An expanded conceptual framework for solution-focused management of chemical pollution in European waters

Background

This paper describes a conceptual framework for solutions-focused management of chemical contaminants built on novel and systematic approaches for identifying, quantifying and reducing risks of these substances.

Methods

The conceptual framework was developed in interaction with stakeholders representing relevant authorities and organisations responsible for managing environmental quality of water bodies. Stakeholder needs were compiled via a survey and dialogue. The content of the conceptual framework was thereafter developed with inputs from relevant scientific disciplines.

Results

The conceptual framework consists of four access points: Chemicals, Environment, Abatement and Society, representing different aspects and approaches to engaging in the issue of chemical contamination of surface waters. It widens the scope for assessment and management of chemicals in comparison to a traditional (mostly) perchemical risk assessment approaches by including abatement- and societal approaches as optional solutions. The solution-focused approach implies an identification of abatement- and policy options upfront in the risk assessment process. The conceptual framework was designed for use in current and future chemical pollution assessments for the aquatic environment, including the specific challenges encountered in prioritising individual chemicals and mixtures, and is applicable for the development of approaches for safe chemical management in a broader sense. The four access points of the conceptual framework are interlinked by four key topics representing the main scientific challenges that need to be addressed, i.e.: identifying and prioritising hazardous chemicals at different scales; selecting relevant and efficient abatement options; providing regulatory support for chemicals management; predicting and prioritising future chemical risks. The conceptual framework aligns current challenges in the safe production and use of chemicals. The current state of knowledge and implementation of these challenges is described.

Conclusions

The use of the conceptual framework, and addressing the challenges, is intended to support: (1) forwarding sustainable use of chemicals, (2) identification of pollutants of priority concern for cost-effective management, (3) the selection of optimal abatement options and (4) the development and use of optimised legal and policy instruments.

     

Applying Fuzzy Logic to Assess Human Perception in Relation to Conservation Plan Efficiency Measures Within a Biosphere Reserve

The objective of this study is to present an efficiency-perception impact assessment based upon the integration of fuzzy logic (FL) of the "Productive Reconversion" conservation program (PRP) instituted by the Mexican government, in the upper Gulf of California and the Colorado Delta Biosphere Reserve. This approach enables environmental analysts to deal with the intrinsic imprecision and ambiguity associated with people's judgments and conclusions. The application of FL to the assessment of program efficiency is illustrated in this work, demonstrating how subjective perceptions can be converted into quantitative values easy to evaluate during the decision-making process.     

Measurement of pollution levels of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in water, soil, sediment, and shrimp to identify possible impacts on shrimp production at Jiquilisco Bay

This study aims to identify levels of several organochlorine and organophosphorus compounds in shrimp-raising areas of coastal El Salvador, to assess potential impacts on shrimp growth and survival that hamper the sustainability of aquaculture in the region. The paper reports the current levels of γ-HCH, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDE, 4,4'-DDD, endrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, parathion, methyl parathion, and etoprophos in soils (depth 20 cm), sediments (depth 5 cm), shrimp (Penaeus sp.), and water of three rearing ponds and also in the sediment (depth 5 cm) and water surrounding those ponds in Jiquilisco Bay. Sampling was carried out during the dry (January-March) and rainy (June-August) seasons of 2008. The presence of pesticides in the samples of water, shrimp, and sediment at shrimp ponds was not detected in either season; however, in soil samples (depth 20 cm) taken from these ponds, heptachlor, endrin, dieldrin, 4,4'-DDD, and 4,4'-DDT were identified at concentrations below the method limit of quantification (LOQ), and 4,4'-DDE was found in a concentration falling in the range from 3.85 to 19.61 ng/g. In samples of water taken at the bay water intakes to the rearing ponds, we observed dieldrin concentrations in the range between 0.085 ng/mL and 0.182 ng/mL during the dry season. In the samples of sediments taken in the surrounding areas of shrimp ponds, we found-for both seasons-that in 60 % of the samples, 4,4'-DDE was present in concentrations ranging from 3.75 ng/g to 30.97 ng/g. Additionally, in the rainy season, we observed heptachlor in sediment at concentrations below the method quantification limit. It was concluded that organochlorine compounds from pesticides are still present in Jiquilisco Bay, trapped in deep sediment, even though they have been banned since the 1980s. These were not detected in shrimp tissue, surface water, and shallow sediment in rearing ponds, and hence, we do not believe their presence has any major impact on shrimp production in sampled areas.     

Method for the determination of selected organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum based on a gel permeation chromatographic clean-up

A gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) clean-up based method was developed for determination of selected organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum. The method permits automation of the sample extract clean-up stage and is designed to work with small amounts of sample. Different working variables were studied in its development, including injection volume, flow rate, and fat amount as the most representative coextract. The method provides solvent and time savings. Initial extraction was performed using 96-well solid-phase disk extraction plates, and quantification was performed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection and mass spectrometry. Recoveries of PCB congeners 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180 and organochlorine pesticides HCB, β-HCH, γ-HCH, heptachlor epoxide, p,p′-DDE, and p,p′-DDT at two spiking levels ranged from 55% to 115% with relative standard deviations ranging from 2.0% to 14.6%. Limits of quantification ranged from 0.06 to 0.16 ng mL⁻¹ for PCBs and from 0.12 to 0.36 ng mL⁻¹ for organochlorine pesticides. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of 38 serum samples and the results were compared with those of another procedure validated at the laboratory.     

