Understanding heavy metal and suspended solids relationships in urban stormwater using simulated rainfall

Urban stormwater from simulated rainfall on three different landuses in Queensland State, Australia (residential, industrial, commercial) was analysed for heavy metals and physico-chemical parameters such as Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). Rainfall events were simulated using a specially designed rainfall simulator for paved surfaces. Event mean concentration samples were separated into five different particle sizes and analysed individually for eight metal elements (Zn, Fe, Cr, Cd, Cu, Al, Mn and Pb). Multivariate data analysis was carried out for the data thus generated. It was found that DOC and TSS influence the distribution of the metals in the different particle size classes. Zn was correlated with DOC at all three sites. Similarly, Pb, Fe and Al were correlated with TSS at all sites. The distribution of Cu was found to vary between the three sites, whilst Cd concentrations were too low to assess any relationships with other parameters. No correlation between Electrical Conductivity (EC), pH and heavy metals was found at the three sites. The identification of physico-chemical parameters influencing the distribution process kinetics of heavy metals in urban stormwater will significantly enhance the efficiency of urban stormwater management systems.     

The Impact of First-Generation Biofuels on the Depletion of the Global Phosphorus Reserve

The large majority of biofuels to date is "first-generation" biofuel made from agricultural commodities. All first-generation biofuel production systems require phosphorus (P) fertilization. P is an essential plant nutrient, yet global reserves are finite. We argue that committing scarce P to biofuel production involves a trade-off between climate change mitigation and future food production. We examine biofuel production from seven types of feedstock, and find that biofuels at present consume around 2% of the global inorganic P fertilizer production. For all examined biofuels, with the possible exception of sugarcane, the contribution to P depletion exceeds the contribution to mitigating climate change. The relative benefits of biofuels can be increased through enhanced recycling of P, but high increases in P efficiency are required to balance climate change mitigation and P depletion impacts. We conclude that, with the current production systems, the production of first-generation biofuels compromises food production in the future.     

Experiences from phasing out the use of mercury in Sweden

The Swedish parliament has decided that the use of mercury (Hg) in society should be phased out by the target year 2000 and substituted with alternative, less harmful elements or compounds. This is to reduce exposure to the toxic heavy metal, levels of which have increased two to seven times in the Swedish environment during the last century. Mercury in products and goods in use in Sweden has been estimated at 100 tonnes Hg, which will slowly be released into the environment if no preventative measures are taken. To avoid handing over unsolved environmental problems and connected costs to future generations, the Swedish government commissioned the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve the efficiency of Hg collection and to find a solution for terminal storage of the waste. The result is that the Swedish EPA considers deep storage in rock, accompanied by technical measures to further reduce the risk of future Hg emissions to be the safest method. It has funded approximately 50 projects with the goal of spreading information about the Hg problem and removing Hg from society. The projects have focused on areas where there is a great risk of Hg in products and goods entering the environment. About 6 tonnes Hg has so far been collected in these projects – end of 1999 – and the cost of the Hg collected has varied between 70 and 1300 US$ kg^–1 Hg. The projects were more cost-effective than traditional inspection by an official due to local participation, use of Hg-tracker dogs, and employment of professional electricians in the search for Hg. The involvement of school children and the public has resulted in an increased awareness of environmental matters, and, together with the emptying of water seals, reduced Hg levels in municipal sewage sludge. Electronic Publication     

Mobility of chloroaromatic compounds in soil: case studies of Swedish chlorophenol-contaminated sawmill sites

This paper summarizes recent studies on the environmental fate of chloroaromatic compounds in chlorophenol (CP)-contaminated soil and groundwater at Swedish sawmill sites. Relative proportions of CPs, polychlorinated phenoxy phenols (PCPPs), polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in preservatives, particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), groundwater, and particles filtered from groundwater. All compound classes were found in the different compartments. The fraction of PCPPs, PCDEs, PCDDs, and PCDFs had increased in the soil samples relative to the proportions in the preservatives. This increase showed correlation with the hydrophobicity, that is, PCDDs had the largest increase. Similar correlation was found between hydrophobicity and the importance of partitioning to POM over DOM. The more water soluble compound group, CP, was found equally distributed between POM and DOM. For PCPPs, PCDEs, PCDDs, and PCDFs, the relative partitioning to POM increased with increased hydrophobicity. Despite the relative partitioning towards POM, compared with DOM, cotransport with DOM and suspended colloidal fractions was found to substantially increase the transport of these compounds in the groundwater samples.     

Toxaphene chemistry: separation and characterisation of selected enantiomers of the Polychloropinene mixtures

The primary goal for the study presented here was the preparation and characterisation of enantiomeric pure chlorobornane standards (Toxaphene). In this context, we partially modeled the procedure for Polychloropinene production in the former USSR. The initial reaction was ionic addition of hydrogen chloride to (1S)-alpha-pinene resulting predominantly in (1S)-2-endo-chlorobornane. Further photochlorination gave mixtures of chlorinated terpenes with different average content of Cl per molecule. The resulting mixtures were separated on a silica-gel column and a number of known hepta to decachlorobornanes were identified in fractions with the help of NMR and GC (using electron capture and mass spectrometric detection)--but in very unusual ratios as compared to the technical Toxaphene mixture formerly produced by Hercules (USA). Also several previously unknown congeners were isolated or detected. Three of the isolated congeners were obtained in crystalline state and X-ray crystallography showed their enantiomeric purity.     

Emissions from baled municipal solid waste: II. Effects of different treatments and baling techniques on the emission of volatile organic compounds.

