A Satisficing Framework for Environmental Policy Under Model Uncertainty

We propose a novel framework for the economic assessment of environmental policy. Our main point of departure from existing work is the adoption of a satisficing, as opposed to optimizing, modeling approach. Along these lines, we place primary emphasis on the extent to which different policies meet a set of goals at a specific future date instead of their performance vis-a-vis some intertemporal objective function. Consistent to the nature of environmental policymaking, our model takes explicit account of model uncertainty. To this end, the decision criterion we propose is an analog of the well-known success-probability criterion adapted to settings characterized by model uncertainty. We apply our criterion to the climate-change context and the probability distributions constructed by Drouet et al. (2015) linking carbon budgets to future consumption. Insights from computational geometry facilitate computations considerably and allow for the efficient application of the model in high-dimensional settings.

     

BMP tests of source selected OFMSW to evaluate anaerobic codigestion with sewage sludge

The aim of this study is to characterize different types of source selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) in order to optimize the upgrade of a sewage sludge anaerobic digestion unit by codigestion. Various SS-OFMSW samples were collected from canteens, supermarkets, restaurants, households, fruit–vegetable markets and bakery shops. The substrates characterization was carried out getting traditional chemical–physical parameters, performing elemental analysis and measuring fundamental anaerobic digestion macromolecular compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and volatile fatty acids. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were conducted at mesophilic temperature both on single substrates and in codigestion regime with different substrates mixing ratios. The maximum methane yield was observed for restaurant (675 NmlCH₄/gVS) and canteens organic wastes (571 and 645 NmlCH₄/gVS). The best codigestion BMP test has highlighted an increase of 47% in methane production respect sewage sludge digestion.     

Assessing dimethoate contamination in temperate and tropical climates: potential use of biomarkers in bioassays with two chironomid species

This study was conducted to investigate the potential use of biomarkers in bioassays with chironomids to assess contamination by pesticides in temperate and tropical climates. Two species of midge were studied, the widespread Chironomus riparius and the tropical Kiefferulus calligaster (Kieffer, 1911). Preliminary studies included investigations of the effects of temperature on larval development and the influence of larval age on normal variability of cholinesterase (ChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities and protein content. In the second phase, the influence of two abiotic factors particularly important in tropical conditions (temperature and oxygen concentration) and of the organophosphorous (OP) insecticide dimethoate on biochemical and conventional endpoints was investigated. Results showed that K. calligaster is morphologically and physiologically similar to C. riparius and for both, the time of larval development decreases with the increase of temperature. Moreover, 3rd and 4th instars appeared to be the most suitable for biomarkers determinations. ChE activity seems to be valuable biomarker regarding temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) variations, while some caution should be taken when using GST as an environmental biomarker, since it shows some dependence of these parameters. C. riparius was more sensitive to dimethoate than K. calligaster suggesting that the use of bioassays with the former species in tropical conditions may overestimate the toxicity of OP pesticides to autochthonous species. When testing sub-lethal effects of dimethoate to C. riparius, ChE activity showed to be a very sensitive parameter detecting significant effects at the lowest concentration that caused emergence delay of larvae, suggesting that it is an ecologically relevant parameter.     

Illicit psychotropic substance contents in the air of Italy

Two in-field campaigns were performed in 2009 to elucidate the contents of illicit psychotropic substances in airborne particulates of Italian cities. Twenty-eight localities of eight Italian regions were investigated in winter, and further eleven sites in June (14 regions in total), thanks to contribution of Regional Environmental Agencies. Cocaine was found almost everywhere, although some sites were rural or suburban. The maximum was recorded in Milan in winter (～0.39 ng m^?3), and “high” values (up to ～0.16 ng m^?3) in other Northern cities and in Rome. Besides cocaine, three cannabinoids will be monitored, namely Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and cannabinol. The three compounds often affected the air at lower extents than cocaine, and sometimes resulted absent. Cannabinol accounted for up to 90% of the total. The concentrations of illicit compounds were up to six times lower in June than in winter. This decrease was probably induced by the lowering of boundary layer height typical of winter, and by the oxidizing capacity of atmosphere, which is stronger in the warm season. Compared to n-alkanes, polynuclear aromatic compounds, nicotine, caffeine and airborne particulate, cocaine seemed to follow a peculiar behaviour; in fact, meaningful (≥0.80) Pearson (linear) regression coefficients were calculated from the corresponding concentrations only at local scale (e.g. Rome), and within just one season. Improvements of the method are needed to monitor illicit drug metabolites (e.g. benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, 9-carboxy-11-nor-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol), heroin and semi-volatile amphetamines.     

The response of soil Arthrobacter agilis lush13 to changing conditions: Transition between vegetative and dormant state

This work was aimed at studying the response of soil non-spore-forming actinobacterial strain Arthrobacter agilis Lush 13 to changing natural conditions, such as nutrient availability and the presence of degradable and recalcitrant aliphatic and aromatic substrates. The A. agilis strain Lush13 was able to degrade octane, nonane, hexadecane, benzoate, phenol, and 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-dichlorophenols, but not grew on 3,4-dichlorophenol, 2,3,4-, 2,4,5-, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 2-chlorobenzoate, 3-chlorobenzoate, 3,5-dichlorobenzoate, 2,4-dichlorobenzoate. Under growth-arresting conditions due to nitrogen- or multiple starvation or recalcitrant (non-utilizable) carbon source, the studied strain preserved viability for prolonged periods (4–24 months) due to transition to dormancy in the form of conglomerated small and ultrasmall cyst-like dormant cells (CLC). Dormant cells were shown to germinate rapidly (30 min or later) after removal of starvation stress, and this process was followed by breakdown of conglomerates with the eliberation and further division of small multiple actively growing daughter cells. Results of this study shed some light to adaptive capabilities of soil arthrobacters in pure and polluted environments.     

