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Following is the January/February edition of EarthLink, a bi-monthly current awareness newsletter produced by INFOTERRA/USA. EarthLink provides information on international environmental activities, publications and news of interest to EPA staff and other environment professionals.
Sections:
Article: Kenya's Pink Death
INTERNET SITES on Migratory Birds and Effects
of Water Pollution in Lakes and Streams
International Environment News
Pollution Prevention
Water Quality
Air Quality
Forests and Wood
Chemicals/Contaminants
Sustainable Development
Solid Waste Management and Recycling
Dioxin- Special Issue
Upcoming International Conferences
INFOTERRA Information
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ARTICLE: Kenya's Pink Death
By Karl Vick
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday March 7, 2000; Page A12
LAKE BOGORIA, Kenya -- About 1 million flamingos live on this otherwise nearly dead lake in the Great Rift Valley. They fringe its rocky shoreline like a necklace and congregate in its shallow bays, forming vast carpets of pink that lure vanloads of tourists through squishy mud flats for a closer look.
But in recent months, the flamingos have been joined by scores of marabou storks, known locally as "undertaker birds." The black-coated scavengers stand with an air of propriety over the remains of flamingos that are perishing by the hundreds every day. An estimated 30,000 have died at the national park here since July, and scientists say the actual number could be twice as high.
"There is a die-off going on at Bogoria," said Jackson A. Raini, a researcher for the World Wildlife Fund. While in other years naturalists have recorded mass kills of this beloved bird, regarded as a "flagship species" in East Africa, scientists are alarmed now because the flamingos' death rate does not appear to be slowing and because high levels of heavy metals have been found in their carcasses. If the findings signal a mounting environmental threat to the flamingo, it is far from clear how effectively Africa will respond. While even urban residents here retain a close relationship with the land, ecology ranks well behind poverty and AIDS as a political concern, and environmental awareness lags behind that in more developed countries.
For Kenya's flamingos, the problem appears to be industrial runoff. David Harper, a biologist from Britain's University of Leicester who spent the past two weeks counting carcasses, found that the birds dying around Lake Bogoria spent most of their lives 60 miles to the south at larger, shallower Lake Nakuru.
Nakuru was the first bird sanctuary in Africa and is also a national park, but it rests at the bottom of a 1,200-square-mile catchment and has no outlet. It absorbs runoff not only from hundreds of farms--some of which still use the banned pesticide DDT--but also from a city of 360,000 that adjoins the park.
The heavy metals found in the flamingo carcasses--mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium--correspond directly with the effluents of an Eveready battery factory, a tannery, an electroplating factory and other industrial sites in the area. Until two years ago, the town of Nakuru's sewage treatment facility dumped barely treated waste water into the lake. And when the Kenya Wildlife Service expanded the park boundary a mile or two beyond the lakeshore, the new land included a toxic waste dump.
None of this was good news for Phoeniconaias minor, which while being the most abundant of the flamingo species with a total population of 4 million is nonetheless a markedly frail bird, scientists say.
Gideon Moletin, a professor at Egerton University in Kenya who has spent his career studying the flamingo, said the bird is "stressed" by the very things most waterfowl spend their lives doing: flying and swimming. The flamingo prefers to stand. It likes knee-deep water into which it can bend its amazing bill, upside down, all day, straining blue-green algae through a network of interlocking, hair-lined sprockets using the constant piston-like motion of its tongue. The algae, known as spirulina, are renowned in health food stores for their nutrition. But they thrive only in water that is 0.6 to 0.94 percent salt. This is why 80 percent of flamingos are found in Africa's Great Rift Valley, where ongoing volcanic activity sustains a string of soda lakes. Lake Nakuru, which is wide and shallow and has fresh water nearby for drinking, was easily the birds' favorite lake until 1997, when El Nino rains diluted its salinity. The vast flocks--flying as flamingos do, by night--moved to Bogoria.
There they remain, much to the chagrin of the town of Nakuru. After all, it was the lesser flamingo that made Nakuru famous. Every third business there appears to have "flamingo" in its name, and tourists were spending nearly $3 million a year in park entry fees expecting to see them. "Kenya Wildlife Service has tried to market other parts of the park," said Daniel Njaga, a researcher at the national park. "There are rhinos. There are lions. But even me, when I take my mother, I feel I've cheated her if we don't see those birds."
No one is quite sure why the birds have not returned to Nakuru. Some blame the current drought, which has temporarily dried up the freshwater streams. But researchers fear the flock has been weakened by the pollutants it consumed at Nakuru.
"The metals accumulate in fatty tissues, and the birds metabolize them in times of stress," said Harper, the British biologist. At Bogoria, no one has seen the flamingo's famous mating dance. The birds apparently have not bred since 1997, perhaps because they lack the energy for the journey to Tanzania's Lake Natron, where they lay eggs on an island beyond the reach of predators.
