WEEE and portable batteries in residual household waste: Quantification and characterisation of misplaced waste

A total of 26.1 Mg of residual waste from 3129 households in 12 Danish municipalities was analysed and revealed that 89.6 kg of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), 11 kg of batteries, 2.2 kg of toners and 16 kg of cables had been wrongfully discarded. This corresponds to a Danish household discarding 29 g of WEEE (7 items per year), 4 g of batteries (9 batteries per year), 1 g of toners and 7 g of unidentifiable cables on average per week, constituting 0.34% (w/w), 0.04% (w/w), 0.01% (w/w) and 0.09% (w/w), respectively, of residual waste. The study also found that misplaced WEEE and batteries in the residual waste constituted 16% and 39%, respectively, of what is being collected properly through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. This shows that a large amount of batteries are being discarded with the residual waste, whereas WEEE seems to be collected relatively successfully through the dedicated special waste collection schemes. Characterisation of the misplaced batteries showed that 20% (w/w) of the discarded batteries were discarded as part of WEEE (built-in). Primarily alkaline batteries, carbon zinc batteries and alkaline button cell batteries were found to be discarded with the residual household waste. Characterisation of WEEE showed that primarily small WEEE (WEEE directive categories 2, 5a, 6, 7 and 9) and light sources (WEEE directive category 5b) were misplaced. Electric tooth brushes, watches, clocks, headphones, flashlights, bicycle lights, and cables were items most frequently found. It is recommended that these findings are taken into account when designing new or improving existing special waste collection schemes. Improving the collection of WEEE is also recommended as one way to also improve the collection of batteries due to the large fraction of batteries found as built-in. The findings in this study were comparable to other western European studies, suggesting that the recommendations made in this study could apply to other western European countries as well.     

Pathogen-induced hatching and population-specific life-history response to waterborne cues in brown trout (Salmo trutta)

Hatching is an important niche shift, and embryos in a wide range of taxa can either accelerate or delay this life-history switch in order to avoid stage-specific risks. Such behavior can occur in response to stress itself and to chemical cues that allow anticipation of stress. We studied the genetic organization of this phenotypic plasticity and tested whether there are differences among populations and across environments in order to learn more about the evolutionary potential of stress-induced hatching. As a study species, we chose the brown trout (Salmo trutta; Salmonidae). Gametes were collected from five natural populations (within one river network) and used for full-factorial in vitro fertilizations. The resulting embryos were either directly infected with Pseudomonas fluorescens or were exposed to waterborne cues from P. fluorescens-infected conspecifics. We found that direct inoculation with P. fluorescens increased embryonic mortality and induced hatching in all host populations. Exposure to waterborne cues revealed population-specific responses. We found significant additive genetic variation for hatching time, and genetic variation in trait plasticity. In conclusion, hatching is induced in response to infection and can be affected by waterborne cues of infection, but populations and families differ in their reaction to the latter.     

Prenatal assessment and management of sacrococcygeal teratoma

Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is one of the most common tumors in newborns with a birth prevalence of up to 1 in 21 700 births. Routine fetal anomaly screening programs allow for prenatal diagnosis in many cases. Fetal ultrasound with Doppler evaluation and more recently magnetic resonance imaging may be used to document the extent of the tumor as well as identifying the population at risk for serious fetal complications. Rapidly growing SCT and highly vascularized tumors are more likely to have hemodynamic repercussions. Fetal hydrops is usually considered as a poor prognostic marker and a potential indicator for fetal intervention. Newborns with SCT require stabilization prior to early surgical resection. In case of malignancy additional chemotherapy may be required. SCT may result in significant morbidity, either directly or as a consequence of surgical therapy. Careful postnatal follow-up is required for timely identification and treatment of complications as well as recurrence. This paper aims to review the perinatal management of this condition. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Einfluss organischer Substanz auf die Reproduktion, Biomasse und Akkumulation hydrophober Schadstoffe in Lumbriculus variegatus

