Think globally,act locally: neighbourhood pollution and the future of the earth

Each year governments and industry around the globe spend billions of dollars in search of treatments and cures for diseases that shorten lives, which often means gadgets, implants, radiation and pills. These “cures”, do not get to the root of the problem. Perhaps it is time for us to adjust our thinking to be more proactive instead of reactive in public health. Perhaps we need to consider confronting environmental pollution of air, soil and water at a local level. As the Physicians for Social Responsibility point out, we should be “preventing what we cannot cure”. One such preventive measure is ensuring that our communities, including our poor inner-city neighbourhoods, enjoy a clean environment. We challenge local and national policy-makers to respond to the global call and to take action to address environmental toxins; to take local action to ameliorate the pollution of the air, water and soil in so many of our nation’s neighbourhoods. A person’s neighbourhood, and the proximity of dangerous environmental contaminants within it, is a powerful predictor of how long s/he will live. While situations like the poisoning of the water in Flint, Michigan have gotten some attention, they are generally treated as the exception rather than a reflection of real environmental hazards that exist in the west. Moreover we wonder why more endemic issues of neighbourhood environmental contamination that shorten human lives are not a priority for local action or that it is not linked to disproportionate production of greenhouse gases that cause climate change/warming/chaos.     

Equity in neighbourhood walkability? A comparative analysis of three large U.S. cities

This study examines the spatial and statistical relationships between social vulnerability (SV) and neighbourhood walkability across three large U.S. cities with different urban typologies and development patterns: Charlotte, NC (a low-density, fast-growing “Sunbelt” city); Pittsburgh, PA (a moderate density, shrinking “Rust Belt” city); and Portland, OR (a progressive West Coast city known for its sprawl-containment policies). Binary logistic regression, independent-samples t-tests, and mapping techniques are employed to determine whether neighbourhoods with high SV (i.e. older populations, higher poverty rates, more service occupations, lower educational attainment, and a higher proportion of minorities) are as likely as those with low SV to exhibit a high degree of walkability. The publically available Walk Score® metric, based on proximity to amenities, street network connectivity, and density, was used as a proxy for neighbourhood walkability. The results indicate significant variability among cities, with Charlotte exhibiting the greatest potential for inequitable access to walkable urban environments and the most prominent concentration of “walk-vulnerable” block groups (BGs) with high SV and low walkability. Both Portland and Pittsburgh exhibited more equitable access when comparing BGs with high and low SV; however, they each presented unique spatial patterns, visualised using a series of maps.     

Some happy,others sad: exploring environmental justice in solid waste management in Kinshasa,The Democratic Republic of Congo

This paper explores the concept of environmental justice (EJ) in solid waste management (SWM) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It evaluates the extent to which EJ occurs in SWM and discusses the factors accounting for this state of affairs. The paper examines the relevant theoretical framework(s) and mechanisms that would facilitate the attainment of EJ in Kinshasa. It is argued that solid waste (SW) often ends up in the poorest and least powerful communities in the cities of the DRC. A qualitative research methodology, which includes exhaustive critical review of the literature, system analysis, reflections from best practices through case studies and discussion with stakeholders, was used for this study. Findings revealed that SWM in Kinshasa is a duty entrusted to publicly-funded municipal authorities. There are evidences of a clear divide between the rich and poor neighbourhoods in the manner SW is managed. This is an inequality that has only recently begun to be recognised as injustice practices in SWM. It is argued that a politico-cultural mechanism on remedying SWM inequities could enable changes that will address EJ in Kinshasa. Such a solution will go directly against the prevailing notion “some happy, others sad”.     

Framing Dynamics and Political Gridlock: The Curious Case of Hydraulic Fracturing in New York

‘Fracking’ was on New York's agenda since 2008, yet no decision was made about it until late 2014. The gridlock is an intriguing puzzle given that the Marcellus shale is considered a ‘world class’ energy supply, and development has been aggressive in other US states. While policy scholars typically conceptualize gridlock as policy stability, this paper examines it as a dynamic process by which competing discourse coalitions engage in interactive framing processes that (re)structure the discussion. This suggests that the interaction between contending coalitions influences gridlock. Yet, we lack knowledge about interactive framing between competing coalitions during policy controversies. Our main finding is that a central mechanism of gridlock is the production of conflict through interactive framing dynamics that deny a shared discursive space capable of ushering in a consensus, or reasoned agreement. In New York, this contest evolved from a policy consensus about the economic benefits of fracking to policy negotiation that incorporated environmental threats, and to prolonged policy controversy in which competing discourse coalitions contested notions of fracking in relation to energy production, environmental protection, public health, economic development, and governance. While a ban has been instituted, the failure to bridge discourse coalitions suggests that controversy will persist unless meaning disputes are resolved.     

Green energy generation by pressure retarded osmosis: State of the art and technical advancement—review

Pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) is a method for converting salinity gradients to power by allowing water to flow through a semi-permeable membrane against an applied hydraulic pressure. PRO already has a long history, starting from the middle of the last century, and has rapidly improved in recent years. In this paper, we present a historical development of PRO since its inception: the development of this renewable energy process has gone through several stages, depending on technological developments, worldwide energy demands, and environmental concerns. The technological progress of the process is also studied, as well as its cost viability and environmental impact. Finally, some ideas to further develop the PRO process and mitigate its detrimental effects are discussed.     