Quantitative tools for implementing the new definition of significant portion of the range in the U.S. Endangered Species Act

In 2014, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service announced a new policy interpretation for the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to the act, a species must be listed as threatened or endangered if it is determined to be threatened or endangered in a significant portion of its range (SPR). The 2014 policy seeks to provide consistency by establishing that a portion of the range should be considered significant if the associated individuals’ “removal would cause the entire species to become endangered or threatened.” We reviewed 20 quantitative techniques used to assess whether a portion of a species’ range is significant according to the new guidance. Our assessments are based on the 3R criteria—redundancy (i.e., buffering from catastrophe), resiliency (i.e., ability to withstand stochasticity), and representation (i.e., ability to evolve)—that the FWS uses to determine if a species merits listing. We identified data needs for each quantitative technique and considered which methods could be implemented given the data limitations typical of rare species. We also identified proxies for the 3Rs that may be used with limited data. To assess potential data availability, we evaluated 7 example species by accessing data in their species status assessments, which document all the information used during a listing decision. In all species, an SPR could be evaluated with at least one metric for each of the 3Rs robustly or with substantial assumptions. Resiliency assessments appeared most constrained by limited data, and many species lacked information on connectivity between subpopulations, genetic variation, and spatial variability in vital rates. These data gaps will likely make SPR assessments for species with complex life histories or that cross national boundaries difficult. Although we reviewed techniques for the ESA, other countries require identification of significant areas and could benefit from this research.     

Interpopulational variation in chemosensory responses to selected steroids from femoral secretions of male lizards, Podarcis hispanica, mirrors population differences in chemical signals

Chemical signals are important for mate and species recognition. If variation in chemical signals occurs between populations of the same species, these differences could later preclude mating between populations and lead to speciation. In the Iberian wall lizard, Podarcis hispanica, the lipophilic fraction of femoral secretions of males is mainly a mix of steroids and fatty acids. Among steroids, the most abundant compounds are cholesterol and cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol, which are implicated in intraspecific communication and sexual selection. Interpopulational differences in chemical signals of males, and in response to these chemicals, could contribute to reproductive isolation between populations, which would explain the known genetic differences between these populations. Chemical analyses indicated that five distinct populations of this lizard from Madrid (Central Spain) differed in the proportions of two steroids (cholesterol and cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol) in femoral secretions. Moreover, lizards discriminated and had high chemosensory responses (i.e., high tongue-flick rates) to these steroids, but showed interpopulational differences. Lizards from populations with cold temperatures and high relative humidity (i.e., northern Madrid) elicited higher responses to these steroids, whereas the converse occurred for lizards from populations occupying dry and hot habitats (i.e., southern Madrid). Interestingly, the magnitude of the chemosensory responses to cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol in each population mirrored the abundance of this compound in secretions of males of that population. These results suggest that the importance of cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol in males’ secretions might be lower for lizards from the southern populations. These differences in the relative importance of chemical signals could explain reproductive isolation and cryptic speciation between populations of this lizard.     

Morphology,Chemical Characterization and Sources of Microplastics in a Coastal City in the Equatorial Zone with Diverse Anthropogenic Activities (Fortaleza city,Brazil)

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The aim of the present study was to perform morphological and chemical characterizations of microplastics (MPs) found in seawater samples from the coast of...     

Atmospheric pollution assessment using polar graphs and its relationship with the bird community from the Sierra de Guadalupe,Mexico (initial data)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - One of the most populated areas of the world is the Metropolitan Zone of the Mexican Valley, which has serious atmospheric pollution problems. To the...     

Environmental management and firm performance: a case study

This study has as its aim to help to clarify the relationship between environmental management and economic performance by integrating it into a wider framework that includes the relationship between environmental strategy and firm performance, the latter being understood as the combination of environmental performance, competitive advantage and economic performance. A case study of the COATO farming cooperative showed us that its environmental management, focused on prevention logic, has had a positive net effect on its environmental performance. Besides, the order in which these practices were adopted favoured the development of new organisational capabilities that have contributed to the appearance of advantages derived from the greater accumulated experience of employees in creating new projects that are designed to reduce residues and pollution. COATO has also obtained a competitive advantage in differentiation thanks to an improved brand image and to its increased credibility in business relationships. Finally, a positive correlation exists between the pioneering proactive strategy adopted by this cooperative and the improvement of its firm performance with respect to the other firms in its sector.     

Analyzing social perception as a key factor in the management of protected areas: the case of the Sierra Nevada Protected Area (S Spain)

Protected areas cannot be considered as elements isolated from the human groups that inhabit them. Consideration of the social factor is fundamental to guarantee the success of any management model. In this sense, analyzing the perception of people who live in protected areas can be a key tool for the formulation of proposals for improving the existing models. This article explores perceptions of local residents in the Sierra Nevada Protected Area in Southern Spain and identifies the socio-demographic factors that affect these perceptions. The main objective is to generate relevant data for the protected area management team. The recommendations we can offer entail a review of the communication plan and participatory strategy considering social differences in perceptions of the local population.