Cumulative effect assessment in Canada: a regional framework for aquatic ecosystems

Sustainable development of the aquatic environment depends upon routine and defensible cumulative effects assessment (CEA). CEA is the process of predicting the consequences of development relative to an assessment of existing environmental quality. Theoretically, it provides an on-going mechanism to evaluate if levels of development exceed the environment's assimilative capacity; i.e., its ability to sustain itself. In practice, the link between CEA and sustainable development has not been realized because CEA concepts and methods have developed along two dichotomous tracks. One track views CEA as an extension of the environmental assessment (EA) process for project developments. Under this track, stressor-based (S-B) methods have been developed where the emphasis is on local, project-related stressors, their link with aquatic indicators, and the potential for environmental effects through stressor-indicator interactions. S-B methods focus on the proposed development and prediction of project-related effects. They lack a mechanism to quantify existing aquatic quality especially at scales broader than an isolated development. This limitation results in the prediction of potential effects relative to a poorly defined baseline state. The other track views CEA as a broader, regional assessment tool where effects-based (E-B) methods specialize in quantification of existing aquatic effects over broad spatial scales. However, the predictive capabilities of E-B methods are limited because they are retrospective, i.e., the stressor causing the effect is identified after the effect has been measured. When used in isolation, S-B and E-B methods do not address CEA in the context necessary for sustainable development. However, if the strengths of these approaches were integrated into a holistic framework for CEA, an operational mechanism would exist to better monitor and assess sustainable development of our aquatic resources. This paper reviews the existing conceptual basis of CEA in Canada including existing methodologies, limitations and strengths. A conceptual framework for integrating project-based and regional-based CEA is presented.     

一次监测值用于水质评价的研究

以2003年长江和淮河水系为例,通过计算各个评价项目的单月监测值分别与季均值和年均值的相对误差及其分布,以及水质类别相同的断面比例,认为对于旬报、月报短期水质评价,采用一次监测的数据评价水质是可靠的;对于季报和年报中、长期水质评价,采用一次监测数据评价的可靠程度较差,应采用2次或2次以上的监测数据平均值进行评价。     

环境监测业务管理系统的设计与开发

以郑州市环境监测中心站监测业务流程为例,从技术路线、系统结构设计、系统功能分析和技术实现等方面分析并介绍了环境监测业务管理系统的特点和开发时需解决的技术问题。探讨了建立基于B/S结构、J2EE技术架构、创新的组件装配方式、Oracle9i数据库、中间件和多层体系结构等多项先进技术进行系统实现的设计方案。     

辽河流域浑河沈阳段地表水重点控制有机污染物的筛选

采用美国环保局工业环境实验室提出的化学物质的“潜在危害指数法”,对辽河流域浑河沈阳段地表水和底质中检出的有机污染物的潜在危害进行了排序,参考国内外有毒化学品优先控制名单的筛选原则和方法,结合本流域的实际情况,制定出重点控制有机污染物的评分标准,提出辽河流域浑河沈阳段重点控制有机污染物名单。考虑到个别有机污染物在水中的浓度很低,但在底质中相对含量较高,所以将底质的检测结果也纳入评分标准。     

Monitoring of Butter and Ghee (Clarified Butter Fat) for Pesticidal Contamination from Cotton Belt of Haryana, India

Butter (45) and ghee (55) samples were collected from rural and urban areas of cotton growing belt of Haryana and analysed for detecting the residues of organochlorine, synthetic pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides. The estimation was carried out by using multi residue analytical technique employing GC-ECD and GC-NPD systems equipped with capillary columns. Butter samples were comparatively more contaminated (97%) than ghee (94%), showing more contamination with organochlorine insecticides from urban samples. About 11% samples of butter showed endosulfan residues above MRL value and 2% samples had residues of synthetic pyrethroids and organophosphates each above their respective MRL values. In ghee, residues of HCH & DDT both and of endosulfan exceeded the MRL values in 5 and 20% samples, respectively. Among organophosphates, only chlorpyriphos was detected with 9% samples showing its residue above MRL value. Irrespective of contamination levels, residues above the MRL values were more in ghee. More extensive study covering other agricultural regions/zones of Haryana has been suggested to know the overall scenario of contamination of milk products.     

