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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

The case of Sarno River (Southern Italy): effects of geomorphology on the environmental impacts.

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: Analysis of the morphological, geological and environmental characteristics of the Sarno River basin has shown the present degraded condition of the area. Over the past thirty years, the supply of untreated effluent of domestic, agricultural and industrial origin has ensured the presence of high concentrations of pollutants, including heavy metals. The geological context of the catchment area has played a major part in determining the current ecological conditions and public health problems: while human activity has modified the landscape, the natural order has indirectly contributed to increasing the environmental impact. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The health situation is precarious as the basin's inhabitants feed on agricultural and animal products, and use polluted water directly or indirectly. The hazard of contracting degenerative illnesses of the digestive or respiratory apparatus, bacterial infections or some neoplasia has gradually increased, especially in the last five years. Moreover, polluted basin waters flowing into the Bay of Naples increase sea water contamination, thereby damaging tourism, public health and degrading the local littoral quality. CONCLUSION: The overview presented shows how the environmental state of the Sarno River basin gives considerable cause for concern. The basin's complex geomorphologic setting has a direct bearing on local environmental and health conditions. The analysis of the available data demonstrates how the physical aspects of the area are closely linked to the diffusion and concentration of the pollutants, and how the latter ones have a large influence on the hygienic-sanitary conditions of the local population. RECOMMENDATION AND PERSPECTIVE: Specific interventions need to be undertaken to monitor and improve the chemical, physical and microbiological conditions of water and sediments, especially in light of the geomorphological vulnerability of the river basin.

Ecosystem↗
PubMed2005

[Distributions and environmental impacts of selenium in wastes of coal from a power plant].

Samples of coals, fly ashes, slags and tiny fly ashes with different sizes, collected from a large power plant, were studied. It shows that Se tends not to be enriched in coarse fly ash and slag, but to be enriched in fine fly ashes especially in fine fly ash with size > 19.0 microm. This kind of distribution is shaped by: 1) volatility and organic-occurrence of Se in coal; 2) residence time in flue gases; 3) morphology of particles [holes on the surface of particles ( > 19.0 microm) may adsorb more Se]. Sequence leaching test shows that Se is mainly organic-bonded (69.7%) in coal. Mass balance calculation of burned coal indicates that 16.5% of Se in coal may be disposed into air directly. The environmental impacts of Se in fine fly ashes can be ignored because of its small proportion and distributional character (mainly in particles with sizes > 19.0 microm). Se in slag may cause little environmental impacts. Se in coarse fly ash is partially mobile and may be used to benefit the soil which is lack of Se.

Air↗
PubMed2002

Biological activity and environmental impact of anionic surfactants.

The newest results concerning the biological activity and environmental fate of anionic surfactants are collected and critically evaluated. The chemical and physicochemical parameters related to the biological activity and the field of application are briefly discussed. Examples on the effect of anionic surfactants on the cell membranes, on the activity of enzymes, on the binding to various proteins and to other cell components and on their human toxicity are presented and the possible mode of action is elucidated. The sources of environmental pollution caused by anionic surfactants are listed and the methods developed for their removal from liquid, semiliquid and solid matrices are collected. Both the beneficial and adversary effects of anionic surfactants on the environment are reported and critically discussed. It was concluded that the role of anionic surfactants in the environment is ambiguous: they can cause serous environmental pollution with toxic effect on living organisms; otherwise, they can promote the decomposition and/or removal of other inorganic and organic pollutants from the environment. The relationship between their chemical structure, physicochemical parameters, biological activity and environmental impact is notwell understood. A considerable number of data are needed for the development of new anionic surfactants and for the successful application of the existing ones to reduce the adversary and to promote beneficial effects.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Operational use of neem oil as an alternative anopheline larvicide. Part B: Environmental impact and toxicological potential.