The long-range outlook is foggy. Working against the flamingo are the long half-lives of the pollutants already in the lake, the lack of environmental regulation in Africa and the ease with which existing laws are ignored.
But researchers here hold out hope. "You remember the problem of the great bald eagle in the United States," Moletin said. When that national symbol was threatened with extinction in the 1960s," he pointed out, "the American public absorbed a crash course in the route of pesticides--from crop fields where they were sprayed, to streams, to fish eaten by the eagles. Now, Kenyans are starting to understand the relationship between pollutants and wildlife."
"People did not know better," said Sarah Njoki Kinyanjui, an official at Nakuru Tannery, where waste water thick with sulfides and chromium used to slosh into the city sewer. Now, the company has installed settling tanks for its effluents. "Those who understand, see the connection from the waste running into the lake to the birds," she said. "We want to see them survive and multiply."
Other parts of Nakuru have also begun to clean up their acts. A new municipal treatment plant is online, trash bins have been installed around town and a dozen leading industries now submit regular reports on their waste emissions to a Pollutant Release and Transfer Registry, called the first of its kind in Africa.
"The flamingos are beautiful," Kinyanjui said. "People understand now. They want a clean environment."
INTERNET SITES on Migratory Birds and Effects of Water
Pollution in Lakes and Streams
1) EPA's Clean
Lakes Program
http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/index.html
Lake ecosystems support complex and important food web interactions and provide habitat needed to support numerous threatened and endangered species. Lakes are also the cornerstone of our nation's 19 billion dollar freshwater fishing industry, form the backbone of numerous State tourism industries, and provide countless recreational opportunities.
2) The African Bird Club
http://www.africanbirdclub.org/ 
African Bird Club, UK registered charity 1053920, has been established: to provide a worldwide focus for African ornithology, to encourage an interest in the conservation of the birds of the region, to liaise with and promote the work of existing regional societies, to publish a twice-yearly colour bulletin, to encourage observers to visit lesser known areas of the region, and search actively for globally threatened and near-threatened species to develop a Conservation Fund.
This web site is the electronic proceedings of the 1995 Partners in Flight (PIF) International Workshop, "Partners in Flight Conservation Plan: Building Consensus for Action."
4) Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
http://www.si.edu/smbc/
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC)combines research, education, training, and policy analysis to foster throughout the western hemisphere greater understanding, appreciation, and protection of birds and the grand phenomenon of avian migration. Their emphasis is on clarifying the causes for declines in migratory bird populations before the situation becomes desperate. The SMBC bridges the academic, policy-making, and public worlds, both within the United States and internationally, to promote the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. SMBC incorporates public and policy issues into its research--looking both at the way human-made changes affect bird populations and the way bird habitat preservation will affect human populations, and they translate their research findings into recommendations for public and policy action.
5) Birdlife International
http://www.wing-wbsj.or.jp/birdlife/
BirdLife is a global Partnership of conservation organisations with a focus on birds that works together on shared priorities, policies and programmes of conservation action, exchanging skills, achievements and information, growing in ability, authority and influence. The BirdLife International Partnership strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.
6) NonPoint Source
Pollution (NPS) Urban Runoff Homepage
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/urban.html
These pages contain large amounts of information on what can be done to control runoff from urban and industrialized areas in order to protect water systems.
International Environment News
Pollution Prevention
Warren, Kimberly A., Leonard Ortolano, and Scott Rozelle. "Pollution Prevention Incentives and Responses in Chinese Firms." Environmental Impact Assessment Review 19, nos. 5-6 (September-November 1999): 521-540.
Pollution prevention (P2), which the Chinese define to include process changes, energy and water conservation, as well as materials reuse and recycling, stands in sharp contrast to the traditional approach to pollution control: generate waste and then treat it. Based on the authors' study of 26 electroplating enterprises in four Chinese cities, they divided factors motivating firms to adopt P2 measures into three groups: economic incentives, environmental policy incentives, and individual and social incentives. They then used four variables to categorize an electroplating factory's use of P2 as a response to these incentives: awareness of the P2 concept, leadership commitment to P2, presence of a P2 champion in the factory, and goals for P2. Firms they viewed as having a "proactive" environmental management strategy scored highest on all four variables and adopted the largest number of P2 measures. At the other extreme, firms using "resistive" strategies scored poorly on all four variables and never adopted P2 measures intentionally. Other firms (i.e., those with low scores on some but not all of the four variables) used "reactive" strategies: they deliberately adopted P2 measures, but usually in the narrow context of a particular workshop or environmental medium (e.g., air or water). Only proactive firms viewed pollution prevention as a factory-wide management strategy for enhancing profits while abating pollution. Their analysis suggests actions that might increase the number of firms using proactive environmental management strategies.
