Assessment Of Environmental Effects Research Articles

Synthesis of Primary-Particle-Size-Tuned Soot Particles by Controlled Pyrolysis of Hydrocarbon Fuels

We have developed a pyrolysis-based soot-generating system, which is able to control the primary soot particle size. The system is clean and portable and runs on diverse hydrocarbon fuels of interest. To evaluate the performance of the system, soot was generated from n-hexane and propylene with various conditions of the temperature, fuel mole fraction, and residence time in the heating zone. The results showed that the primary soot particle size was controllable within the range of 20–60 nm, and the soot yield as a function of the residence time followed a logistic curve of different shape depending upon the fuel mole fraction and heating temperature. The system that we developed can be used as a reliable soot-generating source for diverse laboratories to meet the growing demands for fundamental research on soot characteristics and soot formation mechanisms as well as the assessment of health and environmental effects of soot from various sources.

Free fatty acid profiling of marine sentinels by nanoLC-EI-MS for the assessment of environmental pollution effects

The present work aims to elucidate the free fatty acid (FFA) profile of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis caged in an anthropogenically impacted area and in a reference site through an innovative and validated analytical approach for the assessment of biological alterations induced by marine pollution. The FFA pattern is involved in the regulation of different cellular pathways and differs with respect to metabolic stimuli. To this purpose, the lipid fraction of mussels coming from both sampling areas was extracted and the FFA fractions were isolated and purified by a solid phase extraction; then, nano-scale liquid chromatography coupled to electron ionization mass spectrometry (nanoLC-EI-MS) was employed for the characterization of the two samples. A total of 19 and 17 FFAs were reliably identified in the mussels coming from the reference and polluted site, respectively. Significant qualitative and quantitative differences found in saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated species may be exploited as typical pollution biomarkers (e.g. alteration of the fatty acid biosynthetic system and lipotoxicity) and explain adverse and compromising effects (e.g. oxidative stress and inflammatory processes) related to environmental pollution.

Environmental fate and effect assessment of thioridazine and its transformation products formed by photodegradation

An experimental and in silico quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach was applied to assess the environmental fate and effects of the antipsychotic drug Thioridazine (THI). The sunlight-driven attenuation of THI was simulated using a Xenon arc lamp. The photodegradation reached the complete primary elimination, whereas 97% of primary elimination and 11% of mineralization was achieved after 256 min of irradiation for the initial concentrations of 500 μg L−1 and 50 mg L−1, respectively. A non-target approach for the identification and monitoring of transformation products (TPs) was adopted. The structure of the TPs was further elucidated using liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS). The proposed photodegradation pathway included sulfoxidation, hydroxylation, dehydroxylation, and S- and N-dealkylation, taking into account direct and indirect photolysis through a self-sensitizing process in the higher concentration studied. The biodegradability of THI and photolytic samples of THI was tested according to OECD 301D and 301F, showing that THI and the mixture of TPs were not readily biodegradable. Furthermore, THI was shown to be highly toxic to environmental bacteria using a modified luminescent bacteria test with Vibrio fischeri. This bacteriotoxic activity of THI was significantly reduced by phototransformation and individual concentration-response analysis confirmed a lowered bacterial toxicity for the sulfoxidation products Thioridazine-2-sulfoxide and Thioridazine-5-sulfoxide. Additionally, the applied QSAR models predicted statistical and rule-based positive alerts of mutagenic activities for carbazole derivative TPs (TP 355 and TP 339) formed through sulfoxide elimination, which would require further confirmatory in vitro validation tests.

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2015.

The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) is one of three Panels that regularly informs the Parties (countries) to the Montreal Protocol on the effects of ozone depletion and the consequences of climate change interactions with respect to human health, animals, plants, biogeochemistry, air quality, and materials. The Panels provide a detailed assessment report every four years. The most recent 2014 Quadrennial Assessment by the EEAP was published as a special issue of seven papers in 2015 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2015, 14, 1-184). The next Quadrennial Assessment will be published in 2018/2019. In the interim, the EEAP generally produces an annual update or progress report of the relevant scientific findings. The present progress report for 2015 assesses some of the highlights and new insights with regard to the interactive nature of the effects of UV radiation, atmospheric processes, and climate change.

