Preliminary Environmental Assessment Research Articles

Preliminary Development of Items for a Nurses' Physical Environmental Stress Scale.

This study aimed to develop a preliminary Nurses' Physical Environmental Stress Scale (NPESS) that explores the relationships between the physical environment in the intensive care unit (ICU) and work-related stress among ICU nurses. Working within the healthcare field is stressful and comes with a high level of responsibility for nurses, especially ICU nurses. The ICU work environment is associated with risk factors such as excessive workload, increased expectations, and long working hours that can lead to burnout among nurses. There is some evidence that environmental design has the potential to prevent or mitigate work-related stress; however, an adequate assessment tool to identify physical environmental stressors or supports for moderating stress is lacking. To develop the preliminary environmental assessment tool, an exploratory sequential methodology was used. The approach consisted of three distinct phases, including (a) a qualitative content analysis of existing focus group data, (b) a qualitative content analysis of pertinent literature related to environmental assessment tools in a healthcare context, and (c) the development and refinement of the NPESS assessment tool. Tool refinement was based on interviews with ICU nurses. The resulting NPESS tool was comprised of seven sections (sounds, lighting, smells, staff respite spaces, staff workspaces, patient rooms, and aesthetic qualities) containing a total of and 81 items that address factors that were identified as potential moderators of environmental stress in ICU settings. The resulting NPESS assessment tool provides a feasible approach for evaluating ICU settings to identify possible improvements to reduce stress among nurses. Future research will be conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the final tool by distributing it to a larger sample of ICU nurses.

Preliminary Environmental and Economic Assessment of Mineral Carbonation of Steel Slags as a Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Technology

To shift towards a sustainable steel production practice, circular economy principles can be applied in the value chain by valorizing the 2 in flue gases and the generated steel slags to produce stable silicates and carbonates via mineral carbonation, leading to long-term stable carbon sequestration. Carbonated slags can then be considered as a carbon capture, utilization and storage technology. However, it is important to quantify the environmental benefits and economic viability to evaluate a system's sustainability. This study aims (1) to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of steel slag mineral carbonation and (2) to identify hotspots and process parameters of the systems. In this study, lab-scale experimental mineral carbonation data is upscaled to a TRL 6 scenario via an upscaling simulation with a power law learning curve. Subsequently, life cycle assessment and life cycle costing are performed to quantify the environmental and economic performances in agriculture. Contribution analyses are performed to ascertain the hotspots and process parameters of the systems. The results obtained in this study can encourage industrial symbiosis among different stakeholders in and around the steel industry to promote a more sustainable steel manufacturing value chain, incorporating circular economy principles.

Evaluation of non-destructive tools for preliminary environmental risk assessment during mining exploration

Environmental assessment is generally performed when a mining project is at an advanced development stage, such as the prefeasibility study. It involves several laboratory tests such as detailed characterisation and geochemical mobility prediction tests, which require many samples considered representative of the deposit. Having early characterisation information could be useful to select the most relevant samples for the overall environmental assessment. The present study proposes a selection of non destructive and portable tools for improving the early environmental assessment of a mineral deposit. Three tools (x-ray fluorescence (XRF), mineral spectrometer, carbonate staining) were identified to form a preliminary environmental assessment methodology that can be performed directly on the exploration site. This methodology was applied to two different mining projects: i) a well developed mine, LaRonde zone 5, with available geochemical data in a volcanic-associated massive sulfide (VMS) context, and ii) an exploration project, O’Brien, with ongoing geochemical acquisition in an Au-quartz vein context. Both mine sites are in the south of the Blake River Group within the Abitibi greenstone belt, Quebec, Canada. The first site was used to validate the developed methodology, whereas the second acted as a test site to apply the methodology as a preliminary environmental assessment. The results on the first site confirmed that the selected tools provide geochemical and mineralogical data sets comparable to those of traditional testing methods. The developed methodology then enabled the classification of preliminary geo-environmental domains for the second site. Standard static and kinetic tests were performed on the second site samples to confront the preliminary assessment protocol. The proposed preliminary protocol made it possible to discriminate low-risk samples versus those with a potentially higher risk for the selection of subsequent environmental assessments.

