Evaluating poverty–environment dynamics

Developing indicators to more effectively evaluate poverty–environment dynamics and inform policy is an urgent research priority. It is critical that these indicators are used in ways that accurately represent the relationship they are meant to inform. This article evaluates the theory and use of poverty–environment indicators, a relatively new tool developed to aid in the design and evaluation of poverty reduction strategies in the context of environmental change. We argue that while they have great potential, in their current form and use, poverty–environment indicators may contribute to critical misunderstandings of processes on the ground. These issues stem from a problematic and largely unacknowledged process of simplifying particular poverty–environment relationships. This article lays out the problematic character of this simplification process, and suggests how we might address these problems to create more useful understandings of poverty–environment dynamics to inform policy.     

Five approaches to producing actionable science in conservation

The knowledge produced by conservation scientists must be actionable in order to address urgent conservation challenges. To understand the process of creating actionable science, we interviewed 71 conservation scientists who had participated in 1 of 3 fellowship programs focused on training scientists to become agents of change. Using a grounded theory approach, we identified 16 activities that these researchers employed to make their scientific products more actionable. Some activities were more common than others and, arguably, more foundational. We organized these activities into 3 nested categories (motivations, strategies, and tactics). Using a co-occurrence matrix, we found that most activities were positively correlated. These correlations allowed us to identify 5 approaches, framed as profiles, to actionable science: the discloser, focused on open access; the educator, focused on science communication; the networker, focused on user needs and building relationships; the collaborator, focused on boundary spanning; and the pluralist, focused on knowledge coproduction resulting in valuable outcomes for all parties. These profiles build on one another in a hierarchy determined by their complexity and level of engagement, their potential to support actionable science, and their proximity to ideal coproduction with knowledge users. Our results provide clear guidance for conservation scientists to generate actionable science to address the global biodiversity conservation challenge.     

Land cover change explains the increasing discharge of the Paraná River

Regional Environmental Change - Over the past 40 years, the discharge in South America’s Paraná River basin has increased despite no evidence of significant rainfall increases...     

Ozonation of a mixture of estrogens and progestins in aqueous solution: Interpretation of experimental results by computational methods

In this paper the results of a thorough evaluation of the environmental fate and effects of azilsartan are presented. Azilsartan medoxomil is administered as a pro-drug for the treatment of patients with essential hypertension. The pro-drug is converted by hydrolysis to the active pharmaceutical ingredient azilsartan. Laboratory tests to evaluate the environmental fate and effects of azilsartan medoxomil were conducted with azilsartan and performed in accordance with OECD test guidelines. The predicted environmental concentration (PEC) in surface water was estimated at 0.32 μg L⁻¹ (above the action limit of 0.01 μg L⁻¹), triggering a Phase II assessment. Azilsartan is not readily biodegradable. Results of the water sediment study demonstrated significant shifting of azilsartan metabolites to sediment. Based on the equilibrium partitioning method, metabolites are unlikely to pose a risk to sediment-dwelling organisms. Ratios of the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) to the predicted-no-effect concentrations (PNECs) did not exceed the relevant triggers, and the risk to aquatic, sewage treatment plant (STP), groundwater and sediment compartments was concluded acceptable. A terrestrial assessment was not triggered. Azilsartan poses an acceptable risk to the environment.     

Fabric Filter Technology for Utility Coal-Fired Power Plants

This is the fifth in a series of papers discussing the experience of electric utilities in applying baghouse technology for the collection of particulate matter at coal-fired electric power generating plants. The series presents new data obtained in research sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on reverse-gas and shake/deflate cleaned baghouses, and specifically addresses a number of unresolved issues in the design and operation of these units. This paper describes research to improve reverse-gas cleaning technology, and to characterize reverse-gas sonic assisted and shake/deflate cleaning.     

Does breathing apparatus affect fish counts and observations? A comparison at three New Zealand fished and protected areas

