Retrospective Risk Assessment Research Articles

Cumulative dietary risk characterisation of pesticides that have chronic effects on the thyroid.

A retrospective chronic cumulative risk assessment of dietary exposure to pesticide residues, supported by an uncertainty analysis based on expert knowledge elicitation, was conducted for two effects on the thyroid, hypothyroidism and parafollicular cell (C‐cell) hypertrophy, hyperplasia and neoplasia. The pesticides considered in this assessment were identified and characterised in the scientific report on the establishment of cumulative assessment groups of pesticides for their effects on the thyroid. Cumulative exposure assessments were conducted through probabilistic modelling by EFSA and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) using two different software tools and reported separately. These exposure assessments used monitoring data collected by Member States under their official pesticide monitoring programmes in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and individual consumption data from 10 populations of consumers from different countries and different age groups. This report completes the characterisation of cumulative risk, taking account of the available data and the uncertainties involved. For each of the 10 populations, it is concluded with varying degrees of certainty that cumulative exposure to pesticides that have the chronic effects on the thyroid mentioned above does not exceed the threshold for regulatory consideration established by risk managers.

Prospects for incorporation of epigenetic biomarkers in human health and environmental risk assessment of chemicals.

Epigenetic mechanisms have gained relevance in human health and environmental studies, due to their pivotal role in disease, gene × environment interactions and adaptation to environmental change and/or contamination. Epigenetic mechanisms are highly responsive to external stimuli and a wide range of chemicals has been shown to determine specific epigenetic patterns in several organisms. Furthermore, the mitotic/meiotic inheritance of such epigenetic marks as well as the resulting changes in gene expression and cell/organismal phenotypes has now been demonstrated. Therefore, epigenetic signatures are interesting candidates for linking environmental exposures to disease as well as informing on past exposures to stressors. Accordingly, epigenetic biomarkers could be useful tools in both prospective and retrospective risk assessment but epigenetic endpoints are currently not yet incorporated into risk assessments. Achieving a better understanding on this apparent impasse, as well as identifying routes to promote the application of epigenetic biomarkers within environmental risk assessment frameworks are the objectives of this review. We first compile evidence from human health studies supporting the use of epigenetic exposure-associated changes as reliable biomarkers of exposure. Then, specifically focusing on environmental science, we examine the potential and challenges of developing epigenetic biomarkers for environmental fields, and discuss useful organisms and appropriate sequencing techniques to foster their development in this context. Finally, we discuss the practical incorporation of epigenetic biomarkers in the environmental risk assessment of chemicals, highlighting critical data gaps and making key recommendations for future research within a regulatory context.

Exposure to Amosite-Containing Ceiling Boards in a Public School in Switzerland: A Case Study.

The measurement of an airborne concentration in Amosite fibers above 5035 F/m3 in a school prompted a retrospective quantitative health risk assessment. Dose estimates were built using air measurements, laboratory experiments, previous exposure data, and interviews. A dose response model was adapted for amosite-only exposure and adjusted for the life expectancy and lung cancer incidence in the Swiss population. The average yearly concentrations found were 52–320 F/m3. The high concentration previously observed was not representative of the average exposure in the building. Overall, the risk estimates for the different populations of the school were low and in the range of 2 × 10−6 to 3 × 10−5 for mesothelioma and 4 × 10−7 to 8 × 10−6 for lung cancer. The results evidenced however that children have to be considered at higher risk when exposed to asbestos, and that the current reference method and target values are of limited use for amphibole-only exposures. This study confirmed that quantitative health risk assessments and participatory approaches are powerful tools to support public decisions and build constructive communication between exposed people, experts, and policy-makers.

Revising Environmental Quality Standards: Lessons Learned.

