Metal Leachability and Anthropogenic Signal in Roadside Soils Estimated from Sequential Extraction and Stable Lead Isotopes

Several roadside soil samples were collected at two field sites in Sweden. They were analysed for total elemental content (using both ICP-MS and XRF) and stable lead isotopes. Extraction with deicing salt solution and sequential extraction were performed in order to elucidate the potential mobility due to the use of deicing agents. The total concentrations of elements, especially lead, have decreased and lead is presently almost at background concentrations (15-51 ppm for surface samples). However, the isotopic signature indicates that old gasoline lead still is left at the site constructed prior to 1975. The field site constructed in 1992 showed, however, no 206Pb/207Pb ratio below 1.14. Only minor amounts were leached using deicing salt solutions; for lead only 0.29%, on average, was extracted indicating that the mobile fraction already was released. Sequential extraction indicated that lead mainly was associated with reducible (34.4%) and oxidisable (35.4%) fractions. Exchangable and acid soluble fractions contained 20.3% while 10.0% was found in the residual fraction. The salt extraction released, however, very low concentrations indicating that most in fraction 1 is acid soluble (e.g. carbonates). Tungsten was also found at high concentrations indicating a possible impact from studded tires. For tungsten the following composition was obtained: residual (48.0%) > oxidisable (47.6%) > reducible (3.3%) > exchangeable/acid soluble (1.1%). From the isotopic studies it was also suggested that the order for incorporating anthropogenic lead into soils is exchangeable/carbonates > (hydr)oxides > organic matter > residual. The multivariate technique principal component analysis (PCA) seems promising for evaluating large sequential extraction datasets.     

A gas-phase biosensor for environmental monitoring of formic acid: laboratory and field validation

In order to encourage more exposure measurements to be performed, a formic acid gas-phase biosensor has been developed for this purpose. In the present paper, an enzyme based biosensor has been validated with respect to analyte selectivity and on-site use. To ensure that the sampler developed measures the compound of interest the biosensor was exposed to three near structural homologues to formic acid, i.e. acetic acid, methanol and formaldehyde. These vapours were generated with and without formic acid and the only compound that was found to have an effect on the performance of the biosensor, albeit a small one, was acetic acid. The field test was performed in a factory using formic acid-containing glue for glulam products. In parallel to the measurements with the biosensor a well defined reference method was used for sampling and analysing formic acid. It was found that the biosensor worked satisfactorily in this environment when used in a stationary position. It was also shown that the biosensor could determine formic acid vapour concentrations down to 0.03 mg m(-3).     

The use of sewage sludge as remediation for imidacloprid toxicity in soils

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study investigated the influence of the sewage sludge (SS) soil amendment on the chronic toxicity of imidacloprid (through the seed dressing...     

The potential future contribution of shipping to acidification of the Baltic Sea

International regulation of the emission of acidic sulphur and nitrogen oxides from commercial shipping has focused on the risks to human health, with little attention paid to the consequences for the marine environment. The introduction of stricter regulations in northern Europe has led to substantial investment in scrubbers that absorb the sulphur oxides in a counterflow of seawater. This paper examines the consequences of smokestack and scrubber release of acidic oxides in the Baltic Sea according to a range of scenarios for the coming decades. While shipping is projected to become a major source of strong acid deposition to the Baltic Sea by 2050, the long-term effect on the pH and alkalinity is projected to be significantly smaller than estimated from previous scoping studies. A significant contribution to this difference is the efficient export of surface water acidification to the North Sea on a timescale of 15–20 years.     

Neutralisation of an acidic pit lake by alkaline waste products

A former open pit where black shale (alum shale) was excavated during 1942–1965 has been water filled since 1966. The water chemistry was dominated by calcium and sulphate and had a pH of 3.2–3.4 until 1997–1998, when pH was gradually increasing. This was due to the intrusion of leachates from alkaline cement waste deposited close to the lake. A stable pH of around 7.5 was obtained after 6–7 years. The chemistry of the pit lake has changed due to the neutralisation. Concentrations of some dissolved metals, notably zinc and nickel, have gone down, as a result of adsorption/co-precipitation on solid phases (most likely iron and aluminium hydroxides), while other metals, notably uranium and molybdenum, are present at elevated levels. Uranium concentration is reaching a minimum of around pH 6.5 and is increasing at higher pH, which may indicate a formation of neutral and anionic uranyl carbonate species at high pH (and total carbonate levels around 1 mM). Weathering of the water-exposed shale is still in progress.     

