Perfluorosulfonates and perfluorocarboxylates in snow and rain in Dalian,China

Samples of precipitation events (snow and rain) in Dalian, a typical coastal town in China, were analyzed for perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) to investigate atmospheric contamination by these compounds. In the snow event on December 16, 2006, samples were collected from 21 different sites and in another 6 precipitation events, samples were collected from a single location. Four PFSAs (C4, C6, C8, C10) and seven PFCAs (C6–12) were analyzed. Among the homologues, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) concentrations were the highest with a geometric mean (GM) of 145 ng/L (n = 21) during the snow event on December 16, 2006, followed by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) with a GM of 24.7 ng/L (n = 21). Concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA) were more than two orders of magnitude lower than that of PFOS. Other PFSAs and PFCAs were found to be below the limit of detection in all the samples. In other 6 precipitation events, PFSAs and PFCAs were detected approximately in the same order of magnitude in both snow and rain. The results indicate that wet deposition may be a potential transport mechanism of perfluorinated chemicals in the environment.     

Variation and Interrelation of Characters in Brunnera sibirica in Natural and Disturbed Habitats

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Concentration and characteristics of depleted uranium in biological and water samples collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina

During Balkan conflicts in 1994-1995, depleted uranium (DU) ordnance was employed and was left in the battlefield. Health concern is related to the risk arising from contamination of the environment with DU penetrators and dust. In order to evaluate the impact of DU on the environment and population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, radiological survey of DU in biological and water samples were carried out over the period 12-24 October 2002. The uranium isotopic concentrations in biological samples collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly lichens, mosses and barks, were found to be in the range of 0.27-35.7 Bq kg(-1) for (238)U, 0.24-16.8 Bq kg(-1) for (234)U, and 0.02-1.11 Bq kg(-1) for (235)U, showing uranium levels to be higher than in the samples collected at the control site. Moreover, the (236)U in some of the samples was detectable. The isotopic ratios of (234)U/(238)U showed DU to be detectable in many biological samples at most sites examined, but in very low levels. The presence of DU in the biological samples was as a result of DU contamination in air. The uranium concentrations in water samples collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina were found to be in the range of 0.27-16.2 m Bq l(-1) for (238)U, 0.41-15.6 m Bq l(-1) for (234)U and 0.012-0.695 m Bq l(-1) for (235)U, and two water samples were observed to be DU positive; these values are much lower than those in mineral water found in central Italy and below the WHO guideline for public drinking water. From radiotoxicological point of view, at this moment there is no significant radiological risk related to these investigated sites in terms of possible DU contamination of water and/or plants.     

Institutional traps and vulnerability to changes in climate and flood regimes in Thailand

Vulnerabilities to floods in Thailand are changing as a result of many factors. Formal and informal institutions help shape exposure, sensitivity and capacities to respond of individuals, social groups and social-ecological systems. In this paper we draw on several case studies of flood events and flood-affected communities to first assess how current practices reflect various laws, procedures, programs and policies for managing floods and disasters and then explore the implications for dealing with additional challenges posed by climate change. Our analysis identifies several institutional traps which need to be overcome if vulnerability is to be reduced, namely capture of agendas by technical elites, single-level or centralized concentration of capacities, organizational fragmentation and overemphasis on reactive crisis management. Possible responses are to expand public participation in managing risks, build adaptive capacities at multiple levels and link them, integrate flood disaster management and climate change adaptation into development planning, prioritize risk reduction for socially vulnerable groups and strengthen links between knowledge and practice. Responses like these could help reduce vulnerabilities under current climate and flood regimes, while also improving capacities to handle the future which every way that unfolds.     

