Allocation and 'what-if' scenarios in life cycle assessment of waste management systems

Many modern waste treatment processes and waste management systems are able to treat many different types of waste at the same time, and deliver a number of useful outputs (secondary materials, energy) as well. These systems are thus increasingly multi-functional. As such, in life cycle assessment studies, they create problems related to multi-functionality and allocation. Especially in LCAs of waste management systems, the solution in the form of system expansion or avoided burdens approach dominates the practice, and the partitioning approach plays a minor role. In this paper, we analyse the logic and problems of these two approaches. It appears that for the avoided burdens approach, the number of 'what-if' assumptions is so large that LCAs on the same topic lead to quite diverging results. Since 'what-if' questions cannot be answered in an unambiguous way, such questions should preferably be left outside of a primarily scientific tool. The partitioning approach is not free from arbitrary choices as well, but, in contrast to the 'what-if' approaches, it does not claim to predict what happens or what would have happened.     

Microscope and spectacle: On the complexities of using new visual technologies to communicate about wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation-related organisations increasingly employ new visual technologies in their science communication and public engagement efforts. Here, we examine the use of such technologies for wildlife conservation campaigns. We obtained empirical data from four UK-based organisations through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Visual technologies were used to provide the knowledge and generate the emotional responses perceived by organisations as being necessary for motivating a sense of caring about wildlife. We term these two aspects ‘microscope’ and ‘spectacle’, metaphorical concepts denoting the duality through which these technologies speak to both the cognitive and the emotional. As conservation relies on public support, organisations have to be seen to deliver information that is not only sufficiently detailed and scientifically credible but also spectacular enough to capture public interest. Our investigation showed that balancing science and entertainment is a difficult undertaking for wildlife-related organisations as there are perceived risks of contriving experiences of nature and obscuring conservation aims.     

Voltammetric determination of the herbicide Bifenox in drinking and river water using a silver solid amalgam electrode

A new method for the determination of submicromolar and nanomolar concentrations of herbicide Bifenox using differential pulse voltammetry at a mercury meniscus modified silver solid amalgam electrode is described. This new type of working electrode is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and compatible with principles of green analytical chemistry, and its surface can be easily electrochemically renewed in the case of passivation. The newly developed direct differential pulse voltammetric determination of Bifenox gives limit of determination 6.7·10^?7 and 6.9·10^?7?M in drinking and river water, respectively. Both the selectivity and the sensitivity can be further increased by preliminary separation and preconcentration using solid phase extraction. This combination enables to reach limit of determination 0.9?×?10^?9 and 1.5?×?10^?9?M for drinking and river water, respectively. Because of lower running and investment costs, this electroanalytical method can be used for large scale monitoring of possible water contamination with tested herbicide.     

Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult

To determine whether stable isotope measurements of body feathers can be used to investigate the isotopic niche of moulting (inter-nesting) adult seabirds, we examined the stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopic composition of body feathers of breeding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) from Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean. First we showed that the isotopic composition of body feathers was not significantly different from that of wing feathers, being thus a safe alternative to flight feathers whose collection impairs the birds’ flying ability. Second, we looked at the variances in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values resulting from the isotopic measurement of a single feather, four different feathers, and a pool of four feathers per bird, to delineate the best isotopic analytical procedure. A two-step protocol is proposed that allows investigating both the intra- and inter-individual components of the niche width of the species. In a first step, isotopic measurements on a single feather per bird are used to define isotopic specialist from isotopic generalist populations. In a second step and for generalist populations only, measurements on additional (three) feathers per bird are used to delineate type A from type B isotopic generalists (Bearhop et al. in J Anim Ecol 73:1007–1012, 2004). Third, from a biological point of view, our data showed different moulting isotopic niches for adult males and females, and also within female wandering albatrosses. Since the isotopic composition of body feathers in this species reflects that of wing feathers, our results suggest that, after validation, body feathers have the potential for investigating the foraging ecology of other Procellariiforms and seabirds during the poorly known inter-nesting period.     

Implementing pro-poor policies in a decentralized context: the case of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program in Tanzania

This paper examines the challenge of achieving a balance between the implementation of centrally designed pro-poor policies and the decentralization of responsibilities to local governments in many African countries. It analyzes the implementation of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program in Tanzania. Key mechanisms for planning and allocating resources are analyzed at ministry, district, and village levels. Results show that a mixture of policy incoherencies, technical shortcomings and political influence determine that only a small proportion of funds reaches the underserved areas. We argue that a greater connection between the bottom-up and top-down planning mechanisms, and a sharp increase of downwards accountability are needed before decentralized decision-making result in better resources allocation. Meanwhile a bigger intervention from central government is needed.     

Does Organic Farming Face Distinctive Livestock Welfare Issues? – A Conceptual Analysis

