Transition to Non-toxic Gunshot Use in Olympic Shooting: Policy Implications for IOC and UNEP in Resolving an Environmental Problem

Olympic shooters discharge, annually, thousands of tons of lead shot which pose toxic risks to animals and may pollute both surface and ground waters. Non-toxic steel shot is an acceptable and effective substitute, but International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) rules prevent its adoption. The present policy and rules of the ISSF on lead shot use contravene the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter position on environmental protection. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a formal Olympic partner on environmental protection, has no stated policy on contamination from lead ammunition, despite having declared lead a Priority Area for remedial action, and is pressing to remove lead from the global human environment. The IOC Sport and Environment Commission and UNEP could examine the continued use of lead shot ammunition and advise the IOC Executive Board on appropriate changes in policy and rules that could halt the massive lead shot contamination of shooting range environments world-wide.     

生态环境政策举措第三方评估方法研究 ——以江苏省涉铅行业综合整治措施为例

以江苏省涉铅行业综合整治工作为例,建立第三方评估方法,构建由环境效益、经济效益和社会效益三大指标类别组成的综合指标体系,对江苏省已经开展的涉铅行业综合整治措施开展试评估。结果表明,涉铅行业综合整治效果达到预期效果的80%,政策实施对污染防治产生一定效果。研究指出,从环境效益为出发点、兼顾考量社会效益和经济效益建立的指标体系,可较为客观、公正、全面地对环境政策举措产生的效果进行综合评价,真实反映生态环境政策举措对环境、经济、产业、社会造成的影响。提出,第三方评估法可用于指导、推动政策不断改进、修订和补充;生态环境政策在制定时应适当关注社会、经济等因素,实现政策效益最大化,为推动江苏省生态环境政策举措第三方评估提供借鉴。     

Bioactivity,toxicity and dissipation of hexaconazole enantiomers

In this study, the bioactivity, acute toxicity and dissipation in vegetables of the individual enantiomers of the fungicide hexaconazole had been investigated. The optical pure single enantiomers were prepared and the bioactivity of (+)-, (−)- and rac-hexaconazole was tested using four target fungi including Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz, Alternaria solani, Alternaria mali Roberts and Monilinia fructicola. The results showed (−)-hexaconazole was always more active than (+)-hexaconazole with the fungicidal activity 11–13-fold higher to A. solani, A. mali Roberts and Monilinia fructicola, and 1.26-fold higher to C. gloeosporioides Penz. (−)-Hexaconazole also showed 1.3-fold higher acute toxicity to aquatic species Daphnia magna based on the 48 h EC₅₀ values. There was obvious enantioselectivity in the dissipation in tomato with (−)-hexaconazole degraded faster resulting an enrichment of (+)-form, and the half-lives of (−)-hexaconazole and (+)-hexaconazole in tomato were 2.96 d and 3.38 d respectively, while it was not enantioselective in green pepper, in which the both enantiomers had the half-lives about 4.36 d. The findings are helpful for better environmental and ecological risk assessment of hexaconazole on an enantiomeric level.     

Phytoremediation of Atrazine by Poplar Trees: Toxicity,Uptake, and Transformation

Toxicity, uptake, and transformation of atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] by three species of poplar tree were assessed. Poplar cuttings were grown in sealed flasks with hydrophonic solutions and exposed to various concentrations of atrazine for a period of two weeks. Toxicity effects were evaluated by monitoring transpiration and measuring poplar cutting mass. Exposure to higher atrazine concentrations resulted in decrease of biomass and transpiration accompanied by leaf chlorosis and abscission. However, poplar cuttings exposed to lower concentrations of atrazine grew well and transpired at a constant rate during experiment periods. Poplar cuttings could take up, hydrolyze, and dealkylate atrazine to less toxic metabolites. Metabolism of atrazine occurred in roots, stems, and leaves and became more complete with increased residence time in tissue. These results suggest that phytoremediation is a viable approach to removing atrazine from contaminated water and should be considered for other contaminants.     

Risk assessment for human consumption of perfluorinated compound-contaminated freshwater and marine fish from Hong Kong and Xiamen

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made fluoro-surfactants that are identified as global pollutants and can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. Two aspects of risk assessment were conducted in this study, including exposure and response. Exposure was estimated by using the concentrations of PFCs in fish and applying standard exposure factors. Among different PFCs, PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA and PFTrDA were detected. Total concentrations of PFC in fish ranged from 0.27-8.4 ng g⁻¹ to 0.37-8.7 ng g⁻¹ respectively in Hong Kong and Xiamen. The calculated hazard ratio (HR) of PFOS for all fish was less than 1.0. However, the HR for mandarin fish in Hong Kong and bighead carp, grass carp and tilapia in Xiamen, had HR values of approximately 0.5, indicating that frequent consumption of these 4 more contaminated fish species might pose an unacceptable risk to human health. Our data support the notion that the released/disposed chemical pollutants into water systems make fish a source of environmental toxicants to humans. The risks and potential effects of PFCs to health of coastal population in the Pearl River Delta are of concern.     

