Flow Pollution Research Articles

Inflow of Foreign Capital and Environmental Pollution in the Presence of an Informal Sector: A Theoretical Analysis

This paper attempts to examine the implications of foreign capital inflow, which leads to transfer of environmentally sound technology (EST) to the formal manufacturing sector, on the levels of domestic pollution and national income in the presence of an informal sector. The informal sector produces a non-traded intermediary for the formal sector. Owing to environmental regulations the formal manufacturing sector abates the cost of pollution generated from the emission of pollutants in both the formal and the informal manufacturing sectors. It has been found that under some reasonable conditions an inflow of foreign capital raises total domestic pollution and raises national income.

Assessment of the anthropogenic influx of metallic pollutants in Yarmouk River, Jordan

Chemical data for 15 elements at depths at 10-cm intervals in 6 cores at two locations along the Yarmouk River as well as the heavy-metal enrichment factors (EFs) and anthropogenic factors (AFs) show that Cd and Ni for all the cores, and Mn, Zn, Cr, Co and Pb for core 3 at location A are anthropogenically enriched. The contents of these elements decrease clearly with depth in the sediment column. The sequence of element enrichment depends on whether the EF and the AF are used to calculate the elements which show no systematic decrease in enrichment with depth in all cores, especially for location A, probably due mainly to a higher sedimentation rate. The results of the present study show that the sediments of the Yarmouk River are uncontaminated with Fe, Cr, and Mn, whereas they are uncontaminated to moderately contaminated with Ni, Co, and Zn, moderately contaminated with Pb, and strongly to extremely contaminated with respect to Cd. Also, the study shows that the EF and AF values are higher than 1, which indicates that all the metals measured in the sediments of the Yarmouk River were enriched by various anthropogenic sources in the catchment area of this river. Heavy metal enrichment reflects the combined effects of agricultural activities, a treatment plant, a landfill site at El-Akader, and small industries in the region.

Ice core studies of anthropogenic sulfate and nitrate trends in the Arctic

Ice core studies have shown that sulfate and nitrate concentrations in Arctic snow have increased significantly since the end of the 19th century due to the influx of anthropogenic pollutants transported from industrialized regions. Trends of increasing sulfate and nitrate concentrations in snow are evident in all the ice core data from Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, and Svalbard. Temporal patterns, however, show spatial variation. In the area around Dye 3, south Greenland, significant increases in sulfate are found beginning in the 1890s. Increases in nitrate began ∼50 years later. A similar pattern is seen at Penny Ice Cap, Baffin Island, in the Canadian low Arctic. In contrast, both sulfate and nitrate concentrations started to increase significantly in the 1940s on Agassiz Ice Cap, Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian high Arctic; and Snøfjellafonna, Svalbard. At Summit, central Greenland, and sites in north Greenland, sharp sulfate increases occurred at about the turn of the 20th century and again about 1940 or 1950, where the latter increase is the greater of the two. At these central and north Greenland sites, significant increases in nitrate began about 1940 or 1950. The difference between the magnitude and timing of increasing trends of the sulfate ions at these sites can be attributed to their having different source regions and pathways for these pollutant ions. The pollutant sources appear to be North America for south Greenland and Baffin Island, Eurasia, for Ellesmere Island and Svalbard, and both North America and Eurasia for central and north Greenland.

Application of a multiscale, coupled MM5/chemistry model to the complex terrain of the VOTALP valley campaign

A coupled complex meteorology/chemistry model has been used to simulate the flow field and the concentration fields of atmospheric pollutants in Alpine valleys during the VOTALP (Vertical Ozone Transports in the ALPs) Valley Campaign in August 1996 in southern Switzerland. This paper starts with a description of a coupled numerical model (MCCM, Multiscale Climate Chemistry Model), which is based on the Penn State/NCAR nonhydrostatic mesoscale model (MM5) and the RADM2 gas-phase chemical reaction scheme. The second part of the paper presents a simulation for the Mesolcina Valley, the core region of the VOTALP Valley Campaign, and adjacent regions. The simulation was done using the nesting facility of the coupled meteorology/chemistry model. The horizontal resolution for the innermost nest was 1 km. The simulations depict the daily thermally induced valley and mountain wind system and the advection of pollutants with this wind system. It becomes obvious that in the model simulation highly polluted air from the Po Basin is transported into the Alpine valleys during the day. During the night cleaner air is brought downward with the mountain winds. Cross sections from the high-resolution model results give a closer look at the inflow and outflow of pollutants into and from the Mesolcina Valley.

