caveat,” are reviewed, and the existing logic of regulator behavior, viewed as a rational choice model, is summarized. Three sets of goals for agency participants are identified: personal goals of agency decision-makers, organizational goals of the agency as a whole, and goals of agency clients; and the incentive system of a new administrative agency structured so as to make satisfaction of these goals contribute toward informed and impartial decision-making. Major structural components of the agency would be a Director, a Corps of Examiners, counsel(s) for special interest(s) of special merit, a Public Counsel, and a Research and Information Office. The model is applied to the case of a regional or state-level agency to handle power plant siting.     

Inhibition of rainbow trout acetylcholinesterase by aqueous and suspended particle-associated organophosphorous insecticides

Cadmium (Cd) adsorption on 14 non-calcareous New Jersey soils was investigated with a batch method. Both adsorption edge and isotherm experiments were conducted covering a wide range of soil composition, e.g. soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration ranging from 0.18% to 7.15%, and varying Cd concentrations and solution pH. The SOC and solution pH were the most important parameters controlling Cd partition equilibrium between soils and solutions in our experimental conditions. The Windermere humic aqueous model (WHAM) was used to calculate Cd adsorption on soils. The effect of solution chemistry (various pH and Cd concentrations) on Cd adsorption can be well accounted for by WHAM. For different soil compositions, SOC concentration is the most important parameter for Cd binding. Only a fraction of SOC, the so-called active organic carbon (AOC), is responsible for Cd binding. We found a linear relationship between SOC and AOC based on the adsorption edge data. The linear relationship was validated by the independent data sets: adsorption isotherm data, which presumably can be used to predict Cd partition equilibrium across a wide range of soil compositions. The modeling approach presented in this study helps to quantitatively predict Cd behavior in the environment.     

Optimizing best management practices to control anthropogenic sources of atmospheric phosphorus deposition to inland lakes

Excessive phosphorus loading to inland freshwater lakes around the globe has resulted in nuisance plant growth along the waterfronts, degraded habitat for cold-water fisheries, and impaired beaches, marinas, and waterfront property. The direct atmospheric deposition of phosphorus can be a significant contributing source to inland lakes. The atmospheric deposition monitoring program for Lake Simcoe, Ontario, indicates roughly 20% of the annual total phosphorus load (2010–2014 period) is due to direct atmospheric deposition (both wet and dry deposition) on the lake. This novel study presents a first-time application of the genetic algorithm (GA) methodology to optimize the application of best management practices (BMPs) related to agriculture and mobile sources to achieve atmospheric phosphorus reduction targets and restore the ecological health of the lake. The novel methodology takes into account the spatial distribution of the emission sources in the airshed, the complex atmospheric long-range transport and deposition processes, cost and efficiency of the popular management practices, and social constraints related to the adoption of BMPs. The optimization scenarios suggest that the optimal overall capital investment of approximately $2M, $4M, and $10M annually can achieve roughly 3, 4, and 5 tonnes reduction in atmospheric P load to the lake, respectively. The exponential trend indicates diminishing returns for the investment beyond roughly $3M per year and that focusing much of this investment in the upwind, nearshore area will significantly impact deposition to the lake. The optimization is based on a combination of the lowest cost, most beneficial and socially acceptable management practices that develops a science-informed promotion of implementation/BMP adoption strategy. The geospatial aspect to the optimization (i.e., proximity and location with respect to the lake) will help land managers to encourage the use of these targeted best practices in areas that will most benefit from the phosphorus reduction approach.

Implications: Excessive phosphorus loading to inland freshwater lakes around the globe has resulted in nuisance plant growth along the waterfronts, degraded habitat for cold water fisheries, and impaired beaches, marinas and waterfront property. This novel study presents a first-time application of the Genetic Algorithm methodology to optimize the application of best management practices related to agriculture and mobile sources to achieve atmospheric phosphorus reduction targets and restore the ecological health of the lake. The novel methodology takes into account the spatial distribution of the emission sources in the airshed, the complex atmospheric long-range transport and deposition processes, cost and efficiency of the popular management practices and social constraints related to the adoption of BMPs.     