This study was conducted to investigate the preliminary environmental and mammalian toxicology of neem oil, temephos and chlorpyriphos-methyl/fenitrothion. Culex pipiens, Daphnia magna and Gambusia affinis were used to study environmental impact. A high level of toxicity was observed, with slight differences between organisms. The emulsifiers individually also displayed toxicity towards the tested organisms. Up to 90 days daily oral crude neem oil treatment (5 g/kg body weight) of laboratory mice did not cause any significant changes in weekly body weight gain, nor in serum liver damage indicators, direct bilirubin or total bilirubin. Blood parameters of treated mice up to 90 days were not statistically different from those of control mice. Neem oil could be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional chemical anopheline larvicides.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed2004

[Problems and solutions of implementing plan environmental impact assessment in China].

At present, there are two forms of Plan Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA): Self-assessment and entrusted assessment. The appropriate object and the time of starting PEIA were discussed. It points out that self-assessment should be able to realize the essential roles of PEIA, such as 'starting as early as possible', 'optimization of options', etc. At the same time, the concept and function of alternative, PEIA methodology and the role of public participation are all elementarily discussed.

China↗
PubMed2006

Quantifying the environmental impacts of artisanal fishing gear on Kenya's coral reef ecosystems.

The environmental impacts of artisanal fishing gear on coral reef ecosystems were studied in the multi-gear fishery of southern Kenya to evaluate which types of gear have the greatest impact on coral reef biodiversity. The gear types studied were large and small traps, gill nets, beach seines, hand lines and spear guns. Levels of coral damage, proportion of juvenile fish and discards, size and maturity stage at first capture were quantified and compared amongst the gear types. Results indicate that fishers using beach seines, spears and gill nets cause the most direct physical damage to corals. Spear fishers showed the highest number of contacts to live corals per unit catch followed by fishers using gill nets (12.6+/-1.8 and 5.9+/-2.0 coral contacts per kg fish caught per trip respectively). Apart from discarding 6.5% of their daily catch in the sea, as it was too small, beach seine fishers also landed the highest percentage of juvenile fish (68.4+/-15.7%), a proportion significantly higher (p<0.001) than in any other gear. The size and maturity stage at first capture for 150 of 195 species caught by all gear types was well below the lengths at which they mature. For example, 100% of Lethrinus xanthochilus, 99% of Lethrinus nebulosus and 94% of Lethrinus harak caught were juveniles. Across all gear types, 50.1+/-22.7% of the catch consisted of juvenile fish, indicating serious growth overfishing. Field assessment of levels of coral density showed that fishing grounds where beach seines were still in use had a significantly lower density than where beach seining was not used. This correlation is likely to arise in part because seines cannot be used in the most coral rich areas, and in part because coral loss is a consequence of seine use. On a per gear basis therefore, beach seines had the most impact on coral reef biodiversity. This study emphasizes the need to enforce restrictions on destructive gear and mesh sizes.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Practitioner perspectives on the role of science in environmental impact assessment.

A large body of literature addresses the role of science in environmental impact assessment (EIA) but less attention has been given to the views of practitioners themselves. In this research a survey of 31 EIA practitioners in Western Australia was undertaken to determine their perceptions of the quality and importance of science in EIA. The survey results are compared with previous theoretical, empirical, and survey studies of the role of science in EIA. Interview questions addressed the role of science in impact prediction, monitoring activities, mitigation and management, and EIA decision-making. It was clear from the interviews that many practitioners are satisfied with the quality of science currently used in EIA, but do not believe that it is given sufficient importance in the process. The quality and importance of science in the predecision stages of EIA was rated higher than in the postdecision stages. While science was perceived to provide the basis for baseline data collection, impact prediction, and mitigation design, it was seen to be less important during decision-making and ongoing project management. Science was seen to be just one input to decision-makers along with other factors such as sociopolitical and economic considerations. While time and budget constraints were seen to limit the scientific integrity of EIA activities, pressure from the public and regulatory authorities increased it. Improving the scientific component of EIA will require consideration of all these factors, not just the technical issues.

Attitude↗
PubMed1995

Environmental impact, healthful food and education in toxicology--trends in Croatia.

Following the informative regional development and environmental impacts in the Republic of Croatia, authors present the problems emphasized in environmental protection and health protection, and present the status of the contamination of food and drinking water in 1993. The level of education in the function of environmental protection in Croatia and its importance are discussed.

