CHemical and Biological Assessment of an Urban, Estuarine marsh in Northeastern New Jersey USA

Oritani Marsh in the Hackensack Meadowlands of urbanized northeastern New Jersey USA was assessed in 2000 for vegetation, soil/sediment chemistry, abundance/diversity of benthic invertebrates, and bird and mammal usage. Vegetatively, both marsh and uplands are dominated by tall, dense Phragmites australis. Small patches (less than 2 hectares total) dominated by Spartina spp. were found at the lowest elevations. Soil/sediment cores were sliced into 5 intervals and analyzed for metals, pesticides and volatile/semivolatile organic compounds. Thirteen locations had at least one chemical above Long et al.’s [Environmental Management, 19, 1995, 81--97] “Effects Range-Median” (ERM). Seven metals and nine organics exceeded ERM in at least one sample, with mercury showing the most exceedances. The surface 15 cm interval was generally more contaminated with metals than the 15 to 30 cm interval; the reverse was true for semivolatile organic compounds. Twenty taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates were collected, with each location producing from 1 to 9 taxa. Abundance ranged from 11 to 3,889 individuals/m². Number of taxa was moderately (r ² between 0.40 and 0.70) negatively correlated with zinc, beryllium, nickel and arsenic concentrations; no other chemical’s r ² was above 0.25. Diversity was moderately negatively correlated with arsenic and beryllium. These correlations were unexpected: zinc, beryllium, nickel and arsenic were not the chemicals found at the highest concentrations relative to benchmarks. Number of taxa, abundance and diversity were moderately (negatively) correlated with elevation; organic carbon was moderately (positively) correlated with abundance. All other correlations were weak (r ² < 0.35). Live traps captured only one mammal species, the meadow jumping mouse. Bird observations revealed 39 species, dominated by a few common species.     

Who cleans up the oil? A microeconomic study

Although oil spill cleanup requirements have existed in the United States for years, recent increases in oil imports and marine transportation of petroleum products as well as growing environmental concern have exposed a new industry, the Oil Spill Cleanup Industry. This paper explores some of the microeconomic aspects of this industry which has come under increased scrutiny by the general public, big business, and the federal government.In addition to a brief history and definition, several basic questions about the economic viability of the oil spill cleanup industry are raised and explored, and the impact on the industry of cleanup from government sources is examined, both from the perspective of present operations and from apparent future increases in federal participation. The primary dilemma facing the industry, that of providing continued and immediate supply while confronted with stochastic demand, is discussed. The effects of the large spill on the industry both in terms of revenue and ability to meet cleanup requirements is also considered.Information for the paper is drawn from past and continuing involvement in the U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Protection Program by both authors. The statistical evidence presented here was compiled through personal interviews and from two computerized Coast Guard information systems; PIRS (the Pollution Incident Reporting System), and SKIM (the Spill Cleanup Equipment Inventory System).     

Assessment of ambient ozone effects on vegetation using snap bean as a bioindicator species

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant that is toxic to plants, causing visible injury to foliage and a reduction in growth and yield. The use of plant bioindicators is one approach to assess the ozone impacts in diverse geographical areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a potential bioindicator species. Three snap bean genotypes known to exhibit a range of ozone sensitivity were grown in pots under charcoal-filtered (CF) or nonfiltered (NF) treatments in open-top chambers, or under ambient air (AA) conditions. Treatment effects on biomass were not significant at 56 days after planting (DAP), but midseason foliar injury increased in the NF and AA treatments relative to CF controls. An increase in ozone from 25 to 30 nL L(-1) in CF controls to approximately 50 nL L(-1) in the NF and AA treatments was found to suppress final pod dry weight per plant by 40 to 60% in the most sensitive genotype S156. The same treatments suppressed final pod dry weight by 20 to 30% in a moderately sensitive genotype Oregon-91, and by 10% or less in a tolerant genotype R123. An S156 to R123 yield ratio of approximately one was observed under CF conditions. The S156 to R123 yield ratio declined to 0.6 to 0.7 in the NF treatment and declined further to 0.4 to 0.5 in the AA treatment, suggesting that ozone impact was underestimated in the open-top chambers. The results suggest that a snap bean bioindicator system has the potential to detect ambient ozone effects at present-day ozone concentrations.     

Projected twenty-first-century changes in the Central American mid-summer drought using statistically downscaled climate projections

Regional Environmental Change - In addition to periodic long-term drought, much of Central America experiences a rainy season with two peaks separated by a dry period of weeks to over a month in...     

Factors affecting the implementation of green specifications in construction

Green specifications constitute one of the important elements in green construction. New sustainability requirements and changing priorities in construction management have spurred the emerging green specifications to a faster pace of development. A cross-sectional survey has been conducted in Hong Kong in 2007 to identify principal factors leading to the success of preparing green specifications. Based on extensive construction management literature, 20 variables concerning sustainable construction were summarized. Using the Mann–Whitney U-test, the subtle differences between stakeholders in specifying construction work have been detected even with the high consistency of the responses among the groups. Moreover, five independent factors for successful specification of green construction have been categorized by factor analysis. They are related to (1) green technology and techniques, (2) reliability and quality of specification, (3) leadership and responsibility, (4) stakeholder involvement, and (5) guide and benchmarking systems. Whilst the first and fourth factors are generally more important, different stakeholder groups have different emphases. The results of the survey have been validated against established principles.     