Application of treated wastewater and digested sewage sludge to obtain biodiesel from Helianthus annuus L. seeds oil

Waste from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for Helianthus annuus L. production may be a viable solution to obtain biodiesel. This study achieved two objectives: assess the agronomical viability of waste (wastewater and sludge) from the Alcázar de San Juan WWTP in central Spain for H. annuus L. production; use H. annuus L. seeds grown in this way to obtain biodiesel. Five study plots, each measuring 6 m × 6 m (36 m²), were set up on the agricultural land near the Alcázar de San Juan WWTP. Five fertilizer treatment types were considered: drinking water, as the control; treated wastewater; 10 t ha^?1 of air-dried sewage sludge; 20 t ha^?1 of air-dried sewage sludge; 0.6 t ha^?1 of commercial inorganic fertilizer. Soil, irrigation water, sewage sludge, crop development and fatty acid composition in achenes oil were monitored. The 20 t ha^–1 dose of sewage sludge proved effective to grow H. annuus L. with similar results to those grown with a commercial fertilizer. However, precautions should be taken when irrigating with wastewater because of high salinity and nutrient deficiency. Sunflower oil was composed mostly of linoleic and oleic acid. The remaining fatty acids were linolenic, estearic, nervonic, palmitoleic, and palmitic.     

地面浓度反推法计算石化企业无组织排放源强

对某石化企业储罐区和原油脱酸装置区的无组织排放非甲烷总烃进行监测,对监测数据进行Pearson相关分析,运用地面浓度反推法计算源强。实验结果表明：原油脱酸装置区各采样线浓度间的相关性好,反推出的源强较为准确,50,100,150 m采样线的反推源强非常接近,分别为21.68,21.60,19.76 t/a;而储罐区监测浓度的相关性不佳,该区域的非甲烷总烃无组织排放源可能不单一,不适用地面浓度反推法计算其源强。     

微囊藻毒素-LR的全内反射荧光免疫传感器研究

在开发全内反射荧光免疫传感器的基础上,研究水中微囊藻毒素-LR(MC-LR)的检测方法。建立了基于MC-LR平面波导免疫芯片的制备方法,并结合流动分析和荧光检测开发检测系统,针对MC-LR的免疫检测条件进行优化。结果表明,全内反射荧光免疫传感器对MC-LR抗体的检测限为0.001μg/mL;在间接竞争免疫检测模式下,最优检测条件是预反应时间5min、预反应温度37℃、进样停留时间500s;在最优检测条件下,对MC-LR的检测限为0.100μg/L,线性区间为0.200~4.000μg/L;全内反射荧光免疫传感器检测MC-LR的加标回收率均在100.0%±20.0%,平行测定的相对标准偏差小于5%。     

不同种植方式蔬菜中农药残留的差异及污染控制研究

采集了陕西地区不同种植方式的瓜果类、叶菜类蔬菜样品,研究了其中各种农药的残留情况,并分析了农药残留对环境的污染及其控制措施。结果表明:露地种植蔬菜与设施种植蔬菜相比,无论是农药残留检出率还是超标率都略高,两者的农药残留检出率分别为42.0%、36.5%,超标率分别为12.0%、8.2%;叶菜类蔬菜与瓜果类蔬菜相比,无论是农药残留检出率还是超标率都较高,两者的农药残留检出率分别为52.6%、29.6%,超标率分别为17.3%、5.4%;设施种植的瓜果类蔬菜和叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留检出率基本接近,而叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留超标率明显高于瓜果类蔬菜,露地种植的叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留检出率和超标率都远高于瓜果类蔬菜;设施种植蔬菜与露地种植蔬菜相比,甲胺磷、对硫磷、甲基对硫磷、毒死蜱、三氟氯氰菊酯和氰戊菊酯的残留检出率更高;瓜果类蔬菜与叶菜类蔬菜相比,毒死蜱、甲氰菊酯、三氟氯氰菊酯、氰戊菊酯的残留检出率更高;叶菜类蔬菜的农药施用浓度较高,施用农药后要间隔一定时间后再上市销售,并应采用更科学的施药方式,以减少农药在蔬菜中的残留和降低对环境的危害;一方面要开发并积极倡导使用高效、低毒、低残留的无公害农药,另一方面则要开发能够高效、快速降解残留农药的物质,同时还要进行农产品的清洁生产,以提高农产品的安全性,并降低环境中农药的残留危害。     

基于数据包络分析的水污染物排放指标初始分配方法与案例研究

基于数据包络分析(DEA)的点源水污染物排放指标初始分配方法,是将基于DEA的线性规划评价方法进行改进,从而使其适用于评价企业的水环境绩效,并依此进行排污指标初始分配。将非期望产出作为投入指标处理,构造了5输入1输出的规模可变DEA模型,并以南京市280家企业的COD排放指标初始分配为例进行了分析。结果表明,方法的模拟分配结果在公平的基础上,反映了企业的环境效率,效率越高,可得到的COD排放指标也越高,这将对企业治污起到激励作用,分配方法具有一定的可操作性;对案例企业进行分组并实行组内参评,基本可以避免部分极值原始数据对评价结果的影响,得到的COD排放指标分配结果也更为合理。