Sustainable coasts? Perceptions of change and livelihood vulnerability in Nordland,Norway

ABSTRACT

Northern coastal regions are facing multiple challenges from accelerating global environmental and socioeconomic changes, such as ecosystem degradation, climate change, intensified resource extraction, land use change and declining populations. Based on interviews with 13 farmers, fishers and aquaculture employees from coastal Nordland, northern Norway, this study demonstrates how the local stakeholders’ perceptions of change and experiences of vulnerability are closely linked to their livelihood values and worldviews. What the informants consider a sustainable and meaningful way of coastal living does not coincide with national goals for sustainable, natural resource dependent development of the region. The article demonstrates the importance of attending to local values if policymakers and managers are to ensure successful local mobilisation, reduce vulnerability to ongoing and future processes of change, and ensure legitimacy and consistency in development goals of coastal zone management. Insights from this study are useful for local and regional decision makers with responsibility for natural resource policies and development efforts.     

Open chemical combustions resulting in a local increased incidence of orofacial clefts

HYPOTHESIS: The open chemical combustions in Zeeburg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, during the years 1961 up to and including 1969, resulted in a local increased incidence of orofacial clefts during this period. STUDY: A retrospective observational epidemiological study was performed, comparing the trend of the incidence of non-syndromal orofacial clefts during the sixties, for the Zeeburg maternity with that of the Wilhelmina Gasthuis. Both clinics were situated in Amsterdam, but varying in distance and compass direction from the incineration works. Thereafter, the addresses of the mothers giving birth to infants with orofacial clefts were plotted on a map of Amsterdam. RESULTS: Of the 8803 children born in the Zeeburg clinic during this period, 21 had a non-syndromal orofacial cleft, producing an average incidence of 2.4 per 1000 births. For the years 1963 through 1965 the incidence rose dramatically to peak at 7.1 per 1000, before plateauing at an average incidence of 1.68 per 1000 births, still 155% higher than in the Wilhelmina clinic (average incidence of 0.66 per 1000 during the years 1966 through 1969). During the 10 year period the Wilhelmina clinic exhibited no such rise. The incidence of non-syndromal orofacial clefts at the Wilhelmina clinic at no time exceeded 2.3 per 1000 births during the 10 year period. The addresses of the mothers of the Zeeburg clefts were grouped primarily to the northwest (and a smaller group to the west) of the incineration works. CONCLUSION: A relation between the open incineration of the chemicals and a local increased incidence of orofacial clefts seems very likely.     

Gas-phase sorption-desorption of propargyl bromide and 1,3-dichloropropene on plastic materials

The goal of this research was to provide information for choosing appropriate materials for studying gas-phase concentrations of propargyl bromide (3BP) and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) in laboratory experiments. Several materials were tested and found to sorb both gas-phase chemicals in the following order: stainless steel (SS) < Teflon polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE-FEP) approximately flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) approximately acrylic < low-density polyethylene (PE) < vinyl approximately silicone < polyurethane foam (PUF). Sorption of SS was insignificant and PUF sorbed all the fumigant that was applied. For the other materials, linear sorption coefficients (Kd) for 3BP ranged from 3.0 cm3 g(-1) for PVC to 215 cm3 g(-1) for silicone. Freundlich sorption coefficients for 1,3-D ranged from 11.5 to 371 cm3 g(-1). First-order desorption rate constants in an open system ranged from 0.05 to 1.38 h(-1) for 3BP and from 0.07 to 1.73 h(-1) for 1,3-D. In a closed system, less than 2% of sorbed fumigant desorbed from vinyl while up to 99% desorbed from PVC within 24 h when equilibrated at the highest headspace concentration. Sorption of both fumigants was linearly related to the square root of time except for vinyl and silicone. This may indicate non-fickian diffusion of fumigant into the polymer matrix. Vinyl, silicone, PE, and PUF should be avoided for quantitative study of organic gases, except possibly as a trapping medium. Use of PTFE, PVC, and acrylic may require correction for sorption-desorption and diffusion.     

Two-dimensional NMR Spectroscopy

The Science of Nature -