Characterisation of prompt and delayed atmospheric radioactivity releases from underground nuclear tests at Nevada as a function of release time

A database with information on about 500 cases of atmospheric radioactivity releases from underground nuclear tests is analysed. The data are statistically evaluated and systematically aggregated in order to characterise prompt uncontrolled as well as delayed operational releases of radioactivity into the atmosphere. The focus is put on the latter. The reported data compare well with theoretically derived xenon activities for reasonable nuclear test scenarios. Conclusions are drawn on the main features of releases that can be expected from underground nuclear tests as a function of release time. These findings are relevant for developing and validating methods to be applied in global monitoring of atmospheric radioactivity with respect to indications of an underground nuclear explosion.     

To duckweeds (Landoltia punctata), nanoparticulate copper oxide is more inhibitory than the soluble copper in the bulk solution

CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NP) were synthesized in a hydrogen diffusion flame. Particle size and morphology were characterized using scanning mobility particle sizing, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The solubility of CuO-NP varied with both pH and presence of other ions. CuO-NP and comparable doses of soluble Cu were applied to duckweeds, Landoltia punctata. Growth was inhibited 50% by either 0.6 mg L⁻¹ soluble copper or by 1.0 mg L⁻¹ CuO-NP that released only 0.16 mg L⁻¹ soluble Cu into growth medium. A significant decrease of chlorophyll was observed in plants stressed by 1.0 mg L⁻¹ CuO-NP, but not in the comparable 0.2 mg L⁻¹ soluble Cu treatment. The Cu content of fronds exposed to CuO-NP is four times higher than in fronds exposed to an equivalent dose of soluble copper, and this is enough to explain the inhibitory effects on growth and chlorophyll content.     

近年我国家装材料变化对住宅火灾的影响研究

住宅火灾危险性和家装材料有着紧密联系。为研究近年我国家装材料变化对住宅火灾的影响,调研了近30年我国家装材料的变化趋势,分析了常见家装材料的火灾特性变化,并完成了对不同年代常见家装材料组合的火灾危险性综合评价,结果表明：随着近30年家装材料的变化,软体家具、木质家具、地板和壁纸的燃烧性能均有所改善,但软体家具产烟能力恶化;2000年～2010年合成材料的应用使得家装材料组合的综合火灾危险性有所提升,引起大型亡人火灾的可能性更大;2010年后阻燃材料的普及使得家装材料组合的综合火灾危险性有所降低,对消防安全的作用已经凸显,但同时我国住宅火灾中“小火亡人”事故可能更为频发,未来研究应该更加关注于降低阻燃材料的烟气危害性。     

花溪区思雅河水质分析与评价

在花溪区思雅河大学城段布设10个采样点,监测pH值、温度(T)、悬浮物(SS)、化学需氧量(COD)、氨氮(NH_3-N)、总磷(TP)和细菌总数(TPC)等指标,并采用单因子指数法、综合指数法和模糊综合法3种方法对水质进行评价。结果表明:河流主要污染指标为COD,且增势最明显,TPC和NH_3-N测定值的RSD均超过1,比其他指标变异程度更大;COD和TPC春冬季测定值高于夏秋季,NH_3-N测定值秋季最低,TP季节变化不明显,而冬季测定值较其他季节更稳定;思雅河大学城段水质较差,上游水质等级为Ⅳ类,中下游为劣Ⅴ类,主要污染源自农业和高校生活用水;3种方法中,模糊综合法更适用于小流域河流水质的定性定量评价,评价结果更加科学合理。     

Algae (Raphidocelis subcapitata) mitigate combined toxicity of microplastic and lead on Ceriodaphnia dubia

• Micro-plastics (MPs) significantly increase Pb toxicity. • Algae reduce the combined toxicity of MP and Pb. • The toxicity increase comes from high soluble Pb and MP-Pb uptake. • The toxicity reduction might come from energy related pathway. Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as a new class of emerging contaminants in recent years. They not only directly impact aquatic organisms, but also indirectly impact these organisms by interacting with background toxins in the environment. Moreover, under realistic environmental conditions, algae, a natural food for aquatic organisms, may alter the toxicity pattern related to MPs. In this research, we first examined the toxicity of MPs alone, and their effect on the toxicity of lead (Pb) on Ceriodaphnia dubia (C. dubia), a model aquatic organism for toxicity survey. Then, we investigated the effect of algae on the combined toxicity of MPs and Pb. We observed that, MPs significantly increased Pb toxicity, which was related to the increase in soluble Pb concentration and the intake of Pb-loaded MPs, both of which increased the accumulation of Pb in C. dubia. The presence of algae mitigated the combined toxicity of MPs and Pb, although algae alone increased Pb accumulation. Therefore, the toxicity mitigation through algae uptake came from mechanisms other than Pb accumulation, which will need further investigation.