From the traditional concept of safety management to safety integrated with quality

This editorial reviews the evolution of the concepts of safety and quality that have been used in the traditional workplace. The traditional programs of safety are explored showing strengths and weaknesses. The concept of quality management is also viewed. Safety management and quality management principles, stages, and measurement are highlighted. The concepts of quality and safety guarantee are assessed. Total Quality Management concepts are reviewed and applied to safety quality. Total safety management principles are discussed. Finally, an analysis of the relationship between quality and safety from data collected from a company in Spain is presented.     

Fungi and nematodes occurring in different composts used in Uruguayan agriculture

Forty three thermophilic, thermotolerant and mesophilic fungal species and nematodes from five trophic groups were found in four compost types. Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger were the most frequent species. Plant pathogenic fungi viz. Fusarium oxysporum, F. acuminatum, F. nygamai and F. solani were found in some of the composts in low frequency. The most abundant species of nematode corresponded to bacterivores. Tylenchus, a phytophagous nematode was scarcely found.     

Development of a framework for fire risk assessment using remote sensing and geographic information system technologies

Forest fires play a critical role in landscape transformation, vegetation succession, soil degradation and air quality. Improvements in fire risk estimation are vital to reduce the negative impacts of fire, either by lessen burn severity or intensity through fuel management, or by aiding the natural vegetation recovery using post-fire treatments. This paper presents the methods to generate the input variables and the risk integration developed within the Firemap project (funded under the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology) to map wildland fire risk for several regions of Spain. After defining the conceptual scheme for fire risk assessment, the paper describes the methods used to generate the risk parameters, and presents proposals for their integration into synthetic risk indices. The generation of the input variables was based on an extensive use of geographic information system and remote sensing technologies, since the project was intended to provide a spatial and temporal assessment of risk conditions. All variables were mapped at 1 km² spatial resolution, and were integrated into a web-mapping service system. This service was active in the summer of 2007 for semi-operational testing of end-users. The paper also presents the first validation results of the danger index, by comparing temporal trends of different danger components and fire occurrence in the different study regions.     

Radium and uranium levels in vegetables grown using different farming management systems

Vegetables grown with phosphate fertilizer (conventional management), with bovine manure fertilization (organic management) and in a mineral nutrient solution (hydroponic) were analyzed and the concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra in lettuce, carrots, and beans were compared. Lettuce from hydroponic farming system showed the lowest concentration of radionuclides 0.51 for ²²⁶Ra, 0.55 for ²²⁸Ra and 0.24 for ²³⁸U (Bq kg⁻¹ dry). Vegetables from organically and conventionally grown farming systems showed no differences in the concentration of radium and uranium. Relationships between uranium content in plants and exchangeable Ca and Mg in soil were found, whereas Ra in vegetables was inversely correlated to the cation exchange capacity of soil, leading to the assumption that by supplying carbonate and cations to soil, liming may cause an increase of U and a decrease of radium uptake by plants. The soil to plant transfer varied from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻² for ²³⁸U and from 10⁻² to 10⁻¹ for ²²⁸Ra.     

Evaluation of Fenton and ozone-based advanced oxidation processes as mature landfill leachate pre-treatments

Fenton treatment (Fe²⁺/H₂O₂) and different ozone-based Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) (O₃, O₃/OH⁻ and O₃/H₂O₂) were evaluated as pre-treatment of a mature landfill leachate, in order to improve the biodegradability of its recalcitrant organic matter for subsequent biological treatment. With a two-fold diluted leachate, at optimised experimental conditions (initial pH 3, H₂O₂ to Fe²⁺ molar ratio of 3, Fe²⁺ dosage of 4 mmol L⁻¹, and reaction time of 40 min) Fenton treatment removed about 46% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and increased the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) to COD ratio (BOD₅/COD) from 0.01 to 0.15. The highest removal efficiency and biodegradability was achieved by ozone at higher pH values, solely or combined with H₂O₂. These results confirm the enhanced production of hydroxyl radical under such conditions. After the application for 60 min of ozone at 5.6 g O₃ h⁻¹, initial pH 7, and 400 mg L⁻¹ of hydrogen peroxide, COD removal efficiency was 72% and BOD₅/COD increased from 0.01 to 0.24. An estimation of the operating costs of the AOPs processes investigated revealed that Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ was the most economical system (8.2 € m⁻³ g⁻¹ of COD removed) to treat the landfill leachate. This economic study, however, should be treated with caution since it does not consider the initial investment, prices at plant scale, maintenance and labour costs.     