An environmental quality standard (EQS) is a threshold value applied in regulatory monitoring for retrospective environmental risk assessment. However, an EQS may vary with time and between countries with shared water bodies, challenging coherent risk management. This study aimed to analyze the underlying reasons for changes in EQS values following a revision of previously derived EQSs for 62 substances. Relevant data were retrieved from publicly accessible databases, available literature, registration dossiers, and, in some cases, provided by manufacturers. Ecotoxicological data were assessed regarding reliability and relevance. As in previous studies, EQS derivation followed the European Union guideline. Overall, 61 annual average EQSs (AA-EQS) and 58 maximum acceptable concentration EQSs (MAC-EQS) were derived. Size and completeness of data sets generally increased due to the revision. AA-EQSs increased in 13 cases and decreased in 21 cases. MAC-EQSs increased in 22 cases and decreased in 11 cases. Most EQSs were derived using the deterministic assessment factor (AF) method. The number of substances for which EQSs were derived probabilistically by reference to the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method increased from 2 to 5 AA-EQSs and from 6 to 11 MAC-EQSs. For AA-EQS derivation, AFs were reduced in 14 cases and increased in 6 cases. For MAC-EQS derivation, AFs were reduced in 9 cases and increased in 2 cases. Results demonstrate that the revisions did not generally lead to either lower or higher EQSs. The majority of EQSs (>93%) changed less than 10-fold. Clearly, EQSs based on small or incomplete data sets with large AFs were more prone to considerable changes in their numeric values when revised than EQSs based on SSDs. Thus, revision can reduce uncertainty and increase robustness of an EQS. In this study, however, available data continued to be insufficient to construct SSDs for the majority of substances. This was mostly due to a lack of reliable data. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;00:1-13. © 2019 SETAC.

The natural environment as a disaster hazard

PurposeThe rapid deterioration of the earth’s natural ecosystems are increasing the risk of human morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hydrometeorological hazards are concentrating contaminants from the damaged environment and exposing large vulnerable populations to life threating illnesses and death. This study performed a retrospective health risk assessment on two recent events where such impacts unfolded, namely, the 2015 south east Equatorial Asia smoke haze disaster and the 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma epidemic. The purpose of this paper is to test if the characterisation of health risk warranted earlier and more effective risk reduction activities prior to the disasters occurring.Design/methodology/approachA retrospective health risk characterisation assessment was performed combing United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Health Aspect in Disaster Risk Assessment (2017) framework with a thematic and targeted word literature review to identify the level of risk knowledge prior to each event. A risk characterisation matrix was then created to characterise the health risk of each hazard event.FindingsThe 2015 south east Equatorial Asia smoke haze disaster risk assessment was characterised as “extreme” health risk and the 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma epidemic was characterised as “high” health risk.Practical implicationsReaching the goals of the Sendai Framework require strategies and plans which urgently address the catastrophic level of mortality risk posed by exposure to environmental contaminants.Originality/valueInnovative approaches and partnerships are necessary to mitigate the risk from the deteriorating health of the environment and natural ecosystems, along with disaster response initiatives that reduce exposure of vulnerable people on a large scale.

PREMATURE ATHEROSCLEROTIC CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: CARDIOVASCULAR RISK AND PRIMARY PREVENTION ELIGIBILITY

Rates of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) have declined overall in the past two decades, but these improvements have not been shared by young patients, for whom rates of ASCVD are stable or increasing. Young individuals at risk for ASCVD may not be identified by commonly used risk-prediction algorithms, which tend to be largely weighted by age. The goal of this study was to compare the performance of current Canadian, American, and European guidelines at determining eligibility for primary prevention with statins in a cohort of patients with very premature ASCVD. We studied index patients enrolled in SAVE BC, a longitudinal study of patients with premature ASCVD. Inclusion criteria: age ≤ 50 years for males, ≤ 55 years for females; first presentation of angiographically proven coronary artery disease with stenosis of 50% or more in at least one coronary artery. Analysis of data available for the 5 years prior to the time of first presentations was performed. Algorithms based on the current guidelines including Canadian Cardiovascular Society Dyslipidemia Guidelines 2016 (CCS 2016), American Heart Association Guidelines on the Management of Blood Cholesterol 2018 (AHA 2018), European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice 2016 (ESC 2016), were used to retrospectively assess CV risk and eligibility for treatment with statins. Among 216 patients, 28.2% were females. At least one risk factor was present in 94.9% patients, 81.5% of patients had multiple risk factors, 40.3% of patients had a family history of premature ASCVD (Table 1). Notably, only 15.7% of these patients had received statins prior to first presentation with ASCVD. In the retrospective risk assessment, 61.6%, 43.5%, and 36.1% (p < 0.001) of patients met criteria for statin eligibility, according to CCS 2016, AHA 2018 and ESC 2016 guidelines, respectively (Figure 1). Additionally, 9.7%, 14.8%, and 29.2% of patients, respectively, could be considered treatment eligible after additional investigations (CCS 2016 and AHA 2018) or after unsuccessful lifestyle modification (ESC 2016). Many patients who present with premature ASCVD would not have been identified as being eligible for statins based on currently used risk prediction algorithms. In addition, of those patients deemed eligible for statin therapy, only a small minority received statins as primary prevention. These findings indicate the need to further optimize risk prediction in young adults, and the large gap that exists between patients deemed eligible for primary prevention with statins and those in whom such therapy is used.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Treated produced water in irrigation: Effects on soil fauna and aquatic organisms

