features
News
Assessing the Environmental Health of Europe • 76A • The E u r o p e a n E n v i r o n m e n t Agency's Environment in the EU at the Turn of the Century report presents a gloomy picture of the state of Europe's environment, and, looking forward, predicts that success over the next 10 years will dep e n d heavily o n carefully m a n a g i n g Europe's fastest-growing industries, mainly t r a n s portation, tourism, a n d land development. Maria Burke overviews the report's findings.
The Continuing Fire Threat in Southeast Asia • 82A Intentional b u r n i n g of forests to clear land in Southeast Asia can have a h i d d e n multiplier effect—it often ignites fires in o u t c r o p deposits of coal or peat, which can smolder u n d e r g r o u n d for m a n y years before flaring u p a n d restarting t h e cycle of forest a n d b r u s h fires that have plagued the region. Michael S. Hamilton, Richard O. Miller, a n d Alfred W h i t e h o u s e describe efforts to transfer technology a n d training n e e d e d for controlling this p r o b l e m .
Restoring Our Rivers • 86A Although aquatic ecosystem restoration is big business, with large projects angling for billions of dollars in state a n d federal funds, scientists say that most projects are flawed. Janet Pelley discusses the n a t u r e of this p r o b l e m a n d why, for restoration projects to succeed, comprehensive knowledge a b o u t ecosystems m u s t b e strengthened.
Pollution monitoring should get personal, scientists say • 64A
A large group of scientists urge that pollution monitoring focus more on direct human exposure through the use of personal monitors.
Ship emissions cause greatly elevated NOx levels • 65A Modeling simulations show that levels of nitrogen oxides may be more than 100 times higher along popular shipping routes and could have a cooling effect on the climate.
Canada's water supply vulnerable to export pressures • 66A
Canada has thus far failed to protect its vast water supply from the many business interests vying to buy it.
Fuller accounting of ecological systems needed to quantify air quality benefits • 67A EPA estimates that by 2010, future benefits resulting from the Clean Air Act will exceed costs by a margin of four to one.
Split U.N. vote slows fight to save fertile lands • 67A • This article is also available at http://pubs.acs.org under "Hot Articles". 58 A •
FEBRUARY 1, 2000 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS
Desertification is a growing threat, yet rich and poor nations are divided over funding.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Science & Technology February 1, 2000 • Vol. 34, No. 3
Departments European ban on use of surfactant alarms U.S. producers • 68A U.S. chemical producers sharply criticized a draft EU risk assessment that recommends a European ban on many uses of nonylphenol ethoxylates.
Growing conflict over GM trees • 69A As the number of genetically modified trees being planted in test plots has increased, debate over their pros and cons has grown more heated, concurrent with a rise in vandalism against research laboratories.
Comment • 63A How to thank our reviewers
EPA Watch • 73A 2000 budget includes steady funding; policy orders • PBT releases, including dioxin, will be captured on TRI reports • Confusion over agreement confounds species protection efforts • Proposal to regulate large animal farms still under fire
Technology Update•75A Technology costs for arsenic removal
Research Watch • 91A Huge dioxin emission source • Controlling mercury emissions
Online/In Print • 93A Web sites and new books
European governments urged to consider environmental benchmarks • 70A The European Environment Bureau hopes that government leaders will base environmental performance on specified targets, timetables, and indicators in 10 key areas.
Meeting Calendar • 94A New events through April 2000
Classifieds • 95A Environmental career opportunities • Advertiser index
Research at a Glance Aminodinitrotoluene, kinetics, 450 Aminodinitrotoluene, oxidation, 497 Atrazine, degradation, 430 Bacterial bioremediation, 535 Biofilters, performance, 461 Chlorobenzene, in sediments, 385 Chloronapthalenes, in air, 393 Chromium, leaching, 455 Cr(VI), reduction, 438 Diesel fuels, emissions, 349 Haloorganics, FeS, 422 Hydrocarbons, degradation, 489 Iodide, sorption, 399 Mercury, sequestration, 483 MTBE, outboard engines, 368 n-Alkanes, solubilization, 476 Nitroaromatics, reactions, 505 N 0 , , aromatics, 444 PAHs, in air, 356 PCBs contamination "527
PCDD/DFs source 377 Pesticides in air 393 Phenanthrene sorption 406 Phenol degradation 509 Pvrene photochemistry 415 S 0 , composition 530 Sorption mechanisms 468 SVOCs precipitation 361 TC, dechlorination 514 Tree's pollution damage 373 Wastewater treatment 522 The table of contents of research papers in this issue begins on page 61A.
EPA's diesel health assessment needs tweaking, science advisors say • 71A EPA's Clean Air Act Scientific Advisory Committee has again declined approval of the Agency's analysis of human health effects from diesel exhaust.
News Briefs • 72A Market-based pollution control alternatives • Waste reduction • Risks of contaminated underwater sediments • Paper in catalogs • Conservation areas threatened • Chemical accidents • Pollutantbirth defect link • School bus pollution 34(3) 57A-96A/349-540 ISSN 0013 936X
Cover: Maria Burke reviews a new European Environment Agency report, which finds that environmental policies have not achieved desired objectives. (Artwork by Matthew J. Baek)
FEBRUARY 1, 2000 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS • 5 9 A
