Environmental Evaluation Method Research Articles

Application of environmental evaluation methods as a management tool for urban lagoon systems

Urban lagoon systems have undergone change in their physical, ecological and environmental issues. Anthropic pressure and lack of planning in the deployment of public services, specifically in regard to water supply and sanitation are observed. It is also noticed that urban lagoon systems have been a frequent target location for effluent discharge and illegal connections. It is necessary to build a management model that allows for the development of proposals aimed at mitigation of environmental impacts * Advogado, Mestre em Engenharia Ambiental pelo Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia Fluminense, IF Fluminense, Brasil. Doutorando em Engenharia Civil pelo COPPE/UFRJ. E-mail: frankpavan@gmail.com. 54 Frank Pavan de Souza Boletim do Observatorio Ambiental Alberto Ribeiro Lamego, Campos dos Goytacazes/RJ, v. 4, n. 2, p. 53-73, jul. / dez. 2010 caused by human action. The main objective of this work is to present environmental evaluation methods that can be used in a model of adaptive management for urban lagoons. To initiate the investigations, a comparative study was carried out which enabled the identification of methods that can be applied to evaluate aspects of the water body and its surroundings. It was concluded that environmental evaluation methods can support Governmental agencies, once costs and benefits can be estimated by analyzing demand and availability of natural resources, particularly water resources.

Aplicação de métodos de valoração ambiental como ferramenta para gestão de sistemas lagunares urbanos

Urban lagoon systems have undergone change in their physical, ecological and environmental issues. Anthropic pressure and lack of planning in the deployment of public services, specifically in regard to water supply and sanitation are observed. It is also noticed that urban lagoon systems have been a frequent target location for effluent discharge and illegal connections. It is necessary to build a management model that allows for the development of proposals aimed at mitigation of environmental impacts caused by human action. The main objective of this work is to present environmental evaluation methods that can be used in a model of adaptive management for urban lagoons. To initiate the investigations, a comparative study was carried out which enabled the identification of methods that can be applied to evaluate aspects of the water body and its surroundings. It was concluded that environmental evaluation methods can support Governmental agencies, once costs and benefits can be estimated by analyzing demand and availability of natural resources, particularly water resources.

Magnetic microbead-based electrochemical immunoassays

This review provides a summary of recent works concerning electrochemical immunoassays using magnetic microbeads as a solid phase. Recent research activity has led to innovative and powerful detection strategies that have been resulted in sensitive electrochemical detection. Coupling of magnetic microbeads with highly sensitive electrochemical detection provides a useful analytical method for environmental evaluation and clinical diagnostics, etc. The huge surface area and high dispersion capability of magnetic microbeads strongly contributes towards the development of new sensitive, rapid, user-friendly, and miniaturized electrochemical immunoassay systems. Moreover, the immunocomplexes formed on the magnetic microbead surface can be easily detected without pretreatment steps such as preconcentration or purification, which are normally required for standard methods. The discussion in this review is organized in two main subjects that include magnetic-microbead-based assays using enzyme labels and nanoparticle tags.

A method for soil environmental quality evaluation for management and planning in urban areas

Soil represents a complex medium, which makes it difficult to evaluate its quality. In the past, soil quality evaluation was biased towards agricultural production rather than for purposes related to the broad range of functions and services that it performs. Soil function and soil quality in the urban environment differ due to the different needs and roles of soil within the diversity of urban land uses. The quality of urban soil should be evaluated to support public services for good environmental quality management. Planners should also adjust their decisions towards more sustainable urban design. Simple and applicable soil quality evaluation methods accompanied by an operations toolkit that could be used by laypeople are needed. This paper discusses soil functions, soil quality indicators, pedotransfer functions, and urban soil quality. It presents an urban soil quality evaluation method for different land uses within one particular evaluation system. The calculation of three one-value measures of soil quality are introduced: index of soil quality (expresses soil quality/suitability for a particular land use), soil environmental quality index (environmental value of soil) in terms of performing the crucial ecological functions of soil, and land use change index (land use planning impact assessment on soil resources). The use of the method is described in two procedures: urban soil quality control and soil evaluation for urban planning.

UTILIZAÇÃO DE PEIXES COMO BIOMONITOR PARA FINS DE RADIOPROTEÇÃO AMBIENTAL EM ECOSSISTEMAS AQUÁTICOS CONTINENTAIS. UM MODELO CONCEITUAL

Normal 0 21 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 O presente trabalho visa revisar as metodologias de avaliação de dose absorvida em peixes e fornece subsídios para o estabelecimento de uma metodologia de avaliação de impacto ambiental radiológico embasado na avaliação de dose absorvida na biota, com enfoque nos peixes de ambiente aquático continental. Esse enfoque de proteção e recente e incentivado por organismos internacionais e alguns nacionais. Para tanto se fez uma revisão dos métodos de cálculo de dose na biota, passando por suas situações de contorno na elaboração do modelo. Não se fez julgamento de mérito de cada modelo, apenas uma explicitação de seus pressupostos. Baseado na literatura desenvolveu-se um formulário estabelecendo formulas de calculo de fatores de conversão de concentração de atividade em taxa de dose e dos limites derivados para água e sedimento. Desenvolveu-se um modelo de calculo de taxa de dose absorvida anual, tendo por fundamento o modelo proposto pelo Departamento de Energia (DOE) dos Estados Unidos e proposto um limite de dose baseado no mesmo DOE. Houve a preocupação de se apontar perspectivas de desenvolvimento de avaliações radiológicas ambientais, sendo sugerido uma metodologia de gerenciamento das doses absorvidas pela biota, através dos métodos de valoração do dano ambiental.

Activity Modeling for Integrating Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Consideration as a New Element in Industrial Chemical Process Design

In this paper, we present activity models of chemical process design integrating environmental, health and safety (EHS) evaluation as a new element with conventional economic and technical considerations on the basis of the design framework, which defines different stages of early process design with appropriate indicators for multiobjective evaluation. The type-zero method of Integrated DEFinition language or IDEF0 is selected as an activity modeling method for the hierarchical and transparent description of complex design activities. The viewpoint of the activity model is the user of this design framework, i.e. a design-project manager who leads a group of process chemists and engineers. A set of template models is developed, which describes how a manager executes a project step by step with providing instructions and resources appropriately. According to this template, IDEF0 models of the design framework are created, and here EHS-related activities, tools and information are systematically defined as a part of the whole design activity. As further analysis, sub-activities are presented in detail, where the manager allocates resources appropriately to different design stages, including methods of environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and EHS hazard evaluation. Another detailed analysis is on how design constraints, e.g., market situation, competitors’ patents and company culture, affect different decision-making within the framework. The actual development of methyl methacrylate (MMA) processes is investigated as a case study. The paper finally presents important know-how for the design manager in executing the integrated design framework.

CONSIDERATION OF EVALUATION ITEMS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATIONS ON OUTDOOR REST AREAS

This paper is a study of environmental evaluations of outdoor rest areas on university campuses, based on the Facility Management approach. In the writers' previous research, the Facility Environmental Evaluation Method was applied to the students at a certain university, with the results indicating that the status of outdoor rest areas was a cause of dissatisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the basic factors impacting environmental evaluations of outdoor rest areas, in order to implement concrete improvements for the establishment of outdoor rest areas. In this report, with the focus on “awareness conditions” and “acts of use” of outdoor rest areas, the evaluation items for use in environmental evaluations are developed.

実生活での有限レベル変動に整合した音環境評価法と幹線交通騒音への適用

実生活での有限レベル変動に整合した音環境評価法と幹線交通騒音への適用

Environmental impacts of farm scenarios according to five assessment methods

It is not known to what extent the outcome of studies assessing the environmental impacts of agricultural systems depends on the characteristics of the evaluation method used. The study reported here investigated five well-documented evaluation methods (DIALECTE, Ecological Footprint, Environmental Management for Agriculture, FarmSmart, Life Cycle Assessment) by applying them to a case study of three pig farm scenarios. These methods differ with respect to their global objective (evaluation of impact versus evaluation of adherence to good practice), the number and type of environmental issues they consider, the way they define the system to be analysed, the mode of expression of results (for the farm as a whole, per unit area or per unit product) and the type of indicators used (pressure, state or impact indicators). The pig farm scenarios compared were conventional good agricultural practice (GAP), a quality label scenario called red label (RL) and organic agriculture (OA). We used the methods to rank the three scenarios according to their environmental impacts. The relative ranking of the three scenarios varied considerably depending on characteristics of the evaluation method used and on the mode of expression of results. We recommend the use of evaluation methods that express results both per unit area and per unit product. Environmental evaluation methods should be used with great caution, users should carefully consider which method is most appropriate given their particular needs, taking into consideration the method's characteristics.

Normalization Method for the Detection of Low Level Chromium Contamination in the Soil of the Tisza River Floodplain (Hungary)

A normalization method was tested for the detection of low level chromium contamination in the soil of the Tisza River Floodplain in Hungary. The soils' so-called “total” metal concentration (strong acid extractable fraction) is the basis of many environmental evaluation methods, soil tests. In the floodplain soils cadmium, lead, zinc and copper occur in elevated concentrations, but their chromium concentration is not significantly higher than that of the control soils. The normalization method makes it possible to calculate the anthropogenic and geogenic chromium concentration in soil. Anthropogenic chromium was not detectable on the control sites, but a significant amount (4-14 mg/kg) was found in the floodplain soil samples. The applied normalization method proved the low level chromium contamination in the floodplain.

エコサービスの分類及び評価手法の提案：セメント製造における都市ごみ処理のケーススタディ

エコサービスの分類及び評価手法の提案：セメント製造における都市ごみ処理のケーススタディ

ビオトープタイプの組成とカエル類生息からみた小流域の評価手法に関する研究

This paper proposes an environmental evaluation method in units of small watershed in order to discuss the guideline for the landscape management considering the conservation and restoration of the local biodiversity on scale of city or district. The Survey area is Kamakura city and the evaluation species are two frog species; Rana ornativentris and Rhacophorus schlegelii. The combination of biotope types is one of the important factors in the habitat environment. Firstly, biotope types were classified as habitat of each evaluation species for the breeding and non-breeding season based on the biotope map of Kamakura city. The combination of the biotope types of each small watershed were evaluated as the habitat potentiality. The correspondence of evaluation results to actual habitats validated the evaluation method. Secondly, the small watersheds were classified into six types of environmental character by cluster analysis using indices of the land features and land cover. Furthermore, to combine the environmental characteristics with the evaluation result clarified the environmental potential of each small watershed type as habitat of evaluation species.

The application of Yangtze Estuary Tidal Wetlands Geographic Information System

Yangtze Estuary Tidal Wetlands Geographic Information System (YETWGIS) is a comprehensive software system for environmental management and decision of Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands. Based on MapObjects components technology, Data Mining technology, mathematical modeling method and Visual Basic language, this software system has many functions such as displaying, editing, querying and searching, spatial statistics and analysis, thematic map compiling, and environmental quality evaluation. This paper firstly outlined the system structure, key techniques, and achieving methods of YETWGIS, and then, described the core modules (the thematic map compiling module and environmental quality evaluation model module) in detail. In addition, based on information entropy model, it thoroughly discussed the methods of environmental quality evaluation and indicators’ weight calculation. Finally, by using YETWGIS, this paper analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of Heavy Metal and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) of the Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands in 2002, and evaluated the environmental quality of the Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands in 2003.

