Development of Federal Air Standards to Reduce Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from New Industrial Boilers

Federal new source performance standards to control air emissions of sulfur dioxide from new industrial boilers were proposed by EPA on June 19, 1986. These standards would require boiler owners to reduce SO₂ emissions by 90 percent and meet an emission limit of 1.2 lb/MM Btu of heat input for coal-fired boilers and 0.8 lb/MM Btu for oil-fired boilers. In developing these standards, several regulatory options were considered, from standards that could be met by firing low sulfur fuels to standards that would necessitate flue gas treatment. The environmental, economic, and cost impacts of each option were analyzed. National impacts were estimated by a computer model that projects the population of new boilers over the 5-year period following proposal, predicts the compliance strategy that will be used to comply with the particular option (always assuming that the lowest cost method of compliance will be selected), and estimates the resulting emission reductions and costs. Impacts on specific industries and on model boilers were also analyzed. This paper focuses on these analyses and their results. The Agency's conclusions from these analyses, which led to the decision to establish percent reduction standards, are provided, and the proposed SO₂ standards are summarized. The proposed standards also include an emission limit for particulate matter from oil-fired boilers (0.1 lb/MM Btu). However, this article focuses only on the SO₂ standards.     

Dry FGD at United Power Association’s Stanton Station

The United Power Association’s dry FGD system at Stanton, North Dakota was the first utility-operated lime spray dryer to be put into service in the United States. At 60 MW in size, it utilizes a single spray dryer vessel with three rotary atomizers and a ten-compartment fabric filter. It is currently operating at better than expected efficiency and Is meeting state and federal air quality requirements. Start-up and operation have shown that certain areas of design and operating conditions are critical to reliable operation. Flue gas, slurry, and water distribution and mixing must be carefully controlled if reliable, long term operation is to be achieved. Likewise, water chemistry Is Important in the reagent preparation equipment. Start-up of the system was accomplished In a step-wise fashion to bring the baghouse on line first, followed by the spray dryer. The spray dryer was operated at gradually lower outlet temperatures until design conditions were met. Measures taken since start-up to ensure reliable operation, and operation over an eighteen month period are discussed. Both particulate and SO₂ emission performance are evaluated.     

1985 Update,Operating History and Current Status of Fabric Filters in the Utility Industry

Stringent particulate emissions limits and increasing awareness of stack opacity is leading the utility industry to use high efficiency particulate control systems. In response to this trend, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is conducting several research programs aimed at improving the operation, maintenance and performance of particulate control systems. One of these programs, RP-1401, “Reliability Assessment of Particulate Control Systems,” is developing operation, maintenance and design data bases for both electrostatic precipitators and fabric filters. This paper discusses some of the intermediate findings of the work done on fabric filters.     

Global Urban Growth and the Geography of Water Availability,Quality, and Delivery

Globally, urban growth will add 1.5 billion people to cities by 2030, making the difficult task of urban water provisions even more challenging. In this article, we develop a conceptual framework of urban water provision as composed of three axes: water availability, water quality, and water delivery. For each axis, we calculate quantitative proxy measures for all cities with more than 50,000 residents, and then briefly discuss the strategies cities are using in response if they are deficient on one of the axes. We show that 523 million people are in cities where water availability may be an issue, 890 million people are in cities where water quality may be an issue, and 1.3 billion people are in cities where water delivery may be an issue. Tapping into groundwater is a widespread response, regardless of the management challenge, with many cities unsustainably using this resource. The strategies used by cities deficient on the water delivery axis are different than for cities deficient on the water quantity or water quality axis, as lack of financial resources pushes cities toward a different and potentially less effective set of strategies.     

Effects of the pharmaceuticals gemfibrozil and diclofenac on biomarker expression in the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and their comparison with standardised toxicity tests

Pharmaceuticals, including the lipid regulator gemfibrozil and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been identified in waste water treatment plant effluents and receiving waters throughout the western world. The acute and chronic toxicity of these compounds was assessed for three freshwater species (Daphnia magna,Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Lemna minor) using standardised toxicity tests with toxicity found in the non-environmentally relevant mid mg L⁻¹ concentration range. For the acute endpoints (IC₅₀ and EC₅₀) gemfibrozil showed higher toxicity ranging from 29 to 59 mg L⁻¹ (diclofenac 47-67 mg L⁻¹), while diclofenac was more toxic for the chronic D. magna 21 d endpoints ranging from 10 to 56 mg L⁻¹ (gemfibrozil 32-100 mg L⁻¹). These results were compared with the expression of several biomarkers in the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) 24 and 96 h after exposure by injection to concentrations of 21 and 21,000 μg L⁻¹ corresponding to nominal concentrations of 1 and 1000 μg L⁻¹. Exposure to gemfibrozil and diclofenac at both concentrations significantly increased the level of lipid peroxidation, a biomarker of damage. At the elevated nominal concentration of 1000 μg L⁻¹ the biomarkers of defence glutathione transferase and metallothionein were significantly elevated for gemfibrozil and diclofenac respectively, as was DNA damage after 96 h exposure to gemfibrozil. No evidence of endocrine disruption was observed using the alkali-labile phosphate technique. Results from this suite of biomarkers indicate these compounds can cause significant stress at environmentally relevant concentrations acting primarily through oxidation pathways with significant destabilization of the lysosomal membrane and that biomarker expression is a more sensitive endpoint than standardised toxicity tests.     

