Exposure of aboriginal people to methylmercury due to gold mining in the Amazon, Brazil

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｉｎｃｅｔｈｅｅａｒｌｙ 1980’ｓ,ｒａｐｉｄｉｎｃｒｅａｓｅｓｉｎｇｏｌｄｍｉｎｉｎｇａｃｔｉｖｉｔｉｅｓｕｓｉｎｇｍｅｒｃｕｒｙａｍａｌｇａｍａｔｉｏｎｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅｉｎｍａｎｙｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｉｎｇｃｏｕｎｔｒｉｅｓｈａｓｂｅｅｎｏｎｅｏｆｔｈｅｍａｉｎｓｏｕｒｃｅｓｏｆｍｅｒｃｕｒｙｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｏｎ ,ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒｌｙｉｎｔｈｅＡｍａｚｏｎａｎｄｏｔｈｅｒｔｒｏｐｉｃａｌｒｅｇｉｏｎｓ(Ｍａｌｍ ,1990 ;Ｒａｍｅｌ,1996;Ｉｋｉｎｇｕｒａ,1996;Ｌａｃｅｒｄａ,…     

Tools and concepts for sustainable development,how do they relate to a general framework for sustainable development,and to each other?

We present a general framework to plan for sustainability and then relate it to some well-known tools for sustainable development. This framework follows from principles for how a system is constituted (ecological and social principles), and contains principles for a favorable outcome for the system (sustainability), as well as principles for the process to reach this outcome (sustainable development). The principles for sustainability define the favorable outcome and direct problem-solving upstream towards problemsources. A program of activities is then constructed by backcasting from defined outcomes to the current problems. This is followed by “metrics”, i.e. various concepts for measuring and monitoring the activities. Most concepts and tools for sustainable development function as metrics, for instance life cycle assessment (LCA), ecological footprinting (EF), and Factor X. An environmental management system (EMS), like ISO 14001 or EMAS, is an administrative vehicle that should systematically align a firm's specific outcomes, activities and metrics with a general framework for sustainability. From a strategic point of view, metrics should measure alignment of activities with the principles contained in a framework for sustainability. A framework is not an alternative to concepts and tools for metrics. We need them all, because they represent different interrelated levels of strategic planning.     

Marketing P2–CP to business – past,present, and possible future

For over a decade, organizations involved in promoting pollution prevention/cleaner production (P2–CP) to businesses have been asking business managers to change the way they think. But perhaps the greatest adoption of P2–CP will occur when organizations take advantage of the way business managers already think, using strategies of business-to-business (B2B) marketing. In this paper, we trace the evolution of P2–CP promotion from an Educational Strategy, through a Diffusion Strategy, and finally to the B2B Strategy. We argue that P2–CP adoption can be significantly increased if organizations apply the techniques of companies that make their living from selling innovations to businesses and use the B2B markets to bring P2–CP innovations to businesses.     

Tolerance of Physocypria kraepelini （Crustacean, Ostracoda） to water-borne ammonia, phosphate and pH value

This study evaluated the median lethal concentration (LC50) and safe concentration of water-borne ammonia, phosphate and pH value on Physocypria kraepelini, a freshwater Ostracoda with a static renewal test system. The results indicated that the LC50 values of ammonia for P. kraepelini were 1026.71, 859.98, 771.79 and 583.82 mg/L at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h exposure, respectively, and the safe concentration range of ammonia for the long-term survival of P. kraepelini was less than 58.38 mg/L. The safe range of pH value for the survival of P. kraepelini was from 6.59 to 7.61. P. kraepelini has a high tolerance to ammonia, phosphate and pH value which are the main environmental factors in the serious eutrophication water.     