Evaluation of the anthropogenic influx of metallic pollutants into Puck Bay, southern Baltic

Distributions of 15 elements with depth in two sediment cores from Puck Bay in the Gulf of Gdansk show that Ag, Cd, Pb, Zn and possibly Cu and Ni are anthropogenically enriched in the sediments there. The concentrations of these elements decrease sharply with depth in the sediment column and the elements are preferentially enriched in the <2 μm size fraction of the sediment. The sequence of element enrichment depends on whether the enrichment factor (EF) and the anthropogenic factor (AF) are used to calculate the element enrichment. By contrast, the anthropogenic elements show no systematic decrease in concentration with depth in a sediment core taken from near the mouth of the Vistula River. This reflects the higher sedimentation rate there such that the entire upper 20 cm of the core was deposited during the major, post-war period of industrialization in Poland. In addition, these elements are enriched in the 2–63 μm fraction compared to the <2 μm fraction in these sediments. This suggests that the heavy metals are mainly adsorbed on Fe oxyhydroxide particles with diameters greater than 2 μm at the hydrological front where Vistula river water mixes with brackish Baltic water. It appears that heavy-metal pollution of sediments in parts of Puck Bay may be greater than that near the mouth of the Vistula River which may reflect, in part, the higher sedimentation rate near the mouth of the Vistula River. The mode of incorporation of heavy-metals into the sediments in the two areas may also be different.

Effect of alternative boundary conditions on predicted ozone control strategy performance: A case study in the Los Angeles area

The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the importance of assumptions made regarding boundary and initial conditions on the predicted performance of regional ozone control strategies. A computationally efficient approach to depicting the response of an air basin to emission controls is developed. The problem of ozone isopleth generation is addressed using a large Eulerian grid-based photochemical airshed model that is distributed over a grid system of 64 different ROG and NO x control combination points that were run simultaneously on a parallel computer. This method is used for the Los Angeles area to examine the effect on predicted ozone concentrations of alternative assumptions about how boundary conditions at the edge of the air basin will change as a result of changed recirculation of pollutants from within the airshed plus emission decreases upwind. We show that an accurate forecast of the effect of future emission control programs on pollutant inflows across the boundaries of the Los Angeles modeling region is absolutely critical to selection of a successful ozone control strategy for the Los Angeles area.

Catalytic and immunologic characterization of hepatic and lung cytochromes P450 in the polar bear

The Arctic Ocean is subject to considerable influx of anthropogenic pollutants including halogenated organic compounds. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is at the top of the arctic marine food web and is an ideal species for monitoring the level and distribution of contaminants in the arctic ecosystem. As the first step in the development of a biological method for assessing the functional exposure of polar bears to xenobiotics, biochemical studies were undertaken to characterize polar bear cytochromes P450. Liver and lung samples were obtained in the field from four, freshly killed, adult, male polar bears and immediately frozen at −196 °. Microsomes were subsequently prepared and used for the measurement of total cytochrome P450 content and aminopyrine N-demethylase, benzphetamine N-demethylase, ethylmorphine N-demethylase, p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and testosterone hydroxylase activities. Immunoblots containing hepatic and lung microsomal samples from the polar bears were probed using antibodies generated against several purified rat cytochrome P450 isozymes. Monoclonal antibody to rat cytochrome P450 1A1 and polyclonal antibodies to rat cytochromes P450 1A1, 2B1 and 3A1, as well as antibody to epoxide hydrolase, cross-reacted to varying degrees with polar bear hepatic microsomes. In addition, polyspecific antibody to the rat cytochrome P450 2C subfamily gave several immunostained protein bands, but antibodies specific to rat cytochrome P450 2C7 and 2C13 did not react, while antibody specific to cytochrome P450 2C11 yielded an ambiguous result. Except for anticytochrome P450 2B1 and polyspecific antibody to the cytochrome P450 2C subfamily, the antibodies listed above did not cross-react with polar bear lung microsomes at the protein concentrations used. The results demonstrate that polar bear liver contains multiple forms of cytochrome P450 that are catalytically active toward diverse substrates and that several of these forms are immunochemically related to rat cytochrome P450 isozymes. Immunochemical homologues of rat cytochrome P450 1A, 2B, 2C and 3A subfamilies, and of rat epoxide hydrolase are present in polar bear liver. In addition, the polar bears all had high levels of immunoreactive cytochrome P450 1A and 2B proteins, probably as a consequence of induction by environmental contaminants.

新設貯水池の水質予測と検証に関する研究 定山渓ダムを例として

In this study, water quality prediction and verification were carried out at the newly-constructed Jozankei dam reservoir (Lake Sapporo), located in the southern part of Sapporo city, Hokkaido.Field observations with the aim of estimating the pollutant inflow load to the Jozankei dam reservoir had been carried out since 1975, and the results of these observations were used to predict the water quality by the phosphorus-loading model. Phosphorus-loading model was also applied to Hoheikyo dam reservoir (Lake Jozan, an oligotrophic lake) and the model was shown to be reliable, thus confirming the usefulness of the phosphorus-loading model for water quality prediction. The water quality in the Jozankei dam reservoir was predicted to become oligotrophic or mesotrophic.Field observations have been carried out at the Jozankei dam for period of 6 years since 1989, which was the first year of storage, for the purpose of verifying prediction results. After 3 years trial storage, full operations were commenced in 1992.During the first 2 years after the beginning of storage, the TP concentrations were higher than the predicted values due to the nutrient release from submerged soils and plants. However, after the third year, TP concentrations decreased to almost the same level as the predicted values, which confirmed that a stable and clean water quality environment was being maintained.

078 REDUCING AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION WITH RIPARIAN BUFFER SYSTEMS

Even with careful management, within-field practices are often insufficient to prevent considerable nonpoint source pollution to adjacent streams. Water resources suffer from sediment, N, and P transported in surface runoff and N in subsurface movement when fields are cultivated up to stream banks. The maintainance of forested buffer systems between farmland and streams has been proposed as a remedy for mitigating pollution. Chemical movement through such a buffer system has been monitored for several years at the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station. With the aid of that data, the Riparian Ecosystem Management Model is being developed to simulate biological, chemical, and hydrologic processes in order to evaluate the effectiveness of buffer system management for reducing the influx of pollutants to streams. The model allows an examination of the long-term potential of a buffer system under changing environmental conditions.

Changes in the hydrochemistry of the Black Sea inferred from water density profiles

DURING the past two decades, catastrophic changes have occurred in the Black Sea ecosystem: the influx of pollution from the major rivers has caused intense eutrophication at the northwest coastal margin1, and fish stocks have collapsed throughout the sea2. The hydrochemical details of these events are still poorly understood3–7, and a way needs to be found to distinguish long-term variations from short-term natural fluctuations3,4 if future management of the Black Sea ecosystem is to be successful. We show here that a coherent description may be achieved by analysing the hydro-chemical data as a function of water density rather than depth. Our findings suggest that, contrary to the suggestion of Murray et al.3, the upper boundary of the low-lying anoxic waters has remained stationary since 1969, whereas the intermediate suboxic zone has enlarged, reducing the overall depth of the oxygenated upper waters by ∼20 m. Moreover, a long-term increase in the nitrate concentration and a concomitant decrease in the silicate and ammonia concentrations in this upper layer are indicative of the considerable changes taking place in the biochemical regime of the Black Sea.

Influence of the economic activities on coasts upon the coastal waters of the Black Sea

The contemporary state of the ecosystem, coastal waters and coasts of the Black Sea can be assessed as critical. The main causes of unfavourable ecological changes of the sea, and especially its shelf waters, are the natural and anthropogenic changes in river runoff increase of biogenic compounds, organic matter, pollutants and toxic agents carried to the sea in river waters, pollution of the sea water basin with petroleum. This work is devoted to an assessment of the role of sea coasts in the change of its ecological state because up till now the majority of researchers considered the influence of quantitative and qualitative changes of the river runoff produced by the economic activities to be decisive. It is shown that even according to at present incomplete data the contribution of coasts of biogenic compounds to the coastal sea waters is comparable with the contribution of the runoff of large rivers; it is significant for oil hydrocarbons, and decisive with regard to surface acting agents (SAA), phenols and pesticides. In a number of areas the ecological state of the coastal waters is almost completely determined by the inflow of pollutants from coasts. The integral assessment of the quality of coastal sea waters on different areas of the sea proved that the quality of the water along the coasts of Georgia, Russia and the Ukraine varies from “moderately polluted” to “extremely dirty”.