Environmental Assessment of Effects of Railway Transport on Soil Properties and Pine Forest Yield

A comparative assessment of different elements of forest eco-systems affected by railway transport is made. By comparing morphological, physical, chemical and microbiological properties of soils, as well as carrying out an analysis of accumulation of heavy metals in pinewood, the area of the highest effect of pollutants is identified. With due regard of the extent of changes in the properties of biocommunity the most informative indicators of its state are offered. Received data can be used in organizing environmental activities in these bioclimatic conditions.

Risk assessment of environmental mixture effects

Determining interactions of multi-component environmental mixtures towards accurate risk assessment.

ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF THE HORIZONTAL IMPERVIOUS SCREEN FOR LOCALIZATION OF TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Purpose. The definition of the ecological and economic impact and efficient use of the horizontal impervious screen in dependence on the depth of location of the impermeable soil layer. Methodology. Synthesis, analysis, mathematical methods. The technique of definition of harm size caused by pollution and clogging of land resources through violation of environmental legislation, developed by the Ministry of environmental protection and nuclear safety of Ukraine. Findings. The initial date for definition of harm size caused by pollution and clogging of land resources after horizontal impervious screen arrangement is selected. The disadvantages of governmental technique are found and the method of improvement is developed. Originality. The governmental technique of definition of harm size caused by pollution and clogging of land resources was improved. Practical value. There was made environmental effect assessment of HIS adoption in water permeable soils combined with imperfect impervious diaphragm (ID), carried out by means of “diaphragm wall” in case of natural waterproof layer of soil absence Аlso the ecological-economic effective application of HIS compared with perfect ID buried into a natural waterproof layer of soil was determined.

Benefits and risks associated with consumption of Great Lakes fish containing omega-3 fatty acids and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Introduction Assessment of environmental health effects arising from exposure to multiple substances is often very challenging.This is particularly true when humans are exposed to a mixture that contains both beneficial and harmful substances.A good example relates to the risk and benefits of fish consumption.

Physicochemical and nutritional evaluation of Spanish melon landraces

The study of unknown and therefore unexploited genetic material from landraces and wild relatives could be essential to help modern plant breeders to respond to ongoing requirements and new challenges in food production. The present study evaluates the most relevant physicochemical values and nutrient contents of a genetically unique array of traditional melon varieties, cultivated in Spain at least since the 19th century, and compares them with modern melon hybrids available on the market. This research is complemented with an assessment of variety, environment and repetition effects on each trait to determine their stability. Spanish melon landraces displayed extraordinary diversity with respect to juiciness (70.59–95.97 g/100 g water fresh weight), firmness (20.75–149.89 N), soluble solids content (9.57–16.53 °Brix), pH (5.04–6.38), total sugars (360.21–877.36 mg/g dry weight), carotenoids (0.01–2.05 μg/g fresh weight) and ascorbic acid values (7.55–44.33 mg/100 g fresh weight). A subset of these landraces, belonging to Piel de Sapo and Rochet market classes, revealed remarkably superior values of ascorbic acid in comparison with all commercial varieties, doubling ascorbic acid values with respect to their corresponding market class. Furthermore, most of these landraces exhibited high acidity and accumulated high levels of sugars, fulfilling those sensory and physicochemical characteristics that researchers and breeders have spent many years seeking. The possibilities of these landraces to be used in improvement projects are innumerable; they should be surely taken into account in the near future.

Platform of integrated tools to support environmental studies and management of dredging activities