Behaviour of synthetic musk fragrances in freshwaters: occurrence, relations with environmental parameters, and preliminary risk assessment

The aims of this study were to investigate the presence, possible sources, and potential ecological risks of synthetic musk fragrances in freshwaters and sediments of the main tributaries of a deep subalpine lake in Northern Italy. The total musk concentrations ranged from few ng L−1 up to values > 500 ng L−1, depending on river characteristics: water flow and the presence of wastewater effluents proved to be the main factors affecting fragrance concentrations. The water flow may indeed dilute fragrance input mainly deriving from treated wastewaters. Good correlations (determination coefficients > 0.60) between synthetic fragrances concentrations and parameters related to anthropogenic impacts confirmed this hypothesis: synthetic fragrances were mainly detected in most polluted rivers crossing urbanized areas. Sediment analysis highlighted accumulation of fragrances in this matrix. Concentrations of synthetic fragrances up to 329 ng g−1 organic carbon were measured in sediments of the most contaminated rivers Boesio and Bardello, which also show the highest nutrient content. The preliminary environmental risk assessment revealed that present levels of synthetic musk fragrances do not pose any risk to the studied environmental compartments. However, a probable medium risk level was evidenced during the dry season in the most contaminated rivers Boesio and Bardello. For these reasons, small rivers draining urbanized watersheds and affected by wastewater effluents should be considered synthetic musk contamination hotspots that warrant further research.

Analysis of the possibility of environmental risk assessment using the Fine-Kinney scoring method

The article is devoted to the issue of environmental risk assessment, which underlies the regulation of the quality of the state of the environment. Examples of negative impact on the environment due to human anthropogenic impact have been studied. The concept of environmental risk is considered, which is currently considered as the probability of occurrence of emergency events in a certain period of time and is expressed in quantitative terms. Also, which is quite important, the issue of legislative regulation of the environmental risk assessment procedure has been studied by studying the current legislative acts in the Russian Federation. Two legislative acts were singled out separately: GOST R 54135-2010 and GOST R 14.09-2005. From their analysis, a general evaluation algorithm has been compiled, which includes 4 stages: determination of restrictions on the use of products; identification of hazards and dangerous situations; preliminary risk assessment; final risk assessment. In addition, the authors of the article have considered a method for assessing environmental risk based on the Fine-Kinney method, which is now actively used in assessing occupational risks in production. The method consists in quantifying environmental damage by determining the possible severity and consequences, as well as the likelihood of an event that may negatively affect the environment. During the analysis of the method, it was concluded that using the Fine-Kinney method of environmental risk assessment, it is difficult to study the small details described in the recommendations, but at the stage of preliminary environmental risk assessment, we consider its use to be quite appropriate. In particular, this method can be used in the final stage of environmental monitoring, which is an effective tool in terms of studying the likelihood of a negative impact on the environment and preventing the occurrence of emergency situations.

Abamectin and difenoconazole monitoring in strawberry flowers and pollen sampled from Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives located in crop vicinities

The increase in agricultural productivity associated with the emergence and the extensive use of pesticides is undeniable. However, strong evidence indicates that this continuous demand is causing serious environmental impacts and bringing toxic effects to associated biota as pollinating insects. The present work aims the determination of the insecticide abamectin (ABA) and the fungicide difenoconazole (DIF) in strawberry flowers (Fragaria x ananassa DUCH.) and pollen sampled from beehives of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) located nearby strawberry fields. For analysis, QuEChERS method was optimized, and the analytical performance of those two pesticides was verified. Then, the method was applied to strawberry flowers and the pollen was sampled during three field campaigns. While abamectin was not detected, the systemic fungicide difenoconazole was determined in almost all flowers and pollen samples, demonstrating the major persistence of this pesticide in investigated matrices. The results were then discussed about the difenoconazole application rate and transport to colonies to estimate a preliminary environmental risk assessment for stingless native bees. All calculations were proceeded considering exposure rates and toxicity data from the literature, adapted from Apis mellifera studies. In this sense, the determination, application, and discussion about risk assessment figure out as an important tool to the knowledge about the preliminary risks of native bees exposed to pesticides.

