Extractable Hydrocarbons, Nickel and Vanadium Contents of Ogbodo-Isiokpo Oil Spill Polluted Soils in Niger Delta, Nigeria

An oil spill polluted site at Ogbodo-Isiokpo in Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, was identified for study following three successive reconnaissance surveys of oil fields in the Agbada west plain of Eastern Niger Delta. A sampling area of 200 m × 200 m was delimited at the oil spill impacted site using the grid technique and soils were collected at surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–30 cm) depths from three replicate quadrats. A geographically similar, unaffected area, located 50 m adjacent to the polluted site, was chosen as a control (reference) site. Total extractable hydrocarbon contents of the polluted soils ranged from 3.02–4.54 and 1.60–4.20 mg/kg (no overlap in standard errors) at surface and subsurface depths respectively. The concentrations of two “diagnostic” trace heavy metals, nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V), which are normal constituents of crude oil, were also determined in the soils by atomic absorption spectrophotometric method after pre-extraction of cations with dithionite–citrate carbonate. Ni varied from 0.15 to 1.65 mg/kg in the polluted plots and from 0.18 to 0.82 mg/kg in the unpolluted plots; vanadium varied from 0.19 to 0.70 mg/kg in the polluted plots and from 0.14 to 0.38 mg/kg in the unpolluted plots. Ni and V were more enhanced (p < 0.05) in the oil-polluted soils, especially at subsurface depth. Whilst the oil spillage could be said to be indirectly responsible for the enhanced concentrations of nickel and vanadium via the injection and availability of the petroleum hydrocarbons that might have increased the activities of biodegradation on site, the physico-chemical properties of the soils and inherent mobility of metals, as well as the intense rainfall and flooding that characterized the period of study, may have also contributed, at least in part, to these enhanced concentrations. Such levels of Ni and V may result to enhanced absorption by plants, which may bring about possible bioaccumulation in such plants and the animals that depend on them for survival and all of these may lead to toxic reactions along the food chain.     

Impact of Perceived Importance of Ecosystem Services and Stated Financial Constraints on Willingness to Pay for Riparian Meadow Restoration in Flanders (Belgium)

The strategic importance of ecosystem service valuation as an operational basis for policy decisions on natural restoration has been increasingly recognized in order to align the provision of ecosystem services with the expectation of human society. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is widely used to quantify various ecosystem services. However, two areas of concern arise: (1) whether people value specific functional ecosystem services and overlook some intrinsic aspects of natural restoration, and (2) whether people understand the temporal dimension of ecosystem services and payment schedules given in the contingent scenarios. Using a peri-urban riparian meadow restoration project in Flanders, Belgium as a case, we explored the impacts of residents’ perceived importance of various ecosystem services and stated financial constraints on their willingness-to-pay for the proposed restoration project employing the CVM. The results indicated that people tended to value all the benefits of riparian ecosystem restoration concurrently, although they accorded different importances to each individual category of ecosystem services. A longer payment scheme can help the respondents to think more about the flow of ecosystem services into future generations. A weak temporal embedding effect can be detected, which might be attributed to respondents’ concern about current financial constraints, rather than financial bindings associated with their income and perceived future financial constraints. This demonstrates the multidimensionality of respondents’ financial concerns in CV. This study sheds light on refining future CV studies, especially with regard to public expectation of ecosystem services and the temporal dimension of ecosystem services and payment schedules.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in waterbird eggs of Hong Kong, China

Concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs were measured in 56 egg samples collected from waterbirds of different species (Great Egret, Little Egret, Night Heron and Chinese Pond Heron) from different regions of Hong Kong (Ho Sheung Heung, Mai Po Village and Mai Po Lung Village) during 2000 and 2006. Dominance of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF indicates a signature associated with commercial usage of PCBs. Although no significant variations were observed within- and between-site in the levels of PCDD/Fs, coplanar PCBs and PBDEs, the concentrations of coplanar PCBs were much higher than PCDD/Fs. Similarity in composition profiles of PCDD/F and coplanar PCBs from different egretries is possibly associated with non-point sources of these contaminants to Hong Kong. Predominant accumulation of BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100 suggested the penta-BDE technical mixtures usage in Hong Kong and its vicinity. Toxic equivalency and Monte Carlo simulation technique showed potential risks on waterbirds due to their exposure to PCDD/Fs.     

PCDD/F levels in plasma of a belgian population before and after the 1999 belgian PCB/DIOXIN incident

We evaluated the impact of the 1999 Belgian dioxin incident on the blood plasma polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) levels among 232 Belgian blood donors (74% men, mean age 47 years). The Red Cross made plasma samples from before the incident of these donors available. A second plasma sample was collected during the second half of 2000. The sum of the 17 PCDD/F congeners was significantly lower in 2000 compared to 1998 (417 pg/g fat versus 445 pg/g fat, respectively). This could be completely attributed to the significant decrease of OctaCDD (301 pg/g fat in 2000 versus 277 pg/g fat in 1998). Moreover a slight but significant decrease was observed for 2,3,7,8-TetraCDF and for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HeptaCDF. 1,2,3,7,8-PentaCDF and 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF however showed a slight but significant increase (respective levels in 1998 were 0.004 and 14.5 pg/g fat compared to 0.006 and 17.9 pg/g fat in 2000). Given their significantly higher presence in incident related food samples this increase can be attributed to the food contamination episode. However, the total toxicity remained unchanged (22.9 in 1998 versus 23.1 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat, p>0.05). Moreover the observed congener profiles and the total PCDD/F levels were similar to those of other European non-occupationally exposed populations. In conclusion, the 1999 PCB/dioxin incident was traceable in the plasma profiles (rise of the two specific PCDF congeners), but comparison of the results for both years indicates that the changes were too small to cause an adverse public health effect.     

