Showing papers in "Environmental Science and Pollution Research in 1997"
TL;DR: The basic idea of LCA is that all environmental burdens connected with a product or service have to be assessed, back to the raw materials and down to waste removal, and the term “Life Cycle Assessment” is more precise than the German “Ökobilanz” or the French “écobilan”.
Abstract: The basic idea of LCA is that all environmental burdens connected with a product or service have to be assessed, back to the raw materials and down to waste removal. Therefore, the term “Life Cycle Assessment” is more precise than the German “Okobilanz” or the French “ecobilan”. This basic idea is undoubtedly true, and LCA is the only environmental assessment tool which avoids positive ratings for measurements which only consists in the shifting of burdens.
2,008 citations
TL;DR: The photolytically induced decomposition of fluoroquinolone carboxylic acids at concentrations of 10 mg/l in pure water and an irradiation intensity of 200 W/m2 led to half-lives from 20.6 min (danofloxacin) to 105.9 min (norfloxacIn), which primarily demonstrated alterations involving the piperazine ring as compared with the parent compounds.
Abstract: The photolytically induced decomposition of fluoroquinolone carboxylic acids (enrofloxacin, danofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin) at concentrations of 10 mg/l in pure water and an irradiation intensity of 200 W/m2 (xenon lamp) led to half-lives from 20.6 min (danofloxacin) to 105.9 min (norfloxacin). The environmental half-life of enrofloxacin was calculated by the GCSOLAR program and resulted in 1.8 to 55.4 hours, depending on the season and degree of latitude. During the irradiation procedure, products were built up which primarily demonstrated alterations involving the piperazine ring as compared with the parent compounds. The amount of14CO2 evolved by the photomineralization of14C-labeled enrofloxacin reached 26.4 % of the applied radioactivity. The main photoproducts were isolated by HPLC and their structural elucidation was carried out by different spectroscopic methods (MS, GC/MS and1H-NMR).
90 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the emission rate of cars in Germany equipped with catalytic converters and found that car sources of Pt other than autocatalysts are 1-6 orders of magnitudes lower than the Pt emissions attributed to catalytic catalysts.
Abstract: Inconsistent data presently available on the platinum emission rate of cars in Germany equipped with catalytic converters are evaluated. Automobile sources of Pt other than autocatalysts are quantified and found to be 1–6 orders of magnitudes lower than the Pt emissions attributed to catalytic converters. A transfer of emission rates derived from test stand experiments to more realistic street conditions reaches 0.8 μg Pt/km. In this manner, data from test stand experiments and from environmental investigations meet in the range of 0.5–0.8 μg Pt/km.
82 citations
TL;DR: This investigation has been performed by employing a recently developed parametric algorithm for the estimation of the spectral and broad-band solar ultraviolet radiation which takes the total ozone variations into consideration.
Abstract: Daily total ozone observations made during 1985–1993 by both the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) flown on the Satellite Nimbus-7 and the Dobson Spectrophotometer have been used in order to investigate the fluctuations of the daily broad-band and spectral solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the ground. This investigation has been performed by employing a recently developed parametric algorithm for the estimation of the spectral and broad-band solar ultraviolet radiation which takes the total ozone variations into consideration. Total ozone reductions during the summertime from 1985 to 1993 over Athens, Greece (37.6° N, 23.4° E), cause an increase in the ultraviolet irradiance which reaches the ground of 0.54 %, 0.98 %, 2.60 % and 0.79 % per decade for the months of July at 300 nm, 312 nm, 320 nm and UVB (280-320 nm), respectively.
81 citations
TL;DR: In order to identify potential risks caused by chemicals to the reproductive capacities of aquatic animals and to the quality of drinking water, methods should be established to detect endocrine disrupters at the various levels of the endocrine system.