Risk-Based Prioritization of Air Pollution Monitoring Using Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation Technique

Air pollution monitoring programs aim to monitor pollutants and their probable adverse effects at various locations over concerned area. Either sensitivity of receptors/location or concentration of pollutants is used for prioritizing the monitoring locations. The exposure-based approach prioritizes the monitoring locations based on population density and/or location sensitivity. The hazard-based approach prioritizes the monitoring locations using intensity (concentrations) of air pollutants at various locations. Exposure and hazard-based approaches focus on frequency (probability of occurrence) and potential hazard (consequence of damage), respectively. Adverse effects should be measured only if receptors are exposed to these air pollutants. The existing methods of monitoring location prioritization do not consider both factors (hazard and exposure) at a time. Towards this, a risk-based approach has been proposed which combines both factors: exposure frequency (probability of occurrence/exposure) and potential hazard (consequence).This paper discusses the use of fuzzy synthetic evaluation technique in risk computation and prioritization of air pollution monitoring locations. To demonstrate the application, common air pollutants like CO, NO_x, PM₁₀ and SO_x are used as hazard parameters. Fuzzy evaluation matrices for hazard parameters are established for different locations in the area. Similarly, fuzzy evaluation matrices for exposure parameters: population density, location and population sensitivity are also developed. Subsequently, fuzzy risk is determined at these locations using fuzzy compositional rules. Finally, these locations are prioritized based on defuzzified risk (crisp value of risk, defined as risk score) and the five most important monitoring locations are identified (out of 35 potential locations). These locations differ from the existing monitoring locations.     

Selecting Socio-Economic Metrics for Watershed Management

The selection of social and economic metrics to document baseline conditions and analyze the dynamic relationships between ecosystems and human communities are important decisions for scientists, managers, and watershed citizens. A large variety of social and economic data is available but these have limited use without theoretical frameworks. In this paper, several frameworks for reviewing social-ecosystem relations are offered, namely social sanctions, sense of place, civic structure, and cultural differences. Underlying all of these frameworks are attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms that affect which questions are asked and which indicators are chosen. Much work and significant challenges remain in developing a standard set of spatially based socio-economic metrics for watershed management.     

Environmental benchmarks vs. ecological benchmarks for assessment and monitoring in Canada: Is there a difference?

Environmental benchmarks are widely used in Canadian environmental assessment as a standard against which to monitor air or water quality in response to human activities in the environment. Recent work in Canada has developed the concept of ecological benchmarks as a complement to environmental benchmarks. However, implementation of ecological benchmarks may be challenging. This paper presents an analogy between ecological benchmarks and the more commonly used environmental benchmarks, as an attempt to increase understanding and use of ecological benchmarks in resource management, assessment, and monitoring. Ecological benchmarks, and their corresponding indicators, will be challenging to identify and use. However, through the use of the principles of adaptive management, effective ecological indicators and benchmarks can be established. Although it is essential that ecological benchmarks are site-specific, the analogy and general principles outlined here are applicable to assessment and monitoring in any part of the world.     

用灰色聚类法对荔湾湖水质富营养化程度的评价

灰色聚类法把湖泊系统当作一个灰色系统来研究,将灰色聚类理论应用于湖泊富营养化程度的评价中,以广州市荔湾湖为例,建立不同的聚类指标所拥有的隶属函数,确定聚类权重值,求得最大聚类系数及聚类结果,得出用灰色聚类法进行湖泊水质富营养化评价,既能体现水质等级界线的模糊性,又能充分利用信息,避免了模糊数学法的不合理之处。因而,灰色聚类法是一种简便、客观、可靠的方法。     

烟尘测试中测孔位置和测点的合理布置

根据作者长期在监测第一线的实践经验及在烟尘采样中所遇到的一些具体问题,着重提出了诸多不规则烟道的烟尘采样方法及注意事项,既有理论依据,可操作性也强。