Water Quality
Windom, H., and R. Smith, F. Niencheski and C. Alexand. "Uranium in Rivers and Estuaries of Globally Diverse, Smaller Watersheds." Marine Chemistry 68, issue 4 (February 2000): 307-321.
Data for uranium concentrations in 29 rivers and eight estuaries are presented. The river data expands the existing database on riverine uranium transport to include more smaller watersheds which collectively account for a large portion of material transport from the continent to the oceans. Riverine concentrations for these smaller watershed range from less than 50 to 660 pM. The results for these systems, when combined with previously published data on mostly larger rivers, do not change significantly the calculated global riverine flux and thus earlier estimates by Palmer and Edmond [Palmer, M.R., Edmond, J.M., 1993. Uranium in river water. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 57, pp. 4947-4955] are substantiated. Uranium transport through eight diverse estuaries was studied to assess the importance of estuarine removal in the global marine uranium budget. Results indicate that uranium is conservatively transported in most systems studied. Results reported here for the Savannah estuary, however, indicate significant uranium removal. Our results suggest that uranium is removed in salt marsh estuaries at a rate of ca. 70 Umol/m2. This compares to a rate of 15 Umol/m2 for Delaware salt marshes [Church, T.M., Sarin, M.M., Fleisher, M.Q., Ferchlman, T.G., 1996. Salt marshes: an important sink for dissolved uranium. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 60, pp. 3879-3887]. We suggest that uranium removal to salt marsh sediments is due to anaerobic microbially mediated processes. We use these results to estimate the global significance of the salt marsh sink in the oceanic budget of uranium. We estimate that 2.7107 mol of uranium are removed to salt marshes annually as compared to an annual global riverine input of 3-6107 mol estimated by Palmer and Edmond [Palmer, M.R., Edmond, J.M., 1993. Uranium in river water. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 57, pp. 4947-4955].
Osborn, Daniel, and Debbie Pain, and Andrew Meharg. "No Rain on the Plain." NERC News: Quarterly Magazine of the Natural Environment Research Council, Winter 1999:22-23.
Located near Seville in southern Spain, the Guadalquivir marshes comprise Europe's largest remaining freshwater/brackish wetland and an important stopover for migrating birds, as well as a unique coastal dune system. On April 25, 1998, a dam which held back the tailings pond of the nearby Aznalcollar zinc mine failed, releasing an estimated five million cubic meters of acidic metal-rich waste and contaminating some 900 hectares of protected wetland, in addition to extensive tracts of farmland. This article describes the immediate damage control procedures used to contain the contamination, such as the stripping of large areas of marsh of topsoil and vegetation, as well as the methods used to test for metal contamination. The article also discusses the various schemes for the continuing cleanup of the marsh, including phytoremediation and replacing the marshland with land currently being farmed. The need for disaster prevention and preparedness is highlighted, as well as the responsibility of national and international bodies to develop disaster prevention and preparedness programs.
"Renewable Energy, Water Supply Problems and Fight Against Desertification: An Integrated Project in Senegal." Sustainable Energy News 27 (November 1999): 6-7.
This article describes a project consisting of several integrated programs carried out by the non-governmental organization World Vision to combat desertification in Senegal. The project covered more than 100 villages (80,000 inhabitants in all) in the north central Louga region, an area characterized by environmental deterioration and desertification from overgrazing and monocultural agriculture. The program made use of the interrelations between energy, water, poverty, health nutrition, and the insecurity of food supplies with the impoverishment of soils and degredation of the environment. The program used income-generating activities such as the introduction of new sustainable crops (manioc, fruit trees, potatoes) in order to sustain the water-generating aspect of the program. New solar and wind-driven technologies for water pumping were provided, and women were taught of the necessity of conserving firewood and then trained to build and use efficient stoves made from local materials. The author of the article discusses how these activities increased the value of endogenous agricultural practices and the necessity of and integrated program buoyed by popular support in combating desertification and environmental degredation.
Air Quality
Mitchell, G., and A. Namdeo and D. Kay. "A New Disease-burden Method for Estimating the Impact of Outdoor Air Quality on Human Health." The Science of The Total Environment, 246, issues 2-3 (February 10, 2000): 153-163.
