Geoelectrical methods for monitoring geological CO2 storage: First results from cross-hole and surface–downhole measurements from the CO2SINK test site at Ketzin (Germany)

The feasibility of monitoring CO₂ migration in a saline aquifer at a depth of about 650 m with cross-hole and surface–downhole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is investigated at the CO₂SINK test site close to Ketzin (Germany). The permanent vertical electrical resistivity array (VERA) consists of 45 electrodes (15 in the injection well Ktzi201 and 15 in each of the two observation wells Ktzi200 and Ktzi202), successfully placed on the electrically insulated casings, in the depth range of about 590–740 m with a spacing of about 10 m. The three Ketzin wells are arranged as perpendicular triangle with distances of 50 and 100 m.First synthetic modelling studies indicate an increase of the electrical resistivity of about 200% caused by CO₂ injection, corresponding to a bulk CO₂ saturation of 50%, which is in good agreement with laboratory studies. Finite difference inversion of field data delivers three-dimensional resistivity distributions between the wells which are consistent with the reservoir modelling studies.To increase the limited observation area provided by the cross-hole measurements, additional surface–downhole measurements were deployed. A main CO₂ migration in SE–NW direction is deduced from surface to downhole resistivity experiments.The first cross-hole time-lapse results show that the resolution and the coverage of the electrode array in the Ketzin setting are sufficient to resolve the expected resistivity changes on the characteristic length scale of the electrode array. Significant resistivity changes could be measured, however, detailed information on the CO₂ plume could not be resolved yet by VERA under the existing geological circumstances.     

Renewable Energy

The Energy Committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has in a series of projects gathered information and knowledge on renewable energy from various sources, both within and outside the academic world. In this article, we synthesize and summarize some of the main points on renewable energy from the various Energy Committee projects and the Committee’s Energy 2050 symposium, regarding energy from water and wind, bioenergy, and solar energy. We further summarize the Energy Committee’s scenario estimates of future renewable energy contributions to the global energy system, and other presentations given at the Energy 2050 symposium. In general, international coordination and investment in energy research and development is crucial to enable future reliance on renewable energy sources with minimal fossil fuel use.     

Genotoxicity in aquatic systems: causes, effects and future needs 3rd International Symposium, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 22 to 24 September 2010

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT • FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

Genotoxicity in aquatic systems: causes, effects and future needs 3rd International Symposium, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 22 to 24 September 2010     

Elimination of phenol and aromatic compounds by zero valent iron and EDTA at low temperature and atmospheric pressure

This work deals with a new abiotic oxidation process designed as a suitable pre-treatment step within a biological depuration of wastewater containing phenol or its derivatives (o-cresol, 2-chlorophenol and p-nitrophenol) or aniline. The reaction was carried out in a stirred tank reactor at 20 degrees C and atmospheric pressure in presence of the organic compound, 150mgl(-1), zero valent iron particles (10g), ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA, 101mgl(-1)) and air. The experimental results show that 85% of phenol conversion can be achieved after 360min. 2-Chlorophenol was found to be more easily degradable and it is completely eliminated after 300min. The oxidation of o-cresol and aniline behaved more closely to phenol obtaining after 360min 70% and 68% of conversion respectively. p-Nitrophenol was a very refractory compound, giving only 28% of conversion after 360min. Moreover, the influence of some operating variables was studied over the following ranges: temperature from 20 to 50 degrees C, initial phenol concentration from 150 to 1000mgl(-1), EDTA concentration from 50 to 200mgl(-1) and iron particles from 5 to 20g. As expected, temperature strongly enhances phenol conversion. Also, an increase of the catalyst to phenol ratio or the iron or EDTA to phenol ratio improves the reaction rate. A preliminary kinetic analysis of the data shown that the rate of phenol disappearance is not first order with respect to the phenol.     

Liver lesions in demersal fishes near a large ocean outfall on the San Pedro Shelf, California

The prevalence of toxicopathic liver lesions in demersal fish on the San Pedro Shelf, California was determined for a 15-year period (1988–2003). Fish livers were sampled at fixed locations as part of the Orange County Sanitation Districts (OCSD) ocean monitoring program. Histopathological examination of selected fish liver tissues was studied to determine whether the wastewater discharge had affected fish health. The prevalence of toxicopathic lesion classes neoplasms (NEO), preneoplastic foci of cellular alteration (FCA), and hydropic vacuolation (HYDVAC) varied among species and locations. For all species sampled, severe lesions occurred in 6.2% of the fish examined (n = 7,694). HYDVAC (4.1%) was the most common toxicopathic lesion type followed by FCA (1.4%) and NEO (0.7%). HYDVAC occurred only in white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus), accounting for 84.8% of the toxicopathic lesions for this species. Prevalence of HYDVAC, NEO, and FCA in white croaker was 15.2, 2.0, and 0.7%, respectively. The prevalence of HYDVAC and NEO in white croaker increased with age and size but there was no sexual difference. A linear regression model was used for hypothesis testing to account for significant differences in fish size (and age for croakers) at the different sampling locations. This analysis showed that for HYDVAC there was no spatial or location effect for lesion rate or size/age of onset. For NEO, the model predicted that white croaker near the wastewater outfall may acquire these lesions at a smaller size/younger age, and at a higher rate, than at other sites. However, this result may be biased due to the unequal size frequency distributions and the low prevalence of NEO in white croaker at the different sampling sites. Bigmouth sole (Hippoglossina stomata) had a prevalence of FCA and NEO of 1.3 and 0.35%, respectively, but the prevalence and distribution of lesions was too few for statistical testing. There was no sexual difference for lesion prevalence in hornyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis) and the prevalence of FCA and NEO was 3.4 and 0.37%, respectively. FCA prevalence increased with size in hornyhead turbot and there were no significant spatial differences for lesion rates and fish size at lesion onset. Overall, consistent spatial differences for lesion prevalence were not demonstrated and highlight the analytical difficulties of detecting a possible point source impact when the effect is rare, correlated with the size/age structure of the population, and may be caused by exposure to unknown multiple sources. Thus, the usefulness of liver histopathology as a point-source monitoring tool is best applied to where the spatial scale of impact generally exceeds the home range of the target species.     