Abstract: Possible mechanisms to explain endocrine effects on reproduction and sex differentiation are presented for selected pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, industrial chemicals and plant sterols which are known to be present in the aquatic environment. Disruptions of the hormonal coordination can be induced by xenobiotics on various levels of the hierachically organised endocrine system of vertebrates. Phthalate plasticisers, for example, may disrupt the pituitary control of gonadal functions; prenatal/larval exposure to synthetic estrogen impairs sex differentiation and neuroendocrine sexual determination of the central nervous system; phenylurea herbicides block the androgen receptor; the biotransformation of weakly estrogenic plant sterol components of paper mill wastewater (e.g. βsitosterol) may lead to androgenic compounds. The effect of hypolipidemic drugs on lipid homeostasis (peroxysom proliferation) is transmitted via a receptor protein that seems to be closely related to the endocrine system both functionally as well as phylogenetically; possible interferences with the neuroendocrine control of sex differentiation are also discussed. In invertebrates, tributyltin is known to effect the biosynthesis of steroidal sexual hormones. PCBs are suspected to be competitive inhibitors of the steroid catabolism. In order to identify potential risks caused by chemicals to the reproductive capacities of aquatic animals and to the quality of drinking water, methods should be established to detect endocrine disrupters at the various levels of the endocrine system.
79 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the structure of the main polar degradation product was determined by using mass spectroscopic methods such as MS, GC/MS and HPLC/MS, with the highest reliability.
Abstract: Subsequent to irradiation with a xenon lamp simulating sunlight, fluoroquinolone carboxylic acids in aqueous solution form polar pyridone dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids. After liquid/liquid partition with chloroform/water these substances can be isolated by ion exchange chromatography of the aqueous phase. They can be regarded as intermediate compounds on the route to a complete photomineralization. The structural elucidation is performed by such mass spectroscopic methods as MS, GC/MS and HPLC/MS, whereby HPLC/MS shows the highest reliability. Additionally1H- and13C-NMR measurements confirm the structure of the main polar degradation product.
75 citations
TL;DR: Two synthetic superabsorbent crosslinked acrylic polymers were mineralized by the white-rot fungusPhanerochaete chrysosporium and most (> 80 %) of the radioactivity was recovered in the fungal mycelial mat suggesting that carbon of the polymer had been converted to fungal metabolites.
Abstract: Two synthetic superabsorbent crosslinked acrylic polymers were mineralized by the white-rot fungusPhanerochaete chrysosporium. The amount of polymer converted to CO2 increased as the amount of polymer added to the cultures increased. In the presence of sufficiently large amounts of the superabsorbents, such that all of the culture fluid was absorbed and a gelatinous matrix was formed, the fungus still grew and mineralization was observed. Neither the polymers, nor their degradation products were toxic to the fungus. While the rates of mineralization were low, all of the polymers incubated in the liquid fungal cultures were completely depolymerized to water soluble products within 15–18 days. The depolymerization of the polymers was observed only in nitrogen limited cultures of the fungus which secrete the lignin degradation system, however, the water soluble products of depolymerization were mineralized in both nutrient limited and sufficient cultures of the fungus. The rate of mineralization of the depolymerized metabolites was more than two times greater in nutrient sufficient cultures. Following longer incubation periods, most (> 80 %) of the radioactivity was recovered in the fungal mycelial mat suggesting that carbon of the polymer had been converted to fungal metabolites.
65 citations
TL;DR: The contamination levels are roughly constant throughout the year in all the atmospheric phases and the most abundant pesticides are those commonly used on the experimental INRA farm and other surrounding farms.
Abstract: Between 1991 and 1993, 18 fogwater samples, 31 rainwater samples and 17 atmosphere (gas and particles) samples were analysed for 13 pesticides (pp’DDT,pp’DDD,pp’DDE, aldrin, dieldrin, lindane, hexachlorobenzene, fenpropathrin, mecoprop, methyl-parathion, atrazine, isoproturon and aldicarb). The samples were collected in a rural area where some of the compounds are in use (experimental INRA farm, “Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique” in Colmar, Eastern France, 80,000 inhabitants). This paper briefly presents the analytical methodology used and, in detail, the contamination level of the different atmospheric phases. The contamination levels are roughly constant throughout the year in all the atmospheric phases and the most abundant pesticides are those commonly used on the experimental INRA farm and other surrounding farms. Nevertheless, some pesticides not used since the 1970s such as 1,1-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (pp’DDT) and 2,2-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethane (pp ’DDD) are also detected in the atmosphere of Colmar. A small increase in the pesticide concentrations in the atmosphere (gas and particles) was observed during treatments.
