Ecotoxicology,where do you come from and where do you go? (2 pp)

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Does ecotoxicology really contribute to our knowledge about the function of an ecosystem or environment? Is ecotoxicology really a science of its own? The answers to these questions must be NO. The reasons lie in the origin and past of ecotoxicology.Like medicine, ecotoxicology does not have its own scientific theory, but rather borrows from other disciplines: the scientific theory of medicine is biology, and that of ecotoxicology is ecology and pharmacology. Neither medicine nor ecotoxicology see the normal status and routine function of their objects under study. Ecotoxicology regards the environment as being adversely impacted by anthropogenic noxes, mainly chemicals, perhaps based on a paradigm of permanent guilt.

     

Phytoplankton Community and Chlorophyll a as Trophic State Indices of Lake Skadar (Montenegro,Balkan) (7 pp)

Background, Aims and Scope Phytoplankton, as a first step in trophic cascades of lakes, can be a good indicator of trophic states, considering that every environmental change affects this community and many species of this community are sensitive to changes, and that they response very quickly. In this study, we tried to assess and predict the trophic state of Lake Skadar according to phytoplankton data.Methods Water samples were collected using Ruttner sampling bottle. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, ph, conductivity and transparence were measured in situ using portable equipment. Nutrients and chlorophyll a were measured using standard spectrophotometric methods. A determination of phytoplankton species was performed using relevant keys and the counting of cells was performed using sedimentation methods.Results and Discussion The species composition of Lake Skadar revealed 95 taxa, with Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae being represented best. According to an average chlorophyll a concentration of 5.9 µg/l, Lake Skadar belongs to the mesotrophic level of the trophic scale. Developed prediction equation for chlorophyll a revealed a good prediction (R2=0.71) and the parameter Secchi depth was primarily correlated with chlorophyll a concentration. Trophic state indices derived from chlorophyll a and transparency, were close together, but both were below the phosphorous index. Values of trophic state indices rank the Lake Skadar as being mesotrophic. This study also showed that indices of diversity based on phytoplankton are weak indicators of trophic status and that they can well characterize only differences between assemblages and associations. According to calculated saprobic indices (ranging from 1.5 to 2.15), Lake Skadar is on betamesosaprobic level of saprobity, which means that it is moderately polluted with organic compounds. Conclusions Total phosphorus is not the main limiting factor for the phytoplankton community in Lake Skadar. Disagreements between chlorophyll and the transparency index, on the one hand, and the total phosphorus index, on the other, suggest that the phytoplankton in Lake Skadar is probably limited by other factors than phosphorus, such as nitrogen, toxic substances or intense zooplankton grazing. According to the majority of investigated parameters and indices derived from phytoplankton data, Lake Skadar is mesotrophic, with tendencies toward eutrophic levels during the summer period. Recommendations and Outlook Long-term monitoring is required for a better estimation of state and the conditions of Lake Skadar. Further studies on factors influencing the phytoplankton community, especially zooplankton grazing and toxic substances, which were not included in this study, should be continued in the future to improve the efficiency of phytoplankton usage in estimating the ecological and trophic conditions of Lake Skadar.     

Effects of herbicide and insecticide interaction on soil entomofauna under maize crop

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the herbicide mixture nicosulfuron + atrazine, with or without the insecticide chlorpyrifos, onto soil entomofauna under maize crop. The treatments, applied 25 days after maize emergence, were represented by a weeded control without insecticide and herbicide, a weeded control with chlorpyrifos, and mixtures of nicosulfuron + atrazine, with or without chlorpyrifos. Arthropods populations, on the soil surface, as well as inside the soil under maize, were principally represented by mites (Arachnida: Acari), decomposer collembolans (Hexapoda:Parainsecta:Collembola) and predator ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae). The nicosulfuron + atrazine mixture with chlorpyrifos and the isolated chlorpyrifos reduced the population dynamics of all insect groups on the soil surface compared to the weeded control. In the soil, mite and ant populations were reduced after application of the herbicide mixture with chlorpyrifos and of the isolated chlorpyrifos.     

Allelopathic potential and systematic evaluation of organic extracts from Canavalia ensiformis leaves (Jack beans)

This article describes the assessment of possible allelopathic potential of organic extracts obtained from leaves of Canavalia ensiformis under laboratory conditions. Furthermore, a systematic evaluation of these extracts was carried out using specific protocols developed in capillary electrophoresis (CE) to determine some groups of secondary metabolites. After the identification and quantification of compounds, the effects of compounds on germination of some common weeds was investigated, which are becoming a real problem in pastures in the state of Pará, Brazil.     