Background, aim, and scope Sediment-Water Toxicity Tests are an important instrument for the environmental risk assessment of native, contaminated sediments within the European Water Framework Directive. Thus, it must be guaranteed to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic adverse effects. The content of particulate (POC) and dissolved (DOC) organic carbon can affect the mobility of sediment pollutants. Different studies demonstrated that the DOC-content can influence the bioavailability of contaminants and can directly affect aquatic organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of increasing sediment organic matter on reproduction and growth of the benthic oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Furthermore, the accumulation factors of the hydrophobic substances 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorphenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE), 2´, 3, 4, 4´, 5´-Hexachlorbiphenyl (PCB 138) und 2, 2´, 4, 4´, 5, 5´-Hexachlorbiphenyl (PCB 153) were calculated considering the TOC-content and the uptake route (water-only exposure or sediment ingestion). Materials and methods The test was performed according to the OECD Guideline 225 (2007) using artificial sediment with different peat concentrations. The effect of an increasing TOC-concentration was studied in three different testmodifications with and without spiked sediment. The nominal concentration of the contaminants in spiked sediment was 50?µg/kg. Results The results showed maximum accumulation factors of 13 for both, PCB 138 and 153 and 11 for p,p'-DDE in sediments with low organic carbon content. With increasing peat content accumulation factors decreased. Thereby the ingestion of sediment was the main exposure route. Moreover preponderantly negative correlations between the organic carbon content in unspiked sediments and reproduction as well as growth of the testorganisms were detected. In combination with the test substances reproduction and growth increased with increasing organic carbon content. Discussion Hence it can be assumed that organic matter, especially humic substances, directly effected the testorganisms in the tests without spiked sediment. Due to the decrease of accumulation factors in spiked sediment with increasing TOC-content it might be possible that the availability of humic substances was reduced by conglomeration with the tested chemicals. Conclusions Therefore the possible influence of dissolved organic matter on the testorganism should be considered when assessing the results of toxicity tests and bioaccumulation studies with Lumbriculus variegatus. Recommendations and perspectives To receive detailed information about a critical DOC-concentration influencing the testorganisms further investigations about the amount of organic matter in the sediment and the DOC-concentration in the overlaying water are recommended.     

Synergistic effects of lead,salinity and temperature on embryonic development of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Combined effects of lead, salinity and temperature on the embryonic development of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk. were studied under laboratory conditions. The basic experimental design was a 4x6 factorial experiment using 4 lead concentrations (100, 250, 500 and 1000 ppb Pb²⁺) and 6 salinity levels (from 25 to 37.5 with 2.5 intervals). These factorial designs were carried out at three constant temperatures (150, 17.50 and 20°C). The statistical analysis indicated that salinity changes have more effect on the embryonic development than temperature. Optimal development was observed at 34.8 and 15.6°C, which is in accordance with observations in the field. The effect of lead was mininal in optimal salinity and temperature conditions. The deleterious effect of lead on the embryonic development was especially conspicuous at 20°C. Since in nature spawning occurs at temperatures inferior to 20°C, lead will probably not drastically decrease the potential recruitment of mussel spat in the littoral populations of the northern Adriatic Sea, where the salinity of the water is relatively stable. Under experimental conditions, lead caused a delay or inhibition of the embryonic development with the occurrence of a large number of abnormal larvae.     

Synthetische Nanopartikel — Entwicklungschancen im Dialog

This article provides an overview on the opportunities and risks of nanotechology. It is the outcome of a first national stakelholder dialogue carried out by the Federal Environment Ministry in October 2005. Recommendations are provided for further risk communication.     

Pathway of CH4 formation in anoxic rice field soil and rice roots determined by 13C-stable isotope fractionation

In anoxic rice fields methane is produced by either reduction of CO2 or cleavage of acetate. We measured the delta 13C-values of CH4 and CO2, acetate and organic carbon during time course experiments with anoxic methanogenic soil and root samples and used these values to calculate the fractions of CH4 (and acetate) produced from CO2 reduction. Comparison with radiotracer and/or inhibitor studies constrained the kinetic fractionation factors used for calculation. The fractionation factors for the conversion of CO2 to CH4 and of acetate to CH4 were on the order of alpha = 1.07 (epsilon = -70%) and epsilon > or = - 20%, respectively. The pathway of CH4 production changed with time of anoxic incubation. Anoxic slurries of rice field soil first produced CH4 predominantly (>50%) from CO2, then predominantly (>80%) from acetate and finally (after about one month) according to the theoretically expected ratio (33% CO2 and 67% acetate). Anoxic rice roots, on the other hand, initially produced CH4 exclusively from CO2, followed by contribution of acetate of about 40-60%. Rice roots also produced acetate that partially originated (< or = 1 30%) from reduction of CO2 as determined by calculation of isotopic fractionation using fractionation factors from the literature. The results demonstrate that there is quite some variability in pathways of CH4 production, and also indicate that isotopic fractionation factors may be different in different habitats and change with time.