Consumer health risk to pesticide residues in Salvia officinalis L. and its infusions

Salvia officinalis L. is a popular herb widely used in culinary, cosmetic, and medicinal preparations, and also as an ornamental plant. Sage crops are threatened by many diseases, such as gray mold, powdery mildew, and leaf spot, by weeds, and by pests, such as aphids. Use of crop protection products may lead to presence of pesticide residues in this herb. The aim of this work was to study presence of pesticide residues in the herb, S. officinalis L., available on the retail market in Poland, to verify their compliance with the maximum residue levels (MRLs) and to assess the chronic and acute risks associated with consumption of this herb and infusions prepared from contaminated sage plants. Ninety active substances of pesticides were analyzed, including all active substances registered in Poland for protection of the sage. Five active substances were found, one fungicide – boscalid and four insecticides: chlorpyrifos, pp′-DDT, dimethoate (residue levels above MRL) and indoxacarb. The chronic and acute exposure to pesticide residues consumed with sage did not exceed 0.02% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and 0.1% of the acute reference dose (ARfD), respectively.     

Audience Response to Values-based Marketplace Advocacy by the Fossil Fuel Industries

A form of issue advocacy, marketplace advocacy campaigns often arise in response to burgeoning societal concerns, especially those faced by energy industries. Although these campaigns may include brief and selective references to corporate activities, most campaigns place a much stronger emphasis on commonly shared societal values. This study examines audience response to values-based environmental marketplace advocacy messages by the fossil fuel industries through a series of focus groups. Four instrumental values were identified in campaign videos (innovation, community, resilience, and patriotism), and the terminal value of pragmatism, especially as it relates to environmental issues, was identified as a result of identification with one or more of the instrumental values. The findings are discussed through the lens of extant research on marketplace advocacy and organizational values as well as Habermas's theory of refuedalization, shedding light on the ways corporations appeal to commonly held societal values in an effort to generate support for a given industry.     

Bioherbicidal activity of a germacranolide sesquiterpene dilactone from Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (common ragweed) is an invasive plant whose allelopathic properties have been suggested by its field behaviour and demonstrated through phytotoxicity bioassays. However, the nature of the molecules responsible for the allelopathic activity of common ragweed has not been explored. The main objective of this study was to identify the phytotoxic molecules produced by A. artemisiifolia. A preliminary investigation has indicated that a methanol extract of A. artemisiifolia completely inhibited the germination of cress and radish. Semi-preparative fractionation of the methanol extract allowed separating of phytotoxic fraction which contained a single compound. The structure of this compound was elucidated by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS, high-resolution mass spectral, nuclear magnetic resonance, and Fourier transform infrared spectra as sesquiterpene lactone isabelin (C₁₅H₁₆O₄). The effect of pure isabelin was tested on four different weed species, confirming the inhibitory activity of molecule. The results indicate directions for the future studies about herbicidal specific activity of isabelin, as pure molecule or in the crude extract, as a potential candidate for biological weed control.     

Combined bioremediation for lead in mine tailings by Solanum nigrum L. and indigenous fungi

Lead-contaminated mine tailings were bioremediated using microbial/phyto remediation. The optimum lead accumulation and tolerance capacity of the plant–microbe partnership were investigated, and their mechanisms were evaluated further under varied levels of lead contamination through a flowerpot experiment in a greenhouse. Enzymes activities revealed that bioremediation has improved fertility and metabolism of tailing soil. The removal efficiency of lead was in the order of microbial/phytoremediation?>?phytoremediation. Solanum nigrum L. was not shown to be a hyperaccumulator for lead. Mucor circinelloides significantly enhanced the growth response and lead accumulation in plants more than Mortierella and Trichoderma asperellum. Moreover, Mortierella was discovered to have good metal tolerance capacity under high Pb concentrations (1200 and 1600?mg?kg^?1). The results for lead bioavailability showed that phytostabilisation serves as a major repair pathway for S. nigrum L. Effective fractions were immobilised for decreased bioavailability by T. asperellum and M. circinelloides. On the contrary, an increased amount of lead was mobilised for increased bioavailability by Mortierella. This study provides new insights into the feasibility of using S. nigrum L. and the aforementioned indigenous fungus strains for large-scale bioremediation of mine tailings.     

