Molecular tools for bathing water assessment in Europe: Balancing social science research with a rapidly developing environmental science evidence-base

The use of molecular tools, principally qPCR, versus traditional culture-based methods for quantifying microbial parameters (e.g., Fecal Indicator Organisms) in bathing waters generates considerable ongoing debate at the science–policy interface. Advances in science have allowed the development and application of molecular biological methods for rapid (~2 h) quantification of microbial pollution in bathing and recreational waters. In contrast, culture-based methods can take between 18 and 96 h for sample processing. Thus, molecular tools offer an opportunity to provide a more meaningful statement of microbial risk to water-users by providing near-real-time information enabling potentially more informed decision-making with regard to water-based activities. However, complementary studies concerning the potential costs and benefits of adopting rapid methods as a regulatory tool are in short supply. We report on findings from an international Working Group that examined the breadth of social impacts, challenges, and research opportunities associated with the application of molecular tools to bathing water regulations.     

Molten carbonate fuel cells fed with biogas: Combating H2S

The use of biomass and waste to produce alternative fuels, due to environmental and energy security reasons, is a high-quality solution especially when integrated with high efficiency fuel cell applications. In this article we look into the coupling of an anaerobic digestion process of organic residues to electrochemical conversion to electricity and heat through a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC). In particular the pathway of the exceedingly harmful compound hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) in these phases is analysed. Hydrogen sulphide production in the biogas is strongly interrelated with methane and/or hydrogen yield, as well as with operating conditions like temperature and pH. When present in the produced biogas, this compound has multiple negative effects on the performance and durability of an MCFC. Therefore, there are important issues of integration to be solved.Three general approaches to solve the sulphur problem in the MCFC are possible. The first is to prevent the formation of hydrogen sulphide at the source: favouring conditions that inhibit its production during fermentation. Secondly, to identify the sulphur tolerance levels of the fuel cell components currently in use and develop sulphur-tolerant components that show long-term electrochemical performance and corrosion stability. The third approach is to remove the generated sulphur species to very low levels before the gas enters the fuel cell.     

Giving respondents time to think in contingent valuation studies: A developing country application

This paper evaluates whether the time given people to think about their responses to CVM valuation questions influences their answers. Our study was conducted in Nigeria as part of an evaluation of rural households' willingness to pay for public taps and private connections to improved drinking water systems. Respondents who were allowed time to evaluate the proposed water system bid significantly less than those who did not have that time. Moreover, this conclusion was upheld regardless of whether the water system was a public tap or a private connection.     

The environmental behaviour of polychlorinated phenols and its relevance to cork forest ecosystems: a review

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been used as a herbicide, biocide and preservative worldwide since the 1930s and as a result, extensive and prolonged contamination exists. The environmental impact increases when its many degradation products are taken into consideration. A number of chloroanisols and their related chlorophenols have been found in cork slabs collected from Portuguese oak tree forests before stopper manufacturing, and contamination by PCP and polychlorinated anisole (PCA) has been detected in Canadian forests. It is suggested that the use of polychlorinated phenols, in particular PCP, is thought to be a cause of the cork taint problem in wine, a major socio-economic impact not only for industry but on sensitive and highly biodiverse ecosystems. It also highlights particular issues relating to the regional regulation of potentially toxic chemicals and global economics world wide. To fully understand the impact of contamination sources, the mechanisms responsible for the fate and transport of PCP and its degradation products and assessment of their environmental behaviour is required. This review looks at the current state of knowledge of soil sorption, fate and bioavailability and identifies the challenges of degradation product identification and the contradictory evidence from field and laboratory observations. The need for a systematic evaluation of PCP contamination in relation to cork forest ecosystems and transfer of PCP between trophic levels is emphasised by discrepancies in bioaccumulation and toxicity. This is essential to enable long term management of not only transboundary contaminants, but also the sustainable management of socially and economically important forest ecosystems.     

The relative importance of subjective and structural factors for individual adaptation to climate change by forest owners in Sweden

A growing body of literature argues that subjective factors can more accurately explain individual adaptation to climate change than objective measurers of adaptive capacity. Recent studies have shown that personal belief in climate change and affect are much better in explaining climate awareness and action than income, education or gender. This study focuses on the process of individual adaptation to climate change. It assesses and compares the influence of cognitive, experiential and structural factors on individuals’ views and intentions regarding climate change adaptation. Data from this study comes from a survey with 836 forest owners in Sweden. Ordinal and binary logistic regression was used to test hypotheses about the different factors. Results show that cognitive factors—namely personal level of trust in climate science, belief in the salience of climate change and risk assessment—are the only statistically significant factors that can directly explain individuals’ intention to adapt to climate change and their sense of urgency. Findings also suggest that structural or socio-demographic factors do not have a statistically significant influence on adaptation decision-making among Swedish forest owners. The study also offers valuable insights for communication interventions to promote adaptation. Findings strongly suggest that communication interventions should focus more strongly on building trust and addressing stakeholders’ individual needs and experiences.

     

Does Climate Change Communication Matter for Individual Engagement with Adaptation? Insights from Forest Owners in Sweden

Environmental Management - Natural resource managers urgently need to adapt to climate change, and extension services are increasingly using targeted communication campaigns to promote individual...     

Correction to: the relative importance of subjective and structural factors for individual adaptation to climate change by forest owners in Sweden

Regional Environmental Change - The published online version contains mistake. Anna Maria Jönsson was inadvertently omitted in the author group section. Correct author group section is shown...     

Land managers’ behaviours modulate pathways to visions of future land systems

Regional Environmental Change - Attempts to influence the development of land systems are often based on detailed scenarios that constrain relevant factors, describe a range of divergent but...     

Development of a robust chromatographic method for the detection of chlorophenols in cork oak forest soils

A major concern for the cork and wine industry is ‘cork taint’ which is associated with chloroanisoles, the microbial degradation metabolites of chlorophenols. The use of chlorophenolic compounds as pesticides within cork forests was prohibited in 1993 in the European Union (EU) following the introduction of industry guidance. However, cork produced outside the EU is still thought to be affected and simple, robust methods for chlorophenol analysis are required for wider environmental assessment by industry and local environmental regulators. Soil samples were collected from three common-use forests in Tunisia and from one privately owned forest in Sardinia, providing examples of varied management practice and degree of human intervention. These provided challenge samples for the optimisation of a HPLC-UV detection method. It produced recoveries consistently >75 % against a soil CRM (ERM-CC008) for pentachlorophenol. The optimised method, with ultraviolet (diode array) detection is able to separate and quantify 16 different chlorophenols at field concentrations greater than the limits of detection ranging from 6.5 to 191.3 μg/kg (dry weight). Application to a range of field samples demonstrated the absence of widespread contamination in forest soils at sites sampled in Sardinia and Tunisia.