Environmental Modeling and Methods for Estimation of the Global Health Impacts of Air Pollution

Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to global health outcomes. A methodological framework for evaluating the global health-related outcomes of outdoor and indoor (household) air pollution is presented and validated for the year 2005. Ambient concentrations of PM2.5 are estimated with a combination of energy and atmospheric models, with detailed representation of urban and rural spatial exposures. Populations dependent on solid fuels are established with household survey data. Health impacts for outdoor and household air pollution are independently calculated using the fractions of disease that can be attributed to ambient air pollution exposure and solid fuel use. Estimated ambient pollution concentrations indicate that more than 80% of the population exceeds the WHO Air Quality Guidelines in 2005. In addition, 3.26?billion people were found to use solid fuel for cooking in three regions of Sub Saharan Africa, South Asia and Pacific Asia in 2005. Outdoor air pollution results in 2.7?million deaths or 23?million disability adjusted life years (DALYs) while household air pollution from solid fuel use and related indoor smoke results in 2.1?million deaths or 41.6?million DALYs. The higher morbidity from household air pollution can be attributed to children below the age of 5 in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. The burden of disease from air pollution is found to be significant, thus indicating the importance of policy interventions.     

Temporal trend of mercury in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard using teeth as a biomonitoring tissue

We examined the use of mercury (Hg) and nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes in teeth of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard as biotracers of temporal changes in Hg pollution exposure between 1964 and 2003. Teeth were regarded as a good matrix of the Hg exposure, and in total 87 teeth of polar bears were analysed. Dental Hg levels ranged from 0.6 to 72.3 ng g(-1) dry weight and increased with age during the first 10 years of life. A decreasing time trend in Hg concentrations was observed over the recent four decades while no temporal changes were found in the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ(15)N) and carbon (δ(13)C). This suggests that the decrease of Hg concentrations over time was more likely due to a lower environmental Hg exposure in this region rather than a shift in the feeding habits of Svalbard polar bears.     

Different collector types for sampling deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons--comparison of measurement results and their uncertainty

Different collector types, sample workup procedures and analysis methods to measure the deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were tested and compared. Whilst sample workup and analysis methods did not influence the results of PAH deposition measurements, using different collector types changed the measured deposition rates of PAH significantly. The results obtained with a funnel-bottle collector showed the highest deposition rates and a low measurement uncertainty. The deposition rates obtained with the wet-only collectors were the lowest at industrial sites and under dry weather conditions. For the open-jar collectors the measurement uncertainty was high. Only at an industrial site with extremely high PAH deposition rates the results of open-jar collectors were comparable to those obtained with funnel-bottle collectors. Thus, if bulk deposition of PAH has to be measured, funnel-bottle combinations are proved to be the collectors of choice. These collectors were the only ones always fulfilling the requirements of European legislation.     

Environmental innovation activities and patenting: Germany reconsidered

This paper provides new econometric evidence on the determinants of eco-innovations by using multiple innovation indicators and by combining survey-based information and patent records at the firm level from two different time periods. We hypothesize that firms with a propensity to patent focus on future technological and market opportunities and do not directly or immediately react to incentives created by environmental policies. Based on negative binomial models, we confirm that eco-patents are stimulated by the expectation of creating technological advancement and new market opportunities. By contrast, energy cost savings can better or more easily be achieved when firms refrain from patenting and concentrate on non-patented innovations or adoption. Favorable framework conditions created by environmental policies and patent protection are also important for eco-patenting, but more in the longer term. Testing the validity of using self-reported eco-innovations, instead of patents, as the dependent variable in simple binomial probit models reveals that product eco-innovations as reported in the surveys are a relatively good proxy for eco-patents. Yet, for product eco-innovations, serving and enlarging current markets is another important reason to innovate.     

The Concept of Farm Animal Welfare: Citizen Perceptions and Stakeholder Opinion in Flanders, Belgium

Several attempts to conceptualize farm animal welfare have been criticized for diverging reasons, among them often the failure to incorporate the public concern and opinion. This paper’s objective is to develop a conception of farm animal welfare that starts from the public’s perception and integrates the opinion of different stakeholder representatives, thus following a fork-to-farm approach. Four qualitative citizen focus group discussions were used to develop a quantitative questionnaire, which has been completed by a representative sample of Flemish citizens (n = 459). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to develop a conception of farm animal welfare starting from an extended list of aspects that relate to animal production and associate with farm animal welfare in the public’s perception. In depth interviews with stakeholder representatives were used to match and adapt the structure of the animal welfare conception model. The resulting conception revealed seven dimensions grouped in two different levels. Three dimensions were animal-based: “Suffering and Stress,” “Ability to Engage in Natural Behavior,” and “Animal Health.” Four dimensions were resource-based: “Housing and Barn climate,” “Transport and Slaughter,” “Feed and Water,” and “Human-Animal Relationship.” This conception is distinct from earlier attempts since it is based on public perceptions; it addresses the opinion of different stakeholders, and it distinguishes empirically between animal-based and resource-based dimensions in the conceptualization of farm animal welfare. The relevancy of a popular definition is supported by the present demand oriented economy, in which animal welfare is a non-trade concern, and mainly left to the market where consumers still mainly act as individuals who calculate and weigh pros and cons.