Conceptual Design of an Autotrophic Multi-Strain Microalgae-Based Biorefinery: Preliminary Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessments

Microalgae represent a promising solution in addressing the impacts associated with the current agricultural and manufacturing practices which are causing irreparable environmental damage. Microalgae have considerable biosynthetic potential, being a rich source of lipids, proteins, and high-value compounds. Under the scope of the H2020-BBI MULTI-STR3AM project, an innovative large-scale production system of valuable commodities for the food, feed, and fragrance sectors is being developed on the basis of microalgae, reducing costs, increasing the scale of production, and boosting value chain sustainability. In this work, we aimed to create a process model that can mimic an industrial plant to estimate mass and energy balances, optimize scheduling, and calculate production costs for a large-scale plant. Three autotrophic microalgae strains (Nannochloropsis sp., Dunaliella sp. and Spirulina sp.) were considered for this assessment, as well as the use of locally sourced CO2 (flue gas). The developed process model is a useful tool for obtaining the data required for techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of industrial biorefinery-based processes. Nannochloropsis sp. was the most economic option, whereas Dunaliella sp. was the most expensive strain to produce due to its lower productivity. Preliminary environmental assessments of the climate change impact category revealed that water recirculation and the use of flue gas could lead to values of 5.6, 10.6, and 9.2 kgCO2eq·kgAFDW−1 for Nannochloropsis sp., Dunaliella sp., and Spirulina sp., respectively, with electricity and NaCl as the main contributors. The obtained data allow for the quantification of the production costs and environmental impacts of the microalgal biomass fractions produced, which will be fundamental for future comparison studies and in determining if they are higher or lower than those of the replaced products. The process model developed in this work provides a useful tool for the evaluation and optimization of large-scale microalgae production systems.

Detection, occurrence, influencing factors and environmental risks of paralytic shellfish toxins in seawater in a typical mariculture bay

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) producing algae are widely distributed in the global coastal aquatic environment, posing a threat to coastal ecosystem health and mariculture safety. However, the levels and potential environmental risks of PSTs frequently detected in shellfish remain largely unexplored in seawater of mariculture zones. In this study, a new method for trace detection of 13 common PSTs (<1.0 ng/L) in seawater was established based on off-line solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-line SPE-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (on-line SPE-LC-MS/MS), and a systematic investigation of PSTs in seawater of the Laizhou Bay, a typical aquaculture bay in China, was conducted to understand their pollution status, environmental impact factors and ecological risks for the first time. Eleven PSTs were detected in the seawater of Laizhou Bay with total concentrations ranging from 0.75 to 349.47 ng/L (mean, 176.27 ng/L), which indicates the rich diversity of PSTs in the mariculture bay and demonstrates the reliability of the proposed analytical method. C1, C2, GTX2, GTX3, dcGTX2, and dcGTX3 were found to be the predominant PSTs, which refreshed the knowledge of PST contamination in the coastal aquatic environment. PST levels in seawater exhibited the highest levels in the southeastern mouth of Laizhou Bay and decreased toward the inner bay. Correlation analyses showed that climatic factors, nutrient status and hydrological conditions had significant effects on the distribution of PST in mariculture bay. Preliminary environmental risk assessments revealed that aquatic organisms throughout the waters of Laizhou Bay are at risk of chronic PST toxicity. These findings imply that the risk of PST in seawater of mariculture bay has previously been grossly underestimated, and that the coastal aquatic environment in North China and even the world may be at more serious risk of PST pollution, which should be taken seriously.

Occurrence, distribution, and environmental risk of pharmaceutical residues in Mombasa peri-urban creeks, Kenya