The double-edged sword of humic substances: contrasting their effect on respiratory stress in eastern rainbow fish exposed to low pH

High amounts of humic substances (HS) are commonly found in natural acidic waterways and have been suggested to offer some protection against low pH. This study investigated the ability of HS to decrease respiratory stress in eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida) exposed to decreases in pH (range of 7–3.5) in soft and hard water. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in respiration (time taken for ten operculum movements) between pH and HS treatments, with a significant interaction between pH and HS present in 5/6 trials. Respiratory stress was shown to increase with increasing acidity, but significantly decreased in treatments with HS (10 and 20 mg/L) compared to those without. The fish exposed to pH treatments without HS also displayed increased hyperactivity, larger operculum movements and increased mucous production. Increased morbidity was shown in HS treatments at pH 3.5 (soft water) and at pH 4 (hard water) compared to treatment without HS. This indicates that HS is helpful in ameliorating the effects of decreased pH on respiration at sublethal pH levels; however, as pH decreases further, it seems that HS increases the toxicity (morbidity) of the low pH.     

Suicidal behavior by motor vehicle collision

BACKGROUND: The ability for suicides of drivers to be disguised as traffic accidents raises the possibility that suicidal behaviors of this nature are far more prevalent than previously thought, potentially impacting health, road safety, and insurance companies. METHOD: Persons residing at the Gold Coast, Australia, identified as having a history of suicidal ideation and behaviors (n = 1,196), were sent a mail-out survey after their consent was obtained in initial telephone contact (CATI random digit-dialing). Among those responding, 412 had made suicide plans or arrangements and 228 suicide attempts. RESULTS: Of those who reported planning a suicide, 14.8% (19.1% of male planners and 11.8% of female planners) had conceived to have a motor vehicle "accident" (n = 61). Of all attempters, 8.3% (13.3% of male attempters) had previously attempted via motor vehicle collision (n = 19). All attempters reported having emotional or mental problems at the time of the event. Suicide planners were significantly more likely to be in full-time employment and have a partner and children compared with other planners. CONCLUSION: The study gives a rare insight into driver suicide plans and attempts, via a large-scale community survey, to provide the best opportunity of collecting unbiased data on the driver suicide behavior. Results suggest the use of this method, particularly in attempts made by males, may be underreported leading to inaccuracy of statistics. The motives behind choosing this method are somewhat different to those behind other methods, including financial benefits and eliminating stigma in the aftermath of a suicide.     

Occurrence of glucocorticogenic activity in various surface waters in The Netherlands

Considering the important role that surface waters serve for drinking water production, it is important to know if these resources are under the impact of contaminants. Apart from environmental pollutants such as pesticides, compounds such as (xeno)estrogens have received al lot of research attention and several large monitoring campaigns have been carried out to assess estrogenic contamination in the aquatic environment. The introduction of novel in vitro bioassays enables researchers to study if – and to what extent – water bodies are under the impact of less-studied (synthetic) hormone active compounds. The aim of the present study was to carry out an assessment on the presence and extent of glucocorticogenic activity in Dutch surface waters that serve as sources for drinking water production. The results show glucocorticogenic activity in the range of <LOD – 2.4 ng dexamethasone equivalents L⁻¹ (dex EQs) in four out of eight surface waters. An exploratory time-series study to obtain a more complete picture of the yearly average of fluctuating glucocorticogenic activities at two sample locations demonstrated glucocorticogenic activities ranging between <LOD – 2.7 ng dex EQs L⁻¹. Although immediate human health effects are unlikely, the environmental presence of glucocorticogenic compounds in the ng L⁻¹ range compels further environmental research and assessment.     

Addressing emerging risks using carbon capture and storage as an example

The European iNTeg-Risk project is a large-scale integrated project aimed at improving the management of emerging risks related to new technologies in European industry. The project aims to build a new management paradigm for emerging risks as a set of principles supported by a common language, agreed tools and methods, and key performance indicators, all integrated into a single framework. It is using a number of Emerging Risk Representative Applications (ERRAs), or case studies, to inform the development of the framework; one of which concerns the carbon capture and storage (CCS) process.This paper describes the iNTeg-Risk CCS ERRA. Relevant hazards and properties of carbon dioxide are described and the emerging risks from CCS are discussed. Three new tools have been developed or trialled within the ERRA. These are: the DyPASI methodology for taking account of atypical (not usually identified) events during hazard identification; a methodology for including the time dimension in a risk assessment; and life-cycle approaches for risk management and communication. For CCS, the risk assessment needs to include both short-term potential accidents from capture, transport or injection, as well as very long-term risks from storage. Knowledge gaps which are generic to emerging risks are also identified.     

Controls on Coarse Wood Decay in Temperate Tree Species: Birth of the LOGLIFE Experiment

Dead wood provides a huge terrestrial carbon stock and a habitat to wide-ranging organisms during its decay. Our brief review highlights that, in order to understand environmental change impacts on these functions, we need to quantify the contributions of different interacting biotic and abiotic drivers to wood decomposition. LOGLIFE is a new long-term ‘common-garden’ experiment to disentangle the effects of species’ wood traits and site-related environmental drivers on wood decomposition dynamics and its associated diversity of microbial and invertebrate communities. This experiment is firmly rooted in pioneering experiments under the directorship of Terry Callaghan at Abisko Research Station, Sweden. LOGLIFE features two contrasting forest sites in the Netherlands, each hosting a similar set of coarse logs and branches of 10 tree species. LOGLIFE welcomes other researchers to test further questions concerning coarse wood decay that will also help to optimise forest management in view of carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation.