Synthesis of effects in four Arctic subregions

An assessment of impacts on Arctic terrestrial ecosystems has emphasized geographical variability in responses of species and ecosystems to environmental change. This variability is usually associated with north-south gradients in climate, biodiversity, vegetation zones, and ecosystem structure and function. It is clear, however, that significant east-west variability in environment, ecosystem structure and function, environmental history, and recent climate variability is also important. Some areas have cooled while others have become warmer. Also, east-west differences between geographical barriers of oceans, archipelagos and mountains have contributed significantly in the past to the ability of species and vegetation zones to relocate in response to climate changes, and they have created the isolation necessary for genetic differentiation of populations and biodiversity hot-spots to occur. These barriers will also affect the ability of species to relocate during projected future warming. To include this east-west variability and also to strike a balance between overgeneralization and overspecialization, the ACIA identified four major sub regions based on large-scale differences in weather and climate-shaping factors. Drawing on information, mostly model output that can be related to the four ACIA subregions, it is evident that geographical barriers to species re-location, particularly the distribution of landmasses and separation by seas, will affect the northwards shift in vegetation zones. The geographical constraints--or facilitation--of northward movement of vegetation zones will affect the future storage and release of carbon, and the exchange of energy and water between biosphere and atmosphere. In addition, differences in the ability of vegetation zones to re-locate will affect the biodiversity associated with each zone while the number of species threatened by climate change varies greatly between subregions with a significant hot-spot in Beringia. Overall, the subregional synthesis demonstrates the difficulty of generalizing projections of responses of ecosystem structure and function, species loss, and biospheric feedbacks to the climate system for the whole Arctic region and implies a need for a far greater understanding of the spatial variability in the responses of terrestrial arctic ecosystems to climate change.     

Uncertainties and recommendations

An assessment of the impacts of changes in climate and UV-B radiation on Arctic terrestrial ecosystems, made within the Arctic Climate Impacts Assessment (ACIA), highlighted the profound implications of projected warming in particular for future ecosystem services, biodiversity and feedbacks to climate. However, although our current understanding of ecological processes and changes driven by climate and UV-B is strong in some geographical areas and in some disciplines, it is weak in others. Even though recently the strength of our predictions has increased dramatically with increased research effort in the Arctic and the introduction of new technologies, our current understanding is still constrained by various uncertainties. The assessment is based on a range of approaches that each have uncertainties, and on data sets that are often far from complete. Uncertainties arise from methodologies and conceptual frameworks, from unpredictable surprises, from lack of validation of models, and from the use of particular scenarios, rather than predictions, of future greenhouse gas emissions and climates. Recommendations to reduce the uncertainties are wide-ranging and relate to all disciplines within the assessment. However, a repeated theme is the critical importance of achieving an adequate spatial and long-term coverage of experiments, observations and monitoring of environmental changes and their impacts throughout the sparsely populated and remote region that is the Arctic.     

Antibiotic resistant bacteria/genes dissemination in lacustrine sediments highly increased following cultural eutrophication of Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

This study investigates faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), of sediment profiles from different parts of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) over the last decades. MARs consist to expose culturable Escherichia coli (EC) and Enterococcus (ENT) to mixed five antibiotics including Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Amoxicillin, Chloramphenicol and Erythromycin. Culture-independent is performed to assess the distribution of ARGs responsible for, β-lactams (blaTEM; Amoxicillin/Ampicillin), Streptomycin/Spectinomycin (aadA), Tetracycline (tet) Chloramphenicol (cmlA) and Vancomycin (van). Bacterial cultures reveal that in the sediments deposited following eutrophication of Lake Geneva in the 1970s, the percentage of MARs to five antibiotics varied from 0.12% to 4.6% and 0.016% to 11.6% of total culturable EC and ENT, respectively. In these organic-rich bacteria-contaminated sediments, the blaTEM resistant of FIB varied from 22% to 48% and 16% to 37% for EC and ENT respectively, whereas the positive PCR assays responsible for tested ARGs were observed for EC, ENT, and total DNA from all samples. The aadA resistance gene was amplified for all the sediment samples, including those not influenced by WWTP effluent water. Our results demonstrate that bacteria MARs and ARGs highly increased in the sediments contaminated with WWTP effluent following the cultural eutrophication of Lake Geneva. Hence, the human-induced changing limnological conditions highly enhanced the sediment microbial activity, and therein the spreading of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes in this aquatic environment used to supply drinking water in a highly populated area. Furthermore, the presence of the antibiotic resistance gene aadA in all the studied samples points out a regional dissemination of this emerging contaminant in freshwater sediments since at least the late nineteenth century.     

The Rhine red,the fish dead—the 1986 Schweizerhalle disaster,a retrospect and long-term impact assessment

Background

The November 1, 1986 fire at a Sandoz Ltd. storehouse at Schweizerhalle, an industrial area near Basel, Switzerland, resulted in chemical contamination of the environment. The storehouse, which was completely destroyed by the fire, contained pesticides, solvents, dyes, and various raw and intermediate materials. The majority of the approximately 1,250 t of stored chemicals was destroyed in the fire, but large quantities were introduced into the atmosphere, into the Rhine River through runoff of the fire-fighting water, and into the soil and groundwater at the site. The chemicals discharged into the Rhine caused massive kills of benthic organisms and fish, particularly eels and salmonids. Public and private reaction to the fire and subsequent chemical spill was very strong. This happened only a few months after the Chernobyl accident and it destroyed the myth of immunity of Switzerland regarding such catastrophes.

Aim

This article reviews the damaging events of November 1986 and aims at striking stock two decades later.

Results and discussion

In the aftermath of this once-per-century accident, the aim was to obtain new knowledge for the environmental sciences and to achieve progress for water pollution control issues. The following themes are discussed: mitigation measures by the chemical industry and by the governmental authorities, activities of environmental protection organizations, chemical and biological monitoring, alert organization, ecological damages, ecotoxicological effects assessment, recovery and alteration of the river biology, return of the salmon, drinking water supplies, research programs, education of environmental scientists, and visions for the future.

Conclusions

The catastrophic pollution of the Rhine in November 1986 has triggered by the openly visible damages of the river biology that subsequently significant progress was made towards the prevention of such environmental catastrophes. The crucial risk reduction measures in the chemical industry, legal regulations and controls as well as chemical and biological monitoring of the river water quality were substantially improved. Politics and chemical industry have learned their lectures and have proceeded accordingly.

Recommendations

A drastic acute contamination, as it has happened at Schweizerhalle in 1986, is clearly recognizable by the toxic effects, which it is causing. This can lead to mitigation activities, which are positive considering a long-term perspective. However, the less obvious effects of chronic water pollution should receive more attention as well as the ongoing alteration of the biocenosis. A high water quality must be demanded for using water from the Rhine to produce drinking water. In that context, micropollutants should also be considered and particular attention should be payed to emerging contaminants.

Perspectives

The big chemical storehouse fire of 1986 had an important impact on the transboundary cooperation and has improved the willingness for international cooperation. The fire catastrophe of Schweizerhalle has triggered many activities in particular for the Rhine River. Overall, the effects are positive on the basis of a long-term perspective. The applied whole basin approach gives an example on a global basis for other river systems, which still are more heavily polluted.

     

ESTROM,Environmental Science and Technology in Romania—programme overview

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -     

Protein that makes sense in the Argentine ant

With a protein-based approach, we have identified and cloned the cDNA encoding a chemosensory protein (LhumCSP) in the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile. The open reading frame of the cloned cDNA encoded a signal peptide (20 residues), and a mature protein (pI 4.62) of 106 amino acid residues. The calculated molecular mass (12,453 Da) was in agreement with the molecular mass measured by on-line chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (12,448 Da), given the formation of two disulfide bridges. LhumCSP shared sequence similarity with various CSPs, particularly those identified and/or cloned from moth species. Also, LhumCSP showed the hallmark of the chemosensory proteins, i.e., four well conserved cysteine residues. The antennal protein was not detected in non-olfactory tissues (leg and thorax) contrary to a putative pheromone-binding protein isolated from the thorax of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. In addition, these findings suggest that, as in Orthopterans and Phasmids, the protein that makes sense in the Argentine ant is not an odorant-binding protein, but rather a chemosensory protein.     