Developmental exposure to diuron causes splenotoxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rat pups

This study investigated whether perinatal exposure to diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-1-dimethylurea] might exert adverse effects on rat lymphoid organs. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to diuron at 500, 750 or 1250 ppm in the diet from gestational days (GD) 12-21 and during lactation. At postnatal day (PND) 42, male pups were euthanized and thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph node and femur were collected for histopathological analysis. Food consumption and body weight gain were significantly reduced in dams exposed to 1250 ppm during gestation period. Also, Diuron at 750 and 1250 ppm produced: (1) increased relative spleen weight associated histologically with severe congestion in red pulp, (2) enhanced extramedullary hematopoiesis and hemosiderosis as well as (3) depletion of lymphoid follicles in white pulp. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a significant reduction in B lymphocytes (CD45RA+) in male pups but T lymphocytes (CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+) were not markedly affected. Thus, data suggest that Diuron-induced maternal toxicity in dams exposed to high dose and perinatal exposure to this herbicide produced spleen toxicity as evidenced by a reduction in B lymphocyte number in male SD pups.     

The adaptive response of lichens to mercury exposure involves changes in the photosynthetic machinery

Lichens are an excellent model to study the bioaccumulation of heavy metals but limited information is available on the molecular mechanisms occurring during bioaccumulation. We investigated the changes of the lichen proteome during exposure to constant concentrations of mercury. We found that most of changes involves proteins of the photosynthetic pathway, such as the chloroplastic photosystem I reaction center subunit II, the oxygen-evolving protein and the chloroplastic ATP synthase β-subunit. This suggests that photosynthesis is a target of the toxic effects of mercury. These findings are also supported by changes in the content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b, and β-carotene). Alterations to the photosynthetic machinery also reflect on the structure of thylakoid membranes of algal cells. Response of lichens to mercury also involves stress-related proteins (such as Hsp70) but not cytoskeletal proteins. Results suggest that lichens adapt to mercury exposure by changing the metabolic production of energy.     

In situ assay with the midge Kiefferulus calligaster for contamination evaluation in aquatic agro-systems in central Thailand

The aims of this study were to verify the suitability of in situ tests using the tropical midge Kiefferulus calligaster and to evaluate the most sensitive endpoint for the assessment of aquatic pesticide contamination. In situ tests were carried out in freshwater drainage channels (farm channels) that supply vegetable crops and receive considerable pesticide spray drift, and at channels outside farms (main channels). Moreover a pesticide-free farm was used as reference site. The endpoints analysed were: survival of the larvae, body length increment, capsule width increment, cholinesterase activity and glutathione S-transferase activity. Seasonal change was investigated as rainy season and dry season. Deleterious effects were observed at some farms especially during the rainy season when farmers apply heavier doses of pesticides. However, high mortality rates observed in main channels suggest that these water bodies are also affected by other impacts besides pesticide use. This work shows the potential of the in situ assay with K. calligaster as a tool for the environmental quality assessment of tropical aquatic ecosystems.     

Water monitoring and treatment for drinking purposes in 2004 tsunami affected area—Ban Nam Khem, Phang Nga, Thailand

University of Brescia and Mahidol University of Bangkok developed a project in Phang Nga province (Thailand), the most damaged by 2004 tsunami. In particular, the study, performed between April and May 2006, dealt with the surface and ground water monitoring in Ban Nam Khem village and the experimental evaluation of possible drinking treatment alternatives. The monitoring highlighted that saline content in the tsunami affected area is decreasing but still very high (conductivity presented values up to 2,600 and 6,230 microS/cm in ground and surface water, respectively); hence, advanced and complicated processes such as reverse osmosis should be adopted to treat such water for drinking purposes. Waiting for ground water salinity to assume acceptable values, activities for the reduction of its organic and microbiological contamination will be started. However, it has to be underlined that the diffusion of drinking water to a greater part of population can be obtained only through the realization of new centralised treatment plants and the improvement of existing ones (serving at the moment about 20% of inhabitants).     

Electroassisted methods for waste destruction: silver(II) and peroxydisulfate reagents in the electrochemically mediated oxidation of polyaromatic sulfonates

The electrochemical oxidation is a promising process for organic pollutants which are recalcitrant to biological degradation. The anodic oxidation of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, hereafter NDS, was evaluated at a Pt anode using in situ generated Ag(II) cation or peroxydisulfate [S2O(8)(2-)] anion as mediators. Kinetics of the direct chemical oxidation of NDS in the presence of Na2S2O8, and the identification of some oxidation intermediates are also reported. An analysis of the results shows that Ag(II) is characterized by a high-reaction rates, while [S2O(8)(2-)] performs the oxidation of NDS in a complete way.