Alternative approaches to dealing with respondent uncertainty in contingent valuation: a comparative analysis

Several strategies have been proposed to deal with response uncertainty in contingent valuation. One approach, often applied to address issues of hypothetical bias, recodes and/or reweights responses according to stated levels of certainty but so far few analyses compare alternative recoding and reweighting strategies. We explore the choice among alternative strategies that exploit a numerical certainty scale obtained from a follow-up to the payment question in a valuation survey about a whale conservation program. Two novel variations of previously followed approaches perform best on our dataset in terms of the efficiency of estimates. The first one uses an exponential transformation of the numerical certainty scale as a weight in the willingness to pay regression. The other one is based on constructing a continuous willingness to pay variable with the highly certain "yes" and "no" original responses to the payment question as extreme values and with mid-point values that correspond to the original "don't know" responses. We find, though, that the effect of using different treatment strategies on mean willingness to pay is rarely statistically significant and we fail to detect a consistent effect on the efficiency of the estimation regardless of the strategy applied.     

Water quality characteristics of discharge from reforested loose-dumped mine spoil in eastern Kentucky

Surface mining is a common method for extracting coal in the coal fields of eastern Kentucky. Using the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), which emphasizes the use of minimally compacted or loose-dumped spoil as a growth medium for trees, reclamation practitioners are successfully reestablishing forests. Yet, questions remain regarding the effects FRA has on the quality of waters discharged to receiving streams. To examine the effect of FRA on water quality, this study compared waters that were discharged from three types of spoils: predominantly brown, weathered sandstone (BROWN); predominantly gray, unweathered sandstone (GRAY); and an equal mixture of both aforementioned sandstones and shale (MIXED). The water quality parameters pH, EC, Ca, K, Mg, Na, NO-N, NH-N, SO, Cl, TC, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settleable solids (SS), and turbidity were monitored over a 2-yr period on six 0.4-ha plots (two replications per spoil type). Generally, levels of Cl, SO, Ca, NO-N, NH-N, SS, SSC, and turbidity decreased over time. The pH for all spoils increased from about 7.5 to 8.5. The EC remained relatively level in the BROWN spoil, whereas the GRAY and MIXED spoils had downward trajectories that were approaching 500 μS cm. The value of 500 μS cm has been reported as the apparent threshold at which certain taxa such as Ephemeroptera (e.g., Mayfly) recolonize disturbed headwater streams of eastern Kentucky and adjacent coal-producing Appalachian states.     

Zinc tolerance and accumulation in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides

The halophytic shrub Halimione portulacoides is known to be capable of growth in soils containing extremely high concentrations of Zn. This study evaluated in detail the tolerance and accumulation potential of H. portulacoides under moderate and high external Zn levels. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of a range of Zn concentrations (0-130 mmol L⁻¹) on growth and photosynthetic performance by measuring relative growth rate, total leaf area, specific leaf area, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigment concentrations. We also determined the total zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and copper concentrations in the plant tissues. H. portulacoides demonstrated hypertolerance to Zn stress, since it survived with leaf concentrations of up to 2300 mg Zn kg⁻¹ dry mass, when treated with 130 mmol Zn L⁻¹. Zinc concentrations greater than 70 mmol L⁻¹ in the nutrient solution negatively affected plant growth, in all probability due to the recorded decline in net photosynthesis rate. Our results indicate that the Zn-induced decline in the photosynthetic function of H. portulacoides may be attributed to the adverse effect of the high concentration of the metal on photosynthetic electron transport. Growth parameters were virtually unaffected by leaf tissue concentrations as high as 1500 mg Zn kg⁻¹ dry mass, demonstrating the strong capability of H. portulacoides to protect itself against toxic Zn concentrations. The results of our study indicate that this salt-marsh shrub may represent a valuable tool in the restoration of Zn-polluted areas.     

Remediation of metal-contaminated soils with the addition of materials - part II: leaching tests to evaluate the efficiency of materials in the remediation of contaminated soils

The effect of the addition of materials on the leaching pattern of As and metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, and Cd) in two contaminated soils was investigated. The examined materials included bentonites, silicates and industrial wastes, such as sugar foam, fly ashes and a material originated from the zeolitization of fly ash. Soil + material mixtures were prepared at 10% doses. Changes in the acid neutralization capacity, crystalline phases and contaminant leaching over a wide range of pHs were examined by using pH_stat leaching tests. Sugar foam, the zeolitic material and MX-80 bentonite produced the greatest decrease in the leaching of pollutants due to an increase in the pH and/or the sorption capacity in the resulting mixture. This finding suggests that soil remediation may be a feasible option for the reuse of non-hazardous wastes.     

Long-term effect of temperature on bioaccumulation of dietary metals and metallothionein induction in Sparus aurata

Previous studies have demonstrated that the commercial feed of aquacultured fish contains trace amounts of toxic and essential metals which can accumulate in tissues and finally be ingested by consumers. Recently rising temperatures, associated to the global warming phenomenon, have been reported as a factor to be taken into consideration in ecotoxicology, since temperature-dependent alterations in bioavailability, toxicokinetics and biotransformation rates can be expected. Sparus aurata were kept at 22 °C, 27 °C and 30 °C for 3 months in order to determine the temperature effect on metallothionein induction and metal bioaccumulation from a non-experimentally contaminated commercial feed. A significant temperature-dependent accumulation of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) was found in liver, together with that of manganese (Mn), Fe and Zn in muscle. Hg presented the highest bioaccumulation factor, and essential metal homeostasis was disturbed in both tissues at warm temperatures. An enhancement of hepatic metallothionein induction was found in fish exposed to the highest temperature.     

The exposition of a calcareous Mediterranean soil to toxic concentrations of Cr, Cd and Pb produces changes in the microbiota mainly related to differential metal bioavailability

The involvement of the bacterial community of an agricultural Mediterranean calcareous soil in relation to several heavy metals has been studied in microcosms under controlled laboratory conditions. Soil samples were artificially polluted with Cr(VI), Cd(II) and Pb(II) at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 5000 mg kg⁻¹ and incubated along 28 d. The lowest concentrations with significant effects in soil respirometry were 10 mg kg⁻¹ Cr and 1000 mg kg⁻¹ Cd and Pb. However, only treatments showing more than 40% inhibition of respirometric activity led to significant changes in bacterial composition, as indicated by PCR-DGGE analyses. Presumable Cr- and Cd-resistant bacteria were detected in polluted microcosms, but development of the microbiota was severely impaired at the highest amendments of both metals. Results also showed that bioavailability is an important factor determining the impact of the heavy metals assayed, and even an inverted potential toxicity ranking could be achieved if their soluble fraction is considered instead of the total concentration. Moreover, multiresistant bacteria were isolated from Cr-polluted soil microcosms, some of them showing the capacity to reduce Cr(VI) concentrations between 26% and 84% of the initial value. Potentially useful strains for bioremediation were related to Arthrobacter crystallopoietes, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and several species of Bacillus.     

Assessment of exposure to DDT and metabolites after indoor residual spraying through the analysis of thatch material from rural African dwellings

Introduction  

We report on the analysis of 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4′-DDT) and its metabolites in thatch and branch samples constituting the wall materials of dwellings from South African subtropical areas. This approach was used to assess the exposure to DDT in the residents of the dwellings after indoor residual spraying (IRS) following recommended sanitation practices against malaria vectors.     

Contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, occupation, diet and lifestyle to DDT and DDE concentrations in serum and adipose tissue from a Bolivian cohort

The organochlorine pesticide p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was widely used in the early 1960s-70s for vector control in tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Due to its persistence, DDT has a high potential to bioaccumulate in the food chain and living organisms and is a major public health concern, especially in South America.The main purpose of the present study was to investigate predictors of serum and adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and its main metabolite, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), in an adult cohort (n = 112) from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, using multiple linear regression models. These models explained 29.3-47.8% of the variability in adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE, respectively, and 32.9-47.0% of that in serum. Main exposure predictors included age, occupational class, residence, diet, smoking habit, and accumulated breastfeeding time.This is one of the few studies to explore predictors of human exposure to these chemicals using a multivariate approach in a South American population. Results show that predictors of human exposure to p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE in Santa Cruz de la Sierra may diverge from those found in other populations of the world, due to particular sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics of this region.     

Relation between management's behavioural intentions toward the environment and environmental actions

Drawing on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, this paper analyses whether there is a relation between management's behavioural intentions toward an environmental problem and the company's specific actions in this area, and also considers the impact of the company size on these actions. For the data, a questionnaire was sent to 184 managers employed in industrial companies located in Spain which belonged to the automobile industry. The empirical analysis produces positive and significant regression coefficients and provides support for the hypotheses proposed. Specifically, the results show that the environmental actions carried out in the company respond at least in part to management's behavioural intentions toward these issues and the size of the firm.     

Ecotoxicity assessment of lipid regulators in water and biologically treated wastewater using three aquatic organisms

Background, aim, and scope  

The high consumption of blood lipid regulators is leading to frequent reports of the occurrence of fibrates in natural streams and wastewater effluents. This paper describes a study undertaken to evaluate the acute toxicity of bezafibrate, clofibric acid, gemfibrozil, and fenofibric acid, a metabolite of fenofibrate whose ecotoxicity has not been previously reported.