The recent development and growth oforganic livestock farming and the relateddevelopment of national and internationalregulations has fueled discussions amongscientists and philosophers concerning theproper conceptualization of animal welfare.These discussions on livestock welfare inorganic farming draw on the conventionaldiscussions and disputes on animal welfare thatinvolve issues such as different definitions ofwelfare (clinical health, absence of suffering,sum of positive and negative experiences,etc.), the possibility for objective measuresof animal welfare, and the acceptable level ofwelfare. It seems clear that livestock welfareis a value-laden concept and that animalwelfare science cannot be made independent ofquestions of values and ethics. The questioninvestigated here is whether those values thatunderpin organic farming, in particular, alsoaffect the interpretation of livestock welfare,and, if so, how. While some of the issuesraised in connection with organic farming arerelatively uncontroversial, others are not. Theintroduction of organic farming values seems tointroduce new criteria for what counts as goodanimal welfare, as well as a different ethicalbasis for making moral decisions on welfare.Organic farming embodies distinctive systemicor communitarian ethical ideas and the organicvalues are connected to a systemic conceptionof nature, of agriculture, of the farm, and ofthe animal. The new criteria of welfare arerelated to concepts such as naturalness,harmony, integrity, and care. While the organicvalues overlap with those involved in theconventional discussion of animal welfare, someof them suggest a need to set new prioritiesand to re-conceptualize animal welfare – forexample, with respect to ``naturalness,' inrelation to the possibilities for expression ofnatural behavior and in relation to animalintegrity as a concept for organismic harmony.The organic perspective also seems to suggest awider range of solutions to welfare problemsthan changes in farm routines or operations onthe animals. The systemic solutions include thechoice and reproduction of suitable breeds,changes in the farm structure, and changes inthe larger production and consumption system – including consumer perceptions andpreferences. But the organic values may alsocall for sacrifices of individual welfare in aconventional sense in order to advance welfarefrom the perspective of organic farming.Whether this is good or bad cannot be decidedwithout entering into an inquiry and discussionof the values and ethics involved.     

Ammonia and phosphorus removal from agricultural runoff using cash crop waste-derived biochars

• Orange tree residuals biochar had a better ability to adsorb ammonia. • Modified tea tree residuals biochar had a stronger ability to remove phosphorus. • Partially-modified biochar could remove ammonia and phosphorus at the same time. • The real runoff experiment showed an ammonia nitrogen removal rate of about 80%. • The removal rate of total phosphorus in real runoff experiment was about 95%. Adsorption of biochars (BC) produced from cash crop residuals is an economical and practical technology for removing nutrients from agricultural runoff. In this study, BC made of orange tree trunks and tea tree twigs from the Laoguanhe Basin were produced and modified by aluminum chloride (Al-modified) and ferric sulfate solutions (Fe-modified) under various pyrolysis temperatures (200°C–600°C) and residence times (2–5 h). All produced and modified BC were further analyzed for their abilities to adsorb ammonia and phosphorus with initial concentrations of 10–40 mg/L and 4–12 mg/L, respectively. Fe-modified Tea Tree BC 2h/400°C showed the highest phosphorus adsorption capacity of 0.56 mg/g. Al-modified Orange Tree BC 3h/500°C showed the best performance for ammonia removal with an adsorption capacity of 1.72 mg/g. FTIR characterization showed that P = O bonds were formed after the adsorption of phosphorus by modified BC, N-H bonds were formed after ammonia adsorption. XPS analysis revealed that the key process of ammonia adsorption was the ion exchange between K⁺ and NH₄⁺. Phosphorus adsorption was related to oxidation and interaction between PO₄^3– and Fe³⁺. According to XRD results, ammonia was found in the form of potassium amide, while phosphorus was found in the form of iron hydrogen phosphates. The sorption isotherms showed that the Freundlich equation fits better for phosphorus adsorption, while the Langmuir equation fits better for ammonia adsorption. The simulated runoff infiltration experiment showed that 97.3% of ammonia was removed by Al-modified Orange tree BC 3h/500°C, and 92.9% of phosphorus was removed by Fe-modified Tea tree BC 2h/400°C.     

UVR-induced photoinhibition of summer marine phytoplankton communities from Patagonia

During austral summer 2006, experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280–400 nm) on carbon fixation of natural phytoplankton assemblages from Patagonia (Argentina). Surface water samples were collected (ca. 100 m offshore) at mid morning using an acid-cleaned (1 N HCl) dark container. The short-term impact of UVR (measured as radiocarbon incorporation) was immediately assessed by exposing samples to three artificial illumination treatments: PAR (400–700 nm), PAR + UV-A (320–700 nm), and PAR + UV-A + UV-B (280–700 nm). Pico-nanoplankton characterized the assemblages, and taxon-specific pigment fingerprinting combined with CHEMTAX and supplemented with microscopic observations showed varied proportions of diatoms, chlorophytes, and cyanobacteria throughout January–February 2006. Photosynthetic efficiency, as assessed through assimilation numbers, was high [between 4.4 and 10.4 μg C (μg chl-a)⁻¹ h⁻¹], and it was probably favored by the supply of inorganic nutrients from the Chubut River. UVR-induced photoinhibition appeared to be related to the taxonomic composition: in general, higher photoinhibition was observed when diatoms dominated, whereas this was lower when samples were dominated by chlorophytes. Our data suggest that xanthophyll pigments might have provided only limited protection in these already highlighted acclimated assemblages.     

Reptiles and Amphibians: Shy and Sensitive Vertebrates of the Great Lakes Basin and St. Lawrence River

Bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants has been documented in amphibians and reptiles inhabiting the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and elsewhere. The effects of pollutants on the physiology and reproduction of amphibians and reptiles has also been reported but this research has largely been restricted to laboratory studies. Much less work has been conducted to quantify the effects of toxic chemical exposures on these cryptic animals in the wild. In the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River, this work has only been performed in detail since 1981 although some samples collected in 1974 indicated a high level of contamination. Results in the 1990s on aquatic salamanders, frogs and turtles indicate that adults and embryos are currently experiencing toxic effects and, in some species and locations, there are indications that population declines are influenced by environmental pollution exposure. In this review, we describe the existing literature on contaminant levels and effects in reptiles and amphibians of the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes basin.