Urban air quality is a serious problem, with an estimated 40 million people in Europe exposed to exceedences of existing WHO air-quality guidelines, with prospects of further declines in air quality due to projected growth in motor vehicle traffic. Air-quality management strategies, underpinned by legislation are attempting to combat this problem. To support such strategies, assessment of the costs and benefits of remedial measures is required, including an assessment of the impact of urban air quality on human health. This paper describes a disease burden estimation approach, developed to assess `health gain' from recreational water quality improvement, and its application to urban air quality and incidence of respiratory disease. The method represents an improvement over existing disease-burden estimation techniques applied to air quality, in that by considering the probability density function of pollutant concentrations, improved estimates of exposure and hence disease burden, and also `health gain' from air-quality improvement, are possible. Estimations of mortality advanced by fine particulate matter (PM10) are presented for five UK cities. Implications of the method for disease burden and air-quality standards are discussed. The utility of integrating the disease-burden assessment model with linked dynamic models of land-use, vehicle movement and pollutant dispersion, as a means to identify remedial strategic planning initiatives, is highlighted.
Kontos, A.S., S.D. Fassois, and M.F. Deli, "Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Childhood Respiratory Illness in Piraeus, Greece, 1987-1992: Nonparametric Stochastic Dynamic Analysis," Environmental Research, Section A 81, 275-296.
The short-term effects of air pollution on childhood respiratory illness are analyzed for the city of Piraeus, Greece during the 1987-1992 period using a distinct, nonparametric, scholastic dynamical system approach. This approach accounts for the time continuity of the phenomenon, including contemporaneous, lagged, and unstructured cumulative effects. It also accounts for the presence of autocorrelation and nonstationary structures in the series and aims at revealing the potentially subtle relationships among the examined pollutants (smoke, CO, SO2, NO2, O3), meteorological factors (temperature, humidity) and hospital admissions. The approach is also capable of assessing the individual effects of any isolated pollutant, as well as the total effects of all measured pollutants. The study is based upon 4,042 hospital admissions, and its results indicate statistically significant effects of each individual pollutant, as well as meteorological factor, on hospital admissions. It is interesting that these effects appear stronger for the second half of the examined period, despite declines in the observed mean concentrations for most pollutants. The total effects of the four pollutants (excluding O3) are characterized by multiple coherence measures of 18.37 and 21.66% in the first and second halves of the examined period, respectively, and are confirmed as statistically significant.
Forests and Wood
Jacques Imbernon, "A Comparison of the Driving Forces Behind Deforestation in the Peruvian and the Brazilian Amazon," Ambio , Vol. 28, No. 6, 509-513.
On two Brazilian sites (Acre and Rondonia), and on two Peruvian sites (Yurimaguas and Pucallpa), deforestation rates and patterns are very different. To illustrate these differences, two major factors contributing to deforestation are selected: how accessible the frontier is for people including access to markets; and land abundance and land rights and markets. Even if there are commonalities between Brazil and Peru, major differences are identified. Road access to the frontier is much greater in Brazil, linking the forest to the rest of the country; most of the Brazilian farmers have gained legal title through colonization projects or by claiming land after clearing. However, access to good land in Brazil is limited and land speculation is high, whereas, in Peru there is plenty of room for expansion and land access is free.
Hubert Schulte-Bisping, Michael Bredemeier, and Friedrich Beese, "Global Availability of Wood and Energy Supply from Fuelwood and Charcoal," Ambio, Vol. 28, No. 7, 592-594.
The global relation of wood production and consumption is examined, with emphasis on wood as an energy source. In many regions of the world, particularly in the developing countries, the demand for fuelwood can only be supplied by overexploitation of forest land. The calculations made by the researchers are based on published data from various sources, which are combined with model applications. Results are prognoses in the form of global maps by countries. They show that the deficiency of fuelwood will become more critical in large areas of the world, particularly in developing countries with a rapid population growth. This development bears the risk of continuing deforestation and is a threat to sustainable land use. Transition to renewable energy sources (hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal as well as biofuels), produced in a sustainable manner, seems to be the only way out of this dilemma.
Chemicals/Contaminants
Mason, Howard J. "A Biokinetic Model for Lead Metabolism with a View to its Extension to Pregnancy and Lactation; (1) Further Validation of the Original Model for Non-pregnant Adults." The Science of The Total Environment 246, issue 1 (January 31, 2000): 69-78.
A published biokinetic model that describes the absorption, transfer between organs and excretion of lead (Pb) in humans has been established using commercially available simulation software. Recent in vivo data have been used to validate further the model in adults, particularly for non-pregnant females. The validation data centre on: (a) the prediction of blood Pb concentrations due to changes in atmospheric and dietary Pb levels over the last 25 years; (b) the non-linear relationship between Pb in whole blood and that in blood plasma which can be transferred to other organs; and (c) the accumulation of Pb in bone which may be re-mobilised later in time of calcium stress. This work underpins our alteration of the model to encompass pregnancy and lactation so that the build-up of Pb in the developing foetus and breast-fed infant can be estimated from any number of current and historical maternal exposure scenarios.