Effect of initial pressure on the lower explosion limit of nicotinic acid/acetone mixture

In the work presented in this paper, the effect of initial pressure on the lower explosion limit (LEL) of the hybrid nicotinic acid/acetone mixture was investigated through standard explosion tests carried out in the 20 L sphere. From experimental results, the flammability diagram was built in the plane (concentration/minimum explosive concentration) of nicotinic acid versus (concentration/LEL) of acetone. Interestingly, it has been found that, in going from low pressures (P < 1 atm) to high pressures (P > 1 atm), the extension of the flammability region increases. This behavior has been attributed to the fact that the turbulence kinetic energy (and thus the energy dissipation) decreases with increasing initial pressure. Bartknecht's correlation for LEL of hybrid mixtures was modified to take into account the effect of pressure, and two correlations were obtained able to give satisfactory predictions of experimental data at both low pressures and high pressures.     

Mission impossible?: Adopting a CSR-based business model for extractive industries in developing countries

Corporations in the extractive industries often state their commitment to “corporate social responsibility” principles, but their actual implementation of these principles, particularly in developing countries, is questionable. This contradiction between rhetoric and reality is attributable to the fact that these companies have not fully integrated CSR into their business models. This can been seen in assessments of projects' costs and benefits, project and technology selection, respect for community consent, and performance incentive structures. The Marlin gold mine in Guatemala provides a concrete example of these sharp contradictions between stated CSR commitments and actual performance.     

Corporate social responsibility in the mining industry: Perspectives from stakeholder groups in Argentina

Since the liberalisation of its investment regime in the 1990s, Argentina has seen a rise in foreign direct investment into large-scale exploration and exploitation of mineral resources. However, many social groups (local communities, grassroots movement and the church) often strongly oppose new mining projects on the grounds of environmental, ethical and economic concerns. In a situation marked by widespread conflict, mining companies continue operating and develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives which are often promoted as a means of contributing to the sustainability and development of the nation. The paper develops a framework to highlight how the principles of stakeholder theory could be used as conceptual and practical guidance for conflict-resolution oriented CSR policies. The framework is further used to analyse two case studies of conflictive mining projects in Argentina. The paper explores how key stakeholders perceive contribution of CSR to welfare and the socio-economic development of mining communities and sustainable development of the nation. It demonstrates that institutional and social stakeholder networks often strongly oppose the idea of voluntary self-regulation implied by CSR in situations characterised by weak governance. Even though the CSR of companies could be improved in areas of corporate communication, transparency, stakeholder engagement and dialogue, it is not seen as a panacea for the social conflicts in the sector.     

Investor demand and spot commodity prices: Reply 2

This, our second reply to Östensson, supplements our earlier more technical analysis with a simple intuitive explanation of how investor demand can be driving commodity prices higher even when investor stocks are falling.     

联合国可持续发展行动的回顾与展望

该文以时间先后为顺序,系统总结了1972年人类环境会议以来,联合国为推进全球可持续发展所采取的重要行动,对取得的进展和存在的差距进行了评述。认为,人类环境会议特别是环发大会以来,联合国为实现全球经济社会可持续发展付出了巨大的努力,在许多领域推动形成了重要的共识和多边国际公约,促进了可持续发展伙伴关系的形成与发展,加快了许多国家和地区的可持续发展行动。但是,从目前来看,所取得的进展远低于需要达到的水平,突出地体现在千年发展目标进展缓慢、环发领域谈判举步维艰、国际履约明显不足、可持续发展伙伴关系的效果并不理想等。基于这一现实,本文认为"里约+20"大会应努力在如下四个方面取得进展:一是重振里约精神,加快已有政治承诺的落实;二是在坚持里约原则的前提下,围绕气候变化等重大全球性挑战做出新的政治承诺;三是在坚持里约原则的前提下,勾画出人类绿色发展的未来蓝图;四是促进以南南合作为重点的国家合作。     

Review and Prospect of the UN Efforts for Sustainable Development

The present paper reviews the UN important efforts to promote global sustainable development in the chronological order since UN Conference on Human Environment in 1972, and analyzes the progress and gap. The results show that the UN system has made great efforts for global sustainable development since the UN Conference on Human Environment, especially since UN Conference on Environment and Development, promoted the formation of important consensus and multilateral international conventions on many fields, boosted the development of partnership in the field of sustainable development, and accelerated actions for sustainable development of many countries and regions. However, at present, the progress made is still far below the level required, prominently reflected in the slow progress toward the millen- nium development goals, the difficulties in negotiations in the field of environment and development, insufficient fulfillment of international agreements and conventions, and undesirable effects of partnership in the field of sustainable development. Based on these, the paper puts forward four suggestions for UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012(Rio+20):(1) to revitalize the "spirit of Rio" and accelerate the implementation of existing politi- cal commitments; (2) to make new political commitments focusing on climate change and other major global challenges under the Rio principles; (3) to lay out a blueprint of green economy under the Rio principles; and (4) to promote South-South cooperation as the focus of international cooperation.