63 citations
55 citations
TL;DR: The response of MCs was found to be suitable as a biomarker for the impairment of fish health in the Oder River and pike tissue contamination.
Abstract: From June 1993 to October 1994, studies have been carried out on the effects of mercury in the Oder River and pike tissue contamination (muscle, kidney, liver). The mean mercury contents in the sediment range from 0.03 to 1.1 mg/kg dry weight. In the pike muscle, between 0.22 and 0.85 mg/kg, on a wet weight basis, were found. The measured mercury concentrations were analysed in relation to the number of macrophage centres of the liver, spleen and kidney of the pike. Positive correlations between mercury and MC response (0.54 ≤ r ≤ 0.79, p < 0.05) were found in all of these organs. The suitability of the macrophage-centre-response as a possible bioindicator for mercury pollution is discussed in the literature. In our study, the response of MCs was found to be suitable as a biomarker for the impairment of fish health.
55 citations
TL;DR: The internal barrier of rotation, calculated for all 209 PCBs, provides an important structure dependent physico-chemical parameter for multivariate modelling of future quantitative structure-activity and structure-property relationships (QSARs/QSPRs).
Abstract: The internal barrier of rotation (Erot) was calculated for all 209 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by using a semi-empirical method, viz. the Austin Model 1 (AMI) Hamiltonian. The difference in total energy between a forced planar state and an optimised twisted structure was defined as Erot. The Erot values were in the range of 8.33 to 483 kj/mol, and were significantly influenced by the number of chlorine atoms inortho position. An additional structural characteristic of the PCBs influencing Erot ofortho substituted congeners was substitution by chlorine atoms in vicinalmeta positions, which is assumed to prevent outward bending ofortho substituents. This so-called buttressing effect contributed with 4 to 31 kj/mol per added chlorine atom. In conclusion, the internal barrier of rotation, calculated for all 209 PCBs, provides an important structure dependent physico-chemical parameter for multivariate modelling of future quantitative structure-activity and structure-property relationships (QSARs/QSPRs).
TL;DR: During long-term exposure of pine seedlings to trichloro- and monochloroacetic acids via root uptake or acid mist treatments, both substances were removed from the plant tissues by metabolic activity.
Abstract: During long-term exposure of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings to trichloro- and monochloroacetic acids via root uptake or acid mist treatments, both substances were removed from the plant tissues by metabolic activity. None of the treated plants exhibited visible stress symptoms at the concentrations used. In addition, the exposure to both substances led to dramatic changes in the activity of xenobiotic detoxification enzymes (peroxidase and gluthatione S-transferase) in the needles of the plants.
TL;DR: Investigations under simulated conditions of landfills in laboratory test digesters demonstrated that the measured biodegradation rates cannot be improved considerably since they are limited by the inhibiting effect of the substances and their degradation products.
Abstract: The biological degradation of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons (chlorocarbons (VCCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) was investigated under simulated conditions of landfills in laboratory test digesters. Fully halogenated VCCs (tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, tetrachloromethane and dichloromethane) and CFCs (trichlorofluoromethane (R11), dichlorodifluoromethane (R12) and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (R113)) were degraded under anaerobic conditions in addition to the methanogenic bacteria in municipal solid waste (MSW) and organic wastes. These substances showed different degradation reactions in the simulated acid and methanephases of MSW landfills. It is assumed that R11 and R113 could be decomposed completely under methanogenic conditions. Dichlorofluoromethane (R21) was oberved as the reductive degradation product of R11 and was further degraded during the methanephase, but hardly at all under acid conditions. Chlorodifluoromerhane (R22) as a degradation product of R12 was not degraded, even not in the methanephase. In the acidphase, R11 was the only CFC to be dechlorinated, although only in small quantities. The degradation products of tetrachloroethylene differed under the various environmental conditions. In the acidphase, 1,1-dichloroethylene was detected as the only dichloroethylene, whereas in particular cis-1,2-dichloroethylene but also trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride could be detected as metabolites in the methanephase. Dichloromethane and chloroethane, as metabolites of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, could hardly be degraded at all in the acidphase. The degradation of VCCs and CFCs is largely independent of the substrate used. The investigations have demonstrated that the measured biodegradation rates (0.3–15 mg/m3
material vol./h) cannot be improved considerably since they are limited by the inhibiting effect of the substances and their degradation products.