110mAg root and foliar uptake in vegetables and its migration in soil

110mAg, as a radionuclide of corrosion products in water-cooled nuclear reactors, was detected in the liquid effluents of Guangdong Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station (GNPS) of Daya Bay under normal operation conditions. Experiments on a simulated terrestrial agricultural ecosystem were carried out using the pot experiment approach. The most common plants in Hong Kong and the South China vegetable gardens such as lettuce, Chinese spinach, kale, carrot, pepper, eggplant, bean, flowering cabbage, celery, European onion and cucumber were selected for (110m)Ag root and foliar uptake tests. The results show that carrot, kale and flowering cabbage have the greatest values of soil to plant transfer factor among the vegetables, while(110m)Ag can be transferred to Chinese spinach via foliar uptake. Flowering cabbage, the most popular leafy vegetable locally, could be used as a biomonitor for the radioisotope contamination in vegetables. Soil column and adsorption tests were also carried out to study the leaching ability and distribution coefficient (K(d)) of (110m)Ag in the soil. The results show that most of the radionuclide was adsorbed in the top 1 cm of soil regardless of the pH value. The K(d) was also determined.     

Distribution Characteristics and Implication of n-alkanes in Soils and Plants in Alpine Meadow

Russian Journal of Ecology - The present study was conducted to investigate the n-alkane composition of typical alpine meadows. Plant and soil samples were collected and analyzed to characterize...     

Associations between grab sample and integrated radon measurements in dwellings in Maine and Texas

Radon concentrations were measured in several locations in each of approximately 100 dwellings in central Maine and in Houston, TX. Integrated samples were taken during the heating (or cooling) seasons with commercially available passive alpha track devices, while grab samples were taken at the time of integrated sampler deployment. It was found that both indoor and outdoor measurements in both areas were distributed log normally, and that the geometric mean of indoor measurements in Maine was three times higher than that of corresponding measurements in the Houston area. It was also noted that the mean of the indoor grab sample measurements was not significantly different from the mean of the indoor integrated measurements, and that the degree of correlation between the grab samples and a given indoor integrated sample was nearly as good as between integrated samples taken at different living area locations.     

90Sr, 210Po and 210Pb in lichen and reindeer in Norway

Concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr, ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in lichen and reindeer were studied in central (Østre Namdal) and southern Norway (Vågå) during 2000–2003. The study focussed on potential differences in concentrations of these nuclides in reindeer of different ages. Concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr in bones of ∼10 year old adult females were about 40% higher than those in calves' antlers (⁹⁰Sr concentrations in antlers and bones of calves are similar), while the available data from Vågå suggest that ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in reindeer calves decreased with an effective ecological half-time of 9.03 ± 0.06 years during 1988–2002. Furthermore, ⁹⁰Sr concentrations were 50–80% higher in bone of reindeer of a similar age from Vågå compared to those from Østre Namdal. Concentrations of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in muscle and liver tissues were comparable to those reported for reindeer in other Nordic areas, with no significant difference in ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb concentrations between adults and calves or between reindeer from the two different study areas.     

4-Nonylphenol and bisphenol A in Swedish food and exposure in Swedish nursing women

4-Nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) are phenolic substances used in high volumes by the industry. Studies on cells and in experimental animals have shown that both these compounds can be classified as estrogenic hormone disrupters. Information about the exposure of humans to NP and BPA is still scarce, especially regarding levels in human blood. The first aim of this study was to investigate possible sources of NP and BPA exposure from food, by analyzing the levels of NP and BPA from a Swedish food market basket, based on the Swedish per capita food consumption. A second aim was to investigate blood serum levels of NP and BPA, as well as NP-ethoxylates, among young women in Sweden (n = 100). Moreover, associations between food consumption and blood NP and BPA levels were studied. In food, NP was to some extent found at levels above limit of quantification (LOQ 20 ng/g fresh weight) in fruits, cereal products, vegetables, and potatoes. BPA levels above LOQ (2 ng/g fresh weight) were found in fish, meats, potatoes, and dairy products. The estimated mean intakes per capita were (medium bound) 27 μg NP/day and 3.9 μg BPA/day, showing that food is a source of BPA and NP in the general Swedish population. In blood serum, free NP above limit of detection (LOD 0.5 ng/g) was detected in 46% of the study participants while detectable levels of total NP (LOD 0.8 ng/g) were observed in 43%. The corresponding percentages for BPA were 25% and 22%, respectively. The results indicate that there is a continuous source of exposure to NP and BPA that is high enough for free NP and BPA to be detected in some consumers. Among the participants with quantifiable levels of free and total NP (n = 38), 85% (median, range: 38–112%) of the NP was present as free NP. For BPA 76% (49–109%) was detected as free BPA (n = 15). All women had levels of ethoxylates of NP below LOD (0.1–0.7 ng/g). A significantly higher total consumption of fruits and vegetables was reported in questionnaires by participants with NP levels at or above LOD than among women with levels below LOD. This result is supporting the market basket results of relatively high NP levels in these types of food.     

