Preliminary Environmental Assessment Research Articles

Preliminary ecological input assessment and environmental impact assessment for coastal resort development in Malaysia

In Malaysia, en vironmen tal impact assessment (EIA) has been mandatory since 1988 in 19 prescribed activities. This study explores the quality of ecological input in EZA reports for coastal resort development in Peninsular Malaysia. The majority over-relied on descriptive and subjective methods, and gave details that are not site-specific or current. In describing the existing environment, there is a bias towards sampling easily surveyed groups such as terrestrial fauna and flora. Many failed to provide data adequate for predicting potential ecological impacts, and none attempted to quantify the impacts. Proposed mitigating measures often lack prescriptive detail. Possible residual impacts are only addressed in passing. Overall, reports were lacking considerably in ecological vigour.

Human health risk assessment of environmental mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

Henry's Law constants (H) and octanol–air partition coefficients (KOA) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and selected nitrogen-, oxygen- and sulfur-containing derivatives have been computed using the COSMO-RS method between −5 and 40 °C in 5 °C intervals. The accuracy of the estimation was assessed by comparison of COSMOtherm values with published experimental temperature-dependence data for these and similar PAHs. COSMOtherm log H estimates with temperature-variation for parent PAHs are shown to have a root-mean-square (RMS) error of 0.38 (PAH), based on available validation data. Estimates of O-, N- and S-substituted derivative log H values are found to have RMS errors of 0.30 at 25 °C. Log KOA estimates with temperature variation from COSMOtherm are shown to be strongly correlated with experimental values for a small set of unsubstituted PAHs, but with a systematic underestimation and associated RMS error of 1.11. Similar RMS error of 1.64 was found for COSMO-RS estimates of a group of critically-evaluated log KOA values at room temperature. Validation demonstrates that COSMOtherm estimates of H and KOA are of sufficient accuracy to be used for property screening and preliminary environmental risk assessment, and perform very well for modeling the influence of temperature on partitioning behavior in the temperature range −5 to 40 °C. Temperature-dependent shifts of up to 2 log units in log H and one log unit for log KOA are predicted for PAH species over the range −5 and 40 °C. Within the family of PAH molecules, COSMO-RS is sufficiently accurate to make it useful as a source of estimates for modeling purposes, following corrections for systematic underestimation of KOA. Average changes in the values for log H and log KOA upon substitution are given for various PAH substituent categories, with the most significant shifts being associated with the ionizing nitro functionality and keto groups.

Ecological problems in Russia caused by dioxin emissions from chemical industry

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) have been identified in various matrices (soil, sediments, air, water) near and on the premises of some Russian chemical plants. Preliminary environmental assessments of such sites have revealed extensive contamination of soil and other matrices with these toxic compounds.