Dredging activities can cause environmental impacts due to, among other, the increase of the Suspended Solid Concentration (SSC) and their subsequent dispersion and deposition (DEP) far from the dredging point. The dynamics of the resulting dredging plume can strongly differ in spatial and temporal evolution. This evolution, for both conventional mechanical and hydraulic dredges, depends on the different mechanisms of sediment release in water column and the site-specific environmental conditions. Several numerical models are currently in use to simulate the dredging plume dynamics. Model results can be analysed to study dispersion and advection processes at different depths and distances from the dredging source. Usually, scenarios with frequent and extreme meteomarine conditions are chosen and extreme values of parameters (i.e. maximum intensity or total duration) are evaluated for environmental assessment. This paper presents a flexible, consistent and integrated methodological approach. Statistical parameters and indexes are derived from the analysis of SSC and DEP simulated time-series to numerically estimate their spatial (vertical and horizontal) and seasonal variability, thereby allowing a comparison of the effects of hydraulic and mechanical dredges. Events that exceed defined thresholds are described in term of magnitude, duration and frequency. A new integrated index combining these parameters, SSCnum, is proposed for environmental assessment. Maps representing the proposed parameters allow direct comparison of effects due to different (mechanical and hydraulic) dredges at progressive distances from the dredging zone. Results can contribute towards identification and assessment of the potential environmental effects of a proposed dredging project. A suitable evaluation of alternative technical choices, appropriate mitigation, management and monitoring measure is allowed in this framework. Environmental Risk Assessment and Decision Support Systems (DSS) may take advantage of the proposed tool. The approach is applied to a hypothetical dredging project in the Augusta Harbour (Eastern coast of Sicily Island–Italy).

Assessment of environmental effect of landuse conversion in Minna, Niger state, Nigeria

Land use change patterns are the result of the complex interactions between man and his physical environment. Specifically, land use conversion occurs when a particular land is changed from the use that was originally allocated as a result of invasion and succession. The study investigated the reasons for and level of conversion of land use in Minna and its environmental implications. The study area were Old Airport road, Hospital Road, Kuta Road, Ogbomosho Road and Lagos road. Data for the study were gathered through questionnaire administration to 350 randomly selected property owners in the study areas out of which 324 questionnaires were successfully completed and used for the study. The findings revealed that traffic congestion, shortage of housing and inadequate infrastructure were responsible for land use conversion in the study area. Therefore the study calls for review of Minna master plan, imposition of fines on landlords that converted the use of their properties without following appropriate procedure and increased funding of planning authority.Key words: Landuse, Conversion, Environmental and Housing.

Assessing the Sulfide Footprint of Mussel Farms with Sediment Profile Imagery: A New Zealand Trial.

Growing numbers and increased stocking of marine mussel farms make reliable techniques for environmental effect assessment a priority. Previously, we showed how the color intensity of soft sediment could be used to estimate its acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content, a product of the anaerobic microbial degradation of organic matter deposits. We then proposed to include assessments of the AVS farm footprint in marine farm monitoring, in particular, to investigate temporal changes in the extent of the seafloor area of elevated sediment AVS content. Such assessment requires accurate detection of the AVS footprint boundary. Here, we demonstrate how to detect this boundary with analyses of sediment color intensity. We analyzed 182 sediment profile images taken along three transects leading from approximately 50 m inside to 200 m outside a long-line mussel farm in New Zealand and found that the mean sediment color intensity inside the farm boundary was almost one third lower than that of the sediment distant from the farm. Segmented regression analysis of the combined color intensity data revealed a breakpoint in the trend of increasing grey values with increasing distance from the farm at 56 ± 13 m (± 95% confidence interval of the breakpoint) outside the mussel farm. Statistical analyses indicated that the extent of the color intensity footprint was a function of water column depth, as was shown visually using mapping methods; organic particles disperse further in a deeper seawater column. We conclude that for soft coastal sediments, our sampling and data analysis techniques may provide a rapid and reliable supplement to existing benthic surveys that assess environmental effects of mussel farms.

Comparative life cycle assessment on environment -friendly clean briquette and lignite

This study is aimed at analysing the environmental impacts of environment-friendly clean briquette, being a new kind of briquette product, and compared with lignite by life-cycle assessment. The results based on inventory analysis and the assessment of environmental effects are obtained as follows: The environment load index for environment-friendly clean briquette is 0·29, and for lignite coal is 0·50. It is obvious that the environmental effects of environment-friendly clean briquette are far lower than that of lignite coal. Among the environmental effects, global warming is the most serious type for environment-friendly clean briquette, and CO2 is the most contributory. The emissions of environment concentrates are mainly on the stage of combustion in the whole life cycle for environment-friendly clean briquette, so the important way to improve environment-friendly clean briquette is to reduce the emissions to environment from the stage of combustion.

