Environmental impact of fly ash utilization in roadway embankments

The leaching potential of heavy metals from a roadway embankment constructed of fly ash and soil mixture was studied. Leaching of eight environmentally concerned metals Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se from the fly ash–soil mixtures was examined through batch leaching test and column leaching test. The batch leaching test results showed that the fly ash meets the local regulatory standards for beneficial use of nonhazardous wastes. The column leach test revealed that only Ba, Cr, and Se were detectable in the effluents. The peak concentration of Ba in the effluents was much lower than the US EPA Primary Drinking Water Regulations’ maximum contaminant level (MCL). The peak concentrations of Cr and Se exceeded the MCLs only in the initial flush stage and quickly decreased to below the MCLs. Results of this study suggest a great potential for fly ash to be used in roadway embankments to enhance their mechanical properties, reduce the use of soil, and avoid the disposal of fly ash as waste.     

Examining green public procurement using content analysis: existing difficulties for procurers and useful recommendations

Green public procurement (GPP) promises great potential for improving the environmental impact of many public organizations. However, the effects this instrument will have in the near future are unclear as there is little evidence on its exact level of engagement. This study thus aims to analyze the contents of tenders in terms of green criteria by specifically focusing on the building and construction sector. A total of 164 Italian public tenders were analyzed according to a protocol of analysis based on the GPP toolkit developed by the European Commission. Starting from a content analysis used in previous studies, a complete list of green criteria was developed in order to investigate their prevalence in the sample selected, with the aim of exploring their frequency, distribution and correlation. The results revealed a limited use of green criteria, which were mainly included as technical specifications and award criteria, thus shedding light on the difficulties that procurers are experiencing in the implementation of GPP practices. Several suggestions for policy makers and managers are identified for a better and faster implementation of green public procurement tools and methods.     

Public regulatory relief and the adoption of environmental management systems: a European survey

An increasing number of organizations across the world have adopted Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) based on certifiable standards, notably the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the ISO 14001 standards. Although the specialized literature has studied the motivations, obstacles and benefits of the adoption of these standards for EMSs extensively, the impact of the public incentives on the adoption of such environmental management tools has been overlooked. In order to fill this gap in the literature, this article aims to shed light on the level of companies' knowledge and application of the main regulatory relief initiatives provided by public administrations around the EU for organizations with a certified EMS. For that purpose, this article summarizes the main findings of a survey carried out with the participation of 244 European EMAS-registered organizations. The findings of the survey highlight the fact that most of the surveyed companies have adopted or benefitted from some form of regulatory relief, mainly by making use of the measures granting an extended duration of some permits (44%), reductions in financial guarantees in the waste-treatment sector (31%) and tax reductions (26%). Moreover, it emerges that, among countries, the role of regulatory relief to support companies in the path to the adoption of EMSs is not univocal.     

Integrated coastal zone management in Italy: a gap between science and policy

This paper introduces the need, in Italian countries, of a real integration of scientific knowledge into coastal policy. Actually, in Italy, still exists a gap between Science and Policy, interfering the implementation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) process, while there is no coordination between local, regional and national authorities. This lack of an overall strategy has induced some regions to adopt regional plans for the sustainable development of their coastal areas, to compensate the shortcomings of a national planning. Besides, along Italian coasts, there is a heavy landscape urbanization producing conditions of environmental decay and highlighting the risk of erosions in littoral areas. In this critical context, it is necessary to adopt an effective Integrated Coastal Zone Management policy, to connect ecosystem and environmental approaches with the social and economic development of coastal areas. So, in Italian landscape, it is necessary to integrate the national cultural heritage into coastal management, joining scientific and cultural issues. In this framework, ICZM process could play an important role connecting scientists and policy makers towards an effective integration for the social and economic growth of local people.     

Response to Kruse-Plass et al. (2017) regarding the risk to non-target lepidopteran larvae exposed to pollen from one or more of three Bt maize events (MON810, Bt11 and 1507)

We respond to the paper of Kruse-Plass et al. (Environ Sci Eur 29:12, 2017), published in this journal, regarding the risk to non-target lepidopteran larvae exposed to pollen from one or more of three Bt maize events (MON810, Bt11 and 1507). We emphasise that what is important for environmental risk assessment is not the number of pollen grains per se, but the degree of exposure of a NT lepidopteran larva to Bt protein contained in maize pollen. The main text of this response deals with general issues which Kruse-Plass et al. have failed to understand; more detailed refutations of each of their claims are given in Additional file 1. Valid environmental risk assessment requires direct measurement of pollen on leaves at varying distances outside a source field(s); such measurements reflect the potential exposure experienced by an individual larva on a host plant. There are no new data in the Kruse-Plass et al. paper, or indeed any data directly quantifying pollen on actual host-plant leaves outside a maize field; only data gathered within or at the edge of maize crops were reported. Values quoted by Kruse-Plass et al. for deposition on host plants outside the field were estimates only. We reiterate the severe methodological criticisms made by EFSA [Relevance of a new scientific publication (Hofmann et al. 2016) for previous environmental risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on the cultivation of Bt-maize events MON810, Bt11 and 1507. EFSA Supp Publ; EN-1070, 2016], which render this estimation procedure unreliable. Furthermore, criticisms of EFSA (EFSA J 2015(13):4127, 2015) and of EFSA [Relevance of a new scientific publication (Hofmann et al. 2016) for previous environmental risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on the cultivation of Bt-maize events MON810, Bt11 and 1507. EFSA Supp Publ; EN-1070, 2016] made by Kruse-Plass et al. are shown in Additional file 1 to be without foundation. We therefore consider that there is no valid evidence presented by Kruse-Plass et al. to justify their conclusions.     

