Life cycle modelling of environmental impacts of application of processed organic municipal solid waste on agricultural land (EASEWASTE).

A model capable of quantifying the potential environmental impacts of agricultural application of composted or anaerobically digested source-separated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) is presented. In addition to the direct impacts, the model accounts for savings by avoiding the production and use of commercial fertilizers. The model is part of a larger model, Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technology (EASEWASTE), developed as a decision-support model, focusing on assessment of alternative waste management options. The environmental impacts of the land application of processed organic waste are quantified by emission coefficients referring to the composition of the processed waste and related to specific crop rotation as well as soil type. The model contains several default parameters based on literature data, field experiments and modelling by the agro-ecosystem model, Daisy. All data can be modified by the user allowing application of the model to other situations. A case study including four scenarios was performed to illustrate the use of the model. One tonne of nitrogen in composted and anaerobically digested MSW was applied as fertilizer to loamy and sandy soil at a plant farm in western Denmark. Application of the processed organic waste mainly affected the environmental impact categories global warming (0.4-0.7 PE), acidification (-0.06 (saving)-1.6 PE), nutrient enrichment (-1.0 (saving)-3.1 PE), and toxicity. The main contributors to these categories were nitrous oxide formation (global warming), ammonia volatilization (acidification and nutrient enrichment), nitrate losses (nutrient enrichment and groundwater contamination), and heavy metal input to soil (toxicity potentials). The local agricultural conditions as well as the composition of the processed MSW showed large influence on the environmental impacts. A range of benefits, mainly related to improved soil quality from long-term application of the processed organic waste, could not be generally quantified with respect to the chosen life cycle assessment impact categories and were therefore not included in the model. These effects should be considered in conjunction with the results of the life cycle assessment.     

Natural Behavior, Animal Rights, or Making Money – A Study of Swedish Organic Farmers' View of Animal Issues

A questionnaire study was performed among Swedish organic livestock farmers to determine their view of animal welfare and other ethical issues in animal production. The questionnaire was sent to 56.5% of the target group and the response rate was 75.6%. A principal components analysis (exploratory factor analysis) was performed to get a more manageable data set. A matrix of intercorrelations between all pairs of factors was computed. The factors were then entered into a series of multiple regression models to explain five dependent variables. Respondents were well educated and had long experience of farming. 81% were full-time farmers. They generally had a very positive attitude towards organic animal husbandry. They considered allowing animals their natural behavior a central aim, which is in accordance with organic philosophy. Farmers tended to be less approving of concepts like animal rights, dignity, and intrinsic value. When analyzing correlations between the factors, two groups of farmers emerged that were only partially correlated, representing different attitudes and behavioral dispositions. These may be interpreted as two subpopulations of organic livestock farmers in Sweden: those who saw organic farming as a lifestyle (``pioneer attitude') and entrepreneurs, who considered making money and new challenges more important. Their view of animal welfare differed. While the pioneers considered natural behavior a key issue, this was less important to the entrepreneurs, who also had a more approving attitude towards invasive operations such as castration and were more critical of the organic standards.     

Benefit–Cost Analysis of StormwaterQuality Improvements

The major purpose of this paper is to explore the potential value of benefit–cost evaluation for stormwater quality management decisions at a local level. A preliminary benefit–cost analysis (BCA) screening method is used for maximum extent practicable (MEP) analysis, identifying promising management practices, and identifying societal and economic tradeoffs for local stormwater problems. Ballona Creek, a major urban storm drain in Los Angeles, California, USA, is used to illustrate the practicality of the benefit–cost evaluation. The Ballona Creek example demonstrates the economic limits of stormwater management in an urban region and attests to the value of coordinated basinwide management compared to uncoordinated management by individual landowners. Evaluation results suggest that in urban areas, the benefit of stormwater quality improvements might be far greater if accompanied by comprehensive redesign of drainage networks and neighboring land uses. In this case, benefit–cost analysis is found to be useful for evaluating and understanding stormwater management alternatives despite the uncertainties in characterizing stormwater quality and the effects of stormwater management on improving receiving water quality.     

Project XL: cheaper,cleaner, and smarter ways to protect the environment

Are you interested in making the job of complying with federal environmental requirements cheaper and smarter for your business? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is committed to helping business and other sectors make more sense of environmental requirements through a number of innovative programs, one of the most far‐reaching being Project XL. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Sterol production and phytosterol bioconversion in two species of heterotrophic protists, Oxyrrhis marina and Gyrodinium dominans