Takao Watanabe, Zuo-Wen Zhang, Jiang-Bin Qu, Wei-Ping Gao, Zhen-Kui Jian, Shinichiro Shimbo, Haruo Nakatsuka, Naoko Matsuda-Inoguchi, Kae Higashikawa and Masayuki Ikeda. "Background lead and cadmium exposure of adult women in Xian City and two farming villages in Shaanxi Province, China," The Science of the Total Environment, 247, Issue 1, 1-90.
The objectives of the present study are: (a) to clarify the current levels of environmental exposure to lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in Shaanxi Province in China in comparison with levels in other parts of mainland China; (b) to examine if there is any urban»rural difference in Pb and Cd exposure; and (c) to quantify the role of cereals as the dietary source of environmental exposure to these metals. For this purpose, triplet surveys on lead and cadmium exposure were conducted in the provincial capital of Xian and two farming villages A and B in Shaanxi Province, China in 1997. The grand geometric mean for lead (Pb) intake via foods (Pb-F), Pb in blood (Pb-B) and Pb in urine as corrected for creatinine concentration (Pb-Ucr) were 30 g/day, 33 g/l and 5 g/g creatinine, respectively, with significant differences among the survey sites, e.g. Pb-B being higher in Xian (43 g/l) than in the two villages (38 and 22 g/l). The counterpart values for cadmium (Cd) intake via foods (Cd-F), Cd in blood (Cd-B) and Cd in urine (Cd-Ucr) were 6.1 g/day, 0.46 g/l and 2.8 g/g creatinine, respectively, with no substantial inter-survey site difference. Thus, it was possible to conclude that, from comparison with the values reported in 1990s literature, the exposure of Shaanxi people to Pb and Cd is no higher than, and even possibly lower than, the levels reported for people in other parts of mainland China. The exposure to Cd was almost exclusively from foods, whereas the exposure to air-borne Pb was large enough in Xian to explain higher Pb-B and Pb-Ucr than the level in Village B despite lower Pb-F in Xian than in Village B. Cereals (wheat, rice, maize and foxtail millet) contributed 26 and 84% of dietary Pb and Cd intake, respectively.
Sustainable Development
Otto-Zimmermann, Konrad. "Local Agenda 21: A Worldwide Campaign," Naturopa, Volume 89: 26.
The article reports on the development of Local Agenda 21 - the notion of participatory processes to engage citizens and stakeholders in long-term action planning towards sustainability. According to a 1997 survey by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), more than 1,800 local governments in 64 countries had started Local Agenda 21 planning. 1,600 of these local governments were located in Europe. ICLEI estimates that more than 2,500 local governments, 2,000 of them in Europe, have started the planning process by the end of 1999. ICLEI has also undertaken a European campaign by helping found and supporting the Aalborg Charter which organized the European Sustainable Cities and Towns campaign to promote local sustainable development planning. The key guidelines have now been translated into 18 European languages. The Local Agenda 21 project has also set up the Charters Project which pairs six cities in Africa and four in Latin America with ten cities in Europe and North America to support each other in implementing the Local Agenda 21 action plans. The article reminds that the most important goal of Local Agenda 21 is that it encourages local governments to adopt a new scheme of government which involves all local stakeholders in the sustainable development movement.
Solid Waste Management/Recycling
Mengiseny E. Kasseva and Stephen E. Mbuligwe, "Ramifications of Solid Waste Disposal Site Relocation in Urban Areas of Developing Countries: A Case Study in Tanzania," Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 28, Issues 1-2, 147-161.
Sanitary landfilling is considered to be the most appropriate means of final disposal of solid wastes. Currently in Tanzania, the cheapest method of developing a landfill is by making use of natural depressions or former borrow pits and mine pits. This paper examines the impacts associated with the relocation of a waste disposal site from a crude disposal site at Vingunguti to a new landfill site at New MECCO quarry in Kunduchi area, both in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The paper focuses on the fate of scavenging and solid waste recycling which are currently taking place at Vingunguti site and mining as well as food vending activities at the proposed new landfill site. Scavenging and waste recycling were found to be important sources of income for some individuals in the city. Various items collected for recycling were found to be an important source of raw materials for some industries in Dar es Salaam. A total of 94% of all the miners were entirely dependent on stone mining and crushing as a sole means of income generation, and 68% of the miners had practiced this activity for between 1 and 9 years. Finally the paper recommends that, selection of a waste disposal site should favor abandoned mines or borrow pits rather than operational ones. It also recommends that, waste recycling and scavenging be accommodated in other stages of the waste stream since they can not be practiced at a sanitary landfill.
P. M. Subramanian, "Plastics Recycling and Waste Management in the US," Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 28, Issues 3-4, 253-263.
