Policy Utopias for Nutrient Credit Trading Programs with Nonpoint Sources

A promising program to address water contamination from nutrients is water quality trading (WQT), whereby entities with high abatement costs purchase credits from entities with lower abatement costs. The concept has found some success with point source water pollution, but very few trades have occurred in over 50 programs in the United States (U.S.) that have focused on nonpoint sources (NPSs). To understand why success has been slow, we identified three environments needed for programs to succeed: physical, economic, and institutional. We estimate that only 5% of watersheds in the U.S. currently listed as nutrient impaired provide a viable physical environment for trading nitrogen; 13% are suitable for phosphorus. Economic and institutional challenges would shrink that domain even further. Therefore, we find places with the ideal physical, economic, and institutional environments necessary for feasible WQT programs are virtual policy utopias — rare places with ideal environments. Fortunately, a growing literature provides the tools necessary to identify where these policy utopias are and to expand that domain through a better understanding about how to manage WQT programs more effectively.     

Adaptation of Iranian farmers to climate variability and change

Climate change poses serious challenges for populations whose livelihoods depend principally on natural resources. Given the increases in extreme weather events projected to adversely affect the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, adaptation of the agricultural sector is imperative. Few studies have addressed the farmers’ adaptation in Iran, and little is known about ongoing adaptation strategies in use. Adopting principal component analysis/fuzzy logic-based method, this paper considers the agricultural adaptation to climate variability. A survey of 255 farmers of Fars Province, selected through a multistage stratified random sampling method, revealed different levels of adaptation, specifically the low, moderate and high, which are principally distinguished by various degrees of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The study also identified the main adaptation strategies used by farmers in response to climate-related shocks. Results indicated that although a large percentage of farmers make some adjustments to their farming practices, there are significant differences in choice of adaptation strategies by the adaptation categories. Some conclusions and recommendations are offered to increase the adaptive capacity of farmers and reduce negative impacts of climate variability and change.     

The impact of the waterborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and analysis efforts for water detection: an overview and update

The ubiquitous protozoa Toxoplasma gondii is now the subject of renewed interest, due to the spread of oocysts via water causing waterborne outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in different parts of the world. This overview discusses the different methods for detection of Toxoplasma in drinking and environmental water. It includes a combination of conventional and molecular tools for effective oocyst recovery and detection in water sources as well as factors hindering the detection of this parasite and shedding light on a promising new molecular assay for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma in environmental samples. Hopefully, this attempt will facilitate future approaches for better recovery, concentration, and detection of Toxoplasma oocysts in environmental waters.     

Predicting non-carcinogenic hazard quotients of heavy metals in pepper (Capsicum annum L.) utilizing electromagnetic waves

• There was significant absorption of heavy metals by the pepper in contaminated soils. • The target hazard quotient (THQ) indices followed the order of Pb>Zn>>Cd » Ni. • Relationships exist between contaminated plants and electromagnetic wave. • PCA and random search can select the main spectra and predict THQ for each element. Given the tendency of heavy metals to accumulate in soil and plants, the purpose of this study was to determine the contamination levels of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn on peppers (leaves and fruit) grown in contaminated soils in industrial centers. For this purpose, we measured the uptake of the four heavy metals by peppers grown in the heavy metal contaminated soils throughout the four growth stages: two-leaf, growth, flowering, and fruiting, and calculated various vegetation indices to evaluate the heavy metal contamination potentials. Electromagnetic waves were also applied for analyzing the responses of the target plants to various heavy metals. Based on the relevant spectral bands identified by principal component analysis (PCA) and random search methods, a regression method was then employed to determine the most optimal spectral bands for estimating the target hazard quotient (THQ). The THQ was found to be the highest in the plants contaminated by Pb (THQ= 62) and Zn (THQ= 5.07). The results of PCA and random search indicated that the spectra at the bands of b₅₇₀, b₆₅₀, and b₇₆₀ for Pb, b₄₀₀ and b₁₀₃₀ for Ni, b₄₀₀ and b₈₈₀ for Cd, and b₅₆₀, b₉₁₀, and b₁₀₅₀ for Zn were the most optimal spectra for assessing THQ. Therefore, in future studies, instead of examining the amount of heavy metals in plants by chemical analysis in the laboratory, the responses of the plants to the electromagnetic waves in the identified bands can be readily investigated in the field based on the established correlations.     

Investigation of land use changes in rural areas using MCDM and CA-Markov chain and their effects on water quality and soil fertility in south of Iran

The purpose of the study is to predict drought changes in Dariun, Fars Province, and their impact on water and soil quality. To prepare drought, water, and soil quality zoning maps, Landsat satellite images and the kriging method were used. The fuzzy maps and weights for each parameter were then determined using fuzzy and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methods. Additionally, cellular automata (CA)-Markov chains were used in order to predict the impact of drought changes on water and soil quality. Using the fuzzy-AHP method, water quality and soil fertility in 2020 were lower compared to previous years, mainly because of land use changes that increased pollution. Based on results of the Markov and CA-Markov chains, approximately 31% of the region will have very poor levels of soil fertility and water quality in 2050. Further, based on remote sensing indicators, it is determined that about 25% of the region will be at high risk of drought in 2050. Thus, if adequate management of the region is not done, the possibility of living in these areas may diminish in the coming years due to drought and deteriorated water and soil quality.

     

Effects of heavy metal contamination released by petrochemical plants on marine life and water quality of coastal areas

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study attempts to assess the threat of water contamination in Persian Gulf by heavy metals (Fe, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Se, and Ni) and its...     

The Toxicology of Silica Nanoparticles: A Review

Silica nanoparticles are increasingly used in industrial, cosmetics, and medical applications. Workers in nanosilica production industries, laboratory personnel in drug production industries, patients taking drugs with nanosilica in its formulations, and everyone in society who uses cosmetics are potentially at risk to health effects induced by silica nanoparticles. Like other nanomaterials, nanosilica has unique physical and chemical properties that modify its toxic effects compared to bulk silica or microparticles of silica. Nanosilica toxicology has been studied by various in vitro and in vivo protocols and on humans, studies which are collected and summarized in the present publication. The toxic effects are outlined based on the type of body compartment, viz. cardiovascular, dermal, respiratory, neural, hepatic, genetic, immune, reproductive, and renal system. Further information, especially the experimental protocols and toxicological endpoints, are summarized in tables.     

Toxic heavy metals and nutrient concentration in the milk of goat herds in two Iranian industrial and non-industrial zones

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This work aimed to explore the concentration of nickel, manganese, iron, copper, chromium, and lead in the milk of goat herds in the industrial area...