Development of an Environmental Database for Construction Finish Materials Organized by Building Element

The purpose of this study was to develop an environmental database for construction finish materials organized by building element as part of an effort to develop an environmental effect assessment program for buildings. To this end, a classification system has been developed for building elements that satisfies the demands from construction project stakeholders to acquire environmental information. Furthermore, among the construction materials, an environmental database of the finish materials has been developed for each building element based on reference substances and the impact indexes of six environmental effect categories of the national LCI DB.

Lichens as suitable indicators of the biological effects of atmospheric pollutants around a municipal solid waste incinerator (S Italy)

A comprehensive biomonitoring programme should integrate several methods distributed along the biomonitoring chain, allowing to detect exposure, threads and impacts. In the case of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI), biomonitoring of air pollution can contribute to source attribution, detection of ongoing processes and assessment of environmental effects. Three different methods were used to assess the biological effects of air pollution around a MSWI using lichens as biomonitors: (1) lichen diversity; (2) bioaccumulation of trace elements; and (3) physiological status (photosynthetic efficiency, cell membrane damage, viability). The first method takes into account the native lichen flora, while the other two were applied to thalli of the lichen Evernia prunastri transplanted for 6 months in the study area. Lichen diversity and physiological parameters reflected the effects of air pollution around the incinerator and the surrounding industrial area. High frequencies of non-nitrophilous species corresponded to sites with higher environmental quality, while high frequencies of nitrophilous species corresponded to sites with higher level of eutrophication. Transplanted samples showed increased cell membrane damage and reduced vitality respect to control samples. Bioaccumulation of trace elements pointed at the atmospheric origin of Hg depositions in the area. These results suggest that an integrated use of lichen-based methods along the biomonitoring chain can provide useful biological outputs for decision-makers to establish correct sustainable waste management policies.

Sustainability and quality in the food supply chain. A case study of shipment of edible oils

Purpose– Modern supply chains collect and deliver products worldwide and link vendors and consumers over thousands of miles. In the food industry, the quality of products is affected by manufacturing/processing and logistics activities, such as transportation and packaging. Specifically, transportation is likely the most critical step throughout the “food journey” from farm to fork because of the potential stresses that affect the products during shipment and storage activities. The purpose of this paper is to present and apply an original assessment of quality, safety and environmental effects due to the international distribution of food products via different container solutions. A case study that examines the shipment of edible oils from Italy to Canada demonstrates that the quality of a product at the place of consumption can be significantly affected by the use of different containers.Design/methodology/approach– A simulation-based quality assessment, combined with a life cycle and environmental analysis, supports the logistic manager in the decision-making process in order to guarantee the highest level of product quality at the place of consumption.Findings– The proposed approach and the illustrated case study demonstrate the importance of conducting safety and quality assessment combined with environmental analyses of sustainable food supply chains.Originality/value– This paper highlights the interdependency of implications and decisions on food quality and environmental sustainability of supply chain processes and activities.

The effect of glyphosate on the growth and competitive effect of perennial grass species in semi-natural grasslands

Biodiversity within European semi-natural biotopes in agro-ecosystem is declining, and herbicide drift from neighbouring fields is considered as an important factor for the decline. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the growth and competitive interactions in a model system of two perennial grass species, Festuca ovina and Agrostis capillaris, are affected by sub-lethal doses of glyphosate in field margins. In a glasshouse experiment with ample nitrogen, the interspecific competitive interactions were found to be significantly affected by glyphosate; the competitive effect of F. ovina on A. capillaris increased and the competitive effect of A. capillaris on F. ovina decreased with increasing doses of glyphosate. Furthermore, the importance of interspecific competition increased with the glyphosate dose. The results of the study of competitive interactions are in agreement with the observed plant community dynamics at the field site where F. ovina was found to be more dominant in plots treated with a relatively high dose of glyphosate. Importantly, the effects of glyphosate on the plant community dynamics critically depended on the effect of glyphosate on the plant competitive interactions. The study concludes that the current practice in the environmental risk assessment of non-target effects of herbicides, where single species are tested in the greenhouse, may be inadequate for assessing the effect of herbicides in semi-natural plant communities. The presented methods can be used for assessing the importance of competitive interactions for the sensitivity of non-target plants to herbicides in risk assessment.

Vliv projektu vodního kanálu DOL na geobiocenózy lužních lesů (Česká republika)

This arcticle deals with influence of the proposed Danube-Odra-Elbe (DOL) water canal on the floodplain forests in the Czech Republic. The project of the DOL water canal is evaluated with using GIS methods and reference assessment of environmental effects. Biogeographic differentiation of the landscape in a biogeocenological concept have been also utilized in this paper. The presented paper has shown the possibilities of use of the GIS analysis for the assessment of the assumed effect of the DOL project on the hydrological regime of floodplain forests. It has been proven that this method is much more efficient in objectivizing the presupposed influences of the DOL canal on the water regime of floodplain forests than the previous assessments. The method employed in this paper for the purposes of the preliminary percentage quantification of the extent of the hydrological in­fluen­ce on individual types of geobiocoenoses of floodplain forests is used generally for the purposes of the environmental assessment of effects on investment plans concerning the landscape (the so-called EIA). It is clear that the assessment of the influences of the DOL project on floodplain forest geobiocoenoses primarily concerns the response of vegetation to changes in the soil moisture regime, which can be compared to the amount of data material (for a summary see PRAX et al., 2008). Results indicate that the potential construction of the DOL canal would significantly, i.e. with an influence value exceeding 50 %, affect 634 km2 of the area of inundations in lowland floodplains in the Czech Republic. Results are discussed in the frame of knowledge about water regime of floodplain forests ecosystems.

The Analysis of Resources Environmental Effects of Rural Industrialized Areas Based on Ecological Footprint

The rapid growth of rural industry has resulted in increased financial well-being, with improvement of farmers’ salaries and development of urbanization. However, it has also contributed to decreased environmental quality and heavy consumption of resources, which were seriously threatening the sustainable economic and social development of China. Little, if any, related research has been published and few of these articles approach the topic from a rural perspective. Systematic evaluation system is lack of study. This paper tries to establish environmental effects assessment model for the ecological footprint of rural industry based on traditional footprint theory, then takes Jimo of Shandong Province and Zhuji of Zhejiang Province for instance to analyze environmental effects of rural industry. The results shows that the resources environmental effects of both regions are different and the ecological footprint per capita of both regions had increased from 2000 to 2009. The upward trend of Zhuji is more obvious and the industrial footprint per capita of Jimo is lower than Zhuji with the gap increasing in the decades. The treatment efficiency of industrial waste of Jimo is higher than that of Zhuji. The population of both regions are close, but the gap of industrial ecological footprint between them are expanding. The GDP ecological footprint of Zhuji was higher than that of Jimo, which means the rural industry of Zhuji put more pressure on the environment.

Wine-distillery waste compost addition to a drip-irrigated horticultural crop of central Spain: Risk assessment

The assessment of environmental effects is important before agricultural use of organic wastes, especially in irrigated agricultural areas vulnerable to nitrate pollution. A field study with melon crop was conducted during 2011 and 2012 in central Spain, using different rates of wine-distillery waste compost to quantify nitrogen (N) leaching under two regimes of irrigation. To evaluate the groundwater pollution risk associated with these practices, some environmental indices were used to determine the variation in the quality of drinking water (Impact Index (II)) and in the nitrate concentration of the groundwater (Environmental Impact Index (EII)). To combine environmental together with yield parameters, the Management Efficiency (ME) was calculated. Considering II and EII, compost addition together with adjusted irrigation (90–100% ETc) do not represent a risk to increase groundwater contamination, and, in high doses, may contribute to remove nitrate from drainage water and improve the quality of the drinking water. In contrast, applying large amounts of compost together with an excess of water (120% ETc) increased N leaching significantly and poses a higher risk of groundwater contamination. The rate corresponding to 13 t ha−1 of compost together with an efficient irrigation is sufficient to achieve the highest yield, does not exceed the maximum allowable limits established by II and EII and has an adequate ME.