“Return” and Extension Actions After Ethnobotanical Research: The Perceptions and Expectations of a Rural Community in Semi-arid Northeastern Brazil

The scientific community has debated the importance of “return” activities after ethnobiological studies. This issue has provoked debate because it touches on the ethics of research and the relationships with the people involved in these studies. This case study aimed to investigate community perception of an ethnobotany research project that was carried out in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Furthermore, we reported how the residents of this rural community felt about participating in the activities of “return” that arose from the projects. Our findings demonstrate that “return” activities should be planned from the design phase of the research until its closure as a lifelong process that allows the communities involved to gradually take ownership of the information and actions that are being generated. Similarly, we argue that such activities must be negotiated with the people of the community so that they have decision-making power and autonomy to decide what is most relevant to their lives.     

Effects of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition on Remote Freshwater Ecosystems

We review known and hypothesized effects of nitrogen (N) deposition owing to human activities on the chemistry, organisms, and ecosystem processes of remote oligotrophic freshwaters. Acidification is the best-known effect of N deposition on water chemistry, but additional effects include increased nutrient availability and alteration of the balance between N and other nutrients. Our synthesis of the literature, framed in a comprehensive model for the effects of N deposition on natural ecosystems, shows that all these effects can reduce biological diversity and alter ecosystem processes in remote freshwaters. N deposition is projected to grow worldwide in the near future and will interact with other global changes. Present effects on these fragile ecosystems may be only early signs of more radical impacts ahead.     

Tetracycline and 4-epitetracycline modified the in vitro catabolic activity and structure of a sediment microbial community from a tropical tilapia farm idiosyncratically

Aquaculture farmers commonly add tetracycline to fish feed or to their ponds to prevent or treat bacterial infections in their crops. To assess the short-term effect of tetracycline (TET) and of one of its reversible epimers, 4-epitetracycline (ETC), on the function and structure of a sediment microbial community from a tropical tilapia farm, we contrasted community-level physiological profiles (CLPP) and phospholipid fatty acid profiles (PLFA) obtained from microcosms exposed for 12 days to 5, 10, 50, or 75 mg kg^?1of these antibiotics. Notwithstanding that the concentration of the antibiotics during the experiment decreased between 13–100% (TET) or 16–61% (ETC), both compounds provoked opposing metabolic responses that did not revert. TET displayed a tendency to inhibit respiration at concentrations < 50 mg kg^?1, whereas ETC showed the opposite effect. As revealed by the finding of the fatty acids 11:0 iso 3OH, 16:1w6c, and 18:1w6c, the sediment analyzed was predominantly colonized by Gram-negative bacteria. A marked decrease in fatty acid diversity accompanied the aforementioned metabolic responses, with TET concentrations > 50 mg kg^?1leading to an enrichment of yeast and fungal biomarkers and both antibiotics at concentrations < 10 mg kg^?1selecting for microorganisms with 11:0 iso 3OH. In agreement with CLPP data, differences between the PLFA profiles of control and treated microcosms were more pronounced for TET than for ETC. We conclude that high, yet field-relevant, concentrations of TET and ETC have the potential to modify the composition, and to a lesser extent, the functioning of a sediment microbial community. This study highlights the importance of considering antibiotic degradation products in ecotoxicological research.     

Addition of Saturated Fatty Acids to Biodegradable Films: Effect on the Crystallinity and Viscoelastic Characteristics

Biodegradable films were produced by extrusion from blends of starch, glycerol and poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate), a biodegradable polyester, with the addition of 1.5 % (wt/wt) saturated fatty acids (caproic, lauric or stearic). Films containing fatty acids had higher crystallinity than control films and the longer the carbon chain of the acid was, the more crystalline the film. Fatty acids with up to 12 carbon atoms did not alter the viscoelastic characteristic of the films. Further, the incorporation of fatty acids did not decrease the hydrophilicity of the films in comparison with the control film without a fatty acid.     

Linking phosphorus export and hydrologic modeling: a case study in Central Italy

Soil erosion is an open topic, not only because soil fertility is lost, but also because nutrients are spilled into water bodies, thereby causing pollution. Research carried out in this field has amply described this process, but the interaction between these factors is complex and experimental research is needed to understand the production of loads of nutrients for different land uses. This paper describes a long-term monitoring case study using high-resolution rainfall data and runoff samples, carried out in the Lake Vico basin (Central Italy) to determine the phosphorus (P) export during erosive rainfall events. State of the art GIS-based basin characterization and advanced rainfall-runoff models are employed in order to describe the relationship between nutrient export and rainfall or runoff time distribution. Results show that the phosphorus export is strongly related to such time distributions, and less to the cumulative amount of rainfall or runoff.