Lake productivity and water chemistry as governors of the uptake of persistent pollutants in fish

Factors influencing uptake and levels of persistent pollutants (PCBs, p,p'-DDE) were investigated in 341 northern pike from 61 lakes in southern Scandinavia. Although the inflow of pollutants from the atmosphere was similar throughout the area studied, large differences in levels of PCBs and DDE in predatory fish were found between lakes. The factors primarily responsible for this variation appeared to be lake trophic status and content of humic substances. Levels of persistent pollutants in the fish decreased as productivity increased. Contents of total phosphorus and chlorophyll alpha and lake water transparency (mainly influenced by phytoplankton biomass) were used as productivity indicators. The reasons for the lower levels of pollutants in fish in lakes of increasing productivity were higher growth rate of pike and higher turnover time and sedimentation of particles (phytoplankton) to which the pollutants are adsorbed. Levels of persistent pollutants decreased as the amount of humic substances (water color) increased, apparently because humus adsorbs persistent pollutants, rendering them less available for uptake in fish. The results show that it should be possible to predict levels of persistent pollutants in fish, based on the productivity and chemical properties of the lake. (Less)

The acute toxicity of selected metals to the freshwater mussel, Anodonta imbecilis

AbstractThe mussel fauna of many North American waters is declining, probably due to a combination of factors. The factors may include channelization and impoundment of rivers where the mussels once thrived, as well as the influx of pesticides and metal pollution from surrounding watersheds. Much is known about the effects of metal pollution on zooplankton and aquatic insects, but little is known about the response of freshwater mussels. With more and more species of mussels being listed as threatened or endangered, it is important that we begin to determine their range of sensitivity to pollutants so we can better protect them. Mussels have been labeled insensitive to metals because they can survive while containing high body burdens. However, almost no direct measurement of metal toxicity has been reported for unionid mussels. What little we do know has come from tests with adult mussels. In response to the need for such information, a series of laboratory toxicity tests were performed to assess the sensitivity of Anodonta imbecilis to six metals, a metal‐containing effluent and four metal mixtures. Acute toxicity tests were performed on juvenile mussels reared in the laboratory. Overall, mussels were found to be as sensitive to metals as zooplankton and more sensitive than commonly tested fish and aquatic insects.

Stratigraphic and geochemical evidence for industrial pollutants in alpine and subalpine soils of the Wind River Mountains, Western Wyoming, USA

A stratigraphic and geochemical study of alpine soils, which formed in later Pleistocene (late glacial) and Neoglacial deposits in the Wind River Mountains of western Wyoming, indicates that these soils have been affected by air-fall influx of inorganic pollutants. Arsenic, bromine, and antimony appear to have been deposited in surface soils by incorporation of aeolian materials which were presumably transported by prevailing winds from industrial sources, including coal-burning operations. Because vanadium was not found in surface soils at concentrations above site-specific background levels, oil-fired energy generating stations were not deemed to be significant sources of surface soil pollution in the region. Acid-rain effects were not observed in the soils.

Geochemistry of Holocene and late Pleistocene soils in the Rouge River and Scarborough Bluffs areas, South-Central Ontario, Canada

Concentrations of major, minor and trace elements were measured in four soil profiles from south-central Ontario. The mean concentration values reported are probably representative of elemental levels in soils formed from sediments reworked by lacustrine and fluvial processes and weathered over the last 12 000 years. The older soils in the sequence (R12, R15 and BRIM1) show declining Na, K, and Al, mainly from Ca dilution, especially in the lower horizons. Iron and Mg levels were not affected by the variations in the Ca concentrations. Arsenic, Br, and Sb concentrations did not increase appreciably in surface A horizons, indicating no measurable airfall influx of industrial pollutants. The relative increase in Mn/Al in the lower horizons of the older soils may be related to leaching by soil or ground water movement.

FLUPOL : Modèle de prévision des débits et des flux polluants en réseaux d'assainissement par temps de pluie. Calage et validation

(1990). FLUPOL: A model to forecast flow rates and flows ofpollutants in water decontamination networks in time of rain Measuring and validation. La Houille Blanche: Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 123-140.