Characterization of indoor dust from Brazil and evaluation of the cytotoxicity in A549 lung cells

Over the past decade, ambient air particulate matter (PM) has been clearly associated with adverse health effects. In Brazil, small and poor communities are exposed to indoor dust derived from both natural sources, identified as blowing soil dust, and anthropogenic particles from mining activities. This study investigates the physicochemical and mineralogical composition of indoor PM₁₀ dust samples collected in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and evaluates its cytotoxicity and inflammatory potential. The mean PM₁₀ mass concentration was 206 μg/m³. The high dust concentration in the interior of the residences is strongly related to blowing soil dust. The chemical and mineralogical compositions were determined by ICP-OES and XRD, and the most prominent minerals were clays, Fe-oxide, quartz, feldspars, Al(hydr)oxides, zeolites, and anatase, containing the transition metals Fe, Cr, V, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ti, and Mn as well as the metalloid As. The indoor dust samples presented a low water solubility of about 6 %. In vitro experiments were carried out with human lung alveolar carcinoma cells (A549) to study the toxicological effects. The influence of the PM₁₀ dust samples on cell viability, intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 was analysed. The indoor dust showed little effects on alamarBlue reduction indicating unaltered mitochondrial activity. However, significant cell membrane damage, ROS production, and IL-8 release were detected in dependence of dose and time. This study will support the implementation of mitigation actions in the investigated area in Brazil.     

Impact of ozone, acid mist and soil characteristics on growth and development of fine roots and ectomycorrhiza of young clonal Norway spruce

As part of the joint 14-month exposure experiment on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) sensitivity to pollution (two levels of ozone plus acid mist) of growth and development of the fine-root system and of mycorrhizae, have been investigated in two forest soils from areas showing forest decline. This study shows that differences in fine-root biomass and the occurrence of species of ectomycorrhizae were mainly due to prevailing conditions within the acid or calcareous substrate. The pollution treatment resulted in higher numbers of short root tips in only one soil, whereas the percentage of ectomycorrhizal roots with a well-developed mantle was low (10-23%) in both soils, irrespective of exposure of trees to ozone and acid mist. There was no consistent response, with the two clones examined, in terms of mycorrhizal frequency, beaded short roots and renewed growth. Regarding the effects on root growth, data cannot be used unrestrictedly for extrapolation to a more complex field situation.     

A MULTI-BASIN PLANNING STRATEGY1

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss a procedure for finding an optimal staging plan for implementing a multi-basin water resource system-a system that must meet, with tolerable shortages, pre-specified but highly variable demands for water that increase over time-a system such as the proposed Texas Water System. The paper stresses that, in the past, planners have paid little attention to quantifying explicitly the impact that uncertainty has on the decision process, and in that context, presents a means for explicitly evaluating the impact that uncertainty has on finding and evaluating the performance of the optimal and several alternate staging plans. The procedure presented evaluates the impact that uncertainty, in both the hydrologic and the economic variables, has on the decisions that need to be made. The decisions requiring resolution are (1) which of an over-specified set of facilities should be constructed, (2) how large each of the facilities should be at various points in time, and (3) how should the system be operated so as to minimize the capital plus operational costs over the planning period.     

Morphogenesis of opal teeth in calanoid copepods

Opal teeth of calanoid copepods develop early in the premolt phase of the molt cycle. They form in the apolysis space beneath the old tooth row on the mandibular gnathobase. We examined stages of tooth formation inNeocalanus spp. andCalanus pacificus. Apolysis occurs early in the distal gnathobase, then several epidermal cell types participate sequentially in formation of new teeth. Fibrous molds in the shapes of the new teeth are extruded onto the epidermal surface, then additional materials, probably proteinaceous, are secreted into them. Tooth molds next are linked to a gland in the proximal part of the gnathobase by ducts of an unusual type, lamellar-walled ducts. Silicification follows, apparently using highly osmiophilic material supplied by the proximal gland. Opal is laid down at the outer periphery of the mold then thickens toward the attachment of the mold to newly formed chitin at its base. During apolysis the epidermal cells move proximally without breaking ducts that connect small dermal glands with pores in the sides of the opal teeth. The molds for the new teeth form surrounding these ducts, and new pores result. The glands are like the ciliary exocrine glands seen in other Crustacea, with the duct deriving from fusion of the axonemes of a cilium. Presumably the glands secrete a substance into food newly broken by the teeth. This could be a toxin or a digestive enzyme.