The kinetics and efficiency of sterol production and bioconversion of phytosterols in two heterotrophic protists Oxyrrhis marina and Gyrodinium dominans were examined by feeding them two different algal species (Rhodomonas salina and Dunaliella tertiolecta) differing in sterol profiles. R. salina contains predominantly brassicasterol (?99%) and <2% cholesterol. The major sterols in D. tertiolecta are ergosterol (45–49%), 7-dehydroporiferasterol (29–31%) and fungisterol (21–26%). O. marina fed R. salina metabolized dietary brassicasterol to produce 22-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol. O. marina fed D. tertiolecta metabolized dietary sterols to produce cholesterol, 22-dehydrocholesterol, brassicasterol and stigmasterol. G. dominans fed either R. salina or D. tertiolecta metabolized dietary sterols to make cholesterol, brassicasterol and a series of unknown sterols. When protists were fed R. salina, which contains cholesterol, the levels of cholesterol were increased to a magnitude of nearly 5- to 30-fold at the phytoplankton-heterotrophic protist interface, equivalent to a production of 172.5 ± 16.2 and 987.7 ± 377.7 ng cholesterol per mg R. salina carbon consumed by O. marina and G. dominans, respectively. When protists were fed D. tertiolecta, which contains no cholesterol, a net production of cholesterol by the protists ranged from 123.2 ± 30.6 to 871.8 ± 130.8 ng per mg algal C consumed. Cholesterol is not only the dominant sterol, but a critical precursor for many physiologically functional biochemicals in higher animal. As intermediates, these heterotrophic protists increase the amount of cholesterol at the phytoplankton–zooplankton interface available to higher trophic levels relative to zooplankton feeding on algae directly.     

Biodegradation of triclosan and formation of methyl-triclosan in activated sludge under aerobic conditions

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent which is widely used in household and personal care products. Widespread use of this compound has led to the elevated concentrations of triclosan in wastewater, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and receiving waters. Removal of triclosan and formation of triclosan-methyl was investigated in activated sludge from a standard activated sludge WWTP equipped with enhanced biological phosphorus removal. The removal was found to occur mainly under aerobic conditions while under anoxic (nitrate reducing) and anaerobic conditions rather low removal rates were determined. In a laboratory-scale activated sludge reactor 75% of the triclosan was removed under aerobic conditions within 150 h, while no removal was observed under anaerobic or anoxic conditions. One percent of the triclosan was converted to triclosan-methyl under aerobic conditions, less under anoxic (nitrate reducing) and none under anaerobic conditions.     

The Use of Meteorological Modeling and Biological Indicators to Identify Sources of Phytotoxic Pollutants

Meteorological dispersion modeling and pine trees used as "integrating monitors" were used to consider the probable source of a phytotoxic pollutant producing symptoms previously un-reported in the literature. Two sources, a chemical plant (A) and a fabric finishing plant (B) north of Raleigh, NC, were considered using the Air Quality Display Model (AQDM). Using the ability of this model to accommodate extra receptors corresponding to "monitoring" sites, we found good correlation between observed injury and predicted relative concentrations due to assumed emissions from source A. The poor agreement between predicted and observed injury if source B alone were modeled (or both sources together) suggested that source A alone emitted the causal agent.     

Characterization of a simple bacterial consortium for effective treatment of wastewaters with reactive dyes and Cr(VI)

A microbial consortia consisting of three bacteria isolated from tanning and textile wastewaters revealed high capacity to simultaneously bioaccumulate dye and Cr(VI). The identity of the bacteria were determined by 16S rRNA gene analysis to be closely related to Ochrobactrium sp., Salmonella enterica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dependence of initial pH values and range of concentrations of the dye Reactive Black B (33.2-103.1 mg l(-1)) and Cr(VI) (19.9-127.6 mg l(-1)) were examined to find the effect of pH on the dye and Cr(VI) bioaccumulation. Optimal pH for growth of the consortia in media containing 35 mg l(-1) dye and 50 mg l(-1) Cr(VI) was determined to be around 8. The Cr(VI) bioaccumulation by the consortia was rapid in media containing molasses with or without reactive dye with a maximum Cr(VI) bioaccumulation yield ranging from 90% to 99% within a 2-4d period. A slightly lower yield for the dye bioaccumulation was measured with a maximum dye bioaccumulation of 80% at 59.3 mg l(-1) dye and 69.8 mg l(-1) Cr(VI). The highest specific Cr uptake value was obtained as 76.7 mg g(-1) at 117.1 mg l(-1) Cr(VI) and 50.8 mg l(-1) dye concentration. This ability to bioaccumulate dye and Cr(VI) was more efficient than the enriched sludge from which they were isolated.     

POP exposure from fish liver consumption and risk of cancer--the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study

The aim of the study was to investigate the hypothesis that consumption of fish liver increases cancer risk in humans due to increased intake of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This study is based on data from the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study (NOWAC). The study has a prospective cohort design with questionnaire data from 64 285 randomly selected Norwegian women (aged 40-70 at baseline) and linkage to the Norwegian Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate risk ratios associated with consumption of fish liver and total cancer and cancer in breast, uterus, and colon. Fish liver consumption was, after adjusting for known risk factors, associated with a significant reduced risk for total cancer (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85, 0.99), and non-significant reduced risk for breast cancer (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.78, 1.04), and colon cancer (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.63, 1.07). Relative risk for uterus cancer was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.61-1.12). No significant dose-response effect was found for frequency of fish liver consumption (when divided into three intake groups) and total cancer, nor for any of the other cancer sites.We have concluded that in Norwegian women, fish liver consumption was not associated with an increased cancer risk in breast, uterus, or colon. In contrast, a decreased risk for total cancer was found.