Evaluation of the Hormosira banksii (Turner) desicaine germination and growth inhibition bioassay for use as a regulatory assay

A germination and growth inhibition bioassay using the marine macroalga, Hormosira banksii, was evaluated for use as a standard method for direct toxicity assessment testing in the Australasian region. H. banksii is the dominant macroalga and an important primary producer in temperate coastal zones of Australasia and is therefore relevant as a test organism. Moreover, it releases gametes readily under laboratory conditions, therefore allowing tests to be conducted year round. The test endpoints' variability and sensitivity was evaluated using ammonia, a common constituent of waste waters. The two test endpoints of germination and growth proved to be both reliable and repeatable bioassay endpoints. The coefficients of variation (CV's) for toxicity to germination and growth by ammonia ranged from 25% to 38% (n=18).     

Ozone distribution and phytotoxic potential in mixed conifer forests of the San Bernardino Mountains, southern California

In the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, ozone (O(3)) concentrations have been elevated since the 1950s with peaks reaching 600ppb and summer seasonal averages >100ppb in the 1970s. During that period increased mortality of ponderosa and Jeffrey pines occurred. Between the late 1970s and late1990s, O(3) concentrations decreased with peaks approximately 180ppb and approximately 60ppb seasonal averages. However, since the late 1990s concentrations have not changed. Monitoring during summers of 2002-2006 showed that O(3) concentrations (2-week averages) for individual years were much higher in western sites (58-69ppb) than eastern sites (44-50ppb). Potential O(3) phytotoxicity measured as various exposure indices was very high, reaching SUM00 - 173.5ppmh, SUM60 - 112.7ppmh, W126 - 98.3ppmh, and AOT40 - 75ppmh, representing the highest values reported for mountain areas in North America and Europe.     

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Caspian seals of unusual mortality event during 2000 and 2001

Persistent organic pollutants including organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and PCDDs/DFs were determined in the blubber of Caspian seals, which died during an outbreak of canine distemper virus in 2000 and 2001. DDTs were the predominant contaminants that ranged from 3.1 to 560 microg/g lipid. A negative correlation was observed between concentration of contaminants and blubber thickness. During spring, as the blubber layer becomes thin after breeding and moulting, seals may face higher risk due to the increased concentration of organochlorines in their bodies. TEQs in the blubber of Caspian seals (10-340 pg TEQ/g) were lower than those in seals from other locations, suggesting that toxic effects of these contaminants are a deal less in the present population and they are unlikely to be linked to mass mortality. The levels of PCBs and pesticides in Caspian seals, however, comparable to those in other aquatic mammals that have suffered from epizootics, might pose a risk of immunosuppression.     

Estimating net changes in life-cycle emissions from adoption of emerging civil infrastructure technologies

There is a net emissions change when adopting new materials for use in civil infrastructure design. To evaluate the total net emissions change, one must consider changes in manufacture and associated life-cycle emissions, as well as changes in the quantity of material required. In addition, in principle one should also consider any differences in costs of the two designs because cost savings can be applied to other economic activities with associated environmental impacts. In this paper, a method is presented that combines these considerations to permit an evaluation of the net change in emissions when considering the adoption of emerging technologies/materials for civil infrastructure. The method factors in data on differences between a standard and new material for civil infrastructure, material requirements as specified in designs using both materials, and price information. The life-cycle assessment approach known as economic input-output life-cycle assessment (EIO-LCA) is utilized. A brief background on EIO-LCA is provided because its use is central to the method. The methodology is demonstrated with analysis of a switch from carbon steel to high-performance steel in military bridge design. The results are compared with a simplistic analysis that accounts for the weight reduction afforded by use of the high-performance steel but assuming no differences in manufacture.     

Application of Prevention through Design for hearing loss in the mining industry

INTRODUCTION: Overexposure to noise remains a widespread and serious health hazard in the U.S. service providing and goods producing industries. Excessive noise can lead to poor verbal communication and reduce the ability to recognize warning signals. These dangerous work conditions can also cause stress and fatigue. Occupational hearing loss is a permanent illness, with no recovery currently possible. METHOD: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recognized Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) as one of the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries in the United States, and has emphasized its importance as one of the critical areas expressed in the National Occupational Research Agenda. RESULTS: One of the most serious noise problems in the goods producing industries is the operation of continuous mining machines during underground coal mining. In order to minimize occupational hearing loss, noise hazards are "designed out" early in the design process. NIOSH is leading a national initiative called Prevention through Design (PTD) to promote this concept. This paper describes the quiet-by-design approach of a noise control that reduced noise exposures of continuous mining machine operators by 3dB(A) using the four functional areas of PTD, namely Practice, Policy, Research, and Education.     

