Modeling farmers’ intention for safe pesticide use: the role of risk perception and use of information sources

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Intention for safe pesticide use plays a crucial role in the mode of pesticide spraying, but several factors are involved in the formation of...     

Ecological Settings and State Economies as Factor Inputs in the Provision of Outdoor Recreation

State parks play a substantial role in the provision of outdoor recreation opportunities within the United States. Park operators must make crucial decisions in how they allocate capital expenditures, labor, and parkland to maintain recreation opportunities. Their decisions are influenced, in part, by the ecological characteristics of their state’s park system as well as the vitality of their state’s economy. In this research, we incorporate the characteristics of states’ ecosystems and their local economies into a formal production analysis of the states’ park systems from the years 1986 to 2011. Our analysis revealed all three factors of production were positive and inelastic. Expenditures on labor had the largest effect on both park utilization and operational expenditures. Our analysis also found a large degree of variability in the effects of ecological characteristics on both utilization and operating expenditures. Parkland utilization and operational expenditures were more elastic in areas such as Oceania and Mediterranean California relative to other ecological regions. These findings lead us to conclude that state park operators will experience variable levels of difficulty in both accommodating increasing demands for recreation from state parks and maintaining the existing quality of outdoor recreation provided within their system.     

In‐Canal Stabilization/Solidification of NAPL‐Impacted Sediments

In situ solidification (ISS) has been used with increasing frequency as a remedial technology for source area treatment at upland sites impacted with a variety of organic contaminants, including coal tar, creosote, and other nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). With several large, complex, urban water ways and rivers impacted with NAPLs, ISS is more recently being considered as a technology of choice to help reduce remedial costs, minimize short‐ and long‐term impacts of mobile NAPL, and lower the carbon footprint. This article presents the results of a successful pilot study of ISS at the Gowanus Canal Superfund site in Brooklyn, New York. This represents the first major sediment ISS field demonstration project in a saline environment and the first project to evaluate large‐scale implementation of ISS from a barge and through overlaying sediment. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effect of dissolved organic carbon on zinc solubility in incubated biosolids-amended soils

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) affect long-term heavy metal solubility in biosolids-amended soils, but their role needs to be further studied under Mediterranean climatic conditions. We investigated Zn solubility, as assessed by water extraction, in two typical Greek soils amended with biosolids at 0, 20, and 100 Mg ha(-1) during a 310-d incubation period. It was found that SOC decreased by nearly 30% over time in the 100 Mg ha(-1) treatment. There was evidence that DOC affected Zn solubility, because DOC increased significantly on Day 23, probably due to a flush in microbial activity, and water-extractable Zn followed the same trend. After that, both DOC and water-extractable Zn decreased back to values similar to those of the unamended soils. Although Zn solubility did not increase overall even at high biosolids application rates, this study shows that time-limited fluctuations in Zn solubility due to sudden DOC flushes, can be significant, and need to be further investigated.     

A multi-criteria approach for the dumping of dredged material in the Thermaikos Gulf,Northern Greece

A multi-criteria approach was applied for the disposal into the sea of ～1 100 000 m³ of sediment, dredged from a coastal area in the northeastern part of the Thermaikos Gulf. This sediment (classified as muddy) is distributed vertically into two distinct Layers (A and B) with the thickness of the surficial sedimentary unit ranging from 7 to 54 cm. Its geochemistry reveals increased Cr and Ni concentrations, which may be attributed to natural enrichment through the erosion of the adjacent igneous and metamorphic rocks. In addition, a low to moderate contamination from urban-originated heavy metals, like Cu, Pb and Zn as well as from aliphatic and polycyclic hydrocarbons was identified for the upper Layer A. However, the limited proportion (5.5%) of the polluted Layer A in the total volume of the dredged material could not affect the good quality (assessed by the Sediment Quality Guidelines) of the bulk sediment. The identification of the optimum marine dumping site was based on (a) the physicochemical similarity (detected by the application of a cluster analysis) of the dredged material with the surficial deposits of potential dumping sites in the Outer Thermaikos Gulf, and (b) the consideration, based on previous studies, of various criteria related to the disposal area such as deep-water circulation, influence on living resources, impact on economical (aquaculture, fishing, navigation), recreational (fishing) and military activities.     