TL;DR: Models show that acute fish toxicity is determined by hydrophobicity, HOMO-LUMO energy gap and hydrogen-bond acceptor capacity.
Abstract: Substituted phenols, anilines, pyridines and mononitrobenzenes can be classified as polar narcotics. These chemicals differ from non-polar narcotic compounds not only in their toxic potency (normalized by log Kow), but also in their Fish Acute Toxicity Syndrome profiles, together suggesting a different mode of action.
TL;DR: A gas Chromatographic method for the determination of phenylarsenic compounds (sternutators) and their metabolites in soil and material samples shows that the sternutators in the investigated samples are metabolites in part.
Abstract: A gas Chromatographic method for the determination of phenylarsenic compounds (sternutators) and their metabolites in soil and material samples is described. The chemical warfare agents (CWA), but not their hydrolysis and oxidation products, can be detected with GC/ECD. After derivatization with thiols or dithiols, the sum of diphenylarsenic and phenylarsenic compounds can be determined with GC/ECD. The comparison of the analytical results with and without derivatization shows that the sternutators in the investigated samples are metabolized in part.
TL;DR: A strong reciprocal interaction between plant P450s and xenobiotics is indicated, likely to be one of the most abundant sources of P450 in the biosphere.
Abstract: The ability of a plant cytochrome P450 to bind and metabolise plant endogenous molecules and xenobiotics was investigated. The work was performed on the yeast-expressed CYP73A1, a cinnamate 4-hydroxylase isolated fromHelianthus tuberosus. CYP73 controls the general phenylpropanoid pathway and is likely to be one of the most abundant sources of P450 in the biosphere. The enzyme shows a high selectivity toward plant secondary metabolites. Nevertheless, it oxygenates several small and planar xenobiotics with low efficiency, including an herbicide (chlorotoluron). One xenobiotic molecule, 2naphthoic acid, is hydroxylated with an efficiency comparable to that of the physiological substrate. This reaction was used to devise a fluorimetric test for the rapid measurement of enzyme activity. A series of herbicidal molecules (hydroxybenzonitriles) are shown to bind the active site without being metabolised. These molecules behave as strong competitive inhibitors of CYP73 with a Ki in the same micromolar range as the Km for the physiological substrate. It is proposed that their inhibition of the phenylpropanoid pathway reinforces their other phytotoxic effects at the level of the chloroplasts. All our results indicate a strong reciprocal interaction between plant P450s and xenobiotics.
TL;DR: This paper looks at the MFA problem as a particularly structured system identification problem with special emphasis on the linear, static case, where a procedure for reconciliating the flow measurements and for estimating the unmeasured flows and the transfer coefficients by taking into account a priori restrictions such as balance equations.
Abstract: Material Flow Analysis (MFA) has become an important instrument in environmental science and pollution research. In this paper, we look at the MFA problem as a particularly structured system identification problem. Special emphasis is given to the linear, static case, where we describe a procedure for reconciliating the flow measurements and for estimating the unmeasured flows and the transfer coefficients by taking into account a priori restrictions such as balance equations.
TL;DR: The mathematical tools proposed here may offer new perspectives for investigating many of the problems of nonlinear variability which commonly arise when dealing with pollutants, such as the presence of outliers and the sparseness of the sampling networks.
