Complaint reports for violations of health and safety legislation in the area of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Prosecution is one of the frequently employed instruments for the enforcement of health and safety legislation. In Greece, the penal procedure for such issues usually starts on initiative of a labour inspector who sends a complaint report to the public prosecutor. Should the complaint report be the result of a serious accident, there is an increased probability for the judgement of the court to remain unknown to the labour inspector, as well as the predicted penalty in the first instance court to be reduced. However, the appointment of a counsel by the victim of the accident could reverse such an effect, thus reducing the probability of the court’s judgement remaining unknown and raising the predicted penalty.     

Supporting sustainable electricity technologies in Greece using MCDM

The penetration of sustainable technologies in electricity generation is low until now in Greece. However, the recent adoption of legislative rules towards the effective operation of liberalized markets, as well as the increased impact of climate change on the electricity sector towards the period 2008–2012, bring out these technologies as key means for establishing conditions of security, stability and environmental protection. The objective of this paper is to put on the map the sustainable technologies for electricity generation in Greece through the formulation of a collective interactive supportive framework, using an existing multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method to elaborate more realistic and transparent outcomes. The approach was implemented under the umbrella of the national Foresight Programme, to assist policy making for sustainable electricity generation technologies.     

Green defaults: Information presentation and pro-environmental behaviour

There is inconsistency in many people's choice of electricity. When asked, they say they prefer a ‘green’ (i.e., environmentally friendly) source for this energy. Yet, although green electricity is available in many markets, people do not generally buy it. Why not? Motivated by behavioural decision research, we argue that the format of information presentation drastically affects the choice of electricity. Specifically, we hypothesise that people use the kind of electricity that is offered to them as the default. We present two natural studies and two experiments in the laboratory that support this hypothesis. In the two real-world situations, there was a green default, and most people used it. In the first laboratory experiment, more participants chose the green utility when it was the default than when ‘grey’ electricity was the default. In the second laboratory experiment, participants asked for more money to give up green electricity than they were willing to pay for it. We argue that changing defaults can be used to promote pro-environmental behaviour. Potential policy-making applications of this work are discussed.     

Ephemeral spawning aggregations in the Mediterranean sardine, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sardina pilchardus</Emphasis>: a comparison with other multiple-spawning clupeoids

Using previously published histological data on multiple, monthly samples of Sardina pilchardus collected in the central Aegean and Ionian Seas (September 1999–August 2000, and November 2000–February 2001), the Mediterranean sardine was treated as a case study to investigate the biological characteristics of ephemeral spawning aggregations in multiple-spawning clupeoids. Actively spawning (Day₀) females in the Mediterranean sardine, i.e., the daily class of spawners caught a few hours prior, during, or after the spawning act, were shown to separate spatially from late (Day₁₊) spawners and non-spawning females, taking with them a large proportion of conspecific males which were also in advanced spawning condition and in better somatic condition compared to the remaining population. In addition, information from 28 stocks of multiple-spawning clupeoids from a wide range of geographic locations, belonging to 14 species and 2 families (Engraulidae and Clupeidae), was reviewed and analyzed pertinent to the formation of ephemeral spawning aggregations. Results from the latter analysis indicated similar patterns of spatial segregation of Day₀ spawners in the reviewed clupeoid stocks as in the Mediterranean Sardine, which strongly suggested that the formation of ephemeral spawning aggregations is a common behavioral trait among multiple-spawning clupeoids. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Experimental investigation of the efficiency of triple rinsing of agricultural containers regarding their characterization as non-hazardous wastes

The efficiency of water rinsing for removing fenthion from non-combustible used pesticide containers was investigated. Four hundred empty containers from four olive oil producing areas in Greece were studied. Following triple rinsing cleaning procedures, the amount of fenthion retained in the container ranged from 0.01% to 0.1% w/w of its initial concentration. Extraction was accomplished with acetone, and the extracts were analyzed with a capillary gas chromatographic system coupled with flame ionization detector. The results obtained showed that triple rinsing is an effective procedure for removing fenthion from used pesticide containers, since the remaining pesticide concentration was below the legislated threshold value. Consequently, the containers can be handled as non-hazardous solid wastes.     

CO2 from waste to resource by developing novel mixed matrix membranes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated by the hydrothermal synthesis of ordered mesoporous KIT-6 type silica and incorporating in polyimide...     

Factors affecting the spawning period of sardine in two highly oligotrophic Seas

Ovarian histology and weight dynamics of reproductive and somatic tissues were used to investigate seasonality of spawning and factors affecting reproductive period in two E Mediterranean sardine, Sardina pilchardus, populations (central Aegean and Ionian Seas), between September 1999 and May 2001. Despite similarities in the general spawning pattern of the two populations, i.e. protracted spawning season during the colder months of the year, reproductive period in the Ionian was shorter and lagged behind the Aegean by 2–3 months. In both Seas, reproductive period was influenced by body size as smaller females tended to have both shorter and delayed spawning season. Whereas hepatosomatic index (HSI) was consistently higher in reproductively active females during the whole spawning period, seasonality of spawning did not match variations of HSI. In both Seas fluctuations of HSI matched the spring burst of primary productivity and were followed by fluctuations in somatic condition and mesenteric fat by a 2 months’ lag. Somatic condition and reproductive activity displayed inverse seasonal patterns, implying that egg production in sardine basically relies on visceral and muscular fat deposits, accumulated during the summer growing season. Reliance of egg production on past energetic reserves suggests that sardine is a capital breeder, which is a rather efficient strategy in such oligotrophic habitats as the E Mediterranean, where winter spawning is accompanied by a particular decline in adult preying fields.     

Investigation of naphthalene contamination in olive oil from Greece

Abstract

Incidents of using naphthalene in olive orchards as a repellent of olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) have recently been recorded. Naphthalene, the primary ingredient of mothballs, is described to be diluted in plastic bottles and hanged on the trees releasing its characteristic odor which is supposed to repel olive fly. Since naphthalene has been characterized as possibly carcinogenic to humans and animals, it was considered essential to monitor olive oils regarding their potential contamination with this specific pollutant. To this goal, a simple, sensitive and reliable analytical method for the determination of naphthalene in olive oil has been developed. The method involves extraction with ethyl acetate: acetonitrile (1:1) and determination of naphthalene using gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The method was validated in four fortification levels, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1?mg/kg in accordance with the EU requirements. The obtained results were acceptable as far as validation criteria are concerned, given recoveries between 71% and 87% and RSDs between 5% and 24%. The limit of determination for naphthalene was set at 0.005?mg/kg based on the lowest concentration level being validated with acceptable accuracy. The analytical technique was successfully applied to 75 olive oil samples collected from oil mills in Greece and no positive results of naphthalene were detected.