Biophoton emission,free radical and toxicity of benzene to aquatic biosystems

Ｂｉｏｐｈｏｔｏｎｅｍｉｓｓｉｏｎ，ｆｒｅｅｒａｄｉｃａｌａｎｄｔｏｘｉｃｉｔｙｏｆｂｅｎｚｅｎｅｔｏａｑｕａｔｉｃｂｉｏｓｙｓｔｅｍｓ￥ＷａｎｇＹｉｎｇｙａｎ；ＷａｎｇＪｉｇｕａｎｇ（ＢｅｉｊｉｎｇＭｕｎｉｃｉｐａｌＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈｉｎｓｔｉｔｕｔ...     

Study on the response of wheat to lead, cadmium and zinc

Ｓｔｕｄｙｏｎｔｈｅｒｅｓｐｏｎｓｅｏｆｗｈｅａｔｔｏｌｅａｄ，ｃａｄｍｉｕｍａｎｄｚｉｎｃＭｅｎｇＬｉｎｇ，ＴａｎＤｅｙｏｎｇ，ＷａｎｇＨｕａｎｘｉａｏ，ＤｕａｎＣｈａｎｇｑｕｎ，ＤｕａｎＰｅｉｓｈａｎｇ，ＧａｏＳｈａｎｇｙｉＤｅｐａｒ...     

How do water striders, Aquarius paludum, react to brackish water simulated by NaCl solutions?

Several stages, from eggs to adults, of the water strider, Aquarius paludum (Fabricius), inhabiting fresh water are sometimes conveyed by heavy flow in the rainy or typhoon seasons in Japan to lotic brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The water striders might then respond to salinity either by remaining to wait for extensive rainfall to reduce osmotic pressure locally before reproducing (“breed here and later tactic”) or by flying away to reproduce in fresh waters elsewhere (“breed elsewhere and later tactic”). All first instars died before the first molt when they were exposed to 1.75 and 3.5% NaCl solutions in a laboratory experiment. Living on 0.5 and 0.9% solutions through larval and adult stages slowed down larval growth and suppressed female reproduction. When exposed to the 0.5 and 0.9% solutions, 90 and 92% of males, respectively, showed histolysis of their flight muscles. Therefore, in brackish natural habitats, larvae and adults seem to follow the strategy “breed here and later.” When water striders were exposed to 0.9% solution either just after emergence or 20 days later, females showed a higher flight propensity than those kept on fresh waters throughout, and they delayed the deposition of eggs. Therefore, when conveyed to brackish water after emergence by stream flow after heavy rain, adults seem to leave the area by flight, demonstrating the strategy “breed elsewhere and later” tactic. We conclude that water striders use alternative tactics for responding to salinity, depending on the stage of exposure.     

Instruction to authors

The Journal of Environmental Sciences, an international journal started in 1989 and sponsored by the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is devoted to publishing original, peer-reviewed research papers on main aspects of environmental sciences, such as environmental chemistry, environmental biology, ecology, geosciences and environmental physics. Appropriate subjects include basic and applied research on atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic environments, pollution control and abatement technology, and conservation of natural resources, environmental health and toxicology. Announcements of international environmental science meetings and other recent information are also included. The objectives are to report on the latest research achievements and developments; to strengthen academic exchanges; to promote cooperation in science and technology; and to contribute to the progress in environmental sciences. The journal＇s board of reviewing editors consists of 36 members from a variety of scientific disciplines of China, USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Australia and Austria and so on.     

Brief Introduction to the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

The Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was set up in Oct. 1986. It was composed of the former Institute of Environmental Chemi-stry, which was founded in 1975, and the Ecology Center. The purpose of setting up the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences is to promote the cooperation of environmen- tal chemists, ecologists and geoscientists so as to solve ecological and environmental issues at regional, national and global levels through interdisciplinary studies.     