Changes in river discharge structure and regime in mining-industrial-urban areas

In mining-industrial-urban areas, the variability of river discharge is regulated, directly or indirectly, by human economic activity. This results from the presence of alien water, which often comes from outside the catchment area, is discharged into the river network. This water includes industrial and municipal wastewater and deep-drainage mine water. Simultaneously, as a result of water intake and water infiltration into dry ground (due to mining), the volume of river discharge decreases. Such changeable conditions of water alimentation and drainage are typical of many regions of Europe. Detailed investigations of the range and directions of changes in river structure and regime were carried out for the area of Upper Silesian Industrial Region (USIR) of Poland. The results were compared with the results of investigations carried out in the Ruhr Basin of Germany and the Donetsk Basin of the Ukraine and Russia. The investigations showed that, in some cases, prolonged, multifunctional economic activity of a man has effectively eliminated of the influence of natural hydrometeorological conditions on river discharge. Wastewater and mine water which has contributed to river flow is only slightly variable in the annual cycle and it causes an increase of water volume and a discharge smoothing. Sewage effluent and mine wastewater also change the structure of river runoff because their contribution to the runoff sometimes exceeds 90% of its volume.     

中国实施生态旅游认证的机遇与挑战

在界定生态旅游认证、分析建立生态旅游认证体系意义的基础上．对绿色环球21、澳大利亚的NEAP、厄瓜多尔的Smart Voyager等目前国际知名的认证体系进行了介绍．重点分析了中国实施生态旅游认证的机遇和面临的挑战，并对我国建立生态旅游认证体系的必要性及相关问题提出了建议。     

Ecological tax reforms and environmental benefits in Italy and Sweden

The paper calculates the implications of including monetary measurements of environmental emission changes for the welfare impacts of ecological tax reforms in Italy and Sweden. Taxes on emissions of SO₂, NO_x and CO₂ are investigated. Country-specific computable equilibrium models are used for estimating net welfare changes of the introduction of these taxes, the incomes of which are used for reducing distorting labour taxes. The results indicate that the inclusion of environmental benefits reduces the costs of ecological tax reforms considerably for both countries, and may even turn into net welfare gains.     

PCB levels in surface and waste waters in Egypt

Samples of surface water from the river Nile, Ismailia and El-Mahmodia Canals, and waste waters from eight plants were collected and analysed for determination of PCB levels. The mean concentrations of PCBs in River Nile, Ismailia Canal, El-Mahmodia Canal, and waste waters were 24 ± 14, 39 ± 18, and 170 ± 150 ng/L, respectively. The waste waters discharged from industrial plants were found to increase the levels of PCBs in surface waters. The concentrations of PCBs in the River Nile and two Canals are within the range found in the Hudson, Avon, and Frome Rivers, and for the Northern Mississippi area.     

Fate and transport of pathogens in lakes and reservoirs

Outbreaks of water-borne disease via public water supplies continue to be reported in developed countries even though there is increased awareness of, and treatment for, pathogen contamination. Pathogen episodes in lakes and reservoirs are often associated with rain events, and the riverine inflow is considered to be major source of pathogens. Consequently, the behaviour of these inflows is of particular importance in determining pathogen transport and distribution. Inflows are controlled by their density relative to that of the lake, such that warm inflows will flow over the surface of the lake as a buoyant surface flow and cold, dense inflows will sink beneath the lake water where they will flow along the bathymetry towards the deepest point. The fate of pathogens is determined by loss processes including settling and inactivation by temperature, UV and grazing. The general trend is for the insertion timescale to be shortest, followed by sedimentation losses and temperature inactivity. The fate of Cryptosporidium due to UV light inactivation can occur at opposite ends of the scale, depending on the location of the oocysts in the water column and the extinction coefficient for UV light. For this reason, the extinction coefficient for UV light appears to be a vitally important parameter for determining the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination. For risk assessment of pathogens in supply reservoirs, it is important to understand the role of hydrodynamics in determining the timescale of transport to the off-take relative to the timescale of inactivation. The characteristics of the riverine intrusion must also be considered when designing a sampling program for pathogens. A risk management framework is presented that accounts for pathogen fate and transport for reservoirs.     

