Determination of hierarchical relationships among sustainable development goals using interpretive structural modeling

This paper analyses the complex interactions among the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs) and presents them in a hierarchical framework using interpretive structural modeling technique. The driving and dependence powers of each of these goals have been ascertained to help the developing and least developed countries improve their strategic orientation for a particular goal within a given time frame. This would also help them in prioritizing their resource allocations on a specific SDG by focusing on its hierarchical ranking on one hand and driving and dependence powers on the other.     

Industrial energy prices and export competitiveness: evidence from India

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - This paper empirically measures the impact of sectoral energy price differential between trading partners on Indian exports. Using dynamic gravity...     

Population and development: impacts on environmental performance

Population growth and development patterns have a significant impact on the environmental performance. The issue of concern is whether population growth or the consumption/production patterns are responsible for environmental deterioration. This paper is an attempt to capture the impact of technological development, affluence, and population on environmental performance index, while previous studies had captured the impact of these three factors on environment only through CO₂ emissions. The analysis reveals that technological development and population size have a negative impact on environmental performance, whereas measures to improve affluence have a positive impact. Technological development has increased the production of energy efficient products but at the same time consumption of these products has increased manifold leading to environmental deterioration. Demographic attributes need specific attention to improve environmental performance. This paper concludes on some policy reflections on slowing the population growth as well as persuades individuals and economies to relook to their consumption and production patterns and channelize their efforts to protect the environment.     

Validation of a standardized portable fluorescence method for determining trace beryllium in workplace air and wipe samples

Beryllium is widely used in industry for its unique properties; however, occupational exposure to beryllium particles can cause potentially fatal disease. Consequently, exposure limits for beryllium particles in air and action levels on surfaces have been established to reduce exposure risks for workers. Field-portable monitoring methods for beryllium are desired in order to facilitate on-site measurement of beryllium in the workplace, so that immediate action can be taken to protect human health. In this work, a standardized, portable fluorescence method for the determination of trace beryllium in workplace samples, i.e., air filters and dust wipes, was validated through intra- and inter-laboratory testing. The procedure entails extraction of beryllium in 1% ammonium bifluoride (NH(4)HF(2), aqueous), followed by fluorescence measurement of the complex formed between beryllium ion and hydroxybenzoquinoline sulfonate (HBQS). The method detection limit was estimated to be less than 0.02 microg Be per air filter or wipe sample, with a dynamic range up to greater than 10 microg. The overall method accuracy was shown to satisfy the accuracy criterion (A< or = +/-25%) for analytical methods promulgated by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Interferences from numerous metals tested (in >400-fold excess concentration compared to that of beryllium) were negligible or minimal. The procedure was shown to be effective for the dissolution and quantitative detection of beryllium extracted from refractory beryllium oxide particles. An American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International voluntary consensus standard based on the methodology has recently been published.