Bioaccumulation of Toxic Organic Compounds and Their Isomers into the Organism of Seals in West-Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve

The Estonian coastal waters serve as the south-eastern boundary of the regular distribution of the grey (Halichoerus grypus and ringed Phoca hispida) seal in the Baltic Sea. During the annual molt period in May–June (in the Estonian coastal waters), the stock size is estimated to be 1200–1500 grey seal individuals – that is, roughly 25% of the whole Baltic population. If we compare the chlororganic contents of seals in different areas the Baltic Sea, we can see that the northern part of the Gulf of Riga and Väinameri Sea is the reference area of the Baltic Sea.     

A Survey Technique for Determining The Representativeness of Urban Air Monitoring Stations With Respect to Carbon Monoxide

An air quality survey technique for measuring the horizontal spatial variation of carbon monoxide concentrations in urban areas is described; it was used to determine how representative an urban air monitoring station is of concentrations throughout the city.

The survey technique was applied in San Jose, Calif., where 1128 samples were collected over a six-month period and were compared with the values recorded simultaneously at the urban air monitoring station. All samples were collected at “breathing height” within a 13-square-mile grid which included the downtown area as well as surrounding residential and industrial locations. Three basic sampling strategies were employed to answer specific questions about the distribution of carbon monoxide concentration: (7) walking sampling, in which samples were obtained while walking along the sidewalks of congested downtown streets, (2) random spatial sampling, in which samples were collected at randomly selected points in the urban grid, and (3) specialized sampling in the immediate vicinity of the air monitoring station.

The results indicate that pedestrians on downtown streets in San Jose can be exposed to concentrations above the federal air quality standards without these values being observed at the air monitoring station. There also is evidence that, at any instant of time, similar values of carbon monoxide exist throughout this city (within a 13-square mile area), provided that measurements are not made in close proximity to streets. Furthermore, the higher concentrations observed in the immediate vicinity of streets decrease quite rapidly with increasing horizontal distance from these streets.

These findings, in the view of the authors, raise serious doubts as to whether it is possible to determine if air quality standards as currently defined are actually being met in urban areas using data from present-day air monitoring stations.     

Determination of response of real-time SidePak AM510 monitor to secondhand smoke, other common indoor aerosols, and outdoor aerosol

The amount of light scattered by airborne particles inside an aerosol photometer will vary not only with the mass concentration, but also with particle properties such as size, shape, and composition. This study conducted controlled experiments to compare the measurements of a real-time photometer, the SidePak AM510 monitor (SidePak), with gravimetric mass. PM sources tested were outdoor aerosols, and four indoor combustion sources: cigarettes, incense, wood chips, and toasting bread. The calibration factor for rescaling the SidePak measurements to agree with gravimetric mass was similar for the cigarette and incense sources, but different for burning wood chips and toasting bread. The calibration factors for ambient urban aerosols differed substantially from day to day, due to variations in the sources and composition of outdoor PM. A field evaluation inside a casino with active smokers yielded calibration factors consistent with those obtained in the controlled experiments with cigarette smoke.     

The effect of opening windows on air change rates in two homes

More than 300 air change rate experiments were completed in two occupied residences: a two-story detached house in Redwood City, CA, and a three-story townhouse in Reston, VA. A continuous monitor was used to measure the decay of SF6 tracer gas over periods of 1-18 hr. Each experiment first included a measurement of the air change rate with all exterior doors and windows closed (State 0), then a measurement with the single change from State 0 conditions of opening one or more windows. The overall average State 0 air change rate was 0.37 air changes per hour (hr(-1)) (SD = 0.10 hr(-1); n = 112) for the California house and 0.41 hr(-1) (SD = 0.19 hr(-1); n = 203) for the Virginia house. Indoor/outdoor temperature differences appeared to be responsible for the variation at the Virginia house of 0.15-0.85 hr(-1) when windows were closed. Opening a single window increased the State 0 air change rate by an amount roughly proportional to the width of the opening, reaching increments as high as 0.80 hr(-1) in the California house and 1.3 hr(-1) in the Virginia house. Multiple window openings increased the air change rate by amounts ranging from 0.10 to 2.8 hr(-1) in the California house and from 0.49 to 1.7 hr(-1) in the Virginia house. Compared with temperature differences and wind effects, opening windows produced the greatest increase in the air change rates measured in both homes. Results of this study indicate the importance of occupant window-opening behavior on a home's air change rate and the consequent need to incorporate this factor when estimating human exposure to indoor air pollutants.     

Progress Toward a Uniform Air Pollution Index

Recently, various authors^1–4 have indicated that a need exists to establish a uniform air pollution index for communities throughout the nation.Although the literature reveals several attempts to develop air pollution indices,^5–7 none of these indices has received widespread acceptance by state and local air pollution control agencies, probably because none has received the active support or endorsement of the federal government. We now wish to report that significant progress has been made at the federal level toward the goal of a recommended national air pollution index.     

Degradation of industrial surfactants by photocatalysis combined with ozonation

The efficiency of titanium dioxide-mediated photocatalytic degradation of pollutants can be enhanced by combination with another advanced oxidation procedure such as ozonation. Mineralization of hydroxy- and dihydroxybenzenesulfonate based on these methods, both individually and combined, was investigated by monitoring the total organic carbon content, sulfate concentration, pH, high-performance liquid chromatography as well as the absorption spectral changes. The mineralization efficiency of the combined procedure significantly exceeded the sum of those of the individual techniques. The comparison of the disappearance of the starting material and the formation of the sulfate ions indicates that desulfonation is not the primary step of the degradation. Moreover, in the case of the combined method, ring cleavage, and thus, partial mineralization can occur without desulfonation. Efficient degradation of other, widely used industrial surfactants, such as alkylbenzene sulfonates and alkyl ether sulfates, was also achieved by heterogeneous photocatalysis combined with ozonation, offering an applicable method for the removal of these pollutants.     

Depollution benchmarks for capacitors,batteries and printed wiring boards from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

The article compiles and analyses sample data for toxic components removed from waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) from more than 30 recycling companies in Switzerland over the past ten years. According to European and Swiss legislation, toxic components like batteries, capacitors and printed wiring boards have to be removed from WEEE. The control bodies of the Swiss take back schemes have been monitoring the activities of WEEE recyclers in Switzerland for about 15 years. All recyclers have to provide annual mass balance data for every year of operation. From this data, percentage shares of removed batteries and capacitors are calculated in relation to the amount of each respective WEEE category treated. A rationale is developed, why such an indicator should not be calculated for printed wiring boards. The distributions of these de-pollution indicators are analysed and their suitability for defining lower threshold values and benchmarks for the depollution of WEEE is discussed. Recommendations for benchmarks and threshold values for the removal of capacitors and batteries are given.