The increasing awareness of the environment has contributed to concerns regarding our life styles and our indiscriminate disposal of wastes. During the last decade, we have been trying to address this complex problem, more aggressively. Discussed here briefly, are our efforts in the United States in addressing the issue of solid wastes and in particular, plastic wastes. These efforts have begun to show promising results. The municipal solid waste (MSW) produced annually, has begun to decrease, e.g. from 211.5 million tons in 1995 to 209.7 million tons in 1996. Recycling rates and composting rates are increasing. Disposal in landfills is decreasing (from 60.9 to 55.5% in 1996). Waste disposal by combustion is also increasing. This is primarily due to the increased efficiencies of the new incinerators and their ability for the removal of particulates and harmful gases. Plastics are a small but a significant component of the waste stream. It is encouraging to note that the amount of plastics being recycled has grown significantly. In 1997, about 317 million kg of high density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles and 294 million kg of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were recycled. Recycling of durable goods, such as automotive parts, carpets, electronic and appliance housings and parts are being explored. Environmental compatibility and recyclability are being considered during the designing of new parts. Life cycle analyses and management are also being studied as tools for decision making.
Dioxin - Special Issue
Takumi Takasuga, Tetsuya Makino, Katsuya Tsubota and Nobuo Takeda, "Formation of Dioxins (PCDDs/PCDFs) by Dioxin-Free Fly Ash as a Catalyst and Relation with Several Chlorine-Sources." Chemosphere. Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1003-1007.
Simplified thermal formation experiments have been conducted using dioxin-free fly ash as a catalyst with many kinds of combustible samples such as newspaper, kerosene, paraffin, PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene) and PVC. Chlorine sources were PVC, NaCl and HCl. The combustion of samples containing chlorine in the absence of dioxin-free fly ash produced dioxins at a low level although HCl was present in the gas stream. On the other hand, the combustion of samples without chlorine with dioxin-free fly ash increased dioxins formation to a level around 10 times higher than that upon heating dioxin-free fly ash alone. This result is considered to be due to the presence of metal chloride in the fly ash and hydrocarbons in the gas stream. The combustion of samples containing either an organic or inorganic chlorine source or using a HCl stream with dioxin-free fly ash increased dioxin level dramatically.
Buekens, A., E. Cornelis, H. Huang and T. Dewettinck. "Fingerprints of Dioxin from Thermal Industrial Processes." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1021-1024.
PCDD/F homologue profiles and 2,3,7,8 chlorine-substituted congener patterns are studied using principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Measurement data from different industrial metallurgical processes such as iron and steel manufacturing, copper smelters and aluminium plants are compared. It appears that the PCDD/F homologue profiles from industrial metallurgical processes are similar to those from municipal solid waste incinerators. The 2,3,7,8 chlorine-substituted congener pattern from copper smelters is also very similar to that of municipal solid waste incinerators. However, the 2,3,7,8 chlorine-substituted congener pattern from an aluminum plant is very different, 2,3,7,8-TCDF being by far the most important TCDF congener.
Mayer, Johannes, Heinz Linnemann, Ernst Becker, Werner Rentschler, Wolfgang Jockel, Peter Wilbring and Bernhard Gerchel, "Certification of a Long-Term Sampling System for PCDFs and PCDDs in the Flue Gas from Industrial Facilities." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1025-1027.
AMESA (adsorption method for sampling of dioxins) is a fully automatic system for long term monitoring of dioxin emissions from industrial processes based on the adsorption method. The system has been tested and undergoing a certification procedure according to the German guidelines for certification of systems for continuous monitoring of special substances. The certification covered parameters such as disposability of the system, reproducibility of the results and comparability of the sampling method with German and European standard methods. Furthermore break through, blanks and sample storability were investigated. The results prove that AMESA is a state of the art sampling system for continuous monitoring of dioxin/furan emissions.
Evans, R., G. B. N. Shadel, D. W. Roberts, S. Clardy, D. Jordan-Izaguirre, D. G. Patterson and L. L. Needham, "Dioxin Incinerator Emissions Exposure Study Times Beach, Missouri," Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1063-1074.
The purpose of this project was to determine whether living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator that was burning material contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) increased TCDD and toxicity equivalencies (TEQ) in individuals living near the incinerator. The methods were as follows: participants were randomly chosen from an area close to the incinerator and compared to participants outside of the exposure area. TCDD and related compounds were measured in blood serum before incineration, four months after incineration started, and at the end of incineration. The result was that lipid adjusted serum levels of TCDD and TEQ decreased from pre-incineration to four months after incineration, and decreased further by the end of incineration. Conclusion: Incineration of TCDD did not result in any measurable exposure to the population surrounding the incinerator.
Wingfors, Håkan, Gunilla Lindstrõm, Bert van Bavel, Marta Schumacher and Lennart Hardell, "Multivariate Data Evaluation of PCB and Dioxin Profiles in the General Population in Sweden and Spain." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1083-1088.