電気式床暖房室内の熱放射場に関する実験的研究

Thermal radiation field in a room with electric floor heating was investigated by experiments using a cubic net radiometer. The surface temperature of the floor was set at a high temperature of 50 degree centigrade at the highest, for the sake of conducting an evaluation method of thermal environment in the room with floor heating. The height of measurement was selected at 50cm above the floor corresponding to the posture of a human body sitting on the floor. Using the cubic net radiometer made it possible to analyze the variation of thermal environment in the room owing to the directionality of the instrument.

多時期植生図の解析による河道内植生の変遷に関する考察

It is quite important to develop efficient methods of environmental survey, evaluation and estimation for river ecosystem management. Actual vegetation map has been commonly used as an information source of river environment. However, it is difficult to understand vegetation transition processes using only one vegetation map at a period of time because riverine vegetation alternates continually in a dynamic river ecosystem. A vegetation map database was developed with maps at 6 different times using Geographical Information System (GIS). The vegetation classification legend of 62 classes were consolidated into 7 vegetation/cover classes based on flood disturbance. Cross tabulation analyses were performed on temporal continuous two vegetation maps. The vegetation/cover classes were changed at more than four out of ten study area in each maps. Cluster analysis was performed using reference index which indicates the degree of flood disturbance. Classification result suggested that there were 6 types of vegetation transition and these types were mapped using GIS. These results suggest that multi-temporal vegetation maps were useful for understanding vegetation transition and trend in a river ecosystem.

109 リモートセンシングによる環境評価・診断法に関する研究 : 遺伝アルゴリズムによる人工衛星画像の補正法(セッション2 画像計測・評価)

109 リモートセンシングによる環境評価・診断法に関する研究 : 遺伝アルゴリズムによる人工衛星画像の補正法(セッション2 画像計測・評価)

住環境マップを用いた住民参加型の住環境評価手法 : 住環境マップの作成を通じた自治会主体の住環境改善システムの構築 その1

住環境マップを用いた住民参加型の住環境評価手法 : 住環境マップの作成を通じた自治会主体の住環境改善システムの構築 その1

博多湾における自然環境特性について

Hakata Bay is an enclosing costal sea, whose hinterland is a large urban settlement with the population of about 1.4 millions. Construction of an artificial island has been carrying out at the inner part of the bay. The state of natural environments of Hakata Bay are main issues among the city government, citizen and scientists. The aim of this study is to investigate natural environmental characteristics of Hakata Bay by using data of various observation for water and sediment quality, benthos, marine planktons, and so forth. The multivariate statistical analysis and the proposed the environmental evaluation method are applied for studying natural environmental qualities of Hakata Bay and to verify validity of the proposed evaluation method. It is found that some of the water quality elements like T-P and SS have been constantly improving, although the physical environment is deteriorating due to construction of the artificial island. The proposed evaluation method clearly indicates this trend.

Environmental impact assessment using a weighting method for alternative air-conditioning systems

Requirements for the design of HVAC systems with low environmental impact have become accepted in the past decade. However, the environmental performance is complicated to evaluate, because the process is affected by several parameters. This paper presents a case study, in which a previously established method for environmental evaluation is adapted. Two alternative air handling units were analysed using life cycle assessment including the weighting step. The results, according to the weighting method applied as well as the material assumptions, show that the user stage of the life cycle of both units is the critical part of the overall impact.

Evaluation Method of Artificial Acoustical Environment: Visualization of Sound Intensity

Recent development of sound reproduction systems such as 5.1 surround produces artificial sound field inside the enclosure. The acoustic characteristic of the enclosure is an important factor which determines the quality of the sound field reproduction. This paper provides a useful method for evaluating the characteristics of the sound field in the enclosed space. The proposed method is based on the visualization of the measured sound intensity. In this research, the sound intensity is obtained by measuring the impulse responses from the sound source to the receiving points. The direction and the strength of the intensity can be interpreted as having a strong correlation with the reflected sound from the corresponding direction. The proposed method thus projects that information, i.e., the arriving direction and the strength of the intensity, as the circle having appropriate radius onto the surface of the rectangular wire-frame box. This visualization makes it easy to grasp the fundamental characteristics of the reflections in the enclosure.