Mediterranean rural ozone characteristics around the urban area of Athens

A systematic analysis of surface ozone observations in rural areas surrounding Athens is presented. The analysis is based on ozone data for the rural station Aliartos about 80 km NW of Athens center and for two stations on the northern periphery of the Athens basin: Demokritos, located 10 km NE of Athens center and Liossia, 12 km to the north. The data for these two stations are screened for cases of strong air flow from rural areas. Average hourly summer afternoon ozone mixing ratios are similar for all three stations about 60 ppb and thus exceed for the hours 12:00–20:00 LST the 55 ppb WHO guideline for human health for 8 h ozone exposure. The corresponding winter afternoon mixing ratios are at 35 ppb. However, due to the large diurnal variation, mean monthly ozone mixing ratios at Aliartos, for the months April–September vary from 32 to 40 ppb, which is comparable to the higher average ozone levels at rural stations in south-central Europe. In cases of southerly air flow in the summer in the Athens basin, afternoon ozone levels at Demokritos and Liossia are generally the highest of any in the monitoring network. Hourly average concentrations, however, are only 40% greater than rural values. A background ozone level of such magnitude will have a significant impact on estimates for the effectiveness of pollution control measures for Athens.     

A training model for environmental educators and interpreters employed in Greek protected areas and ecotourism settings

In Greece, environmental interpretation is in its infancy as an academic field. In particular, there are no nature guides or specific conservation objectives, and no professional training for non-formal environmental educators and/or interpreters. In view of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, this paper develops and recommends a training model for environmental educator/interpreter guides in protected areas and sensitive ecotourism settings in Greece. An investigation was undertaken into training programmes in developed and less developed ecotourism countries, where environmental interpretation is practiced in the sustainable management of sensitive areas. The proposed model is based mainly on interpretive training programmes of other developed and less developed countries. This model introduces the art of environmental interpretation as a form of non-formal environmental education, integrated in strategic communication in protected areas and sensitive ecotourism areas in Greece. The developed model takes into consideration the special social settings and biophysical environments of Greece. Moreover, a professional environmental interpreter group is recommended to support the role of management authorities in protected areas.     

Effects of tungsten on environmental systems

Tungsten is a metal with many industrial and military applications, including manufacturing of commercial and military ammunition. Despite its widespread use, the potential environmental effects of tungsten are essentially unknown. This study addresses environmental effects of particulate and soluble forms of tungsten, and to a minor extent certain tungsten alloy components, present in some munitions formulations. Dissolution of tungsten powder significantly acidifies soils. Tungsten powder mixed with soils at rates higher than 1% on a mass basis, trigger changes in soil microbial communities resulting in the death of a substantial portion of the bacterial component and an increase of the fungal biomass. It also induces the death of red worms and plants. These effects appear to be related with the soil acidification occurring during tungsten dissolution. Dissolved tungsten species significantly decrease microbial yields by as much as 38% for a tungsten media concentration of 89 mg l(-1). Soluble tungsten concentrations as low as 10(-5) mg l(-1), cause a decrease in biomass production by 8% which is possibly related to production of stress proteins. Plants and worms take up tungsten ions from soil in significant amounts while an enrichment of tungsten in the plant rhizosphere is observed. These results provide an indication that tungsten compounds may be introduced into the food chain and suggest the possibility of development of phytoremediation-based technologies for the cleanup of tungsten contaminated sites.     

On the relation between seasonal synoptic circulation types and spatial air quality characteristics in Athens,Greece

The impact of weather on air pollution was examined and evaluated for the city of Athens, Greece. We used an objectively defined synoptic classification scheme consisting of six summer and eight winter circulation types. This scheme was established using a combination of both factor and cluster analysis during 1954-1999. Surface and isobaric levels of 850 hPa data were used. Factor analysis combined with cluster analysis was used to derive circulation types based on surface meteorological data for the period 1954-1999 in Athens and on surface pressure grid data. The city was divided into three sectors according to the financial and social activities of the residents. To examine the spatial characteristics of pollutant concentrations over Athens for each synoptic type, the synoptic circulation types were then correlated with both gaseous and particulate pollutant concentrations measured in each sector between 1983 and 1999. Finally, extreme and severe episodic events were studied in terms of their meteorological and synoptic characteristics.     

Monometal and competitive adsorption of heavy metals by sewage sludge-amended soil

Sewage sludge-amended soils may alter their ability to adsorb heavy metals over time, due to the decomposition of sludge-borne organic matter. Thus, we studied Cd, Ni, and Zn adsorption by a sewage sludge-amended soil (Typic Xerofluvent) before and after one-year incubation in both monometal and competitive systems. In the monometal system, the order of decreasing sorption was Zn>Cd>Ni. Competition significantly reduced metal K(d), especially that of Cd which decreased by nearly 50%. Over the course of the incubation there was a 31% reduction of soil organic matter content. At the same time, in competitive systems Cd K(d) significantly decreased, while Zn K(d) significantly increased, and Ni K(d) remained unaffected. This study shows that sewage sludge-amended soils may change in their ability to sorb heavy metals over time at high metal concentrations. The data suggest that Cd is likely to be of most environmental significance in such soils, since it exhibited decreased sorption under competitive conditions and as the organic matter content of the soil was reduced. The potential for long-term release of metals should be considered in the risk assessment associated with sewage sludge addition to soils, particularly in climates where degradation of organic matter is likely to be enhanced.