Pilot biomonitoring of adults and children following use of chlorpyrifos shampoo and flea collars on dogs

Pesticide handlers and pet owners who use products such as shampoos and dips and insecticide-impregnated collars to treat and control fleas on companion animals are exposed to a variety of active ingredients. Chlorpyrifos exposures of adults and children were measured using urine biomonitoring following use of over-the-counter products on dogs. Age and gender-specific measurements of urinary 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy) revealed modest elevations of biomarker excretion following shampoo/dips. Smaller TCPy increments were measured following application of impregnated dog collars. The extent of indoor activity and potential pet contact were important determinants of urine biomarker level. Children without direct pet contact excreted more TCPy following collar application. Pet collars may be a source of indoor surface contamination and human exposure. Children excreted up to 4 times more TCPy than adults when urine volumes were adjusted using age-specific creatinine excretion levels. Although chlorpyrifos is no longer used in the United States in pet care products, results of this research provide perspective on the extent of human exposure from similar pet care products. These pilot studies demonstrated that pet care products such as insecticidal shampoos and dips and impregnated collars may expose family members to low levels of insecticide relative to toxic levels of concern.     

Investigation on gene transfer from genetically modified corn (Zea mays L.) plants to soil bacteria

Knowledge about the prevalence and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes in soil bacteria communities is required to evaluate the possibility and ecological consequences of the transfer of these genes carried by genetically modified (GM) plants to soil bacteria. The neomycin phosphotransferase gene (nptII) conferring resistance to kanamycin and neomycin is one of the antibiotic resistance genes commonly present in GM plants. In this study, we investigated kanamycin-resistant (Km(R)) and neomycin-resistant (Nm(R)) soil bacterial populations in a 3-year field trial using a commercial GM corn (Zea mays L.) carrying the nptII gene and its near isogenic line. The results showed that a portion (2.3 - 15.6 %) of cultivable soil bacteria was naturally resistant to kanamycin or neomycin. However, no significant difference in the population level of Km(R) or Nm(R) soil bacteria was observed between the GM and non-GM corn fields. The nptII gene was not detected in any of the total 3000 Km(R) or Nm(R) isolates screened by PCR. Further, total soil bacterial cells were collected through Nycodenz gradient centrifugation and bacterial community DNA was subjected to PCR. Detection limit was about 500 cells per gram of fresh soil. Our study suggests that the nptII gene was relatively rare in the soil bacterial populations and there was no evidence of gene transfer from a GM corn plant to soil bacteria based on the data from total soil bacterial communities.     

Bacterial community composition characterization of a lead-contaminated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcoleus</Emphasis> sp. consortium

Introduction  

A Microcoleus sp. consortium, obtained from the Ebro delta microbial mat, was maintained under different conditions including uncontaminated, lead-contaminated, and acidic conditions.     

Agroforest’s growing role in reducing carbon losses from Jambi (Sumatra), Indonesia

This paper examines the size and intensity of changes among five land categories during the two time intervals in a region of Indonesia that is pioneering negotiations concerning reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). Maps at 1973, 1993, and 2005 indicate that land-cover change is accelerating, while carbon loss is decelerating in Jambi Province, Sumatra. Land dynamics have shifted from Forest loss during 1973–1993 to Agroforest loss during 1993–2005. Forest losses account for most reductions in aboveground carbon during the both time intervals, but Agroforest plays an increasingly important role in carbon reductions during the more recent interval. These results provide motivation for future REDD policies to count carbon changes associated with all influential land categories, such as Agroforests.     

Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates and sulfonates and precursors in relation to dietary source tracers in the eggs of four species of gulls (Larids) from breeding sites spanning Atlantic to Pacific Canada

In the present study, we identified and examined the spatial trends, sources and dietary relationships of bioaccumulative perfluorinated sulfonate (PFSA; C(6), C(8), and C(10) chain lengths) and carboxylate (PFCA; C(6) to C(15) chain lengths) contaminants, as well as precursor compounds including several perfluorinated sulfonamides, and fluorotelomer acids and alcohols, in individual eggs (collected in 2008) from four gull species [glaucous-winged (Larus glaucescens), California (Larus californicus), ring-billed (Larus delawarensis) and herring (Larus argentatus) gulls] from 15 marine and freshwater colony sites in provinces across Canada. The pattern of PFSAs was dominated by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; >89% of ΣPFSA concentration) regardless of egg collection location. The highest ΣPFSA concentrations were found in the eggs collected in the urbanized areas in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River area [Big Chicken Island 308 ng/g ww, Toronto Harbour 486 ng/g ww, and Ile Deslauriers (HG) 299 ng/g ww]. Also, eggs from all freshwater colony sites had higher ΣPFSA concentrations, which were significant (p<0.05) in many cases, compared to the marine sites with the exception of the Sable Island colony in Atlantic Canada off the coast of Nova Scotia. C(6) to C(15) chain length PFCAs were detected in the eggs, although the pattern was variable among the 15 sites, where PFUnA and PFTrA dominated the pattern for most colonies. Like the ΣPFSA, the highest concentrations of ΣPFCA were found in the eggs from Big Chicken Island, Toronto Harbour, Ile Deslauriers (HG), and Sable Island, although not all freshwater sites had higher concentrations compared to marine sites. Dietary tracers [δ(15)N and δ(13)C stable isotopes (SIs)] revealed that PFSA and PFCA exposure is colony dependent. SI signatures suggested that gulls from most marine colony sites were exposed to PFCs via marine prey. The exception was the Mandarte Island colony in Pacific British Columbia, where PFSA and PFCA exposure appeared to be via terrestrial and/or freshwater prey consumption. The same was true for the freshwater sites where egg SIs suggested both aquatic and terrestrial prey consumption as the source for PFC exposure depending on the colony. Both aquatic (marine and freshwater) and terrestrial prey are likely sources of PFC exposure to gulls but exposure scenarios are colony-specific.