This paper focuses on the volatile organic compound emissions from baled municipal solid waste (MSW). The analytical methodology was based on sampling with adsorbent tubes once a month during seven occasions within a time period of 1 year. Automated analyses were carried out on-line work-up with thermal desorption directly connected to a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The effect of different baling techniques, cylindrical and rectangular baling was compared. It was found that cylindrically baled MSW emitted larger concentration of esters than their rectangular counter parts. Conversely, aromatic compounds emissions dominated in rectangularly baled MSW. This indicates that different degradation mechanisms operate in the waste bales. Cylindrical and rectangular bales are generally wrapped with six layers of 250 microm thick low density polyethylene (LDPE). It was observed that by wrapping an extra six layers of LDPE film onto the bales, the emissions from cylindrical bales increased while emissions from the rectangular counterpart decreased. Over time, the volatile organic compound emissions from cylindrical bales decreased two orders of magnitudes from 96.2 +/- 20.8 microg m(-3) in September 2003 to 0.80 +/- 0.07 microg m(-3) in July 2004. The rectangular bales exhibited an almost identical relative emission reduction from 54.4 +/- 4.3 microg m(-3) in September 2003 to 0.46 +/- 0.02 microg m(-3) in July 2004. Future work will concentrate on full-scale storages, taking into account waste type, storage size, temperature development and the different baling techniques among other variables.     

Weight and height at 4 and 7 years of age in children born to mothers with a high intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine pollutants

In Sweden the main exposure route for persistent organochlorine pollutants (POP) is through consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea (off the eastern coast). The present study aimed to investigate whether intrauterine exposure for POP may have negative impact on children's weight and height at 4 and 7 years of age, respectively. The study included 174 fishermen's wives from the Swedish east coast who had given birth to an infant with either low (n=55) or normal (n=119) birth weight, and 88 and 206 corresponding women from the Swedish west coast (where the fish is less polluted). Comparisons between the east and west coast cohorts were performed. In addition, blood samples were collected among the east coast women and the concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) in plasma was analyzed and estimated for the year of childbirth. There were no significant differences between the east and west coast cohorts regarding weight and height at 4 and 7 years of age. There were, however, significant negative associations between the estimated plasma concentrations of CB-153 during year of childbirth and weight at 4 and 7 years of age, respectively, among the normal birth weight children. The study gives only very weak support for the hypothesized association.     

Sources, fate, and toxic hazards of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at PAH-contaminated sites

In this paper we show that oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs) are important cocontaminants that should be taken into account during risk assessment and remediation of sites with high levels of PAHs. The presented data, which have been collected both from our own research and the published literature, demonstrate that oxy-PAHs are abundant but neglected contaminants at these sites. The oxy-PAHs show relatively high persistency and because they are formed through transformation of PAHs, their concentrations in the environment may even increase as the sites are remediated by methods that promote PAH degradation. Furthermore, we show that oxy-PAHs are toxic to both humans and the environment, although the toxicity seems to be manifested through other effects than those known to be important for polycyclic aromatic compounds in general, that is, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Finally, we present data that support the hypothesis that oxy-PAHs are more mobile in the environment than PAHs, due to their polarity, and thus have a higher tendency to spread from contaminated sites via surface water and groundwater. We believe that oxy-PAHs should be included in monitoring programs at PAH-contaminated sites, even if a number of other toxicologically relevant compounds that may also be present, such as nitro-PAHs and azaarenes, are not monitored. This is because oxy-PAH levels are difficult to predict from the PAH levels, because their environmental behavior differs substantially from that of PAHs, and oxy-PAHs may be formed as PAHs are degraded.     

Annoyance due to aircraft noise has increased over the years—Results of the HYENA study

In the HYENA study (HYpertension and Exposure to Noise near Airports) noise annoyances due to aircraft and road traffic noise were assessed in subjects that lived in the vicinity of 6 major European airports using the 11-point ICBEN scale (International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise). A distinction was made between the annoyance during the day and during the night. L_den and L_night were considered as indicators of noise exposure. Pooled data analyses showed clear exposure–response relationships between the noise level and the noise annoyance for both exposures. The exposure–response curves for road noise were congruent with the EU standard curves used for predicting the number of highly noise annoyed subjects in European communities. Annoyance ratings due to aircraft noise, however, were higher than predicted by the EU standard curves. The data supports other findings suggesting that the people's attitude towards aircraft noise has changed over the years, and that the EU standard curve for aircraft noise should be modified.     

Modelling C and N mineralization during decomposition of anaerobically digested and composted municipal solid waste.

Application of municipal solid waste (MSW) to arable land can be used to close the nutrient cycle between urban and rural areas. The aim of the current study was to quantify net N mineralization and respiration from composted MSW (CMSW) and anaerobically digested MSW (ADMSW) applied to soil, and to test whether a simple relationship between net N mineralization and respiration that was developed for plant materials, was applicable for these types of MSW. In a laboratory experiment, CMSW and ADMSW were incorporated into soil and incubated at 15 degrees C. During the 149-day experiment, netN mineralization and respiration were determined. Cumulative respiration derived from both MSW types was very steep during the first 30 days, after which it levelled off. However, calculated on the basis of applied C, the ADMSW was 10 times more degradable than the CMSW. Both MSW types caused initial net N immobilization followed by re-mineralization. A simple model based on the relationship between net N mineralization and respiration was only applicable for the MSW after significant modifications. If farmers are to recognize CMSW and ADMSW as valuable fertilizers, it is important that they can be produced with higher maturity, in order to avoid initial N immobilization.