The information on pharmaceutical compounds' distribution and their possible risks in marine ecosystems along the Kenya coast is limited especially in the peri-urban creeks. Hence, this study aimed to determine pharmaceutical residue levels and distribution in selected peri-urban creeks in Mombasa and Gazi bay. The target compounds were analgesic (acetaminophen), antibiotics (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole), antiepileptic (carbamazepine), and antiretroviral (nevirapine). Pharmaceutical residues in grab surface seawater in wet and dry seasons ranged from below detection limit (BDL)-1065.6 μg L−1 and BDL-71.3 μg L−1, respectively. The concentration of the pharmaceutical residues was high in Tudor creek in the dry and wet seasons with a mean concentration of 63.3 μg L−1 and 233.1 μg L−1 respectively compared to Makupa creek (dry season, 54.2 μg L−1; wet season 16.2 μg L), and Mtwapa creek (dry season, 43.1 μg L−1; wet season, 15.0 μg L−1). Gazi Bay being used as a control site had a mean concentration of 21.3 μg L−1 and 3.1 μg L−1 during the dry season and wet season respectively. Acetaminophen and nevirapine were the most ubiquitous compounds in seawater since they were found in all seawater samples collected. Risk quotients (RQ) for invertebrates and algae based on the mean concentrations of the analytes were estimated to provide a preliminary environmental risk assessment. The results suggest that the studied acetaminophen, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine in seawater pose low (0.01 ≤ RQ < 0.1) to medium (0.1 ≤ RQ < 1) ecological risk whereas nevirapine poses medium to high (RQ ≥ 1) ecological risk to the ecosystems of Mombasa periurban creeks and Gazi bay. Further research, however, is encouraged on the distribution of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment and the long-term synergistic effects of mixtures of these compounds on marine biota.

Preliminary environmental assessment of metal-contaminated sediment dredging in an Urban River, New Jersey, USA.

While several studies have reported success with remedial sediment dredging, the sustainability of these impacts remain unclear. This preliminary study aimed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of remedial dredging on metal contamination, dredging efficacy and ecological status of the Lower Passaic River. To accomplish this, pre- and post-dredging data were statistically analyzed and evaluated using geochemical indices. Short-term results showed effective heavy metal reduction although their concentrations became elevated in water column, increasing bioaccumulation risk in aquatic biota. On the long-term, metal concentrations increased in surface sediments. Ecological assessment revealed that Cu, Hg and Pb pose greater risks while Ag remained abundant despite dredging. Further investigation suggests that post-dredging residuals, surface runoff and sewage pollution may contribute significantly to recontamination and continued pollution. Depletion in long-term dredging efficacy from spring to summer suggest that season-influenced changes in temperature, algae growth and stormwater discharge may have played a role.

Energy-ecological assessment of the boiler equipment modernized with the jet-niche technology

The results devoted to the issues of energy-ecological assessment of industrial boiler equipment with jet-niche combustion technology are given in the paper. The basic principles underlying this technology include: rational distribution of fuel in the oxidant stream; stable adjustable structure of fuel, oxidant and combustion products; self-regulation of the fuel mixture composition in the zone of the torch stabilization when the unit load changes. As of today, a large number of industrial gas-burning equipment has been modernized by jet-niche technology, including: boilers, furnaces, dryers, metallurgical facilities, etc. The results of industrial implementation of the technology allowed to accumulate a significant amount of technical information and gave the possibility of preliminary environmental assessment during the modernization of gas combustion equipment. As practice shows, at the present stage the main direction of the technology improvement is to enhance its environmental performance. The influence of the main regime and technical parameters of fire equipment on its emission indicators is established in the paper. Possibilities for reducing nitrogen oxides by primary technological methods, the simplest and most effective of which is the introduction of recirculation gases into the furnace space, have been identified. According to the results of the analysis of emission indicators of the modernized fire equipment with a capacity of 0.5–60 MW, data to estimate the emission indicators of low and medium power boilers depending on the main influencing factors, namely, unit size, excess air ratio and boiler load were obtained. The influence of the introduction of recirculation gases into the furnace space on the level of nitrogen oxides concentration is also taken into account. The efficiency of application of the recirculation gases introduction scheme into the primary air flow in comparison with combustion technologies based on vortex burners is shown. According to the results of the industrial experiment, the energy efficiency of the proposed measures was established on the example of the dependences of efficiency on the load of boilers PTVM-50 and KVGM-20.