Assessment of Needs for Technical Information in EPA’s Hazardous and Solid Waste Programs

Headquarters managers and Regional staff in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s hazardous and solid waste programs were surveyed to determine priorities for technical information and guidance among EPA Regional staff, state hazardous waste management staff, EPA contractors, and the regulated community. The survey also examined delivery systems effective for EPA Regional staff. The fifteen highest ranked technical needs for RCRA, Superfund, and UST reflect a pervasive interest in hazardous waste remediation. Top priority technical needs focus on establishing cleanup levels, subsurface fate and transport, field monitoring and quality assurance, remedy selection, and most importantly, which remedies work and which do not in specific situations. Technical needs of non- EPA audiences are quite similar to those for EPA field staff. Preferences for technology transfer delivery systems are generally for conventional distribution methods (such as print materials and workshops) rather than electronic or video media. Regional staff report serious problems in utilizing technology transfer because of time constraints, insufficient knowledge of available products, insufficient travel funds, and limited access to and training on computers.     

Forecasting COH Levels at Six Outlying Sampling Stations in Allegheny County Using Statistical Correlations Derived from the Downtown Station

Verification of forecasts of COH levels at the Downtown Sampling Station using our objective forecast method developed in conjunction with the Allegheny County Bureau of Air Pollution Control gave excellent results. The next step was to expand the area of forecast coverage.

COH data taken from July 1968 through June 1969 from six sampling stations located roughly in a large concentric arc around the Downtown Station were studied. Three of the stations are located in river valleys near large industrial plants and the other three are located on higher terrain in suburban areas.

COH levels of Low, Moderate, High, and Very High (where Low = 0–0.9, Moderate = 1.0–1.9, High = 2.0–3.0, and Very High = >3.0) were used.

The total number of occurrences of High and Very High COHS at the Downtown Station was 10.7% of the total data sample. This was more than twice the frequency of any of the outlying stations.

An evaluation of the statistical frequencies indicate the Downtown Station can safely be used as a “control station” in forecasting Low or Moderate COH levels for the six surrounding stations. However, the occurrence of High or Very High COH levels at the six outlying stations do not occur with a high enough statistical consistency to be predicted by using the forecast value of the Downtown Station.

The valley stations exhibit the characteristics of separate sub air basins particularly during a period in which morning inversions occur for two or more consecutive days and the average daily wind speed does not exceed 4 m/sec.

The results show it is possible to forecast only Low or Moderate COH levels for each of the six outlying stations by using statistical correlations derived from the Downtown Station. Separate objective forecasts which relate the pollution buildup in each valley sub air basin must be used when High or Very High COHS are forecast at the Downtown Station.     

A Cyclone for Size-Selective Sampling of Ambient Air

A cyclone with a 47 mm after-filter has been developed for ambient air size-selective monitoring. It has been extensively evaluated with laboratory-generated aerosol. Variation of the pressure drop and 50% cut point with flow rate show that the cyclone operates in a single flow regime with a vortex in the outlet flow. The particle size cutoff curve is comparable in sharpness to a cascade impactor and is the same for solid or liquid particles. At 21.7 L/min, D ₅₀ is 2.5μm and at 15.4 L/min, D ₅₀ is 3.5 μm. Collection efficiency data for flow rates from 8 to 27 L/min fit a universal curve when plotted vs. the normalized particle diameter, (D-D ₅₀)/D ₅₀ Reentrainment of previously deposited particles is less than 1 % of the loading per day. In field tests the cyclone has proved to be a very satisfactory size-selective sampler.     

Performance of Firefighters’ Protective Clothing After Heat Exposure

Heat and mechanical protection properties of 6 fabric combinations commonly used in firefighters’ protective clothing were assessed before and after different heat treatment. It was shown that after heat exposure, the values obtained were generally lower than in the original state. The mechanical properties of the materials were more affected by heat than by heat protective properties. In 2 cases, degradation started before a visible change in the material could be observed, which might be potentially dangerous for the end user who will not realize the alteration of the material.