Antibiotics detected in urines and adipogenesis in school children

BackgroundAlthough antibiotic use during early life has been demonstrated to be related to the altered adipogenesis in later life, limited data are available for the effect of antibiotic exposure in school children on adiposity from various sources, including from the use or contaminated food or drinking water.ObjectiveTo explore the association between the internal exposure of antibiotics from various sources and adipogenesis in school children using the biomonitoring of urinary antibiotics.MethodsAfter 586 school children aged 8–11 years were selected from Shanghai in 2013, total urinary concentrations (free and conjugated) of 21 common antibiotics from six categories (macrolides, β-lactams, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, and phenicols), including five human antibiotics (HAs), two antibiotics preferred as HA, four veterinary antibiotics (VAs), and ten antibiotics preferred as VA, were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Creatinine-corrected urinary concentrations of antibiotics were used to assess their exposure. Overweight or obesity was determined by the body mass index or waist circumference-based criteria deriving from national data.ResultsAll 21 antibiotics were found in urines with the overall detection frequency of 79.6%. The multinomial logistic regression analyses showed the significant associations of overweight and obesity with the exposure to VAs and antibiotics preferred as VA, but not with HAs or antibiotics preferred as HA. After adjusted for a number of obesity-relevant variables, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of BMI-based obesity risk of tertiles 2 and 3 of urinary concentrations relative to tertile 1 were respectively 2.54 (1.27, 5.07) and 2.92 (1.45, 5.87) for florfenicol, 0.57 (0.12, 2.63) and 3.63 (1.41, 9.32) for trimethoprim, and 3.00 (1.56, 5.76) and 1.99 (0.99, 4.01) for sum of veterinary antibiotics. Similar results were found when the outcome used WC-based obesity risk. The associations were sex related and mainly observed in boys.ConclusionsSome types of antibiotic exposure, which were mainly from food or drinking water, were associated with an increased risk of obesity in school children. Due to the cross-sectional design, more longitudinal and experimental studies are warranted to further test these findings.     

中国进出口贸易中的隐含能估算

采用投入产出法。估算了1997-2006年中国进出口贸易中的隐含能。在考虑隐含能和进出口能源产品的情况下，都按我国的能耗效率对进出口进行的保守估计发现：1997-2006年，我国的能源进出口基本持平．其中1999-2005年是一个微弱的能源净进口国，而1997。1998和2006年却是能源净出口国；按照日本的能耗效率对进口产品进行调整后的乐观估计发现中国则是一个更大的能源净出口国，每年能源净出口量在10000-50000万t标煤之间，其中1997-2002年我国能源净出口量占当年能源消费总量的10％左右。之后该数字迅速增长，2006年更高达18．8％。可见我国进口的能源（包括进口产品中的隐含能）又以出口产品的形式输出到了国外。从能源净消费的角度看我国并没有多消费世界上其他国家的能源。虽然我国近年来能源产品进口增加较快，但我国快速增长的净出口使这些能源又“隐含”在产品中离开了中国。     

中国进出口贸易中的隐含碳估算

采用投入产出法。估算了1997-2006年中国进出口贸易中的隐含碳。对进出口商品都采用中国的碳耗水平所作的保守估计发现：1997-2006年，通过产品的形式，我国为国外排放了大量的碳，1997-2004年。隐含碳净出口占当年碳排放总量的比倒在0．5％-2．7％之间,2004年之后迅速增加。2006年该数字达10％左右。按照日本的碳耗效率对进口产品进行调整后的乐观估计发现。中国为j国该外转移排放的碳数量更为惊人。1997-2002年隐含碳净出口量占当年碳排放总量的12％～14％。2002年之后迅速增加，到2006年，该数字已达29.28％。作为生产者和消费者，中国和其出口国都是这些碳排放的受益者，都应该对气候变化负责。一味对中国增长的碳排放进行指责是不全面的。     