Paleoecotoxicology: Developing methods to assess the toxicity of lake sediment records influenced by legacy gold mining

The contamination of lakes by industrial emissions is an issue of international concern. Traditional paleolimnology examines sedimentary micro-fossils to infer the biological response to natural and anthropogenic stressors over time. Here, we calculate a theoretical biological effect for historic sediment sections using Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) and arsenic specific quotient methods and develop novel time-constrained sediment toxicity test methods using a cultured Daphnia sp. combined with a whole cell microbial biosensor to assess the toxicity of past industrial contamination with modern testing methods. These methods were developed using sediments collected from Pocket Lake (Northwest Territories, Canada), a lake known to have exhibited a significant ecological shift following input from nearby gold smelter emissions during the mid 20th century. We then applied these methods to near-, mid-, and far-field sites to assess the response of Daphnia sp. to varying contaminant load. Daphnia sp. mortality exposed to dated sediments indicated a strong concordance with the timing of mining activities, and a strong concordance with PEC-Q and arsenic specific toxicity quotients. In contrast, a decrease in Daphnia mortality was observed during pre-, and post-mining periods when the contaminant burden was lower. Initial assessments of bioavailability using a microbial biosensor indicated that arsenic in porewater is 72–96% bioavailable, and limited evidence that oxidative stress may contribute to the Daphnia sp. toxic response. These results indicate that lake sediment archives can be used to infer missing biomonitoring data in sites of legacy anthropogenic influence, which will be useful for those seeking to conduct cost-effective and efficient preliminary environmental risk assessments.

The Role of International Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development in the Formation of Principles of International Environmental Law

This article studies the significance and role of the regulatory activity of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in the formation of the principles of such a comparatively new field of international law as international environmental law. It is shown that although at the time of its creation in 1960, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development was in no way an international organization of environmental character, but since the early 1970s, environmental issues have become an important area of international legal cooperation under the auspices of this organization. In 1971, an Environmental Protection Committee was formed within the OECD, now called the Environmental Policy Committee. During the 1970s, under the auspices of the OECD, the Recommendations on Guiding Principles concerning International Economic Aspects of Environmental Policies of 1972 and the Recommendation on the Implementation of the Polluter-Pays Principle of 1974 were adopted, enshrining the polluter-pays principle, which imposes on the polluter the costs of implementing pollution prevention and control measures to ensure that the environment is in good condition. The provisions of the OECD Recommendation on the Implementation of the Polluter-Pays Principle of 1974 were quickly implemented in the law of the European Communities and today the Lisbon version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union contains it in paragraph 2 of Article 191, together with such principles of the European Union's environmental policy as the precautionary principle, the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source. The «polluter pays» principle is normatively enshrined only in The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development of 1992, The Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents of 1992, etc. Regulatory activity under the auspices of the OECD were also essential for the establishment and formation of such principles of international environmental law as the principle of preliminary environmental impact assessment, the principle of undiminished environmental protection of other states and areas beyond national jurisdiction, etc.

Development of a preliminary environmental risk assessment system by using text mining for introducing alien crops

Changes in worldwide crop trends and climate change has increased the introduction of alien crops. However, there are always potential side effect issues related to introduced crops, such as the introduced crop becoming a nuisance at the new country or bringing insect pests or microorganisms with the introduced crops. In this study, we developed a crop introduction risk assessment system using text mining method to prevent this problem. First, we designed the “Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment Index for Alien Crops” based on ecological researches to assess the risks of introduced crops to the natural environment. The questionaries evaluate the target alien crop with previous cases reporting the target crops' adverse effects on the environment, the potential of target crops' direct or indirect damage on the environment. The index has sixteen questions with allocated scores that are divided into 4 categories. The detailed rationales of the questionaries and the assessment index are discussed in main text. Second, we assessed 67 crop species that were introduced or scheduled to be introduced to South Korea with this Preliminary Assessment Index. The literature and data were collected with JabRef, search engines, and from the documents of six international institutions. Finally, based on the preliminary assessment results of selected species, we developed the protocols and a manual for the preliminary environmental risk assessment of introduced species. Final evaluation scores for risk evaluation for introducing crops are suggested (over 70 total score for ‘danger’ and over 50 points for ‘caution required’, and under 50 points for ‘low expected impact’). Presented crop introduction risk assessment system is effective to identify potential problem making crop species. The protocols and a manual that we provide in this study could be applied to other countries which have similar climate and environmental conditions, or after being adequately modified to their environmental factors such as climate, neighboring countries, major crops according to eating habits, and major vegetation.