Interaction of short-term testosterone treatment with osmotic acclimation in the gilthead sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparus auratus</Emphasis>

To assess the interaction between testosterone (T) treatment and acclimation to different salinities, seawater-acclimated gilthead sea bream (Sparus auratus) were implanted with slow-release coconut oil implants alone (control) or containing T (5 μg/g body mass). After 5 days, eight fish of control and T-treated groups were sampled. The same day, eight fish of each group were transferred to low salinity water (LSW, 6 ppt, hypoosmotic test), seawater (SW, 38 ppt, control test) and high salinity water (HSW, 55 ppt, hyperosmotic test) and sampled 9 days later. Gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity increased in HSW-acclimated fish with respect to SW- and LSW-acclimated fish in both control and T-treated groups. Kidney Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity was also enhanced in HSW-acclimated fish, but only in T-treated group. From a metabolic point of view, most of the changes observed can be attributed to the action of salinity and T treatment alone, since few interactions between T treatment and osmotic acclimation to different salinities were observed. Those interactions included in treated fish: in the liver, decreased capacity in using glucose in fish acclimated to extreme salinities; in the gills, decreased capacity in using amino acids in HSW; in the kidneys increased capacity in using amino acids in extreme salinities; and in the brain, decreased glycogen and acetoacetate levels of fish in LSW.     

Laboratory study on the leaching potential of spent alkaline batteries

Four different leaching tests were carried out with spent alkaline batteries as an attempt to quantify the environmental potential burdens associated with landfilling. The tests were performed in columns filled up with batteries either entire or cross-cut, using either deionized water or nitric acid solution as leachant. In a first set of tests, the NEN 7343 standard procedure was followed, with leachant circulating in open circuit from bottom to top through columns. These tests were extended to another leaching step where leachant percolated the columns in a closed loop process.Leachate solutions were periodically sampled and pH, conductivity, density, redox potential, sulphates, chlorides and heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl and Zn) were determined in the samples.The results showed that the total amount of substances leached in tests with cross-cut batteries was higher than with entire ones; zinc and sulphates were the substances found the most in the leachate solutions. In general, the amount of substances dissolved in open circuit is higher than in closed loop due to the effect of solution saturation and the absence of fresh solution addition.Results were compared with metal contents in the batteries and with legal limits for acceptance in landfill (Decision 2003/33/CE and Decree-Law 152/2002). None of the metals were meaningfully dissolved comparatively to its content in the batteries, except Hg. Despite the differences in the experiment procedure used and the one stated in the legislation (mixing, contact time and granulometry), the comparison of results obtained with cross-cut batteries using deionized water with legal limits showed that batteries studied could be considered hazardous waste.     

International retirement migration in the Alicante region,Spain: process,spatial pattern and environmental impacts

International retirement migration has become an increasing phenomenon in the Mediterranean region of Alicante, Spain. Through an interdisciplinary approach, relationships between the migration process, landscape change and environmental impacts are examined. Lifestyle-related perceptions and demands of UK retirees are studied as a major driving force of urbanisation. The extent and quality of the process is assessed by statistical and land use data analysis. Results reveal a distinctive spatial pattern of in-migration and the emergence of an archetypical landscape, consisting of a mosaic of remaining natural and urbanised landscape along the Mediterranean coast. The paper discusses the necessity of retirees' integration into sustainable planning and decision making.