The role of design issues in work-related fatal injury in Australia

PROBLEM: This study aimed to provide an assessment of the contribution of design to the occurrence of fatal work-related injuries in Australia. METHODS: The Australian National Coroners' Information System was the data source for fatal injuries. Deaths resulting from workplace injuries on or between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2002 were included. RESULTS: Seventy seven (37%) of the 210 identified workplace fatalities definitely or probably had design-related issues involved. In another 29 (14%), the circumstances were suggestive that design issues were involved. The most common scenarios involved problems with rollover protective structures and/or associated seat belts; inadequate guarding; lack of residual current devices; inadequate fall protection; failed hydraulic lifting systems in vehicles and mobile equipment; and inadequate protection mechanisms on mobile plant and vehicles. SUMMARY: Design is a significant contributor to work-related fatal injury in Australia. There is considerable scope for preventing serious work-related injury through improving design of plant, equipment, and vehicles used for work-related purposes.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in farmed and wild salmon marketed in the Northeastern United States

Recently, we reported on the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from Maine, eastern Canada, and Norway, and wild Alaskan Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). In this paper, we extend the analysis to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in these samples. Total PBDE concentrations in the farmed salmon (0.4-1.4ng/g, wet weight, ww) were not significantly different from those in the wild Alaskan Chinook samples (0.4-1.2ng/g, ww), nor were significant differences found among regions. However, significant intra-regional variations in concentrations of total PBDEs and tetra-BDE 47 were observed in the salmon from the Canadian farms (p<0.01). Congener profiles were dominated by BDE-47, followed by the penta-BDEs 99 and 100. PBDE concentrations in the Canadian samples were lower than those reported two years earlier. Removal of skin resulted in no overall reduction in PBDE concentrations in our farmed salmon, and in some cases, PBDE concentrations were higher in skin-off samples. PBDEs were correlated with lipids only in the skinned samples, suggesting that there is greater accumulation and retention of PBDEs in muscle lipids than in skin-associated fat. In skin-on samples, modest correlations were observed between concentrations of PBDEs and PCBs (R(2)=0.47) and mono-ortho PCBs (R(2)=0.50), whereas PBDEs were not correlated with non-ortho PCBs.     

Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in harbor seals from the northwest Atlantic

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed in blubber of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina concolor) collected between 1991 and 2005 along the northwest Atlantic. ∑PBDE concentrations (mono- to hexa-BDEs) detected in blubber samples (n = 42) ranged from 80 to 25 720 ng g⁻¹ lw, (overall mean 2403 ± 5406 ng g⁻¹ lw). By age, mean ∑PBDE concentrations were: 3645 ± 7388, 2945 ± 5995, 1385 ± 1265, and 326 ± 193 ng g⁻¹ lw in pups, yearlings, adult males, and adult females, respectively. Unlike the trend for PCBs, no decreasing gradient from urban to rural/remote areas was observed for PBDEs in these samples, likely reflecting inputs from local sources. No significant temporal trend was observed for PBDEs in harbor seals between 1991 and 2005, although congener profiles shifted over time. Tetra-BDE-47 was the dominant congener, followed by BDEs-99, -100, -153, -154, and -155 in varying order, suggesting exposure to the penta-BDE product. In adult males, the hexa-BDEs contributed more to the total (22%) than BDEs-99 and -100 (14%), and concentrations of BDE-155 were elevated compared with -154. Higher BDEs were detected in a subset of seals (n = 12) including hepta-BDE-183, the marker for the octa-BDE mixture, and octa-BDE-197, along with several unidentified hepta- and octa- congeners. BDE-209 was detected in seal blubber at concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 8 ng g⁻¹ lw, indicating that deca-BDE is bioavailable in this marine food web. This is the first study to document the accumulation of BDE-209 at measurable levels in wild harbor seals. While the PBDE patterns in blubber indicate exposure to all three BDE commercial mixtures, the data also suggest that BDE-209 debromination by seal prey fish may contribute to the loading of lower brominated congeners (hexa- to octa-BDEs) in these seals.     

Metallurgy,environmental pollution and the decline of Etruscan civilisation

Background, aim and scope  

The Etruscans were justifiably famous in antiquity for their advanced metallurgy and for the rich mineral resources of their region (including La Tolfa, the Colline Metallifere, Mont’Amiata and Elba). We offer a new perspective on certain Iron Age and Archaic (ca. 1,000–480 bc) Etruscan industrial and habitation sites, and on the problem of heavy metal poisoning, still being investigated today, coincidentally in some of the same areas that originally saw Etruscan mines and workshops.     

Variation of the mixing state of Saharan dust particles with atmospheric transport

Mineral dust is an important aerosol species in the Earth’s atmosphere and has a major source within North Africa, of which the Sahara forms the major part. Aerosol Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ATOFMS) is first used to determine the mixing state of dust particles collected from the land surface in the Saharan region, showing low abundance of species such as nitrate and sulphate internally mixed with the dust mineral matrix. These data are then compared with the ATOFMS single particle mass spectra of Saharan dust particles detected in the marine atmosphere in the vicinity of the Cape Verde islands, which are further compared with those from particles with longer atmospheric residence sampled at a coastal station at Mace Head, Ireland. Saharan dust particles collected near the Cape Verde Islands showed increased internally mixed nitrate but no sulphate, whilst Saharan dust particles collected on the coast of Ireland showed a very high degree of internally mixed secondary species including nitrate, sulphate and methanesulphonate. This uptake of secondary species will change the pH and hygroscopic properties of the aerosol dust and thus can influence the budgets of other reactive gases, as well as influencing the radiative properties of the particles and the availability of metals for dissolution.