Levels and congener pattern of polychlorinated biphenyl and organochlorine pesticide residues in bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) from the Straits of Messina (Sicily, Italy)

The aim of this study is to assess the accumulation of OCs and PCBs in Thunnus thynnus and to elucidate the suitability of this species as a bioindicator for monitoring contaminations of these compounds in the marine ecosystems of the Straits of Messina. This investigation was conducted on fat, liver and muscle samples of 14 T. thynnus collected during April 2004. Quantitative determination of OCs and PCBs in the various samples examined has been carried out using GC-ECD and GC-MS. The results obtained show the presence of low concentrations of p,p'-DDE and PCB congeners (138, 153 and 180) in all fat, liver and muscle samples caught in the Straits of Messina. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE and PCB congeners (138, 153 and 180) in all the samples examined were below MRLs (CE n. 97/41, 1999/65 and 1999/71).     

解构:建筑环境可持续材料战略的起点

在大多数工业国家和新兴工业国家里,对建筑物的外理都是破坏性的、成问题的,在大多数这类国家里,建筑物拆毁(为翻新的部分拆毁,或为建筑物清除的全部拆毁)产生的垃圾占到垃圾总量的30-50%,解构是拆毁的一种替代选择,它提倡,对于建筑物要进行拆毁分解,对于构件要使其两使用或再生,通过建筑部门向着更好的材料回收实践转变,就可以实现大量的经济和社会效益,解构能保存材料投入的内含能量,这样就能减少材料再加工或再造期间新的能量的投入,建筑物的为折解而设计(HfD)的理念出现在1990年代早期,闭合建筑材料环路将要求不仅包含产品设计,还要包含可能被称之为"为解构与拆解而设计(DfDD)过程里的解构.     

Effect of simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol on urinary thioether excretion

The toxicity of benzene is not an issue of the past, especially in developing countries. Bone marrow toxicity is demonstrated among workers. In this study, the effect of simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol on benzene metabolism in mice was investigated by measuring the excretion of thioethers in urine. Urinary thioether excretion significantly decreased in the mice receiving both benzene and ethanol compared with the animals receiving benzene only. The assay of determining thioethers in urine samples in this study is a simple and low-cost method, thus suitable for routine use, especially in developing countries, not only for benzene, but also for other alkilating agents, which can be found during occupational exposure. Our results suggest that further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of decreased urinary excretion of thioether after simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol.     

Parallel and serial methods of calculating thermal insulation in European manikin standards

Standard No. EN 15831:2004 provides 2 methods of calculating insulation: parallel and serial. The parallel method is similar to the global one defined in Standard No. ISO 9920:2007. Standards No. EN 342:2004, EN 14058:2004 and EN 13537:2002 refer to the methods defined in Standard No. EN ISO 15831:2004 for testing cold protective clothing or equipment. However, it is necessary to consider several issues, e.g., referring to measuring human subjects, when using the serial method. With one zone, there is no serial-parallel issue as the results are the same, while more zones increase the difference in insulation value between the methods. If insulation is evenly distributed, differences between the serial and parallel method are relatively small and proportional. However, with more insulation layers overlapping in heavy cold protective ensembles, the serial method produces higher insulation values than the parallel one and human studies. Therefore, the parallel method is recommended for standard testing.     

Organophosphate pesticides an emerging environmental contaminant: Pollution,toxicity,bioremediation progress,and remaining challenges

Organophosphates(OPs) are an integral part of modern agriculture; however, due to overexploitation, OPs pesticides residues are leaching and accumulating in the soil, and groundwater contaminated terrestrial and aquatic food webs. Acute exposure to OPs could produce toxicity in insects, plants, animals, and humans. OPs are known for covalent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzyme in pests and terrestrial/aquatic organisms, leading to nervous, respiratory, reproductive, and hepatic abnormaliti...     

Allelopathic effects of weeds extracts against seed germination of some plants

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of various weeds extracts on seed germination of 11 crop species. Most of the weed extracts tested had inhibitory effects on seed germination of common bean, tomato, pepper, squash, onion, barley, wheat, and corn at different application rates as compared with the 10% acetone control. Chickpea seed germination was inhibited by extracts of Solanum nigrum L., Chenopodium album L., and Matricaria chamomilla L. (10%, 20% and 22.5%, respectively) at the end of 21 day incubation period. However, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., and Reseda lutea L. extracts stimulated chickpea seed germination at the rates of 95%, 94%, and 93%, respectively, compared to control. It was concluded that some of the weed extracts tested in this study could be used as inhibitor while others could be used as stimulator for the crops.     

生态旅游:加勒比的未来?

生态旅游正在作为加勒比海国家保护环境与通过吸引生态游客来赚取外汇的一种手段加以提倡。这些国家的政府已经制订了有关旅游与环境的一般政策和有关生态旅游的具体政策。例如多米尼加已制订了一项基于广大公众充分参与的旅游政策,以期改善总体生活质量,创造就业机会,赚取外汇,增强和保存文化与自然资源。多米尼加偏爱那些欣赏这个国家原貌的游客,而不喜欢那些想要改变它的游客。由于加勒比海岛屿规模都较小,需要精心的旅游规划与管理,才能保证资源不被破坏,也才能保证（生态）旅游对当地居民产生积极的社会—经济影响。     

农村工业化适用技术:印度的经验

1976年成立的适用技术发展协会（ATDA）支持印度农村地区工业化及创造就业机会的技术发展。本文阐明了该协会的宗旨,举例说明了传统技术的重新设计和改造,这些工作往往是在发达国家的个人或研究机构的帮助下完成的。     

联合国环境规划署产业与环境办事处卤代溶剂清洁生产工作组

联合国环境规划署产业与环境办事处（UNEP/IEO）清洁生产计划努力改变目前关于如何生产产品及生产何种产品的观念,以最大限度减少（如果不消除）排放和废物。卤代溶剂工作组是清洁生产计划中的行业工作组之一。它侧重于识别和传播与溶剂领域有关的情报。以下扼要介绍清洁生产概念,以及卤代溶剂工作组的活动。什么是清洁生产?     

印度露天采矿的回填要求和制约因素

印度的大多数采矿活动都发生在生态敏感地区．本文讨论了一项回填(即用挖出来的物质填矿井)研究计划的结果．在一些情况下,由于技术限制,回填法的使用不得不被部分或全部放弃．也有许多费用方面的考虑．制定一条国家改造采矿用地战略是最根本的策略．