United States Environmental Protection Agency

About: United States Environmental Protection Agency is a government organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Environmental exposure. The organization has 13873 authors who have published 26902 publications receiving 1191729 citations. The organization is also known as: EPA & Environmental Protection Agency.

Impacts of impervious surface on watershed hydrology: A review

Abstract: Increased impervious surface area is a consequence of urbanization, with correspondent and significant effects on the hydrologic cycle. It is intuitive that an increased proportion of impervious surface brings with it shorter lag times between onset of precipitation and subsequently higher runoff peaks and total volume of runoff in receiving waters. Yet, documentation on quantitative relationships between the extent and type of impervious area and these hydrologic factors remains dispersed across several disciplines. We present a literature review on this subject to better understand and synthesize distinctions among different types of impermeable surface and their relative impacts, and describe the manner in which these surfaces are assessed for their putative impacts on landscape hydrology.

Predicting azo dye toxicity

Abstract: Literature regrading azo dye carcinogenicity was examined to establish, if possible, guidelines to predict the human health risks of new azo dyes. Three different mechanisms for azo dye carcinogenicity were identified, all involving metabolic activation to reactive electrophilic intermediates that covalently bind DNA. In the order of decreasing number of published references, these mechanisms are Azo dyes that are toxic only after reduction and cleavage of the azo linkage to give aromatic amines, mostly via intestinal anaerobic bacteria. The aromatic amines are met‐abolically oxidized to reactive electrophilic species that covalently bind DNA. Azo dyes with structures containing free aromatic amine groups that can be meta‐bolically oxidized without azo reduction. Azo dyes that may be activated via direct oxidation of the azo linkage to highly reactive electrophilic diazonium salts. Each mechanism may be compound specific, thus azo toxicity is probably caused by more than one mechanism. Although i...

Metapopulation Dynamics and Amphibian Conservation

Abstract: In many respects, amphibian spatial dynamics resemble classical metapopulation models, in which subpopulations in breeding ponds blink in and out of existence and extinction and colonization rates are functions of pond spatial arrangement. This "ponds-as-patches" view of amphibian spatial dynamics is useful in several respects. First, it highlights the importance of regional and landscape processes in determin- ing local patterns of abundance. Second, it offers a straightforward, pond-based approach to monitoring and managing amphibian populations. For many species, however, the ponds-as-patches view may be an over- simplification and metapopulation structure may be more apparent than real. Changes in distribution may be caused by processes other than extinction and recolonization, and most extinctions probably result from deterministic factors, not stochastic processes. In addition, the effects of pond isolation appear to be impor- tant primarily in disturbed environments, and in many cases these isolation effects may be better explained by the distribution of terrestrial habitats than by the distribution of breeding ponds. These complications have important implications for both researchers and managers. For researchers, future efforts need to determine the mechanisms underlying patterns of abundance and distributional change and patterns in amphibian pop- ulations. For managers, effective conservation strategies must successfully balance metapopulation consider- ations with careful attention to local habitat quality. Furthermore, translocations and active management may be indispensable tools for conserving amphibians in landscapes containing multiple breeding ponds.

Environmental Health Disparities: A Framework Integrating Psychosocial and Environmental Concepts

Abstract: Although it is often acknowledged that social and environmental factors interact to produce racial and ethnic environmental health disparities, it is still unclear how this occurs. Despite continued controversy, the environmental justice movement has provided some insight by suggesting that disadvantaged communities face greater likelihood of exposure to ambient hazards. The exposure‐ disease paradigm has long suggested that differential “vulnerability” may modify the effects of toxicants on biological systems. However, relatively little work has been done to specify whether racial and ethnic minorities may have greater vulnerability than do majority populations and, further, what these vulnerabilities may be. We suggest that psychosocial stress may be the vulnerability factor that links social conditions with environmental hazards. Psychosocial stress can lead to acute and chronic changes in the functioning of body systems (e.g., immune) and also lead directly to illness. In this article we present a multidisciplinary framework integrating these ideas. We also argue that residential segregation leads to differential experiences of community stress, exposure to pollutants, and access to community resources. When not counterbalanced by resources, stressors may lead to