RESEARCH WATCH
BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity links. A multiscale assessment of biodiversity is examined to determine whether remote sensing information can be linked with local field sampling of biodiversity. (Nagendra, H.; Gadgil, M. "Biodiversity Assessment at Multiple Scales: Linking Remotely Sensed Data With Field Information," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1999, 96 (16), 9154-9158)
Chlorinated organic micropollutants Primary formation of chlorinated organic micropollutants (OMPs), such as mono- to octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDDs/Fs), during municipal solid waste combustion is not well understood. E. Wikstrbm and coworkers investigated how variation in combustion conditions affects primary formation of OMPs in a series of experiments that were performed in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor fed with an artificial municipal solid waste. Flue gas samples were taken at a relatively high flue gas temperature (650 °C), to enable mechanistic studies on the high-temperature formation (primary formation). They concluded that primary formation of CDDs and CDFs is through different mechanisms: CDDs are mainly formed by condensation of chlorinated phenols, and CDFs are formed through a non- or a low-chlorinated precursor followed by further chlorination reactions. (Environ. Sci. Techno!., this issue, pp. 4263-4269)
CLIMATE CHANGE Paleoclimate change. A study of varved (annually laminated) sediments from Deep Lake, Minn., indicated high-resolution continental Holocene paleoclimate data trends, including a climate reversal, which is distinct from the widespread cold snap that occurred in Greenland and other regions 8200 years ago. (Hu, F. S.; et al. "Abrupt Changes in North American Climate During Early Holocene Times,"Nature 1999, 400 (6743), 437-439)
DISRUPTERS Adequacy of tests. Although existing toxicological tests can pick up many end-organ and functional effects that are relevant to endocrine disturbances, they are generally poor at exploring apparently subtle effects such as disturbances of brain endocrine homeostatic mechanisms, which may be critical for normal development. (Barlow, S. "Dilemmas Facing Regulatory and Advisory Bodies Dealing With Conflicting Results," Chemosphere 1999, 39 (8), 1287-1292) Ecological effects. An overview is presented of the main evidence for endocrine disruption in wildlife, focusing
on reproductive effects; and priority research projects for the United Kingdom, ultimately aimed at determining the population-level significance of endocrine disruption, are described. (Taylor, M. R.; Harrison, R T. C. "Ecological Effects of Endocrine Disruption: Current Evidence and Research Priorities," Chemosphere 1999,39 (8), 1237-1248) Health effects. Trends toward an increase in adverse health effects on reproductive organs and relevant existing Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines are reviewed, and problems connected to monitoring activities are outlined, particularly for ambient and biological monitoring. (Menditto, A.; Turrio-Baldassarri, L. "Environmental and Biological Monitoring of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals," Chemosphere 1999,39 (8), 1301-1307) Testing and screening. The current status of EPA's new multigeneration testing guidelines and the development of an endocrine disrupter screening program in response to the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 are described. (Kavlock, R. J. "Overview of Endocrine Disruptor Research Activity in the United States," Chemosphere 1999, 39 (8), 1227-1336)
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EMISSIONS CO2 emissions. The main source of C0 2 emissions in Barcelona for 19871994 was private vehicle transportation, accounting on average for 35% of total emissions. (Baldasano, J. M.; Soriano, C; Boada, L. "Emission Inventory for Greenhouse Gases in the City of Barcelona, 1987-1996," Atmos. Environ. 1999, 33 (23), 3765-3775)
MODELING Biodegradability predicted. