Integrated pollution evaluation of the Tagus River in Central Spain

The aim of this study was to integrate hydrochemical and sediment data in order to obtain a picture of the pollution state of the Tagus River along central Spain. This area is of special interest because tributaries from the Madrid region are discharged and no previous data were available. Waters and sediments were sampled between 2002 and 2004 from selected sites before and after Jarama River confluence (Madrid city input). The samples were analysed for more than 50 parameters, including those of physico-chemical nature and those reporting the pollution caused by both metals and organic compounds. The quality of waters for different uses has been tested and statistical quality indexes of both global and partial type has also been established. Sediments pollution state was evaluated by comparison with general quality standards. A high degree of pollution and general degradation was observed in the Tagus River downstream the Jarama River input. The pollution of waters is mainly related to parameters indicators of organic pollution from urban sewage. In sediments, a dramatic increase in the concentration of trace metals was found in different points, exceeding toxicological threshold. Further studies would be necessary for organic pollutants and also to evaluate the remobilization potential.     

The application of Geographical Information Systems to determine environmental impact significance

This paper presents a new methodology for impact assessment—SIAM (Spatial Impact Assessment Methodology)—which is based on the assumption that the importance of environmental impacts is dependent, among other things, on the spatial distribution of the effects and of the affected environment. The information generated by the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in impact identification and prediction stages of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is used in the assessment of impact significance by the computation of a set of impact indices. For each environmental component (e.g., air pollution, water resources, biological resources), impact indices are calculated based on the spatial distribution of impacts. A case study of impact evaluation of a proposed highway in Central Portugal illustrates the application of the methodology and shows its capabilities to be adapted to the particular characteristics of a given EIA problem.     

Spatial and seasonal distribution of 17 endocrine disruptor compounds in an urban estuary (Mondego River,Portugal): evaluation of the estrogenic load of the area

The Mondego River estuary demonstrates signs of pollution, but the levels of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), such as the natural (17β-estradiol and estrone) and pharmaceutical (17α-ethynylestradiol) estrogens, xenoestrogenic industrial pollutants (4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, and their mono- and diethoxylates and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, and genistein), and sitosterol were either poorly or never measured in this area. Thus, to conclude about the influx of EDCs in this estuary, water samples were taken every 2 months, during 1 year (2010) in low tide, at eight sites distributed along the estuary. Water samples (1 L) were preconcentrated in the Oasis HLB cartridges and cleaned in silica cartridges before their analysis by GC-MS. In summer, potentially hazardous amounts of estrogens (≈26 ng L^?1), alkylphenols (≈11.5 μg L^?1), alkylphenolethoxylates (≈13 μg L^?1), and phytoestrogens (≈5.6 μg L^?1) were measured. These data suggest that changes in the hydrodynamics of the estuary coupled with the increase of water temperatures interfere with the amount of EDCs in the water. Complementary physicochemical parameters also point to high levels of anthropogenic pollution in this area. Globally, the estrogenic load, expressed in ethynylestradiol equivalents, attained 71.8 ng L^?1 demonstrating that, all together, the measured EDCs pose important health risks for both biota and humans.     

Chromium fractionation and speciation in natural waters

It is common for leather industries to dump chromium-contaminated effluent into rivers and other bodies of water. Thus, it is crucial to know the impacts caused by this practice to the environment. A study on chromium partitioning and speciation, with determination at trace levels, was carried out in a potentially contaminated creek. Chromium fractionation and speciation was performed using a flow-injection preconcentration system and detection by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. High levels of this element were found in the particulate material (449-9320 mg kg(-1)), which indicates its compatibility with this fraction. The concentration of Cr(iii) in the water samples collected ranged from 5.2-105.2 μg L(-1). Cr(vi) was always below of the DL (0.3 μg L(-1)). Chromium accumulation observed in the sediment (873-1691 mg kg(-1)) may confirm contamination due to the long term release of contaminated effluents in the creek.     

Elaeis guineensis-activated carbon for methylene blue removal: adsorption capacity and optimization using CCD-RSM

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The activated biochar is a carbonaceous material obtained from thermal degradation of biomass with high adsorption potential. On the other hand, the...     

Biological activities of the essential oil from the leaves of Lantana montevidensis (Spreng) Briq. in mice

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This work aimed to analyze the chemical composition and evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of the essential oil obtained...     

A proposed framework to assess upstream supply chain sustainability

There are few methods that are suitable for assessing the sustainability of companies and supply chains in an integrated way, taking into consideration the economic, social and environmental dimensions. This paper proposes a framework for assessing the sustainability of individual companies and their corresponding upstream supply chain. The framework consists of a set of steps to evaluate the sustainability of both the individual company and their upstream supply chain. The linear aggregation technique is suggested to combine the set of indicators from the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability into a unique value, giving rise to a composite index for the company and corresponding supply chain. The proposed framework represents a contribution in the area of index construction and could be used as a valuable component of sustainability reporting and sustainability management practices. It also represents an important benchmarking tool, offering managers the possibility of identifying the supply chain partners that are best and worst performers in terms of sustainability while at the same time making it possible to improve company performance. Managers can adjust their company’s behaviour according to their sustainability index score and improve economic, social and environmental performance.     

Source apportionment of settleable particles in an impacted urban and industrialized region in Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Settleable particulate matter (SPM), especially coarser particles with diameters greater than 10 μm, has been found culprit of high...