Kosovo-Konflikt: Ökologische Auswirkungen

10 years ago, the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) began to support the work of environmental protection in the countries of Eastern Europe. A main topic is the Danube-Carpathian Program. With the beginning of the bombardements, connected with great amounts of chemicals released directly and as clouds from the fires and explosions, the question raises: What are the consequences for mankind and nature? Is there a risk for the Danube-Carpathian Program? The WWF feels responsible for reporting about these consequences. In July 1999, a group of two Oil Experts and two scientists (each a chemist and a toxicologist) visited Belgrad, Pan?evo and Novi Sad, took samples of soil and water, and estimated the contents of dangerous substances. The first findings and the first consequences for nature and human health are described.     

Fragrances in the Environment: Pleasant odours for nature? (9 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background Fragrance preparations or perfumes are used in an increasing variety of applications, as for example washing, cleansing, personal care products, consumer goods or in applications to modify indoor air. However, up to now, little is known to the general or scientific public about their chemical identity and the use pattern of single substances, not even for high production volume chemicals. Some toxicological data are published for a comparatively small number of substances with a focus on sensitisation and dermal effects, while other effects are neglected. Information on ecotoxicity and environmental fate are rare, especially for long-term exposure. Data for a detailed hazard and risk analysis are available in exceptional cases only. According to the current legal situation, fragrance industry is self-regulated, which means that pre-market risk evaluation is not required for most fragrances. Odour and the ability to smell play a major role for wildlife for all taxonomic groups. Reproductive and social behaviour, defence, communication and orientation depend on volatile compounds which can be identical to those used in fragrance preparations. Our interdisciplinary approach leads to the question of whether and, if so, to what extent anthropogenic fragrances may influence life and reproduction of organisms in the environment. Main Features Information from literature on use, exposure and biological effects was combined to analyse the state of knowledge. Following an overview of the amounts of fragrances used in different consumer products and their release into the environment, the roles of odours in nature are shown for a selection of compounds. Existing regulation was analysed to describe the data basis for environmental risk evaluation. Finally, recommendations for further action are derived from these findings. Results Three main results were elaborated: First, fragrance substances are continuously discharged in large amounts into the environment, especially via the waste water. Second, there are some indications of negative effects on human health or the environment, although the data basis is very thin due to the self regulation of the fragrance industry and the regulatory situation of fragrance substances. Third, many odoriferous substances used by man are identical to those which are signal substances of environmental organisms at very low concentrations, thus giving rise to specific mode of actions in the ecosystem. Recommendations For the adequate risk assessments of fragrances, test results on their unspecific as well as their specific effects as signal substances are needed. This would imply prioritisation methods and development of useful test methods for specific endpoints for appropriate risk assessments. Before a comprehensive testing and evaluation of results has been finished, a minimization of exposure should be envisaged. Eco-labelling of products containing acceptable fragrance ingredients could be a first step and provide consumers with the respective information. Transparency concerning the fragrance ingredients used and their biological potency will help to build up confidence between producers and consumers. Conclusions and Perspectives The interdisciplinary approach, bringing together chemical, biological, toxicological and ecotoxicological data with information provided by manufacturers and with legal and consumer aspects, offers new insights into the field of fragrance substances used in consumer products. The amounts and application fields of fragrance substances increases while fate and effects in the environment are hardly known. The current legal situation is not suited to elucidate the effects of fragrances on human health and the environment sufficiently, especially as it was shown that fragrances may play a considerable role in the ecosystem on the behaviour of organisms. According to the precautionary principle, the lack of knowledge should best be tackled by reducing exposure, especially for compounds such as fragrance substances where no ethical reasons object a substitution by less hazardous chemicals. ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Thomas Knacker (th-knacker@ect.de)     

Application of the criteria for classification of existing chemicals as dangerous for the environment

The criteria for classification and labelling of substances as “dangerous for the environment” agreed upon within the European Union (EU) were applied to two sets of existing chemicals. One set (sample A) consisted of 41 randomly selected compounds listed in the European Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (EINECS). The other set (sample B) comprised 115 substances listed in Annex I of Directive 67/548/EEC which were classified by the EU Working Group on Classification and Labelling of Existing Chemicals. The aquatic toxicity (fish mortality,Daphnia immobilisation, algal growth inhibition), ready biodegradability and n-octanol/water partition coefficient were measured for sample A by one and the same laboratory. For sample B, the available ecotoxicological data originated from many different sources and therefore was rather heterogeneous. In both samples, algal toxicity was the most sensitive effect parameter for most substances. Furthermore, it was found that, classification based on a single aquatic test result differs in many cases from classification based on a complete data set, although a correlation exists between the biological end-points of the aquatic toxicity test systems.     

Orientation in captive migratory and sedentary Australian silvereyes <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zosterops lateralis</Emphasis> (Zosteropidae)

The orientation of two closely related subspecies of Australian silvereye Zosterops lateralis was studied in captivity over 14 months. Migratory silvereyes Z. lateralis lateralis showed significant directional preferences during the spring and autumn migration periods and also displayed orientated behaviour during the breeding period. In contrast, the non-migratory subspecies Z. lateralis familiaris did not display any significant directional preferences at any time. This is the first time that the orientation behaviour of a migratory and non-migratory subspecies has been compared over the duration of an annual cycle, both during and outside the migratory periods. The results suggest that migratory silvereyes possess an endogenous program determining the timing and direction of autumn and spring migration and that this program is unique to the migratory subspecies. This is also the first comparison of this nature on southern hemisphere birds and demonstrates that the migratory behaviour of southern hemisphere migrants may be more similar to that of northern hemisphere migrants than previously thought.Submitted to Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology: 23 Jan 2006.     

Kosovo-Konflikt: ?kologische Auswirkungen

Zusammenfassung  Der WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Initiator und Tr?ger des Donau-Karpaten-Programms, besch?ftigt sich seit Beginn des Kosovo-Konfliktes mit den Auswirkungen der kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen auf Natur und Mensch und versucht, die Welt?ffentiichkeit entsprechend zu informieren. Ende Juli 1999 hat der WWF International eine Mission, bestehend aus unabh?ngigen Toxikologinnen und ?lexperten, an die Donau entsandt. Unter der Leitung von Philip Weller, dem Direktor des WWF Donau-Karpaten-Programms, wurden drei Tag lang Industriekomplexe besichtigt und Gespr?che mit Betroffenen geführt. Die Reise führte das Team nach Panćevo und Novi Sad, und damit zu den Schwerpunkten der zerst?rten Chemie- und Petrochemischen Komplexe. In den betroffenen Werken, HIP AZOTARA, Panćevo und NIS ?lraffinerie, Novi Sad wurde das Team von den jeweiligen Werkleitern geführt. Gespr?che fanden statt mit dem Bürgermeister von Panćevo und Vertretern des Gesundheitsamtes in Belgrad. Es war dem Team m?glich, Boden- und Wasserproben zu nehmen und zu analysieren. Damit liegen den Autoren unabh?ngige Analysenergebnisse vor, die es gestatten, eine erste, orientierende Einsch?tzung der Kontaminationen vorzunehmen.