Long-term study of environmental levels of dioxins and furans in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator

From 1975 to 2004, a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) was operating in Montcada (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain). Because of the potential health risks derived from emission of pollutants by the facility, especially polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), a long-term monitoring program focused on measuring the environmental levels of PCDD/Fs near the facility, and to assess the health risks for the population living in the neighborhood, was established between 1996 and 2002. A total number of 111 soil and 121 herbage samples were analyzed for PCDD/Fs during this period. Human health risks for the individuals living near the MSWI (500 and 1,000 m) were also assessed before (1998) and after modernization (2000) of the facility. It included PCDD/F inhalation, dermal contact, soil and dust ingestion, and food intake. All these data are here summarized. The environmental levels of PCDD/Fs showed that the MSWI was not the main responsible of the atmospheric pollution by these compounds. In turn, human health risks for the population living in the vicinity of the facility after introduction of a modern technology were negligible in comparison with the dietary PCDD/F exposure.     

Decolorization of Remazol Black-B using a thermotolerant yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3

The ability of Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3 to decolorize Remazol Black-B dye was investigated. The effect of environmental conditions, such as pH and temperature were examined. No noticeable effects on decolorization were observed when pH varied from 3.0-5.5. Maximum colour removal, 98%, was achieved at 37 degrees C. Little or no colour removal was detected when K. marxianus IMB3 was incubated under anaerobic conditions. Further investigation, in which decolorization was monitored under extreme temperatures and low pH (to inhibit growth) and using ten fold dense inoculum, revealed that decolorization was due to biosorption to the yeast cells and not due to a metabolic reaction.     

Retention of estrogenic steroid hormones by selected New Zealand soils

We performed batch sorption experiments for 17beta-estradiol (E2) and 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2) on selected soils collected from dairy farming regions of New Zealand. Isotherms were constructed by measuring the liquid phase concentration and extracting the solid phase with dichloromethane, followed by an exchange step, and analysis by HPLC and UV detection. The corresponding metabolite estrone, (E1) formed during equilibration of E2 with soil was taken into account to estimate the total percentage recoveries for the compounds, which ranged from 47-105% (E2 and E1) and 83-102% (EE2). Measured isotherms were linear, although some deviation from linearity was observed in a few soils, which was attributed to the finer textured particles and/or the allophanic nature of the soils having high surface area. There was a marked difference in K(d)(eff) (effective distribution coefficient) values for E2 and EE2 among the soils, consistent with the soils organic carbon content and ranged from 14-170 L kg(-1) (E2), and 12-40 L kg(-1) (EE2) in the soils common for both compounds. The sorption affinity of hormones in the soils followed an order: EE2相似文献   

The Use of Natural Taraxacum officinale Wigg. Populations for Assessing the State of Technogenically Disturbed Areas

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Methods for integrated assessment

Integrated assessment is an approach that seeks to involve all disciplines in policy-relevant assessment. The process aims to encompass environmental science, technology and policy problems. The aim is to establish an overview of the environmental issue in question that attempts to avoid the mistakes of the past associated with narrow, one-sided or unidimensional approaches. A number of methods are available for such assessments. However, they are also subject to a number of limitations, difficulties and dilemmas. Integrated methods are inherently complicated and the tradition is that only experts are involved. New more inclusionary procedures have to be devised in order to involve all stakeholders. They have to be involved in the framing of the issue and in the value judgements associated with the approach. The dilemmas cannot be solved by integrated approaches, but they can be mitigated via proper identification, analysis and evaluation of the gains and losses involved. In structuring the analysis the existence of ignorance has to be accounted for and communicated to the managers and the political decision makers. The ignorance/uncertainty aspects can be partially accommodated for via an intensification of feasible monitoring and research so as to minimise the risks of unpleasant surprises. Electronic Publication     

Thallium: a review of public health and environmental concerns

Thallium (Tl) is a rare but widely dispersed element. All forms of thallium are soluble enough to be toxic to living organisms. Thallium is more toxic to humans than mercury, cadmium, lead, copper or zinc and has been responsible for many accidental, occupational, deliberate, and therapeutic poisonings since its discovery in 1861. Its chemical behavior resembles the heavy metals (lead, gold and silver) on the one hand and the alkali metals (K, Rb, Cs) on the other. It occurs almost exclusively in natural waters as monovalent thallous cation. The solubility of thallous compounds is relatively high so that monovalent thallium is readily transported through aqueous routes into the environment. Tl can be transferred from soils to crops readily and accrues in food crops. The fascinating chemistry and high toxicity potential make thallium and its compounds of particular scientific interest and environmental concern. Thallium was detected in base-metal mining effluents. The conventional removal of heavy metals from wastewater has little effect on thallium. In this review, various treatment options and removal technologies are enumerated in order to protect the environment from thallium toxicity.     

Ecosystem services assessments in local municipal decision making in South Africa: justification for the use of a business-based approach

The ecosystem services (ES) concept is being increasingly incorporated into environmental policy formulation and management approaches. The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) is a framework used to assess the dependence and impact that a business has on ES. The success of the corporate experience of ES assessment provides an opportunity for adaption for local authority decision making. In this paper, the ESR tool was adapted to the South African setting at a local government level, and tested at two sites in the Msunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. In testing the tool and gathering feedback from key stakeholders, it was found that there are both opportunities and challenges to this approach. Overall, however, it provides an opportunity for the systematic inclusion of ES assessment into existing regulatory frameworks for land-use planning and Integrated Environmental Management, whether in a strategic application, at a broader spatial (municipal) scale or in a specific locale within the municipality.