Evaluating the impact of interdisciplinary networking in environmental geochemistry and health: reviewing SEGH conferences and workshops

The Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH) is a forum for multidisciplinary interaction relating the geochemical environment to health. With national funding, SEGH identified collaborative opportunities through the MULTITUDE series of workshops (2007–2011). We reviewed the meetings by electronic questionnaire (39?% response). Smaller meetings saw most returning delegates, suggesting networking and personal interaction is a key positive feature of SEGH; 31?% of practitioners and 25?% of academics participated in more than one meeting. Collaboration between SEGH participants resulted in joint funding (13 academics, 4 practitioners, 1 other) and joint papers (19, 5, 3). Evidence of behavioural change was seen in comments in five themes regarding the impacts of the conferences: support for current direction; impact on education practice (academics); new approaches; networking; multidisciplinary work. Multidisciplinary meetings and resulting networking were seen as having real value by many respondents, who encouraged further active pursuit of these activities. SEGH is eager to continue these activities which transform research, education and practice, resulting in a better understanding of the structure and processes comprising the broad geochemical environment on health. Comments showed the value and strength of small, well-organised conferences, bringing together a mixed group of disciplines, both research and applied, in a relaxed atmosphere. The absence of serious negative critique along with clear, positive comments suggests that there is a substantial level of support for, and even pleasure in, SEGH multidisciplinary conferences and workshops over the past years. It is encouraging that annual European conferences are viewed as such a positive achievement.     

A biogenic volatile organic compound emission inventory for Hong Kong

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the atmosphere react to form ozone and secondary organic aerosols, which deteriorate air quality, affect human health, and indirectly influence global climate changes. The present study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of BVOC emissions in Hong Kong (HKSAR). Thriteen local tree species were measured for their isoprene emission potential. Tree distribution was estimated for country park areas based on field survey data. Plant emission data obtained from measurements and the literature, tree distribution estimation data, land use information, and meteorological data were combined to estimate annual BVOC emissions of 8.6×10⁹ g C for Hong Kong. Isoprene, monoterpenes, and other VOCs contributed about 30%, 40%, and 30% of the estimated total annual emissions, respectively. Although hundreds of plant species are found in Hong Kong country parks, the model results indicate that only 10 tree species contribute about 76% of total annual VOC emissions. Prominent seasonal and diurnal variations in emissions were also predicted by the model. The present study lays a solid foundation for future local research, and results can be applied for studying BVOC emissions in nearby southern China and Asian regions that share similar climate and plant distributions.     

Future land use and land cover influences on regional biogenic emissions and air quality in the United States

A regional modeling system was applied with inputs from global climate and chemistry models to quantify the effects of global change on future biogenic emissions and their impacts on ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) in the US. Biogenic emissions in the future are influenced by projected changes in global and regional climates and by variations in future land use and land cover (LULC). The modeling system was applied for five summer months for the present-day case (1990–1999, Case 1) and three future cases covering 2045–2054. Individual future cases were: present-day LULC (Case 2); projected-future LULC (Case 3); and future LULC with designated regions of tree planting for carbon sequestration (Case 4). Results showed changing future meteorology with present-day LULC (Case 2) increased average isoprene and monoterpene emission rates by 26% and 20% due to higher temperature and solar insolation. However when LULC was changed together with climate (Case 3), predicted isoprene and monoterpene emissions decreased by 52% and 31%, respectively, due primarily to projected cropland expansion. The reduction was less, at 31% and 14% respectively, when future LULC changes were accompanied by regions of tree planting (Case 4). Despite the large decrease in biogenic emission, future average daily maximum 8-h (DM8H) ozone was found to increase between +8 ppbv and +10 ppbv due to high future anthropogenic emissions and global chemistry conditions. Among the future cases, changing LULC resulted in spatially varying future ozone differences of ?5 ppbv to +5 ppbv when compared with present-day case. Future BSOA changed directly with the estimated monoterpene emissions. BSOA increased by 8% with current LULC (Case 2) but decreased by 45%–28% due to future LULC changes. Overall, the results demonstrated that on a regional basis, changes in LULC can offset temperature driven increases in biogenic emissions, and, thus, LULC projection is an important factor to consider in the study of future regional air quality.     