Abstract: A few case studies will be presented involving both radioactive and chemical pollution at small, medium, and large space-time scales. Reported are recent advances in the field of environmental pollution involving the use of fractals and multifractals. The mathematical tools proposed here may offer new perspectives for investigating many of the problems of nonlinear variability which commonly arise when dealing with pollutants, such as the presence of outliers and the sparseness of the sampling networks. They may also lead to a simplification of the models adopted for studying natural phenomena, thanks to a scaling approach. Finally, they may provide parameters whose values are directly related to the nonlinear dynamics involved in the pollutant distribution in the environment which, in turn, may be relevant for computer simulation and epidemiological or risk assessment purposes.
TL;DR: The dissolution of metallic platinum into soluble species, observed previously within this time period [2], seems to be mainly of a chemical nature.
Abstract: Platinum emitted by automotive catalyst converters mainly exists in the metallic form, which is not bioavailable. Several investigations showed that finely dispersed metallic platinum is dissolved in organic matrices to a significantly high degree [1,2]. In an exclusion experiment, observations were made as to whether the transformation of Pt(0) and other platinum compounds is mainly of a chemical nature or is influenced by micro-organisms. A previous experiment [2], concerning the interaction of several platinum compounds with a clay-like humic soil was repeated under sterile conditions to rule out the influence of micro-organisms. During the time of interaction (3–60 d), no significant differences were observed between the sterile and non-sterile modes. Thus, the dissolution of metallic platinum into soluble species, observed previously within this time period [2], seems to be mainly of a chemical nature.
TL;DR: For eels, correlation of Log Kow with Log BAF is better than with BSAF, whilst similar correlation coefficients were observed for pike, and for most congeners, BSAFs and lipid-normalised BAFs for pikes exceed those for eels.
Abstract: “Freely-dissolved” aqueous concentrations of 9 trichlorothrough heptachlorobiphenyls are reported, alongside those in sediments and fish from the R. Severn. For most congeners, BSAFs and lipid-normalised BAFs for pike exceed those for eels. Whilst R. Severn BSAFs are comparable with those for L. Ontario trout and New Bedford Harbour flounder, R. Severn BAFs are 1–2 orders of magnitude lower. This discrepancy may be due to inter-species variability, as well as inter-laboratory differences between operational definitions of “freely-dissolved” aqueous PCB, underlining that the same operational definition must be employed if R. Severn BAFs are extrapolated elsewhere. For eels, correlation of Log Kow with Log BAF is better (R2 = 0.66) than with BSAF (R2 = 0.13), whilst similar correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.81 and 0.82) were observed for pike. When Log Kow is plotted against BSAF and Log BAF for both species combined, better correlation is observed for Log BAF (R2 = 0.65), than BSAF (R2 = 0.36). For both species combined, the observed relationship between Log BAF and Log Kow for trichloro-through heptachlorobiphenyls is: Log BAF = 0.96 * Log Kow −0.24.
TL;DR: The results indicate that BKME contained organic halogen and sulfur undergo major structural transformations when incorporated into sediment, and this is of a similar order of magnitude to the BSAF reported for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin and 2,4,5,6-tetrahydrofuran extractable organic sulfur.
Abstract: Environmental properties of organic matter contained halogen and sulfur were studied in sediments of bleached kraft pulp mill effluent (BKME) recipient lakes and 2 m(3) outdoor enclosures (mesocosms). The BKME contributed to 1% (v/v) of the total water flow in the lake downstream of the pulp mill where the sediments contained 1.7 to 4 mg of tetrahydrofuran extractable organic halogen (EOX-Cl) and 0.6 to 0.8 mg of tetrahydrofuran extractable organic sulfur (EOS-S) g(-1) of organic matter. Upstream sediment contained 0.03 mg of EOXCl and 0.7 mg of EOS-S g(-1) of organic matter. EOX was a better indicator for the influence of BKME in the recipient sediment than EOS. The polarity of BKME contained EOX corresponded to log K(ow) of 4.5. HP-SEC analysis of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the EOX showed a peak between 300 to 600 g mol(-1) for the BKME and between 1000 to 2000 g mol(-1) for the downstream sediment. The MWD of the BKME contained EOS peaked at 300 to 1000 g mol(-1), and that of the downstream sediment contained EOS at 1000 to 5000 g mol(-1). These results indicate that BKME contained organic halogen and sulfur undergo major structural transformations when incorporated into sediment. The biota-to-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) of EOX from sediments formed downstream of the mill and in the mesocosms to the lipids of Lumbriculus variegatus was 0.4 to 0.7. This is of a similar order of magnitude to the BSAF reported for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran.