Produced water (PW) is a mixture of formation water and injected water from oil and gas reservoirs, which contain a complex composition of dissolved and particulate organic and inorganic chemicals. High quantities of PW are extracted with the oil, which can be discharged into the environment, re-injected into the wells or treated for reuse. The present study aimed to evaluate the soil ecotoxicity under an irrigation system using treated PW (water-oil separation, sand filter, activated charcoal filter, reverse osmosis) for sunflower production, predicting conditions for PW reuse in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using natural soil in vessels. Water from public water supply was used as control. Soil samples from two production cycles of sunflowers were assessed using ecotoxicity tests with soil invertebrate's species representing macro and mesofaunal groups: Eisenia andrei (earthworms), Folsomia candida (collembolans) and Enchytraeus crypticus (enchytraeids). Leachates samples were evaluated with aquatic ecotoxicity tests to assess the soil retention function. Results showed impact of irrigation with PW in all treatments except reverse osmosis. Significant negative correlations were found among reproduction of soil invertebrates, high Na+ concentrations and electrical conductivity. The effects of other contaminants not analyses should not be discarded. It is important to highlight that salinity is not usually included in target values of soil quality. This study reinforces the importance of ecotoxicity tests in predictive and retrospective risk assessment, joining effects of contaminant mixtures or even that contaminants not considered in chemical scope of analysis or legislation.

Innovating Disaster Health and Medical Emergency Responses for an Emerging Global Threat

Introduction:The global health threat posed by the ongoing deterioration in natural ecosystems and damage to our physical environment is growing at a rapid pace. Less recognized is the threat from natural hazard disasters, which concentrate contaminants from the damaged environment and expose large vulnerable populations to life-threatening medical conditions and disease. Currently neither international nor any national health and medical emergency response protocols or programs have prepared health responses to protect the health of communities in such events.Aim:This study performed a retrospective health risk assessment on two recent events where such impacts unfolded, namely the 2015 southeast Equatorial Asia smoke haze disaster and the 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma epidemic. The primary objective was to test if the characterization of health risk could have been identified earlier and catastrophic levels of mortality and morbidity reduced.Methods:The study employed a two-staged retrospective health risk characterization assessment. The first step applied the UNISDR (2017) framework for health risk disaster assessment combing a thematic and targeted word literature review to identify the level of health and medical risk knowledge prior to each event. The second stage applied a risk characterization matrix developed using ISO and Australian Health Department semi-quantitative health assessment standards.Results:The 2015 southeast Equatorial Asia smoke haze disaster risk assessment was characterized as an extreme health risk and the 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma epidemic characterized as a high health risk.Discussion:Innovative medical response approaches are urgently needed to mitigate the growing health risk to whole populations from natural hazard disasters compounded by deteriorating natural ecosystems and the physical environment. This requires emergency medical and health teams to recognize the two-tailed human health risk from natural disaster hazards, along with investment in advanced planning, environmental risk surveillance, specialist training, technical guidance, and multi-sector coordination.

Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Supporting Community Assessment of Environmental Stressors in a Field-Based Sediment Microcosm Study.