Pollution of water resources due to industrialization in arid zone of Rajasthan, India

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＵｒｂａｎｉｚａｔｉｏｎａｎｄｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｉａｌｉｚａｔｉｏｎ,ｔｈｅｋｅｙｓｔｏｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔ,ｈａｖｅｄｉｓｔｏｒｔｅｄｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｎｄｔｈｅｉｎｔｅｎｓｉｔｙｏｆｔｈｉｓｄｉｓｔｏｒｔｉｏｎｗａｓｆｅｌｔｗｈｅｎｉｔｅｘｃｅｅｄｅｄｔｈｅｌｉｍｉｔｂｅｙｏｎｄｗｈｉｃｈｉｔｂｅｃａｍｅｉｒｒｅｐａｒａｂｌｅ.Ｗａｔｅｒ,ｔｈｅｇｒｅａｔｅｓｔｓｏｌｖｅｎｔ,ｈａｓｍａｎｙｒｏｌｅｓｔｏｐｌａｙｉｎｂｏｔｈｕｒｂａｎａｎｄｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｉａｌｄｅｖｅ…     

Effect of monotoxicity and mixtoxicity of nitroaromatics to the green algae, Scienedesmus obliquus

In general, many pollutants co-exist in natural aquatic ecosystems. They affect each other and occur different results, such as synergism, addition and antagonism. So the research at mixtoxicity of contaminants to aquatic organism is more important than monotoxicity. In this paper, 50％ effectual inhibition concentration 48h EC50 values of 6 kinds of nitroaromatic compounds to the green algae, Scenedesmus obliquus, were investigated. Mixtoxic experiments, in which any combination of 2,4-DNT and other 6kinds of compounds, indicate: (1) synergisms between 2,4-DNT and 4-NAn, as well as 4-NAnis, 1,4-DNB; (2) antagonisms between 2,4-DNT and 4-NT, as well as 4-NPh, 4-NCB.     

Transfer of Australian environmental research on the insecticide endosulfan to Anhui Province, China

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙｔｒａｎｓｆｅｒ，ｏｒｅｘｔｅｎｓｉｏｎ（ａｔｔｈｅｌｏｃａｌｌｅｖｅｌ），ｉｓｔｈｅｐｒｏｃｅｓｓｏｆｍｏｖｉｎｇｉｎｎｏｖａｔｉｏｎｓｆｒｏｍｔｈｅｉｒｏｒｉｇｉｎｔｏｔｈｅｉｒｐｏｉｎｔｏｆｏｐｅｒａｔｉｏｎ．Ｉｎｎｏｖａｔｉｏｎｓｍａｙｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓｃｉｅｎｔｉｆｉｃａｎｄｔｅｃｈｎｉｃａｌｋｎｏｗｌｅｄｇｅ，ｉｄｅａｓ，ｓｅｒｖｉｃｅｓ，ｉｎｖｅｎｔｉｏｎｓａｎｄｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｓ．Ｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙａｄｏｐｔｉｏｎｉｓｔｈｅｉｍｐｌｅｍｅ…     

Effect of monotoxicity and mixtoxicity of nitroaromatics to the green algae, Scienedesmus obliquus

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＥｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌｃｏｎｔａｍｉｎａｎｔｓｍａｙｈａｖｅｔｏｘｉｃｅｆｆｅｃｔｓｏｎｍａｎｙｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔｏｒｇａｎｉｓｍｓａｎｄａｆｆｅｃｔｂｉｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｐｒｏｃｅｓｓｅｓａｔｃｅｌｌｕｌａｒ,ｐｏｐｕｌａｔｉｏｎ ,ｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｔｙａｎｄｅｃｏｓｙｓｔｅｍｌｅｖｅｌｓｏｆｏｒｇａｎｉｚａｔｉｏｎ .Ｍｏｓｔｒｅｃｅｎｔｈａｚａｒｄｅｖａｌｕａｔｉｏｎｐｒｏｇｒａｍｓｒｅｃｏｍｍｅｎｄａｌｇａｅｔｏｘｉｃｉｔｙｔｅｓｔｓｆｏｒｅｖａｌｕａｔｉｏｎｓｏｆｃ…     

A methodological proposal for the evaluation of farmer’s adaptation to climate variability, mainly due to drought in watersheds in Central America