TL;DR: A stress model taking account of ecological, physiological and evolutionary aspects is presented; it is shown that the different stress phases are influenced by various factors, e.g. the photosynthetic capacity of the leaves.
Abstract: Practical considerations, characteristic physiological features, as well as the availability of hybrids with different resistances to air pollutants play an important role in the decision to use poplar cuttings as experimental plants for impact studies.
TL;DR: The synergistic amplification of substrate inhibition at low temperatures may help to explain the limited self-purification potential of contaminated habitats such as soils, sediments and groundwater aquifers where high pollutant concentrations and low temperatures prevail.
Abstract: The combined influence of high phenol concentrations and low temperatures on aerobic and anaerobic phenol degradation kinetics was investigated in microbial enrichment cultures to evaluate temperature-inhibition relationships with respect to the ambient conditions in polluted habitats. The inhibition of microbial phenol degradation by excess substrate was found to be temperature-dependent. Substrate inhibition was intensified when temperatures were lower. This results in an elevated temperature sensitivity of phenol degradation at inhibitory substrate concentrations. The synergistic amplification of substrate inhibition at low temperatures may help to explain the limited self-purification potential of contaminated habitats such as soils, sediments and groundwater aquifers where high pollutant concentrations and low temperatures prevail.
TL;DR: The described method allows the determination of total organic pollutants from crude oil, some of them being potential groundwater contaminants.
Abstract: A two-step analytical method is developed for the isolation and characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in crude oil contaminated soil. In the first step, those crude oil components were isolated which are easily mobilized with water from the contaminated soil (determination of groundwater pollution potential). In the second step, the fraction containing the remaining crude oil compounds was extracted using toluene. After the cleanup of the fractions, both fractions were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
TL;DR: An adapted form of Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) may be an answer to the analysis of strategic environmental problems of material suppliers, and is illustrated with a case study on chlorine.
Abstract: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not sufficiently tailored to the analysis of strategic environmental problems of material suppliers. Sustainable development calls for a reduction by a factor of 10 to 20 in the material intensity of the economy, a situation which leads to dramatic shifts in markets for raw materials. Furthermore, a material supplier might have major improvement options in the material’s numerous downstream uses. LCAs, however, can’t cover these two aspects. An adapted form of Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) may be an answer. This approach defines a system in relation to the flow of a specific material through society. All environmental interventions related to the material are inventoried. An emission evaluation indicates the dominant environmental bottlenecks, given the current market volume of each application of the material. This helps to identify improvement options and strategic choices in market portfolios. Scenario analysis on potential measures can further indicate changes of material flows — and thus markets — in the system. The approach is illustrated with a case study on chlorine.
TL;DR: Sediment accumulation of organic halogen was studied in two forest lakes, one pristine and one which received 30 m3 of biologically purified bleaching wastewater from a kraft pulp mill in 1979 equivalent to ca.