中欧可再生能源电力安全困境分析与合作路径

本文主要是为中欧可再生能源电力安全合作路径提供相关的政策建议。通过中欧双方可再生能源政策的相互比较,得到以下结论:1中国能源密度下跌的原因是节能减排政策的实施使用,不断提高能源效率和减排将是未来中国政府的核心任务;2把新能源外交与能源节约联系在一起,与欧盟之间加强中欧新能源合作,抓住机会引进新能源技术、设备和成果,以加强我们在新能源领域的竞争力;3建立战略目标和政策协调机制,以促进新能源外交政策的梳理,协同推进新能源外交战略目标的发展;4探索欧盟与中国的合作新机制,减少现有的国际机构或政府新成立的多边集团对短期商品价格冲击的影响,缓解短期的商品供应缺口和价格冲击;5在维护能源安全上,中欧双方有着共同的利益,也面临共同挑战。与欧盟在能源技术、能效管理、标准、法规、能源市场和监管等方面合作,推动中国节能和增效,对控制能源消费总量,实现能源生产和利用方式变革等都具有现实意义。     

Environmental occurrence and risk of organic UV filters and stabilizers in multiple matrices in Norway

Eight organic UV filters and stabilizers were quantitatively determined in wastewater sludge and effluent, landfill leachate, sediments, and marine and freshwater biota. Crab, prawn and cod from Oslofjord, and perch, whitefish and burbot from Lake Mjøsa were selected in order to evaluate the potential for trophic accumulation. All of the cod livers analysed were contaminated with at least 1 UV filter, and a maximum concentration of almost 12 μg/g wet weight for octocrylene (OC) was measured in one individual. 80% of the cod livers contained OC, and approximately 50% of cod liver and prawn samples contained benzophenone (BP3). Lower concentrations and detection frequencies were observed in freshwater species and the data of most interest is the 4 individual whitefish that contained both BP3 and ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate (EHMC) with maximum concentrations of almost 200 ng/g wet weight. The data shows a difference in the loads of UV filters entering receiving water dependent on the extent of wastewater treatment. Primary screening alone is insufficient for the removal of selected UV filters (BP3, Padimate, EHMC, OC, UV-234, UV-327, UV-328, UV-329). Likely due in part to the hydrophobic nature of the majority of the UV filters studied, particulate loading and organic carbon content appear to be related to concentrations of UV filters in landfill leachate and an order of magnitude difference in these parameters correlates with an order of magnitude difference in the effluent concentrations of selected UV filters (Fig. 2). From the data, it is possible that under certain low flow conditions selected organic UV filters may pose a risk to surface waters but under the present conditions the risk is low, but some UV filters will potentially accumulate through the trophic food chain.     

Volatile organic compounds concentrations in residential indoor and outdoor and its personal exposure in Korea

To date, personal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure and residential indoor and outdoor VOCs levels have not been characterized in Korea. In this study, residential indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations were measured and compared simultaneously with the personal exposure for each of 30 participants in a medium city, Asan, and in a metropolitan city, Seoul. Factors that influence personal VOCs exposures were assessed in relation to house characteristics and time activity information. All VOC concentrations were measured using passive samplers during a 24-h period and analyzed using GC-MS. Ten target VOCs were benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene, o-xylene, p-xylene, ethylbenzene, MIBK, n-octane, styrene, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Residential indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations measured in Seoul were significantly higher than those in Asan. Indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all target compounds ranged from 0.94 to 1.51 and I/O ratios of Asan were a little higher than those of Seoul. Results indicate that time activity information can be used to predict personal exposures, although such predictions will result in an over estimation compared to measured exposures. Factors which influence the indoor VOCs level and its personal exposure in relation to house characteristics included house age, indoor smoking, and house type.