Ecotoxicological aspects related to the occurrence of emerging contaminants in the Dinaric karst aquifer of Jadro and Žrnovnica springs

Karst aquifers are globally important source of drinking water and harbor specific ecosystems that are vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. This paper provides insights into the occurrence and ecotoxicological characterization of 21 emerging contaminants (ECs) detected in the karst catchment of Jadro and Žrnovnica springs (Dinarides, Croatia). Karst springs used for water supply, surface water, and groundwater were sampled during seven campaigns. The ECs concentration levels ranged from 0.3 ng/L (tramadol in Jadro spring) to 372 ng/L (1H-benzotriazole in Cetina River). DEET was the most frequently detected ECs with an average concentration of around 50 ng/L in both surface water and groundwater. To prioritise detected ECs, their persistence (P), bioaccumulation (B), mobility (M) and toxicity (T) were assessed based on in silico strategy for PBT assessment and recently developed REACH PMT guidelines. PBT scores ranging below the threshold of 0.5, indicated non-PBT compounds of expected low concern. However, only 4 out of 21 detected ECs were not assessed as PMT/vPvM. Concerningly, 20 ECs were categorised as very mobile. Karst springs exhibited larger proportions of ECs meeting PMT/vPvM criteria than surface water. To characterise the contamination extent and estimate the incidence of adverse effects of detected ECs, a preliminary environmental risk assessment (ERA) was conducted. Most ECs posed no environmental risk with RQ values predominantly below 0.01. The total risk quotient RQsite accentuated Cetina River as having the highest risk compared to other sampling sites. This is the first study on ECs in Croatian karst, contributing to a growing need to understand the impacts of emerging contaminants in karst aquifers, which are still largely unexplored.

Legacy sources to new exposures. A preliminary lead risk assessment to children in the Falun mining area

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Like many of Sweden’s metropolitan areas, the city of Falun faces a shortage of affordable housing. The city’s proximity to a historic copper mine presents unique challenges for the growing high-density service and industrial area. Concerns about the feasibility and risks associated with building new housing on land contaminated by the legacy of mining and metal industries motivate a new risk assessment using current reference values for lead. The aim of this project is to undertake a preliminary environmental health-based risk assessment on the lead levels surrounding the mining area, based on previous samples (dust, soil, biomarkers). METHODS: We use environmental samples and research done in Falun from 1986 to 1998 to predict blood lead levels (BLL) today by employing the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) software. We further compare calculated to measured BLL from 1993 and to current threshold values from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER). RESULTS:The average measured BLL for children 4 years is 3.7 µg/dL and 4 years is 2.8 µg/dL. IEUBK BLL estimates are 1.2-1.4 µg/dL and 0.9-1.1 µg/dL, respectively. Both averages are below the 5 µg/dL threshold used by EPA, and higher or equal than the 1.2 µg/dL associated with the 0,5 µg/dL bodyweight/day tolerable daily intake. CONCLUSIONS:Based on measured and calculated BLL, the exposure exceeds currently acceptable safe levels. However, samples were taken before the ban on leaded gasoline in Sweden in 1994, but also around active mining and smelting. Furthermore, the lead from mining operations in Falun has low bioavailability 0.5%-2%. The lead in the respirable fraction is more associated with smelting operations and leaded gasoline, which have not existed for almost 30 years. Together, these factors result in a possible overestimation of the current lead exposure to children in Falun. KEYWORDS: Built environment, Heavy metals, Exposure assessment-biomarkers of exposure, Risk assessment, Children's environmental health

Distribution, partitioning behavior and potential source of legacy and alternative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water and sediments from a subtropical Gulf, South China Sea

Legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl acids (PFASs) have received global concern over the scientific and public community since this century. However, the information on alternative PFASs pollution in the marine environment, especially in the subtropical marine environment is extremely limited. This study investigated the occurrence, partitioning, potential sources, and ecological risks of PFASs, including perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs), perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), and alternative PFASs, in surface water and sediments from the subtropical Beibu Gulf, South China. Concentrations of total PFASs (∑PFASs) were in the range of 0.98–2.64 ng/L in water and 0.19–0.66 ng/g (dry weight, dw) in sediment, respectively. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the most abundant PFAS in water, while PFASs in sediment were dominated by perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and PFOA. Among investigated environmental parameters (total organic carbon (TOC), grain size, water pH, sediment pH, and salinity), TOC and salinity were the dominant factors influencing the sediment-water distribution coefficient (Kd) of PFOA, perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). Log Kd and log soil organic carbon-water distribution coefficient (Koc) both increase with increasing carbon chain length of PFASs. Significantly positive correlations between PFOS and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (p < 0.05), PFOA and perfluoro-1-butane-sulfonamide (FBSA) were observed, suggesting that these PFASs might have similar sources and transport routes. Preliminary environmental risk assessment showed that PFOA and PFOS would not pose risks to the marine aquatic environment. This is the first comprehensive survey of legacy and alternative PFASs in a subtropical area of the Beibu Gulf, which provides significant data and scientific basis to better understand the fate of PFASs and pollution control management.