Assessment of Ni accumulation capability by fungi for a possible approach to remove metals from soils and waters

ABSTRACT

Abandoned industrial sites and mines may constitute possible hazards for surrounding environment due to the presence of toxic compounds that may contaminate soils and waters. The possibility to remove metal contaminants, specifically nickel (Ni), by means of fungi was presented exploiting a set of fungal strains isolated from a Ligurian dismissed mine. The achieved results demonstrate the high Ni(II) tolerance, up to 500 mg Ni l^?1, and removal capability of a Trichoderma harzianum strain. This latter hyperaccumulates up to 11,000 mg Ni kg^?1, suggesting its possible use in a bioremediation protocol able to provide a sustainable reclamation of broad contaminated areas.     

离体模型预测鱼体肝脏清除速率：鲑鱼肝细胞和肝脏S9组分的比较

将离体肝细胞和肝脏S9组分用于获取鱼类的体外生物转化数据可以优化模拟评估对化学物质的生物富集作用。然而涉及2种方式之间的直接对比的研究却几乎没有。本研究采用冷藏保存的鲑鱼肝细胞来测定对于6种多环芳烃(PAHs)的体外本征清除速率。我们运用测定结果推测体内本征清除速率,并将其作为输入值输入一种充分搅匀的肝脏模型中来预测肝清除速率。将事先由体外灌流肝脏测定的速率作为参考来评价预测结果。在2种竞争结合的假说前提下,由鲑鱼肝细胞测出的肝清除速率与实现的测定结果基本一致(6种多环芳烃中的5种都保持在2.1倍差异以下)。尽管多环芳烃的高代谢率是可能的原因之一,这些发现与之前由肝脏S9组分得出的结果相似。对苯并芘这一种化合物而言,由S9数据得出的体内本征清除速率是由肝细胞得出结果的10倍左右,这一结果可能是由细胞吸收速率造成的传播限制引起的。尽管苯并芘的结果差异较大,由任何一种体外测试方法得出的体内本征清除速率结果通常是一致的。这些结果显示离体肝细胞和肝脏S9组分2种系统均可用于优化鱼类的生物富集评估,尤其对于体外反应速率较高的情况。不同系统在化工领域的应用性是否相同则需要进一步的研究工作。
精选自Kellie A. Fay, Patrick N. Fitzsimmons, Alex D. Hoffman, John W. Nichols. Comparison of trout hepatocytes and liver S9 fractions as in vitro models for predicting hepatic clearance in fish. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 36, Issue 2, pages 463–471, July 2017. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3572
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/etc.3572/full
     

Using a Down-Scaled Bioclimate Envelope Model to Determine Long-Term Temporal Connectivity of Garry oak (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus garryana</Emphasis>) Habitat in Western North America: Implications for Protected Area Planning

Under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA), Garry oak (Quercus garryana) ecosystems are listed as “at-risk” and act as an umbrella for over one hundred species that are endangered to some degree. Understanding Garry oak responses to future climate scenarios at scales relevant to protected area managers is essential to effectively manage existing protected area networks and to guide the selection of temporally connected migration corridors, additional protected areas, and to maintain Garry oak populations over the next century. We present Garry oak distribution scenarios using two random forest models calibrated with down-scaled bioclimatic data for British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon based on 1961–1990 climate normals. The suitability models are calibrated using either both precipitation and temperature variables or using only temperature variables. We compare suitability predictions from four General Circulation Models (GCMs) and present CGCM2 model results under two emissions scenarios. For each GCM and emissions scenario we apply the two Garry oak suitability models and use the suitability models to determine the extent and temporal connectivity of climatically suitable Garry oak habitat within protected areas from 2010 to 2099. The suitability models indicate that while 164 km² of the total protected area network in the region (47,990 km²) contains recorded Garry oak presence, 1635 and 1680 km² of climatically suitable Garry oak habitat is currently under some form of protection. Of this suitable protected area, only between 6.6 and 7.3% will be “temporally connected” between 2010 and 2099 based on the CGCM2 model. These results highlight the need for public and private protected area organizations to work cooperatively in the development of corridors to maintain temporal connectivity in climatically suitable areas for the future of Garry oak ecosystems.     