不同添加剂对铅冶炼污染石灰性土壤的修复及土壤性质的影响研究

探讨了污水处理厂脱水污泥、枯草和磷矿粉对受铅冶炼污染的石灰性土壤(全Pb、Cd、Zn含量分别为2337、21.4、486 mg·kg-1,DTPA提取态Pb、Cd、Zn含量分别为1035、14.5、68.7 mg·kg-1)中重金属的稳定效果及对土壤性质的影响.其中,污泥和枯草均按200 g·kg-1(干重)的用量施用,磷矿粉按n(P)∶n(Pb)=2∶1比例施用,培养80 d.研究结果表明,单独施用污泥可使土壤DTPA-Pb含量降低18.0%(p0.05),并可显著降低土壤pH,增加土壤氮、磷有效性和电导率、DTPA-Cd、DTPA-Zn含量,其中,DTPA-Cd、DTPA-Zn含量增加比例均达到10%以上.单独施用枯草可使土壤DTPA-Pb含量降低10.7%(p0.05),土壤有机质含量增加26.4%(p0.05),对土壤其它性状影响较小.磷矿粉单独施用时对土壤性质影响较小.与污泥单独施用相比,磷矿粉与污泥配合施用时,可使土壤DTPA-Cd含量降低11.9%.     

钙、氯对磷酸盐稳定污染土壤中铅的促进作用研究

为探讨促进磷酸盐稳定污染土壤中铅的方法,在全铅含量为517 mg·kg-1的铅冶炼污染土壤中加入5 mmol·kg-1磷酸盐,同时加入10mmol·kg-1硝酸钙或5 mmol·kg-1氯化钾,在15%或30%的含水率下培养40 d,之后种植黑麦草.结果表明,与单独施用磷酸盐相比,采用磷酸盐与钙、氯结合或增加培养期间的土壤含水率后,土壤DTPA-Pb含量下降3.92%~26.1%;对于同一添加剂处理,培养期间土壤含水率从15%增加到30%,土壤有效铅(DTPA-Pb)含量下降8.83%~24.4%.增加土壤含水率后,土壤有效磷(Olsen-P)含量均显著升高(p0.05).土壤铅的EXAFS分析表明,与未施用磷酸盐的对照相比,土壤中加入磷酸盐后矿物态铅的比例由57%上升至81%,加施钙、氯或增加土壤含水率后,多数处理矿物态铅的比例有所下降,而有机结合态铅比例上升.与对照相比,污染土壤中施用磷酸盐后,植物产量大幅增加,但施用钙、氯或增加培养期间含水率后,部分处理植物产量有所下降.以上结果表明,在铅冶炼污染土壤中加入磷酸盐时,加入钙、氯或者增加土壤含水率均有利于铅的稳定,但以上措施可能对植物生长产生不利影响.     

Use of CALPUFF for exposure assessment in a near-field,complex terrain setting

CALPUFF is an atmospheric source-receptor model recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on a case-by-case basis in complex terrain and wind conditions. The ability of the model to provide useful information for exposure assessments in areas with those topographical and meteorological conditions has received little attention. This is an important knowledge gap for use of CALPUFF outside of regulatory applications, such as exposure analyses conducted in support of risk assessments and health studies. We compared deposition of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) calculated with CALPUFF as a result of emissions from a zinc smelter with corresponding concentrations of the metals measured in attic dust and soil samples obtained from the surrounding area. On a point-by-point analysis, predictions from CALPUFF explained 11% (lead) to 53% (zinc) of the variability in concentrations measured in attic dust. Levels of heavy metals in soil interpolated to 100 residential addresses from the distribution of concentrations measured in soil samples also agreed well with deposition predicted with CALPUFF: R² of 0.46, 0.76, and 079 for Pb, Cd, and Zn, respectively. Community-average concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn measured in soil were significantly (p < 0.0001) and strongly correlated (R² ranged from 0.77 to 0.98) with predicted deposition rates. These findings demonstrate that CALPUFF can provide reasonably accurate predictions of the patterns of long-term air pollutant deposition in the near-field associated with emissions from a discrete source in complex terrain. Because deposition estimates are calculated as a linear function of air concentrations, CALPUFF is expected to be reliable model for prediction of long-term average, near-field ambient air concentrations in complex terrain as well.     

Design considerations for environmental sustainability in high density development: a case study of Hong Kong

This study has indicated that there is close relationship between development density and environmental quality; therefore, it is necessary to decide the form of development carefully beforehand. The form of development is shaped either by new development or urban renewal which is a major tactic nowadays adopted by the Hong Kong Government to improve the living condition of the citizens and the quality of the built environment. This study is limited to urban renewal and aims to find out the major urban design considerations for sustaining the environment. Through a questionnaire survey carried out in Hong Kong, the opinions of architects, planners, property development managers, and local citizens were sought and evaluated, and critical design factors for enhancing environmental sustainability of urban renewal projects are highlighted. The results derived from factor analysis indicated that certain design considerations should be incorporated for sustaining the urban environment. “Land Use Planning”, “Quality of Life”, “Conservation & Preservation”, “Integrated Design”, “Provision of Welfare Facilities”, and “Conservation of Existing Properties” were believed to be the significant underlying factors for achieving environmental sustainability of local urban renewal projects. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature

Five studies utilizing survey, experimental, and diary methods assessed the effects of being outdoors on subjective vitality. In Study 1, we used a vignette method to examine whether being outdoors was associated with vitality, above and beyond the influences of physical activity and social interactions. Study 2 explored the effects of being outdoors on vitality through an experimental design contrasting indoor and outdoor walks. In Study 3, participants were exposed to photographic scenes of either nature or buildings. Results showed that only the nature scenes enhanced subjective vitality. Studies 4 and 5 used a diary methodology to examine within-person variations in subjective energy as a function of being outdoors, again controlling for physical and social activity. Being outdoors was associated with greater vitality, a relation that was mediated by the presence of natural elements. Limitations of these studies are discussed, as well as their implications for research on energy and vitalization.