Insurance sector management of climate change adaptation in three Nordic countries: the influence of policy and market factors

The insurance industry is important for facilitating climate change adaptation. Insurance companies’ involvement is, however, influenced by national adaptation policy. The literature suggests that especially policy factors – government interventions, political priorities and public–private cooperation – and market factors – cost offset, cost mitigation, planning flexibility and business opportunities – shape private actor approaches. To increase the understanding of insurance company involvement in adaptation, this study examines how insurance companies’ approaches are influenced by policy and market factors in three countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The study found that the policy factors tested significantly shaped the approaches of the companies assessed, while market factors currently appear less influential. This is likely due to the absence of climate risk and adaptation in political debates and among insurance policyholders. The study discusses the potential role of the insurance industry in adaptation governance and suggests how barriers facing insurance companies could be overcome.     

Critical Loads – Is There A Need For A New Concept?

The concept of critical loads has been an important andsuccessful tool for the development of control strategiesfor transboundary air pollution in Europe. The use of theconcept has led us to a situation where very few areas inEurope will have an exceedance of critical loads foracidification in 2010, indicating that the benefits offurther control acidifying substances will be lessuseful. The critical loads concept does not, however,take into account the large benefits of further controlin damaged systems but where critical loads are nolonger exceeded. In this paper we discuss the importanceof widening the critical loads concept to include thesebenefits and we propose an additional effect-relatedmeasure, Dynamic Impact Analysis, to be included infurther control strategies and assessments. With such aconcept the actual situation and its further developmentwill be included in assessments and control strategies.     

‘We cannot be at the forefront,changing society’: exploring how Swedish property developers respond to climate change in urban planning

It is increasingly expected that private actors play the role as entrepreneurs and front-runners in implementing climate measures, whereas empirical studies of the position, role and engagement of private actors are scarce. Situated in the context of urban planning, a critical arena for triggering climate transitions, the aim of this paper is to explore how Swedish property developers respond to climate change. Qualitative analyses of corporate policy documents and semi-structured interviews with property developers reveal a vast divergence between the written policies, where leadership ambitions are high, and how the practice of property development is discussed in interviews. In the latter, there is little evidence of property developers pursuing a forward-looking or cutting-edge climate change agenda. Instead, they are critical of increased public regulation for climate-oriented measures. Explanations both confirm previous studies, highlighting lack of perceived customer demand, uncertainty of financial returns and limited innovations, and add new elements of place-dependency suggesting that innovative and front-runner practices can only be realized in the larger urban areas. Municipalities seeking to improve their climate-oriented profile in urban planning by involving private property developers need to develop strategies to maneuver the variance in responses to increase the effectiveness of implementation.     

Urban aerosol evolution and particle formation during wintertime temperature inversions

Aerosol temporal and spatial distributions during wintertime temperature inversions in Gothenburg, Sweden, have been characterized by ground-based and airborne particle measurements combined with lidar measurements. Ground inversions frequently developed during evenings and nights with stable cold conditions, and the low wintertime insolation often resulted in near neutral boundary layer conditions during day-time. Under these conditions ground level aerosol concentrations peaked during morning rush hours and often remained relatively high throughout the day due to inefficient ventilation. The particle number concentrations decreased slowly with increasing altitude within the boundary layer, and measurements slightly above the boundary layer suggested limited entrainment of polluted air into the free troposphere. High concentrations of ultrafine particles were observed throughout the boundary layer up to altitudes of 1100 m, which suggested that nucleation took place within the residual layer during the night and early morning. Recently formed particles were also observed around midday when the layer near ground was ventilated by mixing into the boundary layer, which indicated that ultrafine particles were either transported down from the residual layer to ground level or formed when the polluted surface layer mixed with the cleaner air above.     

The legitimacy of leadership in international climate change negotiations

Leadeship is an essential ingredient in reaching international agreements and overcoming the collective action problems associated with responding to climate change. In this study, we aim at answering two questions that are crucial for understanding the legitimacy of leadership in international climate change negotiations. Based on the responses of the three consecutive surveys distributed at COPs 14-16, we seek first to chart which actors are actually recognized as leaders by climate change negotiation participants. Second, we aim to explain what motivates COP participants to support different actors as leaders. Both these questions are indeed crucial for understanding the role, importance, and legitimacy of leadership in the international climate change regime. Our results show that the leadership landscape in this issue area is fragmented, with no one clear-cut leader, and strongly suggest that it is imperative for any actor seeking recognition as climate change leader to be perceived as being devoted to promoting the common good.