Conventional ecological risk assessment on toxic stressors in sediment is limited to a small and selected fraction of benthic communities. Ecogenomic approaches provide unprecedented capacity to monitor the changes of biodiversity and community composition in the field, but how to utilize it to assess ecological impact by contaminates remains largely unexplored. Here, an environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach was used to assess the effect of copper on changes in biodiversity and community composition across the tree of life (including bacteria, protists, algae, fungi, and metazoa) in a field-based microcosm. Many microorganisms across a broad range of taxa groups changed their relative abundance in response to increased copper concentrations in sediments. Changes in community structure of microbiota appeared to be more sensitive to copper than survival of laboratory-bred organisms and indigenous macroinvertebrates. Copper caused a significant shift in prokaryotic community composition via substitution of dominant species. Network heterogeneity and Shannon diversity of the bacterial community decreased in the high copper treatments. eDNA metabarcoding assessed the effects of copper-contaminated sediment with less effort than manually processing samples. Our study highlighted the value of community profiling by an eDNA-based approach in prospective and retrospective risk assessment of environmental stressors.

Priorities and opportunities in the application of the ecosystem services concept in risk assessment for chemicals in the environment

The ecosystem services approach has gained broad interest in regulatory and policy circles for use in ecological risk assessment. Whilst identifying several challenges, scientific experts from European regulatory authorities, the chemical industry and academia considered the approach applicable to all chemical sectors and potentially contributing to greater ecological relevance for setting and assessing environmental protection goals compared to current European regulatory frameworks for chemicals. These challenges were addressed in workshops to develop a common understanding across stakeholders on how the ecosystem services concept might be used in chemical risk assessment and what would need to be done to implement it. This paper describes the consensus outcome of those discussions. Knowledge gaps and research needs were identified and prioritised, exploring the use of novel approaches from ecology, ecotoxicology and ecological modelling. Where applicable, distinction is made between prospective and retrospective ecological risk assessment. For prospective risk assessment the development of environmental scenarios accounting for chemical exposure and ecological conditions was designated as a top priority. For retrospective risk assessment the top priority research need was development of reference conditions for key ecosystem services and guidance for their derivation. Both prospective and retrospective risk assessment would benefit from guidance on the taxa and measurement endpoints relevant to specific ecosystem services and from improved understanding of the relationships between measurement endpoints from standard toxicity tests and the ecosystem services of interest (i.e. assessment endpoints). The development of mechanistic models, which could serve as ecological production functions, was identified as a priority. A conceptual framework for future chemical risk assessment based on an ecosystem services approach is presented.

Use of prospective and retrospective risk assessment methods that simplify chemical mixtures associated with treated domestic wastewater discharges

A framework is presented that is intended to facilitate the evaluation of potential aquatic ecological risks resulting from discharges of down-the-drain chemicals. A scenario is presented using representatives of many of the types of chemicals that are treated domestically. Predicted environmental chemical concentrations are based on reported loading rates and routine removal rates for 3 types of treatment: trickling filter, activated sludge secondary treatment, and activated sludge plus advanced oxidation process as well as instream effluent dilution. In tier I, predicted effluent concentrations were compared with the lowest predicted-no-effect concentration (PNEC) obtained from the literature using safety factors as needed. A cumulative risk characterization ratio (cumRCR) < 1.0 indicates that risk is unlikely and no further action is needed. Otherwise, a tier 2 assessment is used, in which PNECs are based on trophic level. If tier 2 indicates a possible risk, then a retrospective assessment is recommended. In tier 1, the cumRCR was > 1.0 for all 3 treatment types in our scenario, even though no chemical exceeded a hazard quotient of 1.0 in activated sludge or advanced oxidation process. In tier 2, activated sludge yielded a lower cumRCR than trickling filter because of higher removal rates, and the cumRCR in the advanced oxidation process was << 1.0. Based on the maximum cumulative risk ratio (MCR), more than one-third of the predicted risk was accounted for by one chemical, and at least 90% was accounted for by 3 chemicals, indicating that few chemicals influenced the mixture risk in our scenario. We show how a retrospective assessment can test whether certain chemicals hypothesized as potential drivers in the prospective assessment could have, or are having, deleterious effects on aquatic life. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:690-702. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