Thirty-three polychlorinated biphenyls and 20 dioxin-like congeners were determined by GC-MS in blood and adipose tissue samples from two general population groups, one in Spain (n=35) and one in Sweden (n=28). The results were evaluated by multivariate projection (Simca), after normalisation to the most abundant and stable congener in each data set, in order to reveal differences in the "national" congener profiles. The mean values of each population group did not differ significantly. The sum of PCBs in the Spanish was 1450 ng/g and in the Swedish 1310 ng/g. The sum of the dioxin-like compounds in Spain was 1180 pg/g and in Sweden 804 pg/g. The congener profiles differed between the countries. Mainly the higher chlorinated congeners for both the dioxin-like compounds and the PCBs are more dominant in the Spanish group compared to the Swedish.
van Leeuwen, F.X. Rolaf, Mark Feeley, Dieter Schrenk, John Christian Larsen, William Farland and Maged Younes. "Dioxins: WHO's Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) Revisited." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1095-1101.
In December 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 10 pg/kg b.w. (body weight) for TCDD, based on liver toxicity, reproductive effects and immunotoxicity in experimental animals, and making use of kinetic data in humans and experimental animals. Since then new epidemiological and toxicological data have emerged, in particular with respect to neurodevelopmental and endocrine effects of dioxin. Therefore, the European Centre for Environment and Health of the World Health Organization (WHO-ECEH) and the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) jointly organized a consultation on the "Assessment of the health risk of dioxins: re-evaluation of the TDI", May 1998, Geneva, Switzerland. The participants discussed the health risks for infants, cancer and non-cancer endpoints in humans and animals, mechanistic aspects, kinetic behavior, modeling, exposure, and the applicability of the toxic equivalency (TEQ) concept. For the health risk assessment of dioxin-like compounds, the WHO Consultation focused on the most sensitive effects that are considered adverse (hormonal, reproductive and developmental effects) seen at low doses in animal studies (rats and monkeys). Human daily intakes corresponding with body burdens similar to those associated with adverse effects in animals could be estimated to be in the range of 14-37 pg/kg b.w./day. To arrive at a TDI expressed as TEQ, a composite uncertainty factor of 10 was recommended. By applying this uncertainty factor a TDI range of 1-4 pg TEQs/kg body weight was established. An extensive executive summary of the results of this WHO Consultation with all the underlying background documents will be published in Food Additives and Contaminants (in press).
Wittsiepe, Jürgen, Petra Schrey, Ulrich Ewers, Fidelis Selenka and Michael Wilhelm, "Decrease of PCDD/F Levels in Human Blood from Germany Over the Past Ten Years (1989-1998)." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1103-1109.
744 whole blood samples of normal subjects from Germany collected in 1989-1998 have been analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) by capillary gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry. Over the examined time period a continuous decrease of the PCDD/F concentrations in human blood was observed. The mean levels found were 43.7 pg I-TEq/g (lipid basis) in 1989 and 20.7 pg I-TEq/g (lipid basis) in 1996/98 {median: 42.2 and 19.4}. The reduction to about the half was found for most congeners. Each one-year subset of the collective and the entire collective shows a positive correlation of the PCDD/F blood levels with age for most of the congeners, the sum values and the calculated toxicity equivalents. For statistical evaluation a multiplicative model was used: concentration=AAgeBThe correlation is mostly pronounced for lower chlorinated PCDD and for 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF. The PCDD/F concentrations in human blood in relation to the year of examination and the age of the subjects can be described by a linear model: I-TEq [pg/g (lipid basis)]=6176-3.097Year+0.6482Age or by a multiplicative model: I-TEq [pg/g(lipid basis)]=1089.08 0.04415Year+0.008468Age.
Quälig, Ulrich, Michael W. Fermann and Günter Bröker. "Steps Towards a European Dioxin Emission Inventory." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1125-1129.
The results of a project aiming at collection and evaluation of information regarding the industrial and non-industrial emission sources for dioxins and furans (PCDD/PCDF) in 17 European Countries (EU 15, CH, N) are presented. An overview about national documents covering dioxin emission inventories for the period 1990-1995 is given. Some data on emissions associated with residual materials, waste and waste water are presented additionally. Based on the air emission data contained in these documents the most important emission sources were determined which are assumed to cover about 90% of the overall emissions. For the selected sources and for all 17 countries new estimates of the atmospheric PCDD/PCDF emissions were derived from average emission factors and statistical activity rates for the year 1994. As a result, on the European scale the largest annual PCDD/PCDF emission is assessed to be released from municipal waste incineration, quite closely followed by emissions from iron ore sintering. Considerable releases of dioxins and furans - based, however, on highly uncertain data - are further assessed for domestic burning, accidental fires and (former) use of contaminated wood preservatives (pentachlorophenol). A lower but still significant emission is further assigned to the sector of non-ferrous metal production; particular processes used in this branch proved to generate very high PCDD/PCDF flue gas concentrations.