Temporal changes in foraminiferal faunas and impact of pollution in Sandebukta, Oslo Fjord

Sandebukta (Oslo Fjord, Norway) is an inlet with depths up to 70 m, characterised by estuarine water stratification, an influx of pollutants and a mudflat in the inner part. The distribution of its foraminiferal fauna displays essentially an estuarine pattern, but also reveals significant subrecent changes as demonstrated by means of 9 sediment cores supplemented by a larger number of sea bed surface samples. The faunal changes have taken place during the last 100 years and are summarized as follows: (1) Upwards increase in size of the total population shown by the sediment cores. (2) Reduction in the relative frequency of calcareous foraminifera upwards in the cores, so that the recent fauna of the inlet consists mainly of arenaceous species. (3) Alterations in the species composition of populations, most pronounced in deeper waters. Faunal comparisons with outer parts of the fjord system suggest that these changes are, at least partially, induced by pollution originating from human activity. In addition, post mortem destruction of foraminiferal tests is considered as a possibly important modifying factor requiring further study. An important additional reason for the faunal turnover found in the mudflat seems to be successive shallowing during progradation.

Impact of flood control reservoirs and pollution influx on the Sandy Creek Watershed, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, USA

A study of the impact of two flood control reservoirs and pollution influx was conducted on two streams within the Sandy Creek Watershed, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, USA. Fecal coliforms were significantly reduced in the outflows without affecting water chemistry, thereby improving the overall water quality. The size and composition of the aquatic communities as well as stream metabolism varied seasonably among the different sampling stations. Pollution influx primarily from communities and agricultural drainage had a greater impact on the stream ecosystem than did impounding of the streams. Natural wetlands and riparian vegetation were important factors in reducing the pollution load in these streams. The reestablishment and maintenance of riparian vegetation should therefore be an integral part of the land-use plan for watersheds in order to improve water quality and wildlife habitats. In the future, the maintenance of riparian vegetation should be given prime consideration in the development of watershed projects.

A rapid change in methylmercury tolerance in a population of killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, from a golf course pond

Embryos of killifish ( Fundulus heteroclitus) from Bullhead Bay, Southampton, New York, showed considerable variation in tolerance to methylmercury (meHg) in 1980, 1981 and 1983, in that some females produced eggs that were tolerant to the teratological effects of 0·05 ppm, while other females produced susceptible eggs. However, in 1982, over 40% of the females produced clutches of non-viable eggs (which could not be tested for meHg tolerance) and those fish which produced viable eggs generally produced tolerant ones. After hatching, the larvae were also more tolerant. Accompanying the shift in meHg tolerance was a trend of increasing fin ray count of the females, a parameter which has previously been correlated with the production of more tolerant embryos. In 1982, a nearby population exhibited a distribution of embryonic and larval tolerance and fin ray count comparable with that of the first population in the other years. We hypothesize that the unusually high rainfall in June, 1982 caused an inflow of pesticides and heavy metals from a golf course adjacent to the first site, and that the contaminants were responsible for the striking changes in reproductive success and meHg tolerance. Residues of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were found in fish of the first, but not of the second, population. The variability in the original population may have permitted a segment of it to withstand the inflow of pollutants, while the susceptible individuals produced non-viable eggs. This may have been the cause of the rapid shift of overall tolerance in the population.

Ozone Concentrations in El Paso, Texas

El Paso, Texas may have a problem in meeting ambient air standards due to influx of pollutants from foreign sources. Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, and Fort Bliss abut the city and are areas over which the Texas Air Control Board (TACB) has little or no jurisdiction. The Board maintains two Continuous Air Monitoring Stations (CAM) in El Paso. Ozone, nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide data were obtained from these stations. If the EPA Empirical Kinetic Model is used for El Paso, reducing NMHC concentrations may increase rather than decrease O/sub 3/ concentrations. The Texas State Implementation Plan, while not based on Empirical Kinetic Modeling, calls for a reduction of 18% in NMHC. However, 31% of all NMHC in El Paso arise from sources over which Texas had little (a federal military reservation) or no (Cd. Juarez) jurisdiction. It appears the TACB is correct in believing the SIP for O/sub 3/ may not bring El Paso into compliance. (JMT)