Deposition and Fate of Lead in a Forested Catchment, Lesni Potok, Central Czech Republic

The deposition of trace elements and their fate in a forest ecosystemhas been monitored at the experimental site, Lesni Potok catchment (LP), with granite bedrock. The catchment is located 30 km ESE from Prague. Annual bulk Pb-deposition flux F_Pb was 3.41 kg km^-2 a^-1 in 1994 and gradually decreased to 0.49 kg km^-2 a^-1 in 2001. The decrease is comparable with those observed in Germany and in the U.S.A. in the 1970s and 1980s. The total sales ban of leaded gasoline in the Czech Republic since January 2001 was accompanied by a pronounced decrease of F_Pb in a single year. The residual Pb-deposition flux is assigned to both the long-range transport of fine-grained vehicular lead aerosol (with a long residence time in the atmosphere) and to theemissions from power plant boilers burning lignite mined in the Czech northwest coal basin. The F_Pb of lead correlates stronglywith those of As, Cd, Cu, Zn and Be, the typical metals in coal fly ash, at two monitored sites. Topsoil horizons contain elevated concentrations of Pb (53–67 mg kg^-1), which are of anthropogenicorigin. Soils in the riparian areas contain increased concentrations of Pb when compared to soils on the hillslope areas. Significant amounts of Pb were found on a stream substrate and Fe-precipitate sampled from the stream. Low concentrations of Pb in bark and bole wood suggest that the uptake of Pb by vegetation is negligible. The very small surface water outputs (average of 0.002 kg km^-2 a^-1) compared to inputs (average of 1.890 kg km^-2 a^-1) from the LP catchment indicate an ongoing accumulation of Pb in a forested landscape.     

Leaching of metals from fly ashes in the presence of complexing agents

The leachability of some metals (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ti, Zn) from fly ashes was studied in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and naturally occurring complexing agents-humic acids (HAs). Secondary complex-forming equilibria taking place in the leachates increase significantly the leached amounts of most metals. Kinetic experiments showed that almost the whole "available" amounts of metals are leached from fly ash within a time period of several hours (mostly within 20 h), with exceptions of matrix constituents (typically aluminium), which are released more slowly.     

Use of Performance Models in Restoration Projects

Environmental restoration projects can benefit from using performance models tied to monitoring plans and closure/exit strategies. Theoretical aspects are discussed and a case study is provided to illustrate how models can be developed and applied. Recognizing that site characterization cannot remove all uncertainty, most performance models cannot be narrowly developed (e.g., specific concentrations expected over time). Instead they must define threshold values at which performance data indicate the remedy is failing, or at least is not operating at the required level to achieve objectives within a reasonable timeframe. Ultimately, the performance model should be transformed to a closure model. The closure model is intended to document how closure was achieved and what measures remain in place to ensure protection of human health and the environment. In this context, the performance model is an intermediate step in the sequence starting from a conceptual site model and ending as the closure model. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Monitoring household waste recycling centres performance using mean bin weight analyses

This paper describes a modelling approach used to investigate the significance of key factors (vehicle type, compaction type, site design, temporal effects) in influencing the variability in observed nett amenity bin weights produced by household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). This new method can help to quickly identify sites that are producing significantly lighter bins, enabling detailed back-end analyses to be efficiently targeted and best practice in HWRC operation identified. Tested on weigh ticket data from nine HWRCs across West Sussex, UK, the model suggests that compaction technique, vehicle type, month and site design explained 76% of the variability in the observed nett amenity weights. For each factor, a weighting coefficient was calculated to generate a predicted nett weight for each bin transaction and three sites were subsequently identified as having similar characteristics but returned significantly different mean nett bin weights. Waste and site audits were then conducted at the three sites to try and determine the possible sources of the remaining variability. Significant differences were identified in the proportions of contained waste (bagged), wood, and dry recyclables entering the amenity waste stream, particularly at one site where significantly less contaminated waste and dry recyclables were observed.     

Citizen participation in disaster recovery projects and programmes in rural communities: a comparison of the Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina

This study investigates predictors of local participation in recovery projects and programmes following Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Using two sets of survey data, it examines whether disaster impacts and social capital (social trust and civic engagement) are associated with disaster recovery participation and compares predictors of such engagement in the two locations. Multivariate logistic regression results reveal that physical injuries, limited community mobility, and government trust increase recovery participation in Haiti (n=278), whereas emotional distress and homeownership decrease it. On the Gulf Coast of the US (n=259), physical injuries and higher civic engagement augment recovery participation, while homeownership and age reduce it. The confounding factors of national contexts and post‐disaster time frames might explain the differences in the results. The discussion addresses the relation between country‐specific vulnerability and recovery participation and suggests implications for policy and practice to improve local citizens’ capabilities to participate in sustainable recovery processes.     

Risk perception and trust in the context of urban brownfields

Data are reported from a postal questionnaire completed by 747 residents of two urban local authority areas within which there were sites of brownfield land with significant levels of contamination. Respondents rated their perceptions of the extent to which their neighbourhood and own home were relatively vulnerable to contamination, their concern about possible effects of contamination, their satisfaction with their council in terms of consultation with residents on housing and development issues, and their trust in their council with respect to contaminated land risks. Satisfaction with, and trust in, the council was generally low in both areas, and especially so among those who perceived themselves to be more vulnerable to contamination. Nonetheless, dissatisfaction was less marked in the area where the local authority, according to background information, had pursued a more open and proactive style of risk communication and consultation with residents. The main predictors of trust, across both areas, were perceptions that the council was openly prepared to tell residents what they knew, and that the council had residents' interests at heart. Implications are discussed for the impact of different modes of risk communication on trust.     

A uniform fish consumption advisory protocol for the Ohio River

ORSANCO and the six Ohio River main stem states have been working to align states' fish consumption advisories (FCAs) to enhance the value of advice issued to the public. To achieve this goal, ORSANCO worked closely with a panel consisting of state and USEPA representatives. The result of this effort is the Ohio River Fish Consumption Advisory Protocol (ORFCAP). The ORFCAP represents a single set of variables agreed upon by the panel that allows for a standardized protocol to create advisory thresholds to which states can defer to issue consumption advice for the Ohio River. The ORFCAP identifies ORSANCO as a clearinghouse for data which will be distributed to the panel for decision making. Other components include identifying primary contaminants of concern (PCBs and mercury) and dividing the river into four reporting units. The protocol was developed to issue FCAs for the protection of sensitive populations using five advisory groupings for PCBs and four for mercury. Specific variables used in the calculation of advisory thresholds such as health protection values, cooking reductions, average meal sizes, etc., were selected by the panel. Lastly, the protocol calls for FCA decisions to be based on analysis of the most recent 10?years of data for each species in each reporting unit to determine size class needs and advisory groupings. Upon pending implementation of the protocol by the main stem states, these decisions will be made annually through a series of discussions involving ORSANCO, the panel, and other appropriate state personnel.     

The effect on dispersal from complex correlations in small-scale movement

Calculations of large-scale displacement distances were made to evaluate the combined effect of small-scale movement pattern of a Collembola, Protaphorura armata. The effect of presence of food and conspecific density on turning angle, step length and activity/motility was investigated. Calculations of net square displacement were made both by assuming correlated random walk (CRW) and by resampling data to account for correlation structures in movement patterns that violate the assumptions of CRW.