Two methods to assess vulnerability to climate change in the Mexican agricultural sector

We applied two methods to assess vulnerability to climate change in Mexico’s agricultural sector. The first one was a principal component analysis (PCA) that weighted each variable separately. For the second one, we integrated the variables in a linear array in which all variables were weighted equally, and then, we used the arithmetic sum of the sub-indices of exposure and sensitivity minus the adaptive capacity to obtain the vulnerability index. We discuss the similarities and differences between two methods with respect to municipal-level maps as the outputs. The application of the method for the agricultural sector in Mexico gave us the spatial distribution of the high- and very-high vulnerability categories, which we propose as a tool for policy. The methods agreed that the very-high vulnerability category is present in 39 municipalities. Also we found that 16 % of the total population in the country is located in high-exposure areas. In addition, 41 % lives in municipalities identified as highly-sensitive. In terms of adaptive capacity, 20 % of the population lives in 1273 municipalities with low-adaptive capacity. Finally, we discuss the need for information regarding vulnerability at the national level to guide policies aimed at reducing exposure and sensitivity and increasing adaptive capacity.     

Co-composting of paper mill sludge and hardwood sawdust under two types of in-vessel processes

Recycling of organic residues by composting is becoming an acceptable practice in our society. Co-composting dewatered paper mill sludge (PMS) and hardwood sawdust, two readily available materials in Canada, was investigated using uncontrolled and controlled in-vessel processes. The composted materials were characterized for total C and N, water-soluble, acid-hydrolyzable, and non-hydrolyzable N, extractable lipids, and by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry. In the controlled scale process, the loss of organic matter was approximately 65% higher than in the uncontrolled process. After undergoing initial fluctuations in N fractions during the first two days of composting, by the end of the process, concentrations of water-soluble N decreased while those of acid-hydrolyzable and nonhydrolyzable N increased in the controlled process, whereas in the uncontrolled process, water-soluble N increased, but N in the other two fractions decreased continuously, indicating that the biochemical transformations of organic matter were not completed. Data on extractable lipids and FT-IR spectra suggest that the compost produced from the controlled process was bio-stable after 14 days, while the uncontrolled process was not stabilized after 18 days. In addition, FT-IR data suggest the biological activity during composting centered mainly on the degradation of aliphatic structures while aromatic structures were preserved. The co-composting of the PMS and hardwood sawdust can be successfully achieved if aeration, moisture, and bio available C/N ratios are optimized to reduce losses of N.     

137Cs in marine samples from the Brazilian southeastern coastal region

The present work presents the results of ¹³⁷Cs concentration in seawater, fish and sediments samples collect in 11 sampling points, crossing the Brazilian Southeastern coastal region, from Vitória (ES) to Santos (SP), on a routine basis from 1997 to 2002. This monitoring program was carried out by the Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN/MCT), in cooperation with the Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM/Brazilian Navy), aiming at determining artificial radionuclides in marine samples. Additionally to the ¹³⁷Cs results, ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in fish samples from 1998 to 2002 are also reported.The ¹³⁷Cs in seawater follows a lognormal distribution, with a geometric mean of 1.8 Bq m^-3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.4 (n=54), decay corrected to June/2002. For ¹³⁷Cs levels in fish samples a geometric mean of 0.19 Bq kg⁻¹ and a geometric standard deviation of 2.9 (n=39), decay corrected to June/2002, with a range of 0.03 to 1.7 Bq kg⁻¹, were obtained. Based on the ¹³⁷Cs mean concentration in fish as well as in seawater, a transfer factor of 1 × 10² was calculated, which is quite in agreement with the recommended value found in the Safety Report Serie 19.     

A technicoeconomic approach for the selection of a site remediation strategy--part A: theory

A technicoeconomic model is developed to select an optimal strategy for the remediation of a contaminated site and to determine the value of this remediation strategy. The model is an extension of actual cost-benefit analysis, with consideration of "irreversible" remediation technology choices, technology effectiveness, and uncertainty on the site's level of contamination. The model considers the possibility of reducing uncertainty by both acquiring more and better information on the level of contamination and by offering the decision-maker the opportunity to reevaluate his decision and switch to a more appropriate technology. It is believed that this model will help decision-makers in the selection of a remediation strategy by presenting all potentially feasible strategies, and how uncertainty on the site's level of contamination affects these strategies.     

Total mercury determination in sand boxes from Montreal

Direct mercury analysis was successfully applied to determine trace levels of total mercury in samples from sand boxes in Montréal (Québec, Canada). Twenty sand boxes were sampled from across the city and divided into two size fractions, a fine fraction (<100 microm) and a whole fraction. The concentrations of mercury ranged from 1.6 to 35 microg Hg kg(-1) dry soil for the fine fraction and from 0.7 to 6 microg Hg kg(-1) dry soil for the whole fraction. The mercury concentrations correlated with the soil organic carbon content (R2= 0.67) in the sand. The ratio of the concentration of mercury in the fine over the whole fraction varied from 2.2 to 18. Using published soil ingestion rates for children, the calculated daily intake values varied from 0 to 0.5 ng Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) with an estimated oral ingestion of 200 mg of sand and from 0.2 to 4.7 ng Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) with an ingestion of 1750 mg of sand. None of the sand boxes contain sufficient amounts of mercury so as to exceed the currently accepted daily intake threshold of 0.105 microg Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) established by Health Canada.     

