Insecticide Contamination of Jamaican Environment. IV. Transport of the Residues Coffee Plantations in the Blue Mountains to Coastal Waters in Eastern Jamaica

A survey of 120 coffee farmers in the Portland watershed revealed that they lacked training in pesticide application, and had no concept of the transport of residues in the environment and their impact on non-target organisms.Residues of organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorous compounds (OP) were monitored monthly for over a year in plantation soil, and water, sediment and fauna of three rivers and coastal waters of Portland watershed by gas chromatography. OP residues were not detected in any sample while OC residues were below detection levels in Rio Grande. The mean concentration ± standard error of residues detected in water (g L^_1), sediment (ng g^_1) and fauna (ng g^_1 in wet weight) were: -endosulfan 2.7 ± 1.29, 3.8 ± 0.15 and 15.9 ± 1.61, respectively, in Spanish River, 1.56 ± 0.43, 24.3 ± 16.44 and 9.0 ± 1.86, respectively, in Swift River; 0.40 ± 0.02, 1.77 ± 0.68 ± 12.63, respectively, in sea coast; -endosulfan, 1.2 ± 0.48, 0 and 8.1 ± 1.99, respectively, in Spanish River, 1.9 ± 0.49, 0.75 ± 0.32 and 11. ± 4.32, respectively, in Swift River; 0, 5.1 ± 0.30 and 30.9 ± 15.96, respectively, in sea coast; endosulfan sulphate, 0.12 ± 0.12, 4.8 ± 1.62 and 10.0 ± 2.02, respectively, in Spanish River, 3.6 ± 0.95, 3.1 ± 0.56 and 7.9 ± 1.29, respectively, in Swift River and 0, 3.9 ± 2.17 and 24.0 ± 14.67, respectively, in sea coast.Dieldrin residues were detected only once in water (0.2 ± 0.03) and sediment (0.02 ± 0.003) of Spanish River, water (0.76 ± 0.09) of Swift River and sediment (0.1 ± 0.005) of sea coast; pp DDE was found twice in water (3.1 ± 1.53) and sediment (0.1 ± 0.007) of Swift River and water (0.8 ± 0.22) and sediment (6.14 ± 0.41) of sea coast. Arochlor was detected only twice (0.011 and 0.153) in water of Spanish River.     

Concentrations of Particulate Matter Emitted from Large Cattle Feedlots in Kansas

Effective August 1, 1978 the Government of Canada ordered that all future federal regulations of significant economic import, covering the subjects of health, safety and fairness be preceded by the publication of a formal socioeconomic impact analysis (SEIA). Environmental protection regulations are included. I encountered my first public reaction to this announcement at a conference in Ottawa on the subject of “Jobs and the Environment”. A union official duly observed that the SEIA was obviously industry’s answer to having to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments. Not much later, I was told by a senior environmental official of an overseas country that what SEIA really did was to place the burden of proof on governments as to the need for control, rather than leaving industry to show that their activities were not damaging to the environment.     

Particle Size Distribution of Urban Lead Aerosols

Size distributions of lead aerosols were obtained for 61 test periods in five urban and two remote areas of the United States. The tests were carried out under a variety of weather conditions in downtown, industrial, and residential locations of Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, Chicago, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and remote sites in Oklahoma and Arizona. Samples were obtained with a modified Goetz Aerosol spectrometer. Various fractions of the collected samples were analyzed by the dithizone method for lead and the size distributions were calculated on the basis of the chemical determinations. Size distributions were generally similar at the several sampling sites covered in the study.     

Particle Concentrations Inside a Tavern Before and After Prohibition of Smoking: Evaluating the Performance of an Indoor Air Quality Model

Abstract

Measurements were made of respirable suspended particles (RSP) in a large sports tavern on 26 dates over approximately two years in which smoking was allowed, followed by measurements on 50 dates during the year after smoking was prohibited. The smoking prohibition occurred without warning when the city government passed a regulation restricting smoking in local restaurants and taverns. Two follow-up field surveys, consisting of 24 and 26 visits, respectively, were conducted to measure changes in RSP levels after smoking was prohibited. No decrease in tavern attendance was evident after smoking was prohibited. During the smoking period, the average RSP concentration was 56.8 |ig/m3 above the outdoor concentrations, but the average abruptly dropped to 5.9 ug/m3 above outdoor levels—a 90% decrease— on 24 visits in the first two months immediately after smoking was prohibited (first follow-up study). A second set of 26 follow-up visits (matched by time of day, day of the week, and season to the earlier smoking visits) yielded an average concentration of 12.9 jig/m3 above the outdoor levels, or an overall decrease in the average RSP concentration of 77% compared with the smoking period. During the smoking period, RSP concentrations more than 100 ug/m3 above outdoor levels occurred on 30.7% of the visits. During the 50 nonsmoking visits, 92% of the RSP concentrations were less than 20 u,g/m3 above outdoor levels, and no concentration exceeded 100 ug/m3 on any nonsmoking visit. The data show there was a striking decline in indoor RSP concentrations in the tavern after smoking was prohibited. The indoor concentration observed in the nonsmoking periods (9.1 u.g/m3 average for all nonsmoking visits) was attributed to cooking and resuspended dust. A mathematical model based on the mass balance equation was developed that included smoking, cooking, and resuspended dust. Using cigarette emission rates from the literature, the tavern volume of 521 m3, and the air exchange rate measured in the tavern under conditions regarded by the management as "typical," the model predicted 42.5 ug/m3 for an average smoking count of 1.17 cigarettes, which compared favorably with the average concentration of 43.9 ng/m3 observed in the tavern. A regression analysis indicated that the active smoking count explained over 50% of the variation of the RSP concentrations measured on different dates. The mathematical model can be used to estimate RSP concentrations from smoking in other similar taverns under similar conditions.     

Monitoring dissolved organic carbon in surface and drinking waters

The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) strongly impacts drinking water treatment, water quality, and water behavior during distribution. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were determined daily over a 22 month period in river water before and after conventional drinking water treatment using an on-line total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer. Quantitative and qualitative variations in organic matter were related to precipitation and runoff, seasons and operating conditions. Following a rainfall event, DOC levels could increase by 3.5 fold over baseflow concentrations, while color, UV absorbance values and turbidity increased by a factor of 8, 12 and 300, respectively. Treated water DOC levels were closely related to the source water quality, with an average organic matter removal of 42% after treatment.     

Common and Conflicting Interests in the Engagements between Conservation Organizations and Corporations

The conservation community increasingly views the corporate sector as a positive force for conservation. Collaborations between corporations and nongovernmental conservation organizations (NGOs) seek to mitigate the negative effects of corporate activities and augment positive conservation outcomes. I reviewed the establishment of corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies by corporations; the emerging focus on environmental practices and sustainability; and the history of engagement between corporations and nongovernmental organizations. I considered the ethical and reputation vulnerabilities of these collaborations, which depend especially on the financial nature of the relationship and reviewed how CSR approaches have influenced corporate practices. I concluded that whereas CSR practices can act to mitigate negative environmental impact, to date they have had limited positive effect on biodiversity conservation. Intereses Comunes y Conflictivos en los Compromisos entre Organizaciones y Corporaciones de Conservación