Nutrient and trace elements in soil and desert vegetation of southern Idaho

Concentrations of thirty elements were measured in strong-acid extracts of soil, sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp.) leaves and perennial grass from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) and two reference sites in southern Idaho. A bicarbonate-chelating extract of soil was used to estimate plant-available concentrations. The results provide baseline data prior to start-up of a coal-fired steam generation facility on the INEL and other developments in the region. In addition, existing impact from effluents from thirty years of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility on the INEL was evaluated. Based on the spatial distribution of element concentrations, as well as comparison with references sites, we conclude that concentrations of Zn, and perhaps Ni, Cd, and V, are currently elevated around the fuel reprocessing facility. The spatial distribution of these elements is similar to that of ¹³⁷Cs in soil, a radionuclide which is emitted by the facility. Sagebrush and soil appear more responsive than perennial grass for long-term monitoring of element concentrations in this semi-arid environment.     

Reproductive biology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cosmasterias lurida</Emphasis> (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) an anthropogenically influenced substratum from Golfo Nuevo,Northern Patagonia (Argentina)

The starfish Cosmasterias lurida was sampled from the pier piles of Almirante Storni in the Golfo Nuevo, northern Patagonia, from November 2001 to November 2003. In this anthropogenically modified site there is an unusually abundant food supply of mussels and large aggregations of starfishes. The reproductive cycle was studied by organ indices and histological examination of gonads. The highest gonad index (GI) values were found in the summer (February–March), followed by a drop in GI values, indicating spawning. Histological analyses indicated that gametogenesis takes place from June to January, sexual maturity occurred during the summer and spawning occurred in April. The GI and pyloric caeca index (PCI) tended to have an inverse relationship, but this was only statistically significant in males. However, biochemical analyses of the starfish indicated no transfer of nutrients between pyloric caeca and gonads in either sex. In fact, simultaneous accumulation of carbohydrates was found in the pyloric caeca and gonads of both sexes.     

Adsorption of pesticides by salorthids and camborthids of Punjab,Pakistan

This study was conducted to examine adsorption of pesticides bifenthrin, carbosulfan, λ-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, endosulfan, parathion methyl, monocrotophos and 4-nitrophenol by sandy clay loam (S.C.L) and sandy loam (S.L) soils (with varying organic content). There was no significant difference between the observed soil water partitioning coefficient values (K _d) derived from linear and nonlinear Freundlich isotherms. Adsorption of pesticides on S.C.L soils was higher than those on S.L soils. K _d values showed significant correlations (r ²?=?0.8???0.99 and 0.65???0.97) with soil organic carbon content (OC) and weak correlations (r ²?=?0.2???0.29 and 0.1???0.18) with clay contents of S.C.L and S.L soil at p?≤?0.05, respectively for all pesticides (except monocrotophos). Observed K _oc values (soil-water partitioning constants based on the organic C fraction of the soil) were in accordance with the literature values of Wauchope and Tomlin with a maximum deviation of less than 0.5 log units. Ten Quantitative Property-Property Relationships (QPPR) among water solubility, n-octanol water coefficient (K _ow) and K _oc were proposed for studied pesticides except monocrotophos. The models were considered acceptable when predicted-observed difference for log?K _ow and log?K _oc were ≤?0.3 and ≤?0.5?log units, respectively, during the validation procedure. This work indicates that the log?K _oc derived from the log K_ow, from some of existing relationships, may be a fair predictor where observed values (i.e., K _d and K _oc) are not available. Furthermore, predicted leaching potential by groundwater ubiquity scores (GUS) equation was solved by using observed K _oc values and literature reported half lives of pesticides. GUS ranked the mobility of nonvolatile compounds i.e., bifenthrin, λ-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and endosulfan extremely low; methyl parathion very low; 4-nitrophenol low; carbofuran and monocrotophos very high in S.C.L and S.L soils, respectively. Results discussed in this paper provide background to prioritize pesticides or chemical groups that should be evaluated under field conditions with regard to their leaching potential to groundwater in arid climates.     

Options for National Parks and Reserves for Adapting to Climate Change

Past and present climate has shaped the valued ecosystems currently protected in parks and reserves, but future climate change will redefine these conditions. Continued conservation as climate changes will require thinking differently about resource management than we have in the past; we present some logical steps and tools for doing so. Three critical tenets underpin future management plans and activities: (1) climate patterns of the past will not be the climate patterns of the future; (2) climate defines the environment and influences future trajectories of the distributions of species and their habitats; (3) specific management actions may help increase the resilience of some natural resources, but fundamental changes in species and their environment may be inevitable. Science-based management will be necessary because past experience may not serve as a guide for novel future conditions. Identifying resources and processes at risk, defining thresholds and reference conditions, and establishing monitoring and assessment programs are among the types of scientific practices needed to support a broadened portfolio of management activities. In addition to the control and hedging management strategies commonly in use today, we recommend adaptive management wherever possible. Adaptive management increases our ability to address the multiple scales at which species and processes function, and increases the speed of knowledge transfer among scientists and managers. Scenario planning provides a broad forward-thinking framework from which the most appropriate management tools can be chosen. The scope of climate change effects will require a shared vision among regional partners. Preparing for and adapting to climate change is as much a cultural and intellectual challenge as an ecological challenge.     