Croatia↗
PubMed2003

Environmental impact and recovery at two dumping sites for dredged material in the North Sea.

The environmental impact and recovery associated with the long and uninterrupted disposal of large volumes of moderately contaminated dredged material from the port of Rotterdam was studied at nearby dumping sites in the North Sea. Observations were made on sediment contamination, ecotoxicity, biomarker responses and benthic community changes shortly after dumping at the 'North' site had ceased and at the start of disposal at the new dumping site 'Northwest'. During the period of dumping, very few benthic invertebrates were found at the North site. Concentrations of cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in the fine sediment fraction (<63 microm) from this site were 2-3 times higher than at the reference site. In four different bioassays with marine invertebrates the sediments showed no acute toxic effects. In tissue (pyloric caeca) of resident starfish Asterias rubens, residual levels of mercury, zinc, PCBs and dioxin-like activity were never more than twice those at the reference site. Four different biomarkers (DNA integrity, cytochrome P450 content, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity and acetylcholinesterase inhibition) were used on the starfish tissues, but no significant differences were found between North and the reference site. Minor pathological effects were observed in resident dab Limanda limanda. One year after dumping had ceased at the North site, a significant increase in the species richness and abundance of benthic invertebrates and a concomitant decrease in the fine sediment fraction of the seabed were observed. After 8.2 million m3 of moderately contaminated dredged material had been dumped at the new dumping site Northwest, the species richness and abundance of benthic invertebrates declined over an area extending about 1-2 km eastwards. This correlated with a shift in sediment texture from sand to silt. The contamination of the fine sediment fraction at the Northwest location doubled. It is concluded that marine benthic resources at and around the dumping sites have been adversely affected by physical disturbance (burial, smothering). However, no causal link could be established with sediment-associated contaminants from the dredged spoils.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Environmental impacts of phosphogypsum vs. borrow pits in roadfill construction.

A comparison was performed of the environmental impacts of using phosphogypsum versus conventional fill materials (e.g., from borrow pits) for road construction. The study compared a hypothetical roadway with an actual roadway in Florida; the two facilities differed only in that phosphogypsum was employed as fill material instead of conventional materials. The effect of the two construction approaches on the plant and animal communities was considered, as was the impact on the surface and ground water. A summary was made of the comparative impacts, and a comparison matrix was constructed using integral numbers to depict impacts ranging from -5 (most impact) to 0 (none) to + 5, showing most benefit of the part of the project on a given resource. Values were subjective, based upon investigators' experience. Four categories (plant and animal communities, water quality, water resources, and air quality) were considered. The cumulative total was +12 for phosphogypsum and -6 for conventional fill material.

Amphibians↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health and environmental impact assessment in Canada.

Potential health effects of proposed development activities are an important component of environmental impact assessment (EIA). I report results of a survey to determine the nature and extent of health impact assessments in EIA in Canada. Most proponents conduct health impact assessments when there is an identified health concern. However, few Canadian jurisdictions require health impact assessments in their EIA legislation. The extent to which health is considered depends on several factors and concerns can be addressed at several different stages of the EIA process. Health impact assessments have dealt with a wide range of concerns, although the specific health issues addressed depend on the nature of the project. Several procedures and methods have been used by proponents and government reviewers. Often health impact assessments are qualitative or rely on relevant standards or guidelines. Occasionally, quantitative risk assessments are conducted. Survey respondents identified several problems which hinder health impact assessments including a shortage of suitably trained and experienced health professionals, inadequate communications between government agencies and insufficient or conflicting scientific data to allow accurate prediction of any health effects.

Canada↗
PubMed2001

Reduction of the environmental impact of pesticides: waxy microspheres encapsulating the insecticide carbaryl.

