From the environmental debt to the environmental loan: trends and future challenges for intergenerational discounting

It is well known that the incorporation of the intergenerational equity objective has turned the traditional Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA) approach into an obsolete tool for the evaluation of certain types of projects, particularly those exhibiting many environmental externalities and those whose effects extend throughout a long period of time. Two main changes are taking place in CBA in order to adapt this methodology to the sustainable development paradigm: (a) the development of new tools for the economic valuation of environmental externalities that were traditionally left out of the analysis; and (b) an in-depth revision of the theoretical foundations underlying the traditional approaches to discounting, since the repercussions of decisions that are presently being debated will extend to a distant future (in some cases for centuries), whereas in the classical CBA, we deal with few decades at best. This paper aims at investigating the discounting operation in CBA, trying to summarize the main approaches available in the literature, with specific reference to the tools which allow future generations to be included in the analysis. In order to support the theoretical explanation, a real case study is analysed concerning the evaluation of a waste incinerator that has been constructed in the Province of Turin (Italy).     

Potential ability of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to phytomanage an urban brownfield soil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The ability of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Badischer Geudertheimer) for phytomanaging and remediating soil ecological functions at a...     

High self-recruitment levels in a Mediterranean littoral fish population revealed by microsatellite markers

Self-recruitment rates are essential parameters in the estimation of connectivity among populations, having important consequences in marine conservation biology. Using ten highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, we estimate, over 3 years, the self-recruitment in a population of Tripterygion delaisi in the NW Mediterranean. Six previously described source populations were used for the assignment (Costa Brava, Columbretes, Formentera, Cabo de Palos, Cabo de Gata and Tarifa). Even though this species has a 16–21 day larval duration, a mean of 66.4 ± 1.4% of the recruits settled in their natal population. When refining in a more local scale the origin of individuals self-recruited to Costa Brava, using as source the three sampling localities that conform this population (Cap de Creus, Tossa and Blanes), the highest percentage (40.6 ± 8.9%) was self-assigned to the adult source locality (Blanes) where recruits were sampled each year. Our results suggest that a high proportion of the larvae of T. delaisi remained close to, or never leave, their natal spawning area. This observation can be extrapolated to other species with similar early life-history traits and low adult mobility and can have important implications for the conservation and management of Mediterranean littoral fishes.     

Heavy Metals in Sediments and Oysters From Bluefields Bay, Nicaragua

The distribution of trace metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) was investigated during a year (1994-95) in surface and core sediment samples and in the oyster (Crassotrea rhizophorae) from Bluefields Bay, Nicaragua. the aim was to assess the arthropogenic impact of potential pollutant sources, mainly Bluefields City, since domestic waste waters are discharged directly or by infiltration to the bay. Lyophilised samples were submitted to different acid digestion methods and analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. the results showed highest contents for copper, lead and zinc near Bluefields City, with an increase in the affected area in the rainy season that is generated by greater city run off. Metal contents in oysters do not show the same distribution pattern than in sediments and were similar to those from other areas without reflecting pollution levels.     

Occurrence of Norovirus and Hepatitis A Virus in Wild Mussels Collected from the Baltic Sea

The aim of the study was to define the occurrence of human noroviruses of genogroup I and II (NoV GI and NoV GII) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the Baltic Sea mussels. The shellfish samples were taken at the sampling sites located on the Polish coast. In total, 120 shellfish were tested as pooled samples using RT-PCR and hybridisation with virus specific probes. NoV GI was detected in 22 (18.3 %), NoV GII in 28 (23.3 %), and HAV in 9 (7.5 %) of the shellfish. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the detected NoV GII strains showed a 97.3–99.3 % similarity to GII.4 virus strain. This is the first report describing the NoV and HAV occurrence in wild Baltic mussels and their possible role as bioindicators of seawater contamination with human enteric viruses.     

Environmental Effectors on the Inactivation of Human Adenoviruses in Water

Environmental factors are highly relevant to the global dissemination of viral pathogens. However, the specific contribution of major effectors such as temperature and sunlight on the inactivation of waterborne viruses is not well characterized. In this study, the effect of temperature (7, 20, and 37 °C), UVB and UVA radiation on viral inactivation was evaluated in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), mineral water, wastewater, 1,000-fold diluted wastewater and seawater. The stability of human adenoviruses infectivity, known as human pathogens and indicators of fecal contamination, was monitored during 24 h, both in the dark and exposed to UV radiation by immunofluorescence assays. In the dark, no Human adenovirus (HAdV) inactivation was observed in PBS and mineral water at any of the temperatures studied, whereas at 37 °C in reactors with higher microbial concentration (wastewater, diluted wastewater, and seawater), decays between 2.5 and 5 log were recorded. UVB radiation showed a dramatic effect on HAdV inactivation and 6-log were achieved in all reactors by the end of the experiments. The effect of UVA showed to be dependent on the water matrix analyzed. At 20 °C, HAdV showed a 2-log decay in all reactors radiation while at 37 °C, results in wastewater, diluted wastewater, and seawater reactors were equivalent to those observed in the dark. These results suggest UVB radiation as the major environmental factor challenging viral inactivation, followed by biotic activity indirectly associated to higher temperatures and finally, by UVA radiation.     

Different growth rates between loggerhead sea turtles (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Caretta caretta</Emphasis>) of Mediterranean and Atlantic origin in the Mediterranean Sea

We estimated for the first time the growth rates of loggerhead sea turtles of Mediterranean and of Atlantic origin found in the Mediterranean Sea, combining both skeletochronological and genetic analyses. Our growth models suggested that the growth rate of loggerhead sea turtles of Mediterranean origin was faster than that of their conspecifics with an Atlantic origin exploiting the feeding grounds in the Mediterranean Sea. The age at maturity for Mediterranean origin loggerhead sea turtles, estimated using our best fitting model, was 24 years, which suggests that loggerhead sea turtles nesting in the Mediterranean are not only smaller than those nesting in the western North Atlantic but also younger.     

Evaluation of genotoxicity in Rhamdia quelen (Pisces, Siluriformes) after sub-chronic contamination with Fipronil

Diverse genetic biomarkers have been used to evaluate the effects of pollution by mutagenic agents such as metals and pesticides, as well as a large variety of chemical substances derived from human activities. This work researched the effects that an exposure of 60 days to the insecticide Fipronil (concentrations of 0.05, 0.10 and 0.23 μg/L) can cause in the fish Rhamdia quelen using Comet assay with gills, histopathological analysis of gills and the Piscine Micronucleus test and Nuclear Morphological Alterations. The results for the Comet assay and for gills histopathological injuries showed no difference between the control group and the contaminated groups. In the Piscine Micronucleus test, the smallest concentration of Fipronil (0.05 μg/L) was similar as the control group, while concentrations of 0.10 and 0.23 μg/L caused more damage to the DNA. These results suggested that only the highest concentrations of Fipronil tested cause damage in erythrocytes, but none of these concentrations was sufficient to alter the DNA in the gill cells. R. quelen may be a less sensitive bioindicator than other fish that have been tested. On the other hand, the concentrations used may not have been sufficient to detect alterations in the DNA of R. quelen with the chosen tests. Works like this take on great importance given the enormous quantity of substances that are thrown daily into the environment in an uncontrolled way, without evaluation of the consequences. The application of these tests with other concentrations, tissues and exposure times is suggested for future works.     

An evaluation of selected chemical,biochemical, and biological parameters of soil enriched with vermicompost

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this study was to assess the changes in chemical and microbial properties and enzymatic activity of soil enriched with vermicompost derived...