A review of emerging technologies for remediation of PFASs

The need for remediation of poly‐ and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is growing as a result of more regulatory attention to this new class of contaminants with diminishing water quality standards being promulgated, commonly in the parts per trillion range. PFASs comprise >3,000 individual compounds, but the focus of analyses and regulations has generally been PFASs termed perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), which are all extremely persistent, can be highly mobile, and are increasingly being reported to bioaccumulate, with understanding of their toxicology evolving. However, there are thousands of polyfluorinated “PFAA precursors”, which can transform in the environment and in higher organisms to create PFAAs as persistent daughter products. Some PFASs can travel miles from their point of release, as they are mobile and persistent, potentially creating large plumes. The use of a conceptual site model (CSM) to define risks posed by specific PFASs to potential receptors is considered essential. Granular activated carbon (GAC) is commonly used as part of interim remedial measures to treat PFASs present in water. Many alternative treatment technologies are being adapted for PFASs or ingenious solutions developed. The diversity of PFASs commonly associated with use of multiple PFASs in commercial products is not commonly assessed. Remedial technologies, which are adsorptive or destructive, are considered for both soils and waters with challenges to their commercial application outlined. Biological approaches to treat PFASs report biotransformation which creates persistent PFAAs, no PFASs can biodegrade. Water treatment technologies applied ex situ could be used in a treatment train approach, for example, to concentrate PFASs and then destroy them on‐site. Dynamic groundwater recirculation can greatly enhance contaminant mass removal via groundwater pumping. This review of technologies for remediation of PFASs describes that:

• GAC may be effective for removal of long‐chain PFAAs, but does not perform well on short‐chain PFAAs and its use for removal of precursors is reported to be less effective;
• Anion‐exchange resins can remove a wider array of long‐ and short‐chain PFAAs, but struggle to treat the shortest chain PFAAs and removal of most PFAA precursors has not been evaluated;
• Ozofractionation has been applied for PFASs at full scale and shown to be effective for removal of total PFASs;
• Chemical oxidation has been demonstrated to be potentially applicable for some PFAAs, but when applied in situ there is concern over the formation of shorter chain PFAAs and ongoing rebound from sorbed precursors;
• Electrochemical oxidation is evolving as a destructive technology for many PFASs, but can create undesirable by‐products such as perchlorate and bromate;
• Sonolysis has been demonstrated as a potential destructive technology in the laboratory but there are significant challenges when considering scale up;
• Soils stabilization approaches are evolving and have been used at full scale but performance need to be assessed using appropriate testing regimes;
• Thermal technologies to treat PFAS‐impacted soils show promise but elevated temperatures (potentially >500 °C) may be required for treatment.

There are a plethora of technologies evolving to manage PFASs but development is in its early stage, so there are opportunities for much ingenuity.     

Contingent Valuation and Real Economic Commitments: Evidence from Electric Utility Green Pricing Programmes

This paper presents the findings of two 'green pricing' studies conducted to evaluate public support of utilities' investments in renewable energy technologies. These studies compared hypothetical WTP statements with actual payment commitments. The results of these studies indicate that the CVM can be an accurate indicator of an individual's WTP, but that it is an unreliable predictor of which individuals will actually pay. This has important implications for aggregating mean WTP estimates of the value of environmental benefits. It also suggests that market simulations can be useful for predicting programme participation rates when voluntary donations are used as a payment vehicle.     