Graphs of grief and other green feelings: the uses of affect in the study of environmental communication

ABSTRACT

How can theories of affect and felt emotions be useful in studying the communication of environmental crises? Beginning from tears spilt over a graph of transgressed planetary boundaries published in an academic paper, this article explores the presentation in graphic visual forms of affective imagery and a growing sophistication amongst scientists, policymakers and activist communicators in the visualization of information, data and stories employed to carry the often difficult and complex messages of current earth systems crises. Critically, this article attends to the “emotion work” of such images. Taking a lead from cultural sociology and attempting to elucidate the relationship between societies under pressure and its choice of texts, this article considers the environmental documentary Cowspiracy [Anderson, K., & Kuhn, K. (2014). Cowspiracy. San Francisco, CA: AUM Films & First Spark Media.] to ask questions of affect’s relation to expressions of the earth systems crisis, which is also a crisis of culture.     

Effect of diffusion limitation and substrate inhibition on steady states of a biofilm reactor treating a single pollutant

The occurrence of multiple steady states in a toluene biodegrading, diffusion-limited biofilm under aerobic conditions was investigated by computer models: one steady-state, and one nonsteady-state. Two stable and one unstable intermediate steady-state were identified in a narrow set of combinations of parameters values. The nonsteady-state model predicts conditions that evolve to a steady state that is within 0.02–1% of the solution of the steady-state model, depending on the number of grid points used, confirming the algorithms are valid. Multiple steady states occur if, (1) a biofilm is exposed to a constant gas-phase pollution concentration, which exceeds or undershoots a certain threshold, (2) in a narrow range of parameter values and (3) provided that the pollutant degradation follows Haldane kinetics. Such a biofilm displays half-saturation (i.e., Michaelis-Menten)-like apparent (“falsified”) kinetics from a concentration range starting at zero up to the occurrence of a second steady state. Multiple steady states and falsified kinetics can negatively affect a biofilter and the experimental determination of kinetic parameters, respectively.

Implications: The occurrence of multiple steady states in a VOC treating biofilm, shows the significant impact of degradation kinetics and diffusion limitation on the biofilm behavior. Moreover, the implied possible sudden drop of removal efficiency of a biofilter, based on the occurrence of multiple steady states lead to possible bottle-necks in biofilter application and operation.     

Evaluation of Canisters for Measuring Emissions of Volatile Organic Air Pollutants from Hazardous Waste Incineration

Regulation to control air emissions of toxic organic compounds require the collection and analysis of effluent gas from low level sources such as hazardous waste incinerators. The standard SW- 846 Method specifies the use of Tenax and Tenax/charcoal adsorbent traps for collection of volatile organics from incinerators. This study evaluates passivated stainless steel canisters as an alternative to adsorbent traps to eliminate some of the problems associated with adsorbent sampling. Initially the stability of 18 nonpolar, volatile organic compounds was determined in Summa-treated stainless steel canisters with greater than 100 ppmv HCI and saturated with water vapor. All 18 components were stable for a twoweek period; however, an Interference caused a 10-fold increase In the FID response of trlchloroethylene, toluene, and chlorobenzene. No Interference of the ECD response was found for any of the 11 compounds detected with the ECD including trlchloroethylene. A pilot scale incinerator was sampled using canisters, and the destruction efficiency of 1,1,1-trichloroethane was determined at a concentration of less than 0.5 ppbv while determining 1,1-dichloroethylene, the major product of Incomplete combustion, at a concentration of 8000 ppbv from the same sample.