A rule-based screening environmental risk assessment tool derived from EUSES

Within the context and scope of the forthcoming European Union chemical regulations (REACH), there is a need to be able to prioritise the chemicals for evaluation. Therefore, a simple, pragmatic and adequately conservative approach for the identification of substances of very low or no immediate concern at an early stage is presented. The fundamental principles and basic concepts are derived from the EU Technical Guidance Document and EUSES, and are translated into an easy-to-use rule-based system. For this development, the effect on risk characterisation ratios (RCRs) of the key environmental parameters in EUSES was quantified (taking into account several standardised chemical release scenarios). Using statistical analysis, ranges were identified for each key parameter, within which the end result of the assessment was not significantly affected. This information was then translated into a lookup table from which environmental risk characterisation ratios can be directly read as a function of a few parameters.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and -furans detoxification of soil promoted by K-polyethylene glycol technology

The detoxification of soil and sludge from polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDD) and -furans (PCDF) has been achieved by means of the K-PEG technology based on the in situ formation of the complex between polyethylene glycol (PEG) and KOH. Dechlorination of the pollutants was promoted by heating the samples up to 250 degrees C, above the PEG thermal degradation onset (>140 degrees C). As a consequence, a bursting evolution of hydrogen was observed which gave a reductive character to the reaction media and atmosphere. PCDD and PCDF chlorine atoms were progressively eliminated by a hydrodehalogenation reaction. After optimisation of the experimental parameters, the toxicity index was lowered more than 98%. In order to gain insight on the mechanism of the reaction, PEG thermal degradation chemistry was studied in some detail. The analytical results (mainly by mass and IR spectroscopy) suggest that PEG has an essential role on promoting the dehalogenation reaction by acting as a phase transfer agent as well as a source of hydride.     

International standardization of water analysis

The efficiency of a water treatment program or a water monitoring program can be checked only if it is accompanied by water analysis procedures allowing meaningful statements on water quality. Meaningful statements do not only include high accuracy, but high precision as well. With high precision values, good repeatability and reproducibility is aimed for. Repeatability and reproducibility may either be monitored by regular inter-laboratory trials, without prescribing a distinct analytical method, or by applying a standardized method which has undergone thorough checks concerning its reliability and efficiency. The article presents the structure of the ISO, CEN and DIN standardization work in water analysis.     

Strategies of maintaining the natural purification potential of rivers and lakes

Surface waters have a great impact on ecology and life of man. Because of their current use and exploitation, chemical and biological pollution, as well as physical changes of rivers and lakes are common. Natural self-purification potential helps to compensate harms to a certain degree. Proposals are given to detect restrictions of the purification potential in time as well as to support and to enhance the natural purification potential.     

Halogenated compounds and climate change: future emission levels and reduction costs

OBJECTIVES: This work assesses the contribution to climate change resulting from emissions of the group of halogenated greenhouse gases. METHODS: A bottom-up emission model covering 22 technological sectors in four major regions is described. Emission estimates for 1996 and projection for 2010 and 2020 are presented. The costs for deep cuts into projected emission levels are calculated. RESULTS: The substances covered by this study have contributed emissions of 1100 +/- 800 MT CO2 equivalents per year in 1996. In terms of their relative contribution to emissions of CO2 equivalents, this corresponds to 3 +/- 2% of global emissions of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The wide range of uncertainty is due to the poorly quantified net global warming potential of the ozone depleting substances, which have an indirect cooling effect on climate through the destruction of stratospheric ozone. For annual emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 (which are regulated under the Kyoto Protocol and for which global warming potentials are well defined), the relative contribution is projected to increase to 2% (600 MT CO2 eq.) of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. This trend is expected to continue, emissions are projected to grow to a contribution of roughly 3% (870 MT CO2 eq.) in 2020 compared to 0.9% (300 MT CO2 eq.) in 1996. For HFCs, PFCs and SF6, this study identifies global emission reduction potentials of 260 MT CO2 eq. per year in 2010 and 640 MT CO2 eq. per year in 2020 at below US$ 50 per ton. These values correspond to roughly 40% and 75% of projected emissions in 2010 and 2020, respectively.