Abstract: Sediment accumulation of organic halogen was studied in two forest lakes, one pristine and one which received 30 m3 of biologically purified bleaching wastewater from a kraft pulp mill in 1979 equivalent to ca. 2 kg of adsorbable organic halogen (AOX). Lake sediments were dated with210Pb,134Cs and137Cs and the annual deposition rates of organic halogens and organic matter were calculated. Organic bound halogen contents of the sediment aged 150 years was 180 μg Cl g−1 d.w. in both lakes. The concentration of organic bound halogen at the topmost 6 cm of the sediments (less than 20-years-old) ranged from 45 to 80 μg Cl g−1 d.w. This suggests that solvent extractable halogen had enriched in the older sediment layers. The deposition of extractable organic halogen (EOX) in the lakes in 1950’s was 4 to 5 mg Cl m−2 a−1. Since then, the depositon of EOX doubled in both lakes. The deposition of organic matter increased concomitantly from 50 g m−2 a−1 to 110 g m−2 a−1 in Lake Mustalampi and from 35 g m−2 a−1 to 62 g m−2 a−1 in Lake Pyylampi suggesting that the increase in the deposition of organic halogen followed the increase in the deposition of organic matter. Of the 2 kg of organic halogen discharged into the lake, 5% or less was detected in the sediment in tetrahydrofuran extractable form 15 years later.
TL;DR: This article is dedicated to the presentation of a threestep general framework for SFA-type studies, and elaborates on its first step the systems definition.
Abstract: Part I: AbstractIn the tradition of the study of materials flows through society, the Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) method is presented. SFA aims at providing the relevant information for a country’s overall management strategy regarding single substances or coherent groups of substances. This article is dedicated to the presentation of a threestep general framework for SFA-type studies, and elaborates on its first step the systems definition. Attention is given to the definition of the external and internal system boundaries, the categorization of the system’s elements, aspects of materials choice, time, and space, and how these depend on the aim of the conducted study. Moreover, a broader discussion is started on the need for standardization of materials flow studies in general.Part II: AbstractIn the tradition of the study of materials flows through society, the Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) method and its software tool SFINX are presented. SFA aims at providing the relevant information for a country’s overall management strategy regarding single substances or coherent groups of substances. Three modelling techniques and their possibilities and limitations are discussed: Bookkeeping, static modelling, and dynamic modelling. The computer program SFINX can be used for varoius purposes: (1) to obtain an overview of stocks and flows of a substance in, out and through a nation’s economy and environment for a specific year, (2) to trace the origins of specific pollution problems, and (3) to estimate the effectiveness of certain abatement measures. Each application has its own requirements with regard to data and modelling.
TL;DR: The first results of this study indicate that platinum apparently belongs to the elements with a strong affinity to humic matter, a fact which could possibly explain its especially heavy accumulation in upper soil layers.
Abstract: The introduction of the 3-way catalytic converter is presently being acclaimed by different sources in Germany as the solution to the ozone problem. This hypothesis is viewed with scepticism: studies conducted in the USA, where the 3-way catalytic converter was introduced as early as 1975, show that the ozone problem has not been resolved by any means in that country. Moreover, the employment of the catalytic converter is associated with the emission of various elements occurring otherwise at extremely low background concentrations, e.g.the elements in the platinum group (Pt, Pd and Rh). A brief review of the literature reveals, for example, that platinum exhibited an unexpectedly high rate of accumulation in upper soil layers near highways in Germany within a few years of the introduction of catalytic converters. The focus of this paper is on impact research. My own studies have shown that water-soluble Pt 4. accumulates at a high rate in poplar roots. A six-week exposure of poplar cuttings to 34.8 ppb Pt 4+ results in disturbances affecting the water balance of the plants and, in conjunction with this, typical symptoms of moderate water stress. Cerium (Ce), another element released by catalytic converters, also displays a high degree of accumulation in plant roots. Water-soluble Pt4+ accumulates to an even greater degree in soil, giving rise to the following series arranged in order of decreasing affinity to platinum: soil > fine roots > coarse roots. In long-term experiments, even the metallic platinum contained in the active layer of catalytic converters accumulated in plant roots; the resulting distribution among soil, fine roots and coarse roots was comparable to that of water-soluble platinum. Possible uptake mechanisms are discussed. The first results of this study indicate that platinum apparently belongs to the elements with a strong affinity to humic matter, a fact which could possibly explain its especially heavy accumulation in upper soil layers.