Screening life cycle assessment (LCA) of tomato ketchup: a case study

A screening life cycle assessment (LCA) of tomato ketchup has been carried out. The purpose was to identify ‘hot-spots', that is parts of the life-cycle that are important to the total environmental impact. The system investigated includes agricultural production, industrial refining, packaging, transportation, consumption and waste management. Energy use and emissions were quantified and some of the potential environmental effects assessed. Packaging and food processing were found to be hot-spots for many, but not all, of the impact categories investigated. For primary energy use, the storage time in a refrigerator (household phase) was found to be a critical parameter.     

Chorioangioma: A new inclusion in the prospective and retrospective evaluation of elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein

Two cases are presented which illustrate the association of elevated maternal serum alpha feteprotein (MSAFP) levels and chorioangiomas. These cases emphasize the importance of ultrasound study of the placenta in MSAFP elevation evaluation. In addition, placentas from pregnancies with otherwise unexplained MSAFP elevations should be submitted for pathologic study. A definitive retrospective diagnosis may thus be provided.     

Synthetic musk fragrances in trout from Danish fish farms and human milk

Synthetic musk compounds used in detergents and cosmetics include nitro and polycyclic musk compounds. These compounds are discharged after use via domestic wastewater and sewage treatment plants to the aquatic environment. Quantitative detection of nitro musk and polycyclic musk compounds by GC/HRMS in Danish farmed trout and human milk from primiparous mothers are reported. The polycyclic musk, HHCB, dominated the synthetic musk compounds found in trout samples from 1999 with a median concentration of 5.0microg/kg fresh weight (n.d.-52.6microg/kg fresh weight) and in trout samples collected in 2003 and 2004 with a median concentration of 1.2microg/kg fresh weight (n.d.-28.0microg/kg fresh weight). It was also found that the concentration of musk xylene in trout sampled at the same fish farms decreased considerably from a median concentration of 5.1microg/kg fresh weight in 1992 to a median of 0.5microg/kg fresh weight in 1999 and to a median less than the detection limit (0.23microg/kg fresh weight) in 2003. HHCB also dominated in Danish human milk samples collected in 1999 with a median concentration of 147microg/kg fat (38.0-422microg/kg fat). Human dietary intake assessment and body burden calculations on data from 1999 indicate that the main source of exposure to human cannot be attributed to the consumption of farmed trout.     

Air-sea gas exchange of HCHs and PCBs and enantiomers of alpha-HCH in the Kattegat Sea region

Concentrations and air-water gas exchange of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were determined in nine paired air and water samples. The samples were collected monthly in the Kattegat Sea between December 1998 and November 1999. Average fugacity and flux values indicated that PCBs were oversaturated in the water, while HCHs were net deposited. Variations were large over the year, especially during spring and summer. Air parcel back trajectories suggested that air concentrations over the Kattegat Sea are largely dependent of air mass origin. Seasonal trends were detected for airborne HCHs and for PCBs in water. The air and water enantiomeric compositions of alpha-HCH indicated that a larger portion of alpha-HCH in air originated from the underlying water during summer than during winter.     

Spatial variations and correlations in the distribution of PCDDs, PCDFs and related compounds in sediments from the river Rhine — Western Europe

PCDDs, PCDFs and some related aromatic compounds were determined isomer specifically in sediments from the river Rhine and its tributaries, in order to study sources and environmental fate of these compounds. Additionally, waste water effluents from industries that unintentionally might coproduce PCDDs or PCDFs were analyzed. In all sediments and in some waste water effluents these compounds could be detected. Variations of the isomeric patterns of the PCDFs enabled a distinct industrial area, that was associated with PCB contamination to be identified. The contamination of sediments and organisms from the Dutch river Rhine delta with these compounds mainly could be attributed to the transboundary pollution of the river Rhine.     

Partition coefficients of organic chemicals derived from reversed phase thin layer chromatography: Evaluation of methods and application on phosphate esters,polychlorinated paraffins and some PCB-substitutes

The application of reversed phase high performance thin layer chromatography has been evaluated for determination of octanol-water partition coefficients (P_oct) of organic chemicals. Best correlations between log P_oct and R_M-values were obtained on a C₁₈-bonded stationary phase using acetone-water or acetonitrile-water mixtures as eluting solvent. The latter mixture is preferred in work with high pressure liquid chromatography. A number of aryl and alkyl/aryl phosphate esters, polychlorinated paraffins and chemicals suggested as PCB-substitutes were chromatographed and the corresponding log P_oct-values calculated. Values for the phosphate esters corresponded reasonably well with previously reported data while data for other, often more complex compound mixtures (eg PCB-substitutes), need further evaluation. The use of the chromatographic system for screening purposes in work on environmentally significant data of possible organic pollutants is discussed.     

Looking on the bright side: females prefer coloration indicative of male size and condition in the sexually dichromatic spadefoot toad, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scaphiopus couchii</Emphasis>

Females across many taxa commonly use multiple or complex traits to choose mates. However, the functional significance of multiple or complex signals remains controversial and largely unknown. Different elements of multiple or complex signals may convey independent pieces of information about different aspects of a prospective mate (the “multiple messages” hypothesis). Alternatively, multiple or complex signals could provide redundant information about the same aspect of a prospective mate (the “redundant” or “back-up” signal hypothesis). We investigated these alternatives using spadefoot toads, Scaphiopus couchii. Spadefoot toads primarily use calls to attract their mates, but males also exhibit sexually dimorphic coloration. We investigated whether male coloration is indicative of male size, condition, or infection status by a socially transmitted monogenean flatworm. We found that male coloration and dorsal patterning predicts male size and condition but not infection status. Moreover, when we presented females with a choice between a bright male model and a dark male model, we found that females preferred the bright model. Because aspects of males’ calls are also associated with male size and condition, we conclude that coloration is a potentially redundant indicator of male phenotype. We suggest that coloration could enhance mate choice in conjunction with male calling behavior by providing females with a long distance cue that could enable them to identify prospective mates in a noisy chorus environment where the discrimination of individual calls is often difficult. Generally, such redundant signals may facilitate mate choice by enhancing the quality and accuracy of information females receive regarding prospective mates.     

Estimation of riverine loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Baltic Sea, 1970–1993

This article presents the results of the first critical examination of time series of riverine nutrient-load data for the entire Baltic Sea drainage area. Water quality data collected by or for the different national environmental agencies were compiled and analysed statistically to identify and remove inconsistent or obviously incorrect observations. Moreover, sampling tours were undertaken to acquire additional information about the present nutrient concentrations in the largest rivers in the study area. Gaps in the time series of approved data were then filled in by employing statistical interpolation and extrapolation methods. Thereafter, the concentration and runoff data were combined to obtain estimates of monthly nutrient loads for the time period 1970–93. The results of the calculations showed that although there had been substantial changes in land use, atmospheric deposition and wastewater treatment in many parts of the study area, the total riverine loads of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to the Baltic Sea have been fairly constant since 1980, and most likely also since 1970. Moreover, the interannual variation was clearly correlated to the runoff. The mean annual loads for the time period 1980–93 were found to be about 825 000 tonnes N and 41 000 tonnes P, respectively. This implies that (i) several other investigators have strongly underestimated the riverine loads of nutrients, especially the nitrogen, and that (ii) the riverine loads by far exceed the input to the Baltic Sea from other sources, {i.e.} atmospheric deposition, direct emissions from cities and industries along the Baltic Sea coast and nitrogen fixation by marine algae.