A systems approach to risk and resilience analysis in the woody-biomass sector: A case study of the failure of the South African wood pellet industry

Currently more than 600 million of the 800 million people in SSA are without electricity, and it is estimated that an additional 2500 GW of power is required by 2030. Although the woody-biomass market in the developed world is relatively mature, only four woody-biomass plants in SSA have been established, all of which were closed by 2013. With its affordable labour, favourable climate and well-established forestry and agricultural sectors, South Africa appears to have the potential for a successful woody-biomass industry. This paper documents a first attempt at analysing why these plants failed. It aims to contextualise the potential role of a sustainable woody-biomass sector in South Africa, through firstly developing a SES-based analytical framework and secondly, using this to undertake a retrospective resilience-based risk assessment of the four former woody-biomass pellet plants in order to identify strategies for increasing the resilience of the industry. The SES-based framework advances previous theory, which usually focuses on natural resources and their supply, by introducing a production process (with inputs and outputs), internal business dynamics and ecological variable interactions. The risk assessment can be used at a broad level to highlight important aspects which should be considered during feasibility assessments for new plants. Further work is proposed to focus on splitting the social-ecological system at different scales for further analysis, and to investigate the long-term ecological impacts of woody-biomass utilisation.

Validation of site-specific soil Ni toxicity thresholds with independent ecotoxicity and biogeochemistry data for elevated soil Ni

The Existing Substances Regulation Risk Assessments by the European Union (EU RA) generated new toxicity data for soil organisms exposed to Ni added to sixteen field-collected soils with low background concentration of metals and varying physico-chemical soil characteristics. Using only effective cation exchange capacity (eCEC) as a bioavailability correction, chronic toxicity of Ni in soils with a wide range of characteristics could be predicted within a factor of two. The objective of the present study was to determine whether this was also the case for three independent data sets of Ni toxicity thresholds. Two of the data sets were from Community Based Risk Assessments in Port Colborne ON, and Sudbury ON (Canada) for soils containing elevated concentrations of Ni, Co and Cu arising from many decades of Ni mining, smelting and refining. The third data set was the Metals in Asia study of soluble Ni added to field soils in China. These data yielded 72 leached and aged EC10/NOEC values for soil Ni, for arthropods, higher plants and woodlot structure and function. These were reduced to nine most sensitive single or geometric mean species/function endpoints, none of which were lower than the HC5 predicted for a soil with an eCEC of 20 cmol/kg. Most of these leached and aged EC10/NOEC values were from soils co-contaminated with Cu, in some cases at its median HC5 as predicted by the EU RA from soil characteristics. We conclude that the EU RA is protective of Ni toxicity to higher-tier ecological endpoints, including in mixture with Cu, before the assessment factor of 2 is applied. We suggest that for prospective risk assessment, the bioavailability based PNEC (HC5/2) be used as a conservative screen, but for retrospective and site-specific risk assessment, the bioavailability based HC5 is sufficient.

Metal toxicity affects predatory stream invertebrates less than other functional feeding groups

Ecosystem effects of heavy metals need to be identified for a retrospective risk assessment, and potential impacts need to be predicted for a prospective risk assessment. In this study, we established a strong correlation between the toxic pressure of dissolved metals and invertebrate species. We compiled available data from a wide geographical range of Australian streams that were contaminated with heavy metals [mainly copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)] and the corresponding invertebrate communities. Heavy metal toxicity is positively related to the proportion of predators within the invertebrate community, represented by the predatorratio, with an effect threshold range of 2.6 μg/L - 26 μg/L for Cu and 62 μg/L - 617 μg/L for Zn. These effect concentrations are in the ranges of the concentrations identified in model ecosystems and other field investigations and are just above the existing guideline limits. Heavy metals also affects the taxa richness negatively. Other community measures, such as the evenness, number of EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) taxa, SPEcies At Risk (SPEAR)pesticides or SPEARsalinity were relatively poorly correlated with heavy metal toxicity in the streams. Therefore, we suggest applying the predatorratio within the community as a starting point for an indicator of the dissolved metal toxicity, the SPEARmetals.

