PRIMA: a Dutch initiative for environmental improvement of retail assortments

Cleaner production (CP) working methods should facilitate the search for feasible CP options and contribute to their on-going implementation in a company. Over the past decade, numerous working methods have been developed in order to cater for specific segments of industry. This paper describes, compares and analyses the core components of six Dutch working methods to develop a framework for CP methodologies, to draft guidelines for the selection of an appropriate working method for a certain industry, and to identify areas which require additional methodology development. A division is proposed between four types of CP working methods: indicators, scan, pre-assessment and assessment. Each of these has its strengths and weaknesses, which calls for a careful selection of the working method, which in turn could be based on size of the company, material- and energy-intensity of the production, and complexity of the production processes. This comparative evaluation further proves that the working methods are still weak in stimulating the corporate transition process from ‘end-ofpipe’ to CP thinking and acting. It is tentatively concluded that an ‘assessment’ is superior in identifying comparatively radical environmental improvements (‘innovations’) as well as in fostering the integration of CP into the daily operation and management of a company. The use of simplified working methods in selected industries, is, however, justified given their ability to contribute to the implementation of relatively obvious CP options.     

β-Glucuronidase activity in mouse oocytes,mouse preimplantation embryos,and human gametes

A microfluorimetric assay was designed to monitor β-glucuronidase (β-gluc) activity during the early development of mouse embryos and was also applied to measure β-gluc activity in human sperm cells and single human oocytes. Mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos at different stages of development, failed fertilized human oocytes, and human sperm cells were collected, and β-gluc activity was analysed. In the mouse, β-gluc activity could be measured starting from the morula stage on in a pooled sample of 15 embryos and at blasto-cyst formation in one single embryo. β-Gluc activity was low in human sperm cells. The enzyme could be readily demonstrated in 87 per cent of non-fertilized human oocytes. Considerable variation in β-gluc activity was noticed between individual oocytes.     

Does Tephrosia candida as fallow species, hedgerow or mulch improve nutrient cycling and prevent nutrient losses by erosion on slopes in northern Viet Nam?

Agroforestry is considered to be a promising alternative to short-fallow shifting cultivation or other monocropping systems. An on-farm experiment was established in 1996 in northern Viet Nam to examine the contribution of the leguminous bush Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) D.C. as a fallow or hedgerow species and as a mulch producer to improve nutrient cycling and prevent nutrient losses by erosion. The systems tested were upland rice monocropping (Mono), natural fallow (NaFa), fallow of Tephrosia (TepFa), hedgerow intercropping with upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) and internal mulching using pruned Tephrosia biomass (TepAl), and upland rice with external mulching using Tephrosia biomass (TepMu). Over two cropping seasons, from April 1996 to April 1998, nutrients recycled and inputs and exports were recorded, as well as changes in C-, N- and P-pools, and in pH in the 0–5 cm topsoil layer.The Tephrosia systems (TepFa, TepAl, TepMu) prevented nutrient losses by erosion effectively. Compared to the NaFa system, the TepFa system accumulated 34% more N in the above-ground plant parts and increased topsoil N by 20%, probably due to N-fixation. There was a trend that the less labile P-pools (NaOH-P) were reallocated into the more labile P-pools (Bicarb-P) in the soil of the TepFa system. Burning released significant amounts of the inorganic P-pools in both the NaFa and TepFa systems and this effect seemed to be more pronounced in the TepFa than in the NaFa. Organic input to crop export ratios for N and P were >1 in the TepAl and TepMu treatments. This was due to a sufficient quantity and quality of the Tephrosia mulching material. However, moderately labile NaOH-extractable organic P seemed to be depleted in the topsoil due to high P uptake in the TepMu treatment. Thus, nutrient cycling and nutrient balances were improved under the Tephrosia systems. But for long-term P sustainability, there is a belief that a combined use of mulching and mineral P fertiliser is needed.     

Elbe river flood peaks and postwar agricultural land use in East Germany

Collectivization of farmland since the 1950s has changed the agricultural land use in former East Germany. Single fields on the collective farms became increasingly large and were cultivated with increasingly heavy farm equipment. This led to large-scale physical degradation of arable soils, enhancing the formation of surface runoff in periods with prolonged and excessive precipitation. The extent to which this development may have affected the discharge behavior of the main East German river, the Elbe, has so far not been studied. We analyzed the flood peaks of the Elbe during the past century (1900-2000). The flood discharge behavior of the Elbe has apparently changed significantly since the 1950s. Although climate changes may be involved, we conclude that the Elbe flood peaks, recorded since 1950, are related to the changes in postwar agricultural land use in former East Germany. To restore the degraded farmland soils, a change in agricultural land use may be necessary.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) from the oosterschelde (Dutch Delta area) and the Western Wadden Sea, that died from starvation during severe winter weather

