The food-print of Paris: long-term reconstruction of the nitrogen flows imported into the city from its rural hinterland

Between the tenth and twentieth century the population of Paris city increased from a few thousand to near 10 million inhabitants. In response to the growing urban demand during this period, the agrarian systems of the surrounding rural areas tremendously increased their potential for commercial export of agricultural products, made possible by a surplus of agricultural production over local consumption by humans and livestock in these areas. Expressed in terms of nitrogen, the potential for export increased from about 60 kg N/km2/year of rural territory in the Middle Ages, to more than 5,000 kg N/km2/year from modern agriculture. As a result of the balance between urban population growth and rural productivity, the rural area required to supply Paris (i.e. its food-print) did not change substantially for several centuries, remaining at the size of the Seine watershed surrounding the city (around 60,000 km2). The theoretical estimate of the size of the supplying hinterland at the end of the eighteenth century is confirmed by the figures deduced from the analysis of the historical city toll data (octroi). During the second half of the twentieth century, the ‘food-print’ of Paris reduced in size, owing to an unprecedented increase in the potential for commercial export associated with modern agricultural systems based on chemical N fertilization. We argue that analysing the capacity of territories to satisfy the demand for nitrogen-containing food products of local or distant urban population and markets might provide new and useful insights when assessing world food resource allocation in the context of increasing population and urbanization.     

Oxidative properties of ambient PM2.5 and elemental composition: Heterogeneous associations in 19 European cities

We assessed the extent to which constituents of PM_2.5 (transition metals, sodium, chloride) contribute to the ability to generate hydroxyl radicals (OH) in vitro in PM_2.5 sampled at 20 locations in 19 European centres participating in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. PM_2.5 samples (n = 716) were collected on filters over one year and the oxidative activity of particle suspensions obtained from these filters was then assessed by measuring their ability to generate OH in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Associations between OH formation and the studied PM constituents were heterogeneous. The total explained variance ranged from 85% in Norwich to only 6% in Albacete. Among the 20 centres, 15 showed positive correlations between one or more of the measured transition metals (copper, iron, manganese, lead, vanadium and titanium) and OH formation. In 9 of 20 centres OH formation was negatively associated with chloride, and in 3 centres with sodium. Across 19 European cities, elements which explained the largest variations in OH formation were chloride, iron and sodium.     

Gas-phase chemistry of benzyl alcohol: Reaction rate constants and products with OH radical and ozone

A bimolecular rate constant, k_{OH+Benzyl alcohol}, of (28 ± 7) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 was measured using the relative rate technique for the reaction of the hydroxyl radical (OH) with benzyl alcohol, at (297 ± 3) K and 1 atm total pressure. Additionally, an upper limit of the bimolecular rate constant, k_{O3+Benzyl alcohol}, of approximately 6 × 10^?19 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 was determined by monitoring the decrease in benzyl alcohol concentration over time in an excess of ozone (O₃). To more clearly define part of benzyl alcohol's indoor environment degradation mechanism, the products of the benzyl alcohol + OH were also investigated. The derivatizing agents O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) were used to positively identify benzaldehyde, glyoxal and 4-oxopentanal as benzyl alcohol/OH reaction products. The elucidation of other reaction products was facilitated by mass spectrometry of the derivatized reaction products coupled with plausible benzyl alcohol/OH reaction mechanisms based on previously published volatile organic compound/OH gas-phase reaction mechanisms.     

Analysis of air pollution data at a mixed source location using boosted regression trees

This paper explores the use of boosted regression trees to draw inferences concerning the source characteristics at a location of high source complexity. Models are developed for hourly concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) close to a large international airport. Model development is discussed and methods to quantify model uncertainties developed. It is shown that good explanatory models can be developed and further, allowing for interactions between model variables significantly improves the model fits compared with non-interacting models. Methods are used to determine which variables exert most influence over predicted concentrations and to explore the NO_X dependency for each. Model predictions are used to estimate aircraft take-off contributions to total concentrations of NO_X and determine how these predictions are affected by annual variations in meteorological conditions and runway use patterns. Furthermore, the results relating to the aircraft contributions to total NO_X concentration are compared with those from a more detailed independent field campaign. Finally, we find empirical evidence that plumes from larger aircraft disperse more rapidly from the point of release compared with smaller aircraft. The reasons for this behaviour and the implications are discussed.     