Investigation into the use of satellite data in aiding characterization of particulate air quality in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area

Poor air quality episodes occur often in metropolitan Atlanta, GA. The primary focus of this research is to assess the capability of satellites as a tool in characterizing air quality in Atlanta. Results indicate that intracity PM2.5 (particulate matter < or = 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter) concentrations show similar patterns as other U.S. urban areas, with the highest concentrations occurring within the city. PM2.5 and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) aerosol optical depth (AOD) have higher values in the summer than spring, yet MODIS AOD doubles in the summer unlike PM2.5. Most (80%) of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument aerosol index (AI) is below 0.5 with little differences between spring and summer. Using this value as a constraint of the carbonaceous aerosol signal in the urban area, aerosol transport events such as wildfire smoke associated with higher positive AI values can be identified. The results indicate that MODIS AOD is well correlated with PM2.5 on a yearly and seasonal basis with correlation coefficients as high as 0.8 for Terra and 0.7 for Aqua. A possible alternative view of the PM2.5 and AOD relationship is seen through the use of AOD thresholds. These probabilistic thresholds provide a means to describe the air quality index (AQI) through the use of multiyear AOD records for a specific area. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are used to classify the AOD into different AQI codes and probabilistically determine thresholds of AOD that represent most of a specific AQI category. For example, 80% of cases of moderate AQI days have AOD values between 0.5 and 0.6. The development of AOD thresholds provides a useful tool for evaluating air quality from the use of satellites in regions where there are sparse ground-based measurements of PM2.5.     

Solidarity Between Human and Non-Human Animals: Representing Animal Voices in Policy Deliberations

In this paper, we discuss the bridging potential of “interspecies” solidarity between the often incommensurable ethics of care and justice. Indeed, we show that the Environmental Communication literature emphasizes feelings of care and compassion as vectors of responsibility taking for animals. But we also show that a growing field of Political Animal Rights suggest that such responsibility taking should instead be grounded in universalizable terms of justice. Our argument is that a dual conception of solidarity can bridge this divide: On the one hand, solidarity as a pre-political relation with animals and, on the other hand, as a political practice based on open public deliberation of universalizable claims to justice; that is, claims to justice advanced by human proxy representatives of vulnerable non-humans. Such a dual conception can both challenge and validate NGOs’ claims to “speak on behalf of animals” in policy following the Aarhus Convention, indeed underwriting the Convention by insights from internatural communication in solidarity as relation, and by subjecting it to rational scrutiny in mini-publics in solidary as practice.     

Chemical and Biological Characterization of Products of Incomplete Combustion from the Simulated Field Burning of Agricultural Plastic

Chemical and biological analyses were performed to characterize products of Incomplete combustion emitted during the simulated open field burning of agricultural plastic. A small utility shed equipped with an air delivery system was used to simulate pile burning and forced-air-curtain incineration of a nonhalogenated agricultural plastic that reportedly consisted of polyethylene and carbon black. Emissions were analyzed for combustion gases; volatile, semi-volatile, and particulate organics; and toxic and mutagenlc properties. Emission samples, as well as samples of the used (possibly pesticide-contaminated) plastic, were analyzed for the presence of several pesticides to which the plastic may have been exposed. Although a variety of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds were identified in the volatile, seml-volatlle, and particulate fractions of these emissions, a substantial fraction of higher molecular weight organic material was not identified. No pesticides were Identified in either combustion emission samples or dlchloromethane washes of the used plastic. When mutagenlcity was evaluated by exposing Salmonella bacteria (Ames assay) to whole vapor and vapor/partlculate emissions, no toxic or mutagenlc effects were observed. However, organic extracts of the particulate samples were moderately mutagenlc. This mutagenlcity compares approximately to that measured from residential wood heating on a revertant per unit heat release basis. Compared to pile burning, forced air slightly decreased the time necessary to burn a charge of plastic. There was not a substantial difference, however, in the variety or concentrations of organic compounds Identified In samples from these two burn conditions. This study highlights the benefits of a combined chemical/biological approach to the characterization of complex, multi-component combustion emissions. These results may not reflect those of other types of plastic that may be used for agricultural purposes, especially those containing halogens.     

Improvement of health risk factors after reduction of VOC concentrations in industrial and urban areas

After reductions of fugitive and diffuse emissions by an industrial complex, a follow-up study was performed to determine the time variability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the lifetime cancer risk (LCR). Passive samplers (3 M monitors) were placed outdoors (n?=?179) and indoors (n?=?75) in industrial, urban, and control areas for 4 weeks. Twenty-five compounds including n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and terpenes were determined by GC/MS. The results show a significant decrease of all VOCs, especially in the industrial area and to a lesser extent in the urban area. The median outdoor concentration of benzene in the industrial area declined compared to the former study, around 85 % and about 50 % in the urban area, which in the past was strongly influenced by industrial emissions. Other carcinogenic compounds like styrene and tetrachloroethylene were reduced to approximately 60 %. VOC concentrations in control areas remained nearly unchanged. According to the determined BTEX ratios and interspecies correlations, in contrast to the previous study, traffic was identified as the main emission source in the urban and control areas and showed an increased influence in the industrial area. The LCR, calculated for benzene, styrene, and tetrachloroethylene, shows a decrease of one order of magnitude in accordance to the decreased total VOC concentrations and is now acceptable according to values proposed by the World Health Organization.