The current study shows the process and the results of a methodology proposed to contribute with the issue of how to evaluate the adaptation to climate variability and future climate change. The proposed methodology consists of a standard to evaluate farmer’s adaptation to climate variability, mainly due to drought in watersheds in Central America; and was created with contributions from experts and professionals around this region. The phases for this process were: (1) literature review about the topic, (2) development of a preliminary standard, (3) expert interviews for the evaluation of this preliminary standard, (4) construction of a standard to evaluate the issue of adaptation to climate variability emphasizing drought through contributions from experts and their preliminary evaluations, (5) applicability test of this standard for the evaluation of climate variability under real conditions and (6) application of this standard through a case study in the Aguas Calientes river sub-watershed in Nicaragua, which permanently undergoes drought problems and climate variability. This standard has five main principles that go from the general, considering regional and national policies and institutionalism, to the specifics at the level of watersheds. In addition to those principles, the standard contains ten criteria, 26 indicators and 51 verifiers distributed among the main five principles. In the process for testing this standard in the Aguas Calientes river watershed in Nicaragua, the score for the general applicability to this standard was middle-level (score of 3 in a scale of 1 to 5), although, for the main principles of this standard, the score was four (high).     

Fate of organophosphate esters from the Northwestern Pacific to the Southern Ocean:Occurrence,distribution, and fugacity model simulation

Eleven organophosphate esters (OPEs) in the air and seawater were investigated from the northwestern Pacific Ocean to the Southern Ocean during the 2018 Chinese 34th Antarctic Scientific Expedition.The concentration of total OPEs ranged from 164.82 to 3501.79 pg/m³in air and from 4.54 to 70.09 ng/L in seawater.Two halogenated OPEs,tri(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tri (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP),were generally more abundant than the non-halogenated OPEs.A level Ⅲ fugacity mo...     

Population growth, economic growth, technology changes in relation to environmental changes──A theoretical modelling analysis of environmental changes

Ｐｏｐｕｌａｔｉｏｎｇｒｏｗｔｈ，ｅｃｏｎｏｍｉｃｇｒｏｗｔｈ，ｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙｃｈａｎｇｅｓｉｎｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｔｏｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌｃｈａｎｇｅｓ──Ａｔｈｅｏｒｅｔｉｃａｌｍｏｄｅｌｌｉｎｇａｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔ...     

An evaluation of quality assurance to monitor acidprecipitation by using ion balancein Guizhou, China

ＡｎｅｖａｌｕａｔｉｏｎｏｆｑｕａｌｉｔｙａｓｓｕｒａｎｃｅｔｏｍｏｎｉｔｏｒａｃｉｄｐｒｅｃｉｐｉｔａｔｉｏｎｂｙｕｓｉｎｇｉｏｎｂａｌａｎｃｅｉｎＧｕｉｚｈｏｕ，ＣｈｉｎａＫａｎｇＤｅｍｅｎｇ（ＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈＣｅｎｔｅｒｆｏｒＥｃｏ－Ｅｎｖｉｒ...     

Diminished effects of El Chichón on stratospheric aerosols,early 1984 to late 1986

Stratospheric aerosol collections by wire impactors, taken mainly over the western United States from early 1984 to late 1986, show the diminishing effects of El Chichón's 1982 eruption, and provide a set of data for judging subsequent volcanic effects (e.g. Pinatubo). Decrease in sulfate burden during the study time is due to preferential gravitational settling-out of large (> 0.5 μm diameter) sulfate aerosol droplets. As a result of settling from higher levels, lower altitude (12.2–15.2 km) air early in 1984 tends to contain more sulfate than higher level (19.8–21.3 km) air. As of late 1986, however, high- and low-altitude sulfate contents have decreased and are similar, suggesting large-particle settling has been completed. The later sulfate collections also have size distributions that in shape resemble unimodal background spectra, whereas earlier ones are bimodal. Average sulfate load for all altitudes decreases during the period of study from 0.4 to 0.08 μg m⁻³. The latter value is somewhat higher than a volcanically unenriched pre-El Chichón level (0.05 μg m⁻³) suggesting that even as of 1987, stratospheric background had not been obtained.