Wintering oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), charadriid shorebirds that chiefly feed on intertidal bivalves, suffered mass mortality in The Netherlands during severe frosts in 1986 and 1987. PCBs were analysed in liver and (partially) brain lipids of 96 birds to examine the influence of age (three categories), sex and wintering area (the Oosterschelde estuary versus the westernmost Wadden Sea) on levels, and the risk of intoxication due to starvation. Victims had lost nearly 40% of their normal winter weight. PCB-structures were similar in all age/sex categories, and in both areas. Sex did not affect total PCB-concentrations. First-winter Wadden birds had lower levels than subadults and adults, but an age-difference was absent in the Oosterschelde birds. Some juvenile outliers possibly originated from polluted breeding areas. Individual variation was considerable in most categories. Relevant ecological factors are discussed. Although a dam has considerably reduced the direct transport of PCBs into the Oosterschelde since 1969, contamination of local birds was hardly lower than in Wadden winterers. Influx of riverine PCBs into the Oosterschelde from coastal water may have been underrated. Starvation increased liver concentrations by a factor of 35; factors for the brain were 56 for juveniles and approximately 120 for older birds. Considering published lethal levels for other species, it is doubtful if PCBs contributed to this winter mortality.     

The toxicity of tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes (Ugilec 141) and polychlorobiphenyls (Aroclor 1254 and PCB-77) compared in Ah-responsive and Ah-nonresponsive mice

The toxicity of the PCB substitute Ugilec 141, a mixture of tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes (TCBTs), is compared with the toxicity of a commercial mixture of polychlorobiphenyls (Aroclor 1254) and with the model toxic PCB-congener 3,3',4,4',-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB-77) as a positive control. Alterations in liver weight, hepatic cytochrome P450 content and EROD and PROD activity, plasma thyroxin and retinol level, hepatic retinoid level and liver and thyroid pathology, have been studied in Ah-responsive and Ah-nonresponsive mice. Ugilec 141 proved to induce similar toxicological changes, qualitatively and quantitatively, to Aroclor 1254. Therefore Ugilec may pose a similar environmental and health risk as PCBs. The criteria for acceptance of new substances, like Ugilec 141, on the European market are discussed.     

Ultrasound diagnosis of fetal abnormalities and cytogenetic evaluation

Over a 65½ year period, in 288 pregnancies a variety of fetal malformations were detected by ultrasound. Two hundred and ten fetuses (73 per cent) were karyotyped. Gestational age at detection ranged from 11 to 38 weeks. The incidence of an abnormal karyotype in the total series was 14 per cent and 14.7 per cent in the 210 pregnancies in which a karyotype was performed. Single structural anomalies were found in 149 cytogenetically investigated fetuses, of which 25 had a chromosomal abnormality (17 per cent). Multiple structural malformations were present in 61 fetuses, of which 16 had an abnormal karyotype (26 per cent). Trisomy 18 was the most frequent finding. The most constant ultrasound finding in cases of an abnormal karyotype was polyhydramnios and severe IUGR in combination with structural defects. There is a need for extensive detailed ultrasound examination in high-risk pregnancies.     

Fate and transport of monoterpenes through soils. Part II: calculation of the effect of soil temperature, water saturation and organic carbon content

This theoretical study was performed to investigate the influence of soil temperature, soil water content and soil organic carbon fraction on the mobility of monoterpenes (C10HnOn') applied as pesticides to a top soil layer. This mobility was expressed as the amount volatilized and leached from the contaminated soil layer after a certain amount of time. For this, (slightly modified) published analytical solutions to a one dimensional, homogeneous medium, diffusion/advection/biodegradation mass balance equation were used. The required input-parameters were determined in a preceding study. Because the monoterpenes studied differ widely in the values for their physico-chemical properties, the relative importance of the various determinants also differed widely. Increasing soil water saturation reduced monoterpene vaporization and leaching losses although a modest increase was usually observed at high soil water contents. Organic matter served as the major retention domain, reducing volatilization and leaching losses. Increasing temperature resulted in higher volatilization and leaching losses. Monoterpene mobility was influenced by vertical water flow. Volatilization losses could be reduced by adding a clean soil layer on top of the contaminated soil. Detailed insight into the specific behaviour of different monoterpenes was obtained by discussing intermediate calculation results; the transport retardation factors and effective soil diffusion coefficients. One insight was that the air-water interface compartment is probably not an important partitioning domain for monoterpenes in most circumstances. The results further indicated that biodegradation is an important process for monoterpenes in soil.