A controlled-release system with reduced environmental impact was produced by encapsulating the pesticide carbaryl in the waxy lipophilic material Gelucire 54/02. The microspheres were prepared by a modified hydrophobic congealable disperse-phase method. The influence of experimental parameters, such as the reciprocal ratio between the amounts of pesticide and wax employed, on size, morphology, loading efficiency, and release behavior of the particles was evaluated. Microspheres were free-flowing and showed a nonporous scaly surface at SEM analysis. The mean particle size ranged from 15.8 to 19.8 microm and was independent of the amount of Gelucire used to prepare the microspheres. At a fixed Gelucire content, the increase in theoretical carbaryl content yielded up to 72% loading efficiency, whereas at a fixed carbaryl content the increase in Gelucire amount produced a 64% increase in encapsulation efficiency. These data were accounted for by the carbaryl leakage from molten Gelucire toward the dispersing aqueous phase. The release profiles of carbaryl from microspheres showed that the use of increasing amounts of waxy material decreased the carbaryl release rate, whereas at a fixed Gelucire content, the release was the slowest when carbaryl was not completely dissolved within the matrix. The possibility to achieve different burst effects by simply varying the formulation parameters offers an efficient tool to ensure the fast release of an active dose of insecticide. The lower vertical mobility of carbaryl encapsulated in waxy microspheres compared to the vertical mobility of the technical-grade product showed that the controlled-release system has a lower potential risk for groundwater contamination.

Carbaryl↗
PubMed2001

Estimation of environmental impact of some of the most often occurring pesticides in Slovenian surface and underground water.

The use of environmental xenobiotics is increasing every day. We are now all dependent on synthetic substances in agriculture, pharmacy, petrochemical and food industries. Pesticides, when used correctly, have enormous benefits in increasing crop yield and improving the quality of agricultural produce. The problem is what happens to these chemicals in the environment. They can be widespread through various pathways. The aim of our work was to find out which pesticides occur most often in Slovenian surface and underground water and to assess some of their environmental characteristics. National monitoring on underground water includes analyses of 27 pesticides and their metabolites, which can be bought in the country. In spite of the fact that their use has not been allowed since 1994, the most often detected and widely spread pesticides in Slovenia appeared to be atrazine and alachlor. This is the reason why the toxicity of atrazine, alachlor and pentachlorophenol to different aquatic organisms was determined. Sensitivity of test organisms to pesticides was compared. The experimental results were compared with available literature data. Toxicity assessment shows their environmental impact and hazard on non-target aquatic organisms.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2000

Five years of the system of monitoring the environmental impact on population health of the Czech Republic.

The data collected in the System of monitoring the environmental impact on population health of the Czech Republic in 1994-1998 were obtained routinely and in a stabilized manner in six subsystems: health consequences and risks related to air pollution, drinking water quality, noise, human dietary exposure, human exposure to toxic pollutants from the environment and monitoring of the health status and evaluation of selected indicators of demographic and health statistics. They represent a useful and comprehensive background for providing objective information on the health status of the Czech population and on pollution of different components of the environment in the Czech Republic. The results obtained in the period 1994-1998 show that no critical situation needing urgent countermeasures to be taken appeared in the localities monitored. However, some results are indicative of the necessity to take certain remedial measures to maintain all population exposure burdens as low as reasonably possible from the economical and social points of view. Generally, the admissible limit values and exposure limits are exceeded only sporadically in some localities while for most contaminants monitored only very low values compared to the limits can be found and such situations are mostly considered as non-systematic changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

System of monitoring the environmental impact on population health of the Czech Republic.

The data collected in the System of monitoring the environmental impact on population health of the Czech Republic in 1994 and 1995 were obtained routinely and in a stabilized manner in six subsystems: health consequences and risks related to air pollution, drinking water quality, noise, human dietary exposure, human exposure to toxic pollutants from the environment and the monitoring of the health state and evaluation of selected indicators of demographic and health statistics. They represent a useful and comprehensive background for providing objective information on the health status of the Czech population and on pollution of different components of the environment in the Czech Republic to other countries in Europe and worldwide to facilitate their commercial and cultural contacts. The results of the calendar year 1995 show that no critical situation needing urgent countermeasures to be taken appeared in the localities monitored. However, some results are indicative of the necessity to take certain remedial measures to maintain all population exposure burdens as low as reasonably possible from the economical and social points of view. The set of problems was identified as important also in 1994. Generally, the limit values and exposure standards are exceeded only sporadically in some localities while for most contaminants monitored only very low values compared to the admissible limits can be found.

Adolescent↗