Determination and ecological risk assessment of arsenic and mercury in sediments from the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent East China Sea

Arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) are pollutants presented in marine environment. A process of atomic fluorescence spectrometry was proposed for the simultaneous determination of As and Hg in marine sediment samples (n = 38) collected from the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent East China Sea. The proposed method used an optimized pretreatment procedure in an aqua regia-H2O digestion system. Recoveries of As and Hg increased to 97% and 98%, respectively, with suitable precisions (2.7%–4.1%) under optimized process conditions. As and Hg were widely presented in these samples, with the ranges of content values were 2.39–8.77 µg/g for As and 48.03–410.8 ng/g for Hg. Results indicate that anthropogenic factors strongly influence the abundances of As and Hg in investigated samples. The preliminary environmental risk assessment was investigated using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and anthropogenic contribution rate (M). Findings reveal that Hg demonstrates a strong ecological risk (with average values of 1.3 and 72% for Igeo and M, respectively) in the sediments from the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent East China Sea. Therefore, Hg should be considered in future investigations.

Occurrence of carbamazepine, diclofenac, and their related metabolites and transformation products in a French aquatic environment and preliminary risk assessment

With questions emerging on the presence and risks associated with metabolites and transformation products (TPs) of organic contaminants in the aquatic environment, progress has been made in terms of monitoring and regulation of pesticide metabolites. However, less interest is shown for pharmaceutical residues, although their pseudo-persistence and adverse effects on non-target organisms are proven. This study provides original knowledge about the contamination of ten sites located along three French rivers (water, sediments, biofilms, clams) by pharmaceutical metabolites and TPs, as well as a preliminary environmental risk assessment. Studied compounds included carbamazepine with five metabolites and TPs, and diclofenac with three metabolites and TPs. Results show that metabolites and TPs are present in all studied compartments, with mean concentrations up to 0.52 µg L−1 in water, 229 ng g−1 in sediments, 2153 ng g−1 in biofilms, and 1149 ng g−1 in clams. QSAR estimations (OECD toolbox) were involved to predict the studied compounds ecotoxicities. QSAR models showed that diclofenac and its metabolites and TPs could be more toxic than carbamazepine and its metabolites and TPs to three aquatic species representing green algae, invertebrates, and fish. However, real ecotoxicological effects are still to be determined. The environmental risk assessment showed that hydroxydiclofenac, 2-[(2-chlorophenyl)-amino]-benzaldehyde and dibenzazepine could present a greater risk than other studied compounds for aquatic organisms. In addition, the risk associated with a mixture of diclofenac and its related metabolites and TPs has been found to be greater than that of the compounds considered individually.

Preliminary environmental and economic assessment of polyurethane foam produced by microwave-assisted liquefaction of riparian shrubs

The study aims to develop a full-scale plant to produce biobased PU foam from microwave liquefaction of riparian shrubs and to evaluate its environmental burden using a cradle-to-gate, scaled-up LCA approach. Life Cycle Inventory was built on experimental data for polyol synthesis by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to maximize the liquefaction yield. Bio-based PU foam was also compared with the petrochemical counterpart. Life Cycle Assessment was carried out using SimaPro 9.0 software and impacts were evaluated with EPD 2007 method. The results indicate that the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate production and the energy consumption for the liquefaction step are the major sources of impacts. Overall, the environmental superiority of biobased polyurethane cannot always be claimed with respect to their fossil counterpart. Finally, a simplified economic assessment showed that for the bio-based PU foam an interesting profitability could be obtained for a market price of 4.5 €/kg.