E. Abad, M. A. Adrados, J. Caixach, B. Fabrellas and J. Rivera. "Dioxin Mass Balance in a Municipal Waste Incinerator." Chemosphere, Vol. 40, Issues 9-11, 1143-1147.
A dioxin mass balance in an Spanish municipal waste incinerator (MWI) is presented. Input and output inventories from two sampling collection episodes including the analysis of PCDD/PCDF in urban solid waste (USW), stack gas emissions, fly ash and slag are reported. In one collection the levels of USW were around 8 pg I-TEQ/g and non-thermal destruction was observed overall. In the other collection the levels of USW were higher (around 64 pg I-TEQ/g) and the dioxin balance revealed a thermal destruction. Analysis of the different waste materials (textile, organic, plastic, wood and paper) was performed separately and the textile samples presented the highest levels.
Upcoming International Conferences
1. 6th International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
June 21-24, 2000
URL:
http://www.assumption.edu/HTML/Academic/conf/IICEcall.html
For more information, please contact Kevin L. Hickey or Demetri Kantarelis through mail: IEA/Hickey-Kantarelis, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01615, USA; Tel: (508) 767-7296 (Hickey), (508) 767-7557 (Kantarelis); Fax: (508) 767-7382; E-mail: (Hickey) khickey@assumption.edu OR (Kantarelis) dkantar@assumption.edu
2. The International Conference and Exhibition on LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT:
Tools for Sustainability
Crystal City Hyatt
Arlington, Virginia (Washington DC Metro Area)
April 25-27, 2000
URL: http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/
LCA is being developed and applied internationally by corporations, governments, and environmental groups to incorporate environmental concerns into the decision-making process. It is being widely adopted as a means to evaluate commercial systems and develop sustainable solutions. LCA identifies the impacts of products and services over all life cycle stages and media, enabling informed decision-making. LCA can identify and verify environmental benefits that will lead to sustainable practices.
Presentations and discussions during the conference will focus on approaches that integrate environmental, economic, and social values for decision-making, with emphasis on LCA applications and case studies. The conference will bring together practitioners and decision-makers. Speakers will discuss how LCA can be used to: create marketing advantages; improve environmental decision-making; save organizations money; organize environmental management systems; measure environmental performance and progress towards sustainability; communicate within and outside of organizations.
3. Workshop on the Characterization, Modeling, Remediation, and Monitoring
of Mining-Impacted Pit Lakes
Sands Regency Casino Hotel
Reno, Nevada
April 4 - 6, 2000
URL: http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/
The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum for the exchange of scientific information on current approaches for assessing the characterization, monitoring, treatment and/or remediation of impacts on aquatic ecosystems including pit lakes from mining-related contamination in the Western U.S. For more information: SAIC, attn. Lisa Enderle, 1710 Goodridge Drive, T3-3-1, McLean, VA 22102; Phone:(703)645-6945; FAX: (703)676-7945.
4. Lake 2000 - Symposium on Restoration of lakes and wetlands
Center for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy (CSIC)- Auditorium
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore- 560 012, INDIA
November 27-29, 2000
URL: http://144.16.65.194/energy/water/lake2000conference.html
The main objective of the symposium is to bring out the current trends in lakes and wetlands restoration including the hydrological and the biophysical aspects, peoples participation and the role of non-governmental, educational and the governmental organistations and future research needs for the restoration, conservation and management of wetlands. This also provides a forum for researchers, technologists, economists, sociologists and others to meet and discuss water related issues. Queries regarding the programme, should be directed to Dr. T.V. Ramachandra Centre for Ecological Sciences Indian Institute of Science Bangalore 560 012, India; Tel: 91-080-3600985/309 2506; Fax: 91-080- 3601428/3600683/3600085.
5. International Symposium: Higher Education for Sustainable Regional
Development
Schloß Seggau (Seggau Castle)
May 17-19, 2000
The event is meant to contribute to the discussion about education for sustainable regional development. It will focus on higher (academic) education, although the discussion is also relevant for other levels of training. It is the objective of the symposium to intensify the exchange of ideas about sustainable regional development education as well as to suggest innovative ways to improve education in this field and to initiate international co-operation in order to prepare students optimally for their tasks of implementing sustainable development on the regional level. For further information, please contact: Sibylle Braunegg, SUSTAIN, Inffeldgasse 21, A 8010 Graz; Tel: +43-316-873-7465; Fax: +43-316-873-7469; Email: braunegg@glvt.tu-graz.ac.at.