Ammonia emissions from a representative in-use fleet of light and medium-duty vehicles in the California South Coast Air Basin

We used Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to measure tailpipe ammonia emissions from a representative fleet of 41 light and medium-duty vehicles recruited in the California South Coast Air Basin. A total of 121 chassis dynamometer emissions tests were conducted on these vehicles and the test results were examined to determine the effects of several key variables on ammonia emissions. Variables included vehicle type, driving cycle, emissions technology, ammonia precursor emissions (i.e. CO and NOx) and odometer readings/model year as a proxy for catalyst age. The mean ammonia emissions factor was 46 mg km^?1 (σ = 48 mg km^?1) for the vehicle fleet. Average emission factors for specific vehicle groups are also reported in this study. Results of this study suggest vehicles with the highest ammonia emission rates possess the following characteristics: medium-duty vehicles, older emissions technologies, mid-range odometer readings, and higher CO emissions. In addition, vehicles subjected to aggressive driving conditions are likely to be higher ammonia emitters. Since the vehicles we studied were representative of recent model year vehicles and technologies in urban airsheds, the results of our study will be useful for developing ammonia emissions inventories in Los Angeles and other urban areas where California-certified vehicles are driven. However, efforts should also be made to continue emissions testing on in-use vehicles to ensure greater confidence in the ammonia emission factors reported here.     

The influence of radiopharmaceutical isotope production on the global radioxenon background

Radioxenon isotopes play a major role in confirming whether or not an underground explosion was nuclear in nature. It is then of key importance to understand the sources of environmental radioxenon to be able to distinguish them from those of a nuclear explosion.     

TBT contamination of remote marine environments: ship groundings and ice-breakers as sources of organotins in the Great Barrier Reef and Antarctica

Remote marine environments such as many parts of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and the Antarctic are often assumed to be among the most pristine natural habitats. While distance protects them from many sources of pollution, recent studies have revealed extremely high concentrations of organotins in areas associated with shipping activities. Sediments at sites of ship groundings on the GBR have been found to contain up to 340,000 microg Sn kg(-1). Very high concentrations (up to 2290 microg Sn kg(-1)) have been detected in nearshore Antarctic sediments adjacent to channels cut through sea ice by ice-breaking vessels. In both cases, the bulk of the contamination is associated with flakes of antifouling paint abraded from vessel hulls, resulting in patchy but locally intense contamination of sediments. These particulates are likely to continue releasing organotins, rendering grounding sites and ice-breaking routes point-sources of contamination of surrounding environments. While the areas exposed to biologically-harmful concentrations of leached chemicals are likely to be limited in extent (1000-10,000 m(2)), deposition of antifouling paints constitutes a persistent ecological risk in otherwise pristine marine environments of high conservation value. The risk of contamination of GBR and Antarctic sediments by organotins needs to be considered against an important alternative risk: that less effective antifouling of ships hulls may increase the frequency of successful invasions by non-indigenous species. Additional options to minimise ecological risk include accident prevention and reducing organotin contamination from grounding sites through removal or treatment of contaminated sediments, as has been done at some sites in the GBR.     

De-novo formation of dioxins and furans and the memory effect in waste incineration flue gases

The formation of dioxin (polychlorinated-rho-dibenzodioxins - PCDD) and furan (polychlorinated dibenzofurans - PCDF) in waste incineration flyash in relation to temperature has been investigated in a bench scale reactor. The PCDD/PCDF released into the exhaust gases of the reactor and trapped in a condensation and vapour phase adsorption system were also determined. The concentrations of PCDD/PCDF in the flyash were analysed in detail for all congeners and isomers including the mono-, di- and tri-PCDD/PCDF. De-novo synthesis of PCDD/PCDF was clearly seen in the flyash with large changes in concentrations of PCDD/PCDF with only small changes in temperature. Exhaust gas PCDD/PCDF were detected at all temperatures, with the maximum emission occurring at a flyash temperature of 350 degrees C, where the equivalent of over 42 times the total dioxin/furan concentration of the original flyash was lost to the vapour phase per unit mass of initial flyash. Although the desorbed species were mainly the lower mono- to tri-congener group of dioxins and furans, the desorbed dioxin/furans had a considerable toxic equivalent value.     

Nanotechnology, risk and the environment: a review

Nanotechnologies are already interacting with the environment. Scientists and engineers are manipulating matter at the nanoscale, and these nanoscale processes and products are being used by industry in commercially available products. These products are either applied directly to the environment or end up in the environment through indirect pathways. This review examines the state of current environmental risk assessment of nanotechnologies. Nanotechnology is described generally, then both the possible benefits of nanotechnology and the risks are reviewed in a traditional way. Subsequently, a philosophical criticism of the traditional way of looking at risks is offered.