Could we remain simply applying discount rate to evaluate the life quality of our future generations?

When we try to estimate future environmental costs resulting from our current economic activities,we usually calculate the present value of the consequences for our future generations by utilizing a discount rate as a standard economic procedure.The popularity of this procedure is solely supported by its simplicity which assumes:(1)a perfect financial market over even 100 years,and(2)existence of a stable time preference between two consecutive periods for an individual consumer.An apparent deficiency of this approach is that the present value of life quality of future generations varies to a large extent along an arbitrarily chosen discount rate.As a matter of fact,the discount rate,which could reflect the time preference as2%or 5%,matters when we predict current strategies of environmental protection for future generations.Simply applying a discount rate to evaluate the quality of our future generation,without clarifying the actual production mechanism behind this,is almost to the same as ignoring the fact that all of the goods are produced through an actual production process and that environmental degradation reduces the efficiency of that process.The greatest concern for our future generations should not be given by an assumed discount rate,since the discount rate itself is determined by financial market conditions at certain points in time.     

Antiviral Activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Tea Extract Against Human Influenza A Virus Rely Largely on Acidic pH but Partially on a Low-pH-Independent Mechanism

Food and Environmental Virology - Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is perennially one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Effective therapy and vaccination are needed to control viral...     

One-pot wet ball-milling for waste wire-harness recycling

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In this study, we developed a one-pot wet ball-milling method for the recovery of highly pure copper wire, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) coating, and...     

Sanitation of seawater effluent from seaweed processing plants using a photo-catalytic TiO2 oxidation

A fine porcelain open-cell photo-catalytic filter with titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) was evaluated for sterilization and sanitation of bio-polluted industrial water. In simulated seawater industrial effluent samples, the populations of Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus quickly decreased and reached non-detectable level within 10min. In seawater effluents from a seaweed processing plant, the bacterial populations in two samples quickly decreased by more than 10(3). In another two samples the decreases were slow and lowered by less than 10(2). Using fluorescence microscopy, it was indicated that the bacterial cells treated with photo-catalytic TiO(2) were damaged. In addition, the protein concentration in simulated seawater effluent slowly decreased using the photo-catalytic TiO(2) reaction; and reached similar concentrations as seawater near cultured seaweed beds. These results indicate that using a reactor with a TiO(2) photo-catalyst filter was effective for the sanitation of seawater effluents.     

Reconstructed 3D models of digestive organs of developing Atlantic cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus morhua</Emphasis>) larvae

Six 3D models of the digestive system during ontogeny were reconstructed from histological sections of Atlantic cod larvae. The 3D models clearly visualize the following features: folding of the gut rotation; subdivision of digestive tract into foregut, midgut, and hindgut by sphincters; development of stomach and pyloric caeca from 39 dph; location of entrances of bile and pancreatic ducts in the medial plane of the anterior midgut; ontogeny of pancreas from a compact organ to an elongated and branched (but not diffuse) organ along the posterior midgut; one dominant islet of Langerhans until 39 dph and several smaller satellite islets also visible from 53 dph; the relatively large volume of the anterior midgut that probably increases residence time of ingested food mixing with secretions from pancreas and bile. Calculated volumes of each digestive organ demonstrate allometric changes during ontogeny. Interactive 3D models are available as QuickTime format downloadable files.     

Degradation of 2,7-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin by Fe(3+)-H(2)O(2) mixed reagent

Fe(3+)-H(2)O(2) mixed reagent, but not Fe(2+)-H(2)O(2), was found to be capable of degrading 2,7-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (DCDD). A reaction mixture of FeCl(3) (8 mM) and H(2)O(2) (1%) caused approximately 50% degradation within 6 h and >90% degradation within 24 h at 27 degrees C. Increasing the temperature remarkably stimulated degradation: at 70 degrees C, approximately 100% degradation was achieved within 15 min. When DCDD-treated model soil (5 micrograms/g) was conducted, approximately 100% of the DCDD was degraded within 30 min at 70 degrees C (both reagents were added every 10 min). These results suggest that Fe(3+)-H(2)O(2) mixed reagent may be a new tool for combating persistent environmental pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls.     

Production and characterization of KOH-activated carbon derived from polychlorinated biphenyl residue generated by the sodium dispersion process

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) residues from the sodium dispersion (SD) process were employed as the raw materials for the production of activated carbon using KOH activation. The pore properties, such as the specific surface area and pore size distribution, were characterized using the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda method and the Horvath–Kawazoe method based on the N₂ adsorption isotherm at 77 K. The activated carbon produced showed similar adsorption capacities and specific surface areas to the commercially available product. The effects of the activation conditions on the porosity of the activated carbon produced were studied. The most significant factor affecting the specific surface proved to be the activation temperature. The activated carbon produced from PCB residues from the high-temperature (423–443 K) SD process had a binary pore size distribution well developed in the 4 nm region and in the micropore region. The pore structure of the carbon produced from PCB residues from the low-temperature (333–393 K) SD process had a wide range of micropores and mesopores.     

Measurement of total OH reactivity by laser-induced pump and probe technique—comprehensive observations in the urban atmosphere of Tokyo

Total OH reactivity was observed by use of the laser-induced pump and probe technique, and the urban air quality in Tokyo was diagnosed comprehensively. The concentrations of NO_x, CO, O₃, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) were observed simultaneously. The observations were conducted in July and August 2003, and in January, February, May, and November 2004. Generally, the observed OH reactivity was higher than the calculated values derived using the observed concentrations of the trace species. The differences between the observed and calculated values in summer, spring, and autumn were approximately 30%. However, the difference in winter was smaller than those in the other seasons. In addition, while the differences observed in summer, spring, and autumn correlated with the total reactivity of the OVOCs (Σ_i k_OVOCi[OVOC_i](s⁻¹), k_i is rate constant of its compounds with OH), the correlations were not confirmed in the case of winter because atmospheric oxidation was less active and OVOCs levels were low in winter. These results suggest that the secondary products of the photochemical reactions in the atmosphere would be a missing sink for the OH loss process in the urban area.     

Measurement of ammonia volatilization from a field,in upland Japan,spread with cattle slurry

Ammonia volatilization from livestock manure is one of the most important pathways of nitrogen loss from agricultural cultivated fields. In this paper, we report the measurement of ammonia emission from cattle slurry manure applied to upland in Miyazaki, Japan. It has been determined that after the cattle slurry was sprayed on the upland surface, the emission flux of the first day was 110 microg N ha(-1) s(-1). The loss of NH4(+) -N in the applied slurry was 60% after 5 days following the spraying of cattle slurry.