Across three areas, open-circuit scuba (OC) and rebreather (RB) surveys produced similar results for the density and size distribution of fish species inside and outside marine reserves. At Tonga Island, more Notolabrus celidotus were counted with OC than with RB, independently of reserve status [log-scale response ratio of OC/RB (RR) = 0.7]. At Long Island, differences in abundance of Parapercis colias between sampling methods were small at reserve sites (RR = −0.1), but more were counted with scuba than with RBs at fished sites (RR = 0.5). RRs for Pagrus auratus were −1.0 in fished areas and 0.3 in the reserve at Leigh. We also sampled each site using a baited video system (BUV) to establish whether diver-transects sampled the full size range of target species. Most fish in BUV views were Parapercis colias at Long Island (97%), and Pagrus auratus at Leigh (77%). Size structures of Parapercis colias were similar among all three sampling methods within reserve and fished areas at Long Island (max. chi-squared distance = 0.11). BUV samples for Pagrus auratus at Leigh did not detect a prominent juvenile size class observed by divers, but size-frequency distributions of OC, RB, and BUV corresponded at sizes beyond 15 cm TL (max. chi-squared distance = 0.08). To investigate the effects of diver sound on fish behaviour at Long Island, we also compared fish activity when divers with RBs or scuba were present, when the sound of each breathing apparatus was replayed underwater, when no divers were present and no sound was replayed, and when bait was provided, within the reserve only. The lowest number of fish visits to the focal area (mean of 3.0 per 10 min) for Parapercis colias occurred with RB divers present. Maximum abundances of Parapercis colias in all speaker treatments averaged 4.1 per 10 min, whereas with scuba divers present maximum abundances were 5.7, and with baits the average was 38.0 per 10 min.     

Apparent segregation of null alleles ascribed to deletions of the ornithine transcarbamylase gene in congenital hyperammonaemia

Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency is an X-linked disorder of the urea cycle mapped to chromosome Xp21.1. Here, we show that apparent segregation of null alleles at the OTC locus and flanking polymorphic loci mimicked false maternity or false paternity in three affected families. Based on these observations, we suggest giving consideration to gene deletion when dealing with segregation of null alleles in OTC deficiency.     

Degradation of picric acid and 2,6-DNT in marine sediments and waters: the role of microbial activity and ultra-violet exposure

Bio- and photo-transformation of two munitions and explosives of concern, 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) were assessed in spiked marine sediments and water. A sandy and a fine-grained sediment, with 0.25% and 1.1% total organic carbon, respectively, were used for biotransformation assessments at 10 and 20 degrees C. Sterilized sediments were used as controls for biotic vs. abiotic transformation. Transformation products were analyzed by HPLC, GC/MS and LC/MS. Biotransformation in sediments started soon after the initial contact of the chemicals with the sediments and proceeded for several months, with rates in the following sequence: fine-grain at 20 degrees C > fine-grain at 10 degrees C > sand at 20 degrees C > sand at 10 degrees C. The biotransformation paths seemed to be similar for all conditions. The major biotransformation product of 2,6-DNT was 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene (2-A-6-NT). 2-Nitrotoluene (2-NT) and other minor components, including N,N-dimethyl-3-nitroaniline, benzene nitrile, methylamino-2-nitrosophenol and diaminophenol, were also identified. After more prolonged incubation these chemicals were replaced by high molecular weight polymers. Several breakdown products of picric acid were identified by GC/MS, including 2,4-dinitrophenol, amino dinitrophenols, 3,4-diamino phenol, amino nitrophenol and nitro diaminophenol. Photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT and picric acid in seawater was assessed under simulated solar radiation (SSR). No significant photolysis of picric acid in seawater was observed for up to 47 days, but photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT began soon after the initial exposure to SSR, with 89% being photo-transformed in 24 h and none remaining after 72 h. High molecular weight chemicals were generated, with mass spectra ranging from molecular weight 200-500 compared to 182 for DNT, and the color of the stock solution changed from clear to orange. Complexity of the mass spectra and mass differences among fragments suggest that multiple polymers were produced and were co-eluting during the LC/MS analyses.     

Sources and fate of nitrosodimethylamine and its precursors in municipal wastewater treatment plants.

To assess the occurrence and fate of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and its precursors in wastewater treatment plants, samples from wastewater treatment plants and industrial sources were analyzed for NDMA, total NDMA precursors, and dimethylamine (DMA). The median concentration of NDMA in untreated wastewater was approximately 80 ng/L, with maximum concentrations up to 790 ng/L presumably occuring because of sources unrelated to domestic wastewater. Concentrations of DMA in untreated wastewater ranged from approximately 50 to 120 microg/L and accounted for a majority of the NDMA precursors. The removal of NDMA during secondary biological treatment exhibited considerable variability, with overall removal ranging from 0 to 75%. In contrast, removal of NDMA precursors and DMA generally exceeded 70%. The median concentration of NDMA in secondary effluent before disinfection was 46 ng/L. Although DMA was removed during secondary treatment, other NDMA precursors in wastewater effluent will result in formation of additional NDMA upon disinfection with chloramines.