Besprechungen

The Science of Nature -     

Occupational exposure in the fluorescent lamp recycling sector in France

The fluorescent lamp recycling sector is growing considerably in Europe due to increasingly strict regulations aimed at inciting the consumption of low energy light bulbs and their end-of-life management. Chemical risks were assessed in fluorescent lamp recycling facilities by field measurement surveys in France, highlighting that occupational exposure and pollutant levels in the working environment were correlated with the main recycling steps and processes.The mean levels of worker exposure are 4.4 mg/m³, 15.4 μg/m³, 14.0 μg/m³, 247.6 μg/m³, respectively, for total inhalable dust, mercury, lead and yttrium. The mean levels of airborne pollutants are 3.1 mg/m³, 9.0 μg/m³, 9.0 μg/m³, 219.2 μg/m³, respectively, for total inhalable dust, mercury, lead and yttrium. The ranges are very wide. Surface samples from employees’ skin and granulometric analysis were also carried out. The overview shows that all the stages and processes involved in lamp recycling are concerned by the risk of hazardous substances penetrating into the bodies of employees, although exposure of the latter varies depending on the processes and tasks they perform. The conclusion of this study strongly recommends the development of a new generation of processes in parallel with more information sharing and regulatory measures.     

An adaptive plan for prioritizing road sections for fencing to reduce animal mortality

Mortality of animals on roads is a critical threat to many wildlife populations and is poised to increase strongly because of ongoing and planned road construction. If these new roads cannot be avoided, effective mitigation measures will be necessary to stop biodiversity decline. Fencing along roads effectively reduces roadkill and is often used in combination with wildlife passages. Because fencing the entire road is not always possible due to financial constraints, high-frequency roadkill areas are often identified to inform the placement of fencing. We devised an adaptive fence-implementation plan to prioritize road sections for fencing. In this framework, areas along roads of high, moderate, and low levels of animal mortality (respectively, roadkill hotspots, warmspots, and coldspots) are identified at multiple scales (i.e., in circles of different diameters [200–2000 m] in which mortality frequency is measured). Fence deployment is based on the relationship between the amount of fencing being added to the road, starting with the strongest roadkill hotspots, and potential reduction in road mortality (displayed in mortality-reduction graphs). We applied our approach to empirical and simulated spatial patterns of wildlife–vehicle collisions. The scale used for analysis affected the number and spatial extent of roadkill hot-, warm-, and coldspots. At fine scales (e.g., 200 m), more hotspots were identified than at coarse scales (e.g., 2000 m), but combined the fine-scale hotspots covered less road and less fencing was needed to reduce road mortality. However, many short fences may be less effective in practice due to a fence-end effect (i.e., animals moving around the fence more easily), resulting in a trade-off between few long and many short fences, which we call the FLOMS (few-long-or-many-short) fences trade-off. Thresholds in the mortality-reduction graphs occurred for some roadkill patterns, but not for others. Thresholds may be useful to consider when determining road-mitigation targets. The existence of thresholds at multiple scales and the FLOMS trade-off have important implications for biodiversity conservation.     

Ex situ management as insurance against extinction of mammalian megafauna in an uncertain world

The persistence of endangered species may depend on the fate of a very small number of individual animals. In situ conservation alone may sometimes be insufficient. In these instances, the International Union for Conservation of Nature provides guidelines for ex situ conservation and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) indicates how ex situ management can support the CBD's objectives by providing insurance policies for species. The circumstances that justify its use are uncertain. To evaluate the current in situ extinction risk and ex situ management of 43 critically endangered species of mammalian megafauna, we used nonmetric multidimensional scaling and geopolitical variables related to governance, economics, and national policy within their extant ranges. We then fitted generalized additive models to assess the contribution of each variable to the ordination. Fifteen (almost one-third) of the world's terrestrial mammalian megafauna are not the subject of any ex situ management. Seventy-three percent of these taxa occur in areas characterized by political uncertainty, such as border zones or areas affected by armed conflicts, mainly in Africa and the Middle East. A further 23% of taxa in ex situ programs do not meet sustainability criteria for inbreeding avoidance. Strategic conservation planning, such as the One Plan approach, may improve ex situ management for these taxa. Given the escalating trend in threats afflicting megafauna, ex situ management should be considered more rigorously, particularly in politically unstable regions, to achieve CBD Target 12 (prevent extinction of threatened species).     

Oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric particulate matter: Molecular characterization and occurrence

Particulate matter (PM) has become a major research issue receiving increasing attention because of its significant negative impact on human health. There are main indicators that next to the morphological characteristics of the particle, also the chemical composition plays an important role in the adverse health effects of PM. In this context, the rather polar organic fraction of PM is expected to play a major role, and advanced analytical techniques are developed to improve the knowledge on the molecular composition of this fraction. One component class that deserves major attention consists of the oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Those compounds are considered to be among the key compounds in PM toxicity. This paper presents a comprehensive review focusing on the analysis, fate and behavior of oxygenated PAHs in the atmosphere. The first part of the paper briefly introduces (i) the main sources and atmospheric pathways of oxygenated PAHs, (ii) available physical–chemical properties and (iii) their health effects. The second and main part of this paper gives a thorough discussion on the entire analytical sequence necessary to identify and quantify oxygenated PAHs on atmospheric PM. Special attention is given to critical parameters and innovations related to (i) sampling, (ii) sample preparation including both extraction and clean-up, and (iii) separation and detection. Third, the state-of-the-art knowledge about the atmospheric occurrence of oxygenated PAHs is discussed, including an extended overview of reported concentrations presented as a function of sampling season and geographical location. A clear seasonal effect is observed with the median of the oxygenated PAHs concentrations during winter being a factor of 3–4 higher than during summer. However, the oxygenated PAH/parent PAH ratio is about 20 times higher during summer, indicating the importance of photochemical activity in the atmosphere.     

Development of composites using residue from laminated packaging with discarded foundry sand

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In recent years, the use of residue for the production of new composite materials has gained prominence as it enables reuse of materials and...     

Oxidant denuder sampling for analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivates in ambient aerosol: evaluation of sampling artefact

The concentrations of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and oxygenated PAH (O-PAH) can be changed by oxidation reactions during sampling. This can lead to an over- or underestimation of the corresponding adverse health effects. The aim of this study was the evaluation of these sampling artefacts. The potential of using an oxidant denuder was shown by parallel low-volume sampling with and without MnO₂ ozone denuder. Twenty-three PAH and 11 O-PAH in ambient air were analysed, both in the vapour and particulate phase. The denuder was proven to be highly efficient for stripping ozone from air while causing no significant particle losses. In general, the concentrations of 5- to 7-ring PAH, which are predominantly associated with particles, were underestimated in non-denuded samples. The highest losses due to reaction with ozone and other atmospheric oxidants were observed for benzo[a]pyrene and perylene. Concurrently, the concentrations of most of the mainly particle-associated 4- to 5-ring O-PAH were higher in the non-denuded samples. The denuder did not only remove ozone, moreover other gaseous species such as more volatile PAH and O-PAH were partially oxidized on the catalytic surface, too. Degradation of PAH and concurrent degradation/formation reactions of O-PAH occurred. The corresponding reactivities of selected PAH and O-PAH are discussed.     

Report: Combustion Byproducts and Their Health Effects: Summary of the 10th International Congress

The 10th International Congress on Combustion Byproducts and their Health Effects was held in Ischia, Italy, from June 17-20, 2007. It is sponsored by the US NIEHS, NSF, Coalition for Responsible Waste Incineration (CRWI), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The congress focused on: the origin, characterization, and health impacts of combustion-generated fine and ultrafine particles; emissions of mercury and dioxins, and the development/application of novel analytical/diagnostic tools. The consensus of the discussion was that particle-associated organics, metals, and persistent free radicals (PFRs) produced by combustion sources are the likely source of the observed health impacts of airborne PM rather than simple physical irritation of the particles. Ultrafine particle-induced oxidative stress is a likely progenitor of the observed health impacts, but important biological and chemical details and possible catalytic cycles remain unresolved. Other key conclusions were: (1) In urban settings, 70% of airborne fine particles are a result of combustion emissions and 50% are due to primary emissions from combustion sources, (2) In addition to soot, combustion produces one, possibly two, classes of nanoparticles with mean diameters of?~10?nm and?~1?nm. (3) The most common metrics used to describe particle toxicity, viz. surface area, sulfate concentration, total carbon, and organic carbon, cannot fully explain observed health impacts, (4) Metals contained in combustion-generated ultrafine and fine particles mediate formation of toxic air pollutants such as PCDD/F and PFRs. (5) The combination of metal-containing nanoparticles, organic carbon compounds, and PFRs can lead to a cycle generating oxidative stress in exposed organisms.     

Species-specific attraction to pheromonal analogues in orchid bees

Male orchid bees (Euglossini) collect fragrances from flowers and other natural sources, a behaviour that has shaped the euglossine pollination syndrome. Males store such chemicals in hind leg pouches and later expose them during courtship display. In the present study, we show that complex bouquets of two sympatric species of Eulaema, E. meriana and E. bombiformis, are chemically distinct. When exposed during bioassays at display perches individual hind leg extracts rapidly and consistently attracted other males of the correct species, even if derived from males of disparate localities (French Guiana and Panama). Conspecific males as well as females of E. bombiformis arrived at natural perch sites only from downwind, and two copulations were observed. Our findings demonstrate that acquired odours mediate exclusive attraction within species and support the idea that such fragrances are pheromone analogues. Their role in acquiring matings and during male–male interaction is discussed.