Organic contaminants in the environment: Research progress and needs

An already large and rapidly increasing number of manmade organic contaminants is found to be present in environmental samples from around the world. However, the biological effects of many of these compounds are unknown. Traditional biological testing, albeit important, cannot be done on each chemical due to limitations of the available resources. Therefore, new avenues should be pursued to screen out the hazardous compounds for more intensive research. One of these avenues, quantitative structure-activity correlations, applies the existing knowledge to estimate the effects of other, structurally related compounds. In combination with a fast and cost-effective biological test, this method appears useful in solving both the existing backlog and future needs for information on the safety and environmental effects of new chemicals.     

A GAME THEORY APPROACH TO DECIDING WHO WILL SUPPLY INSTREAM FLOW WATER1

ABSTRACT: The resource management problem for the Middle Platte ecosystem is the insufficient water available to meet both instream ecological demands and out‐of‐stream economic needs. This problem of multiple interest groups competing for a limited resource is compounded by sharp disagreement in the scientific community over endangered species' needs for instream flows. In this study, game theory was used to address one dimension of this resource management problem. A sequential auction with repeated bidding was used to determine how much instream flow water each of three states — Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming — will provide and at what price. The results suggest that the use of auction mechanisms can improve the prospects for reaching a multi‐state agreement on who will supply instream flow water, if the auction is structured to discourage misrepresentation of costs and if political compensation is allowed.