Epidemiological Characteristics and Environmental Risk Factors of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Hubei Province, China, from 2011 to 2016.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a tick-borne viral disease affecting hundreds of people in China each year. To better understand the epidemiological characteristics and environmental risk factors associated with the incidence of SFTS in Hubei Province, China, we conducted a retrospective epidemiological study and risk assessment of SFTS from 2011 to 2016. Although, the incidence and epidemic areas of SFTS are increasing, the fatality rate has decreased. Elderly farmers are the population most commonly infected with SFTS virus between May and July in the northeast Hubei Province, which seems to be consistent with local agricultural activities and the seasonal abundance of ticks. Spatial scanning showed that regions bordering with Xinyang City, Henan Province accounted for most of the SFTS cases in Hubei Province, and there was a significant association of SFTS incidence with temporal changes in the climate within these clusters. Multivariate modeling analysis identified density of cattle, rain-fed cropland, built-up land, temperature, and relative humidity as independent risk factors for the distribution of SFTS. Future epidemiological and serological studies are warranted to elucidate the dynamics and immunity patterns of local SFTS disease and to optimize interventions.

Retrospective risk assessment reveals likelihood of potential non-target attack and parasitism by Cotesia urabae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): A comparison between laboratory and field-cage testing results

We conducted retrospective non-target risk assessment with the larval endoparasitoid Cotesia urabae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), via sequential no-choice tests, to assess the potential risk posed to two New Zealand endemic species: the magpie moth, Nyctemera annulata (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), and the common forest looper Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), as well as to the beneficial biological control agent, the cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Under no-choice laboratory conditions C. urabae did oviposit in T. jacobaeae and N. annulata, and parasitism was confirmed upon dissection of both species at a rate similar to the target host, Uraba lugens (Lepidoptera: Nolidae). Mean attack frequency differed significantly between the three non-targets tested and the target host, where only N. annulata and T. jacobaeae were found to be attacked at a similar rate to the target host U. lugens. However, time to attack was significantly faster against the target host than the non-targets. When oviposition-experienced and naïve C. urabae females were compared, both showed similar mean attack frequencies but experienced parasitoids showed a shorter mean time to attack than naïve parasitoids. Parasitism of N. annulata under semi-natural field conditions was also investigated in field cages. Dissections of N. annulata larvae from field-cages revealed significant differences in mean parasitism between the choice cage, and the non-target no-choice cage treatments. In both cases mean parasitism of N. annulata was significantly lower than on the target host U. lugens. Results of the field-cage assay in particular, suggest that non-target impacts of C. urabae on N. annulata in the field are likely to be limited. Whether the non-target impacts predicted will be of ecological significance to the species population dynamics remains to be ascertained.

Effects of Facilitated Bacterial Dispersal on the Degradation and Emission of a Desorbing Contaminant.

The quantitative relationship between a compound's availability for biological removal and ecotoxicity is a key issue for retrospective risk assessment and remediation approaches. Here, we investigated the impact of facilitated bacterial dispersal at a model soil-atmosphere interface on the release, degradation, and outgassing of a semivolatile contaminant. We designed a laboratory microcosm with passive dosing of phenanthrene (PHE) to a model soil-atmosphere interface (agar surface) in the presence and absence of glass fibers known to facilitate the dispersal of PHE-degrading Pseudomonas fluorescens LP6a. We observed that glass fibers (used as a model to mimic a fungal hyphal network) resulted in (i) increased bacterial surface coverage, (ii) effective degradation of matrix-bound PHE, and (iii) substantially reduced PHE emission to locations beyond the contamination zone even at low bacterial surface coverage. Our data suggest that bacterial dispersal networks such as mycelia promote the optimized spatial arrangement of microbial populations to allow for effective contaminant degradation and reduction of potential hazard to organisms beyond a contaminated zone.