Antimony: a traffic-related element in the atmosphere of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Vehicular traffic is one of the main sources of antimony in highly populated urban areas like Buenos Aires where an overall traffic density of 1 500 000 vehicles per day (corresponding to 7500 vehicles km(-2)) is estimated. In this context, a study was undertaken to ascertain the levels of Sb and other traffic-related elements (TRE) in the atmosphere of this city. To this end, sixty-seven samples of PM-10 particulate matter were collected during eight days in nine representative sampling sites located downtown Buenos Aires and spread over an area of about 30 km2. The collection of particulate matter was performed on ash-free glass-fibre filters using high volume samplers with PM-10 sampling heads. A combination of aqua regia and perchloric acid was used for leaching metals from filters. The resulting solutions were evaporated and then diluted with 0.1 mol l(-1) HCl. Antimony was determined by inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) at ng g(-1) levels. Concentrations of Sb varied from 12.9 +/- 0.9 to 375 +/- 23 microg g(-1)(equivalent to 0.87 +/- 0.06 to 15.3 +/- 0.8 ng m(-3)). Statistical analysis was performed on the data set including the measured PM-10 mass and Sb concentrations for the monitored period. Correlations of Sb with other TRE namely, Cu and Mo were also assessed. The highest concentrations of Sb were detected at two sites (Hospital Alemán and Casa Rapallini) located in streets with traffic consisting mostly of passenger cars and showing a "stop-and-go" pattern in peak hours. Antimony levels in the Buenos Aires PM-10 are by far below the level of 0.5 mg m(-3)(for an 8 hour workday, 40 hour work week) set by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for occupational exposure. However, monitoring of Sb and other TRE should be carried out in a systematic fashion to detect the possibility of increases in from the present levels.     

Tobacco Plants Detect a Decrease of Environmental Genotoxicity in Toulouse (France)

Tobacco plants, heterozygous for two independent loci involved in the chlorophyll parenchyma differentiation, allow the genotoxic effects of the atmosphere of the industrial estate South of Toulouse to be estimated. Somatic spots of green cellular colonies on yellow-green background, were counted to calculate the cellular rates of reversion. Two experiments were carried out in 1981, and in 1997. A general decrease of genotoxic effects was observed. These observations were interpreted as being due to a general decrease of the air pollution evaluated by the development of the concentrations of three toxic gases before and after the implementation of cleanup devices. The results obtained demonstrate the efficiency of this bio-indicator, which is easy to use and capable of integrating, in situ, genotoxic variations throughout the duration of plants' growth.     

Sources of lead and zinc associated with metal smelting activities in the Trail area,British Columbia,Canada

The spatial distribution and deposition of lead and zinc emitted from the Trail smelter, British Columbia, Canada, was studied by strategically locating moss bags in the area surrounding the smelter and monitoring the deposition of elements every three months. A combined diffusion/distribution model was applied to estimate the relative contribution of stack-emitted material and material emitted from the secondary sources (e.g., wind-blown dust from ore/slag storage piles, uncovered transportation/trucking of ore, and historical dust). The results indicate that secondary sources are the major contributor of lead and zinc deposited within a short distance from the smelter. Gradually, the stack emissions become the main source of Pb and Zn at greater distances from the smelter. Typical material originating from each source was characterized by SEM/EDX, which indicated a marked difference in their morphology and chemical composition.     

Dichloromethane Marine Risk Assessment with Special Reference to the Osparcom Region: North Sea

This risk assessment on dichloromethane was carried out specifically for the marine environment, following methodology given in the EU risk assessment Regulation (1488/94) and Guidance Document of the EU New and Existing Substances Regulation (TGD, 1997). The study consists of collection and evaluation of data on effects and environmental concentrations from analytical monitoring programs in large rivers and estuaries in the North Sea area. The risk is indicated by the ratio of 'predicted environmental concentrations' (PEC) to 'predicted no-effect concentrations' (PNEC) for the marine aquatic environment. In total, 23 studies for fish, 17 studies for invertebrates and 6 studies for algae were evaluated. Both acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account and appropriate assessment factors used to define a PNEC value of 830 microg/l. Most of the available monitoring data apply to rivers and estuaries and were used to calculate PECs. The most recent data (1983--1995) support a typical PEC for dichloromethane lower than 0.2 microg/l and a worst case PEC of 13.6 microg/l. Dichloromethane is not a 'toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate' substance sensu the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR-DYNAMEC). The calculated PEC/PNEC ratios give margins of 60 to 4000 between the PNEC and PEC, dilution within the sea would further increase these margins. It can be concluded that the present use of dichloromethane does not present a risk to the marine aquatic environment.