Maternal exposure to polybrominated and polychlorinated biphenyls: infant birth weight and gestational age

Understanding the influence of maternal exposures on gestational age and birth weight is essential given that pre-term and/or low birth weight infants are at risk for increased mortality and morbidity. We performed a retrospective analysis of a cohort exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) through accidental contamination of cattle feed and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) through residual contamination in the geographic region. Our study population consisted of 444 mothers and their 899 infants born between 1975 and 1997. Using restricted maximum likelihood estimation, no significant association was found between estimated maternal serum PBB at conception or enrollment PCB levels and gestational age or infant birth weight in unadjusted models or in models that adjusted for maternal age, smoking, parity, infant gender, and decade of birth. For enrollment maternal serum PBB, no association was observed for gestational age. However, a negative association with high levels of enrollment maternal serum PBB and birth weight was suggested. We also examined the birth weight and gestational age among offspring of women with the highest (10%) PBB or PCB exposure, and observed no significant association. Because brominated compounds are currently used in consumer products and therefore, are increasingly prevalent in the environment, additional research is needed to better understand the potential relationship between in utero exposure to brominated compounds and adverse health outcomes.     

Atmospheric Deposition and Ozone Levels in Swiss Forests: Are Critical Values Exceeded?

Air pollution affects forest health through atmospheric deposition of acidic and nitrogen compounds and elevated levels of tropospheric ozone (O₃). In 1985, a monitoring network was established across Europe and various research efforts have since been undertaken to define critical values. We measured atmospheric deposition of acidity and nitrogen as well as ambient levels of O₃ on 12, 13, and 14 plots, respectively, in the framework of the Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF) in the period from 1995 to 2002. We estimated the critical loads of acidity and of nitrogen, using the steady state mass balance approach, and calculated the critical O₃ levels using the AOT40 approach. The deposition of acidity exceeded the critical loads on 2 plots and almost reached them on 4 plots. The median of the measured molar ratio of base nutrient cations to total dissolved aluminium (Bc/Al) in the soil solution was higher than the critical value of 1 for all depths, and also at the plots with an exceedance of the critical load of acidity. For nitrogen, critical loads were exceeded on 8 plots and deposition likely represents a long-term ecological risk on 3 to 10 plots. For O₃, exceedance of critical levels was recorded on 12 plots, and led to the development of typical O₃-induced visible injury on trees and shrubs, but not for all plots due to (1) the site specific composition of O₃ sensitive and tolerant plant species, and (2) the influence of microclimatic site conditions on the stomatal behaviour, i.e., O₃ uptake.     

Amine volatility in CO2 capture

Amine volatility is a key screening criterion for amines to be used in CO₂ capture. Excessive volatility may result in significant economic losses and environmental impact. It also dictates the capital cost of the water wash. This paper reports measured amine volatility in 7 m MEA (monoethanolamine), 8 m PZ (piperazine), 7 m MDEA (n-methyldiethanolamine)/2 m PZ (piperazine), 12 m EDA (ethylenediamine), and 5 m AMP (2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol) at 40–60 °C with lean and rich loadings giving CO₂ partial pressures of 0.5 and 5 kPa at 40 °C. The amine concentrations were chosen to maximize CO₂ capture capacity at acceptable viscosity. At the lean loading condition (where volatility is of greatest interest), the amines are ranked in order of increasing volatility: 7 m MDEA/2 m PZ (6/2 ppm), 8 m PZ (8 ppm), 12 m EDA (9 ppm), 7 m MEA (31 ppm), and 5 m AMP (112 ppm). The apparent amine partial molar excess enthalpies in these systems were estimated to range from ～10 to 87 kJ/mol of amine.     

The Role of Water Doctrines in Enhancing Opportunities for Sustainable Agriculture in Alabama1

Abstract: Alabama is a water rich state. Yet, agriculture is limited in both scale and productivity and the state regularly suffers from drought. Climate variability adds to this paradox even while water users, particularly farmers, have few coping mechanisms. In this paper, we argue that more significant than the water resource itself in Alabama is the governance structure of that resource. The riparian doctrine, as it stands, stymies effective management. The role of water doctrines, and resultant policy, is, therefore, crucial to enhancing decision‐making opportunities for agricultural end‐users in Alabama. After exploring different doctrine types as applied across the states we conclude that a move towards “regulated riparianism” consistent with the American Society of Civil Engineers Regulated Riparian Water Code (2004) would enhance opportunities for both the state and agriculturalists to cope with variable water supply conditions while maximizing environmental benefits. The paper then concludes with a review of the primary objectives of the Water Code and key places where Alabama’s Water Code would need revision to meet these objectives.     

A model-based assessment of the environmental impact of land-use change across scales in Southern Amazonia

Regional Environmental Change - This article describes the design of a new model-based assessment framework to identify and analyse possible future trajectories of agricultural development and...     

The GTP of Methane: Modeling Analysis of Temperature Impacts of Methane and Carbon Dioxide Reductions

The Global Temperature Potential (GTP) has recently been proposed as an alternative to the Global Warming Potential (GWP). Using two different Earth Models of Intermediate Complexity, we show that the solution to the 100-year sustained GTP for methane is significantly larger than the equivalent GWP due to the inclusion of future changes in greenhouse gas concentrations in the reference scenario and different atmospheric chemistry assumptions. This result suggests that methane reductions may be undervalued when using GWPs, but the policy implications depend on how the objectives of greenhouse gas policy are defined.     

Nitric acid recycling and copper nitrate recovery from effluent

The recycling of nitric acid and copper nitrate contained in an industrial effluent was studied. The experiments conducted on such a medium showed that the presence of copper nitrate significantly improves nitric acid-water separation during distillation in an azeotropic medium. At the temperature of the azeotrope, however, this metal salt starts to precipitate, making the medium pasty, thus inhibiting the nitric acid extraction process. The optimisation of parameters such as column efficiency and adding water to the boiler at the azeotrope temperature are recommended in this protocol in order to collect the various components while avoiding the formation of by-products: NO_x compounds. Thus, the absence of column, along with the addition of a small volume of water at a temperature of 118 °C, significantly increases the yield, allowing 94 % nitric acid to be recovered at the end of the process, along with the residual copper nitrate. The resulting distillate, however, is sufficiently dilute to not be used as is. Rectification is required to obtain concentrated nitric acid at 15 mol·l^?1, along with a weakly acidic distillate from the distillation front. This latter is quenched using potassium hydroxide and is used as a fertiliser solution for horticulture or sheltered market gardening. This process thus allows complete recycling of all the medium’s components, including that of the distillate resulting from the nitric acid rectification operation.     

Leaching of potential hazardous elements of coal cleaning rejects

The geochemical characteristics of coal cleaning rejects (CCR) in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, were investigated. Around 3.5 million ton/ year of coal waste are dumped in Santa Catarina State. Coal beneficiation by froth flotation results in large amounts of CCR composed of coaly and mineral matter, the latter characterised by the occurrence of sulphide minerals and a broad array of leachable elements. The total and leachable contents of more than 60 elements were analysed. Atmospheric exposure promotes sulphide oxidation that releases substantial sulphate loads as well as Ca^2?+?, K^?+?, Mg^2?+?, Cl^??? and Al^3?+?. The metals with the most severe discharges were Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Ni and Cd. Most trace pollutants in the CCR displayed a marked pH-dependent solubility, being immobile in near-neutral samples. The results highlight the complex interactions among mineral matter solubility, pH and the leaching of potentially hazardous elements.     

Lung function among residents from the largest coal region in Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal mining and burning activities in coal-fired power plants are among the most polluting activities in developing countries. In Brazil, the Candiota...