Evaluating bioavailability of organic pollutants in soils by sequential ultrasonic extraction procedure

Under current retrospective risk assessment framework, the total concentrations of organic pollutants in soils have been employed as the standard for over 30 years. The total concentrations reflect the overall accumulation in soils but tend to be overly conservative for assessing the ecological risks, where the bioavailability plays an important role. In this study, the bioavailability of organic pollutants in soils was evaluated using a stepwise and tiered classification method, namely the sequential ultrasonic extraction procedure (SEUP). The water-soluble and acid-soluble fractions extracted by the SEUP were the bioavailable fractions. The reliability and environmental relevance of the speciation method were examined with representative organic pollutants using the root uptake methods and the semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). The plant uptake amounts corrected with weight were highly correlated with the bioavailable fractions (R2 > 0.75). The amounts of the bioavailable fractions were negatively correlated with the logKow values (R2 ranging from 0.71 to 0.77) of the organic pollutants and the contents of soil organic matter (R2 ranging from 0.68 to 0.96). As a refinement of the current risk assessment framework, the SUEP that has proved to be a reliable and convenient is thus highly recommended for evaluating the bioavailability of organic pollutants in soils.

Dioxin in the Elbe river basin: policy and science under the water framework directive 2000–2015 and toward 2021

A critical review of the last 25 years of dioxin policy in the Elbe river catchment is presented along seven main theses of the River Basin Community (RBC)-Elbe background document “Pollutants” for the Management Plan 2016–2021. In this period, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/-furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) will play a major role: (i) as new priority substances for which environmental quality standards (EQSs) need to be derived (Directive 2013/39/EC); (ii) in the search for innovative solutions in sediment remediation (i.e., respecting the influence of mechanical processes; Flood Risk Directive 2007/60/EC); and (iii) as indicators at the land–sea interface (Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC). In the Elbe river catchment, aspects of policy and science are closely connected, which became particularly obvious in a classic example of dioxin hot spot contamination, the case of the Spittelwasser creek. Here, the “source-first principle” of the first cycle of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) had to be confirmed in a controversy on the dioxin hot spots with Saxony-Anhalt’s Agency for Contaminated Sites (LAF). At the Spittelwasser site, the move from “inside the creek” to “along the river banks” goes parallel to a general paradigm shift in retrospective risk assessment frameworks and remediation techniques for organic chemicals (Ortega-Calvo et al. 2015). With respect to dioxin, large-scale stabilization applying activated carbon additions is particularly promising. Another important aspect is the assessment of the ecotoxicology of dioxins and dl- PCBs in context of sediment mobility and flood risk assessment, which has been studied in the project framework FloodSearch. Currently, the quality goals of the WFD to reach a “good chemical status” are not met in many catchment areas because substances such as mercury do and others probably will (PCDD/Fs and dl-PCB) exceed biota-EQS values catchment area-wide. So far, relating biota-EQS values to sediment-EQSs is not possible. To overcome these limitations, the DioRAMA project was initiated, which has led to improved approaches for the assessment of dioxin-contaminated sediment using in vitro bioassays and to a robust dataset on the interrelation between dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in sediments and biota.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12302-016-0075-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A Comparison of the HCR-20V3 Among Male and Female Insanity Acquittees: A Retrospective File Study

The current retrospective risk assessment study evaluated the use of the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 Version 3 (HCR-20V3) in a sample of 100 male and 24 female insanity acquittees, comparing the presence of risk factors and its validity in assessing violence in a state forensic hospital across males and females. Over an average of 15.5 months, 44.4% of the total sample engaged in any act of violence within the institution, highlighting the need for effective risk assessment and management tools. An equivalent proportion of males and females engaged in violence (42.0% of males and 54.2% of females). Results indicated higher interrater reliability on scoring risk factors among males as compared to females, calling for future research into the role of item indicators across genders and possible differences in interpretations of scoring guidelines. Results indicated that females exhibited similar numerical ratings of presence risk factors as males, although they were rated higher on Past Problems in Relationships and Traumatic Experiences. The relationships between scale scores and violence were higher among males than females. However, gender was not a significant moderator in logistic regression analyses predicting likelihood of violence. Additional research is necessary to evaluate how ratings of risk factors are translated into summary risk estimates, opinions about dangerousness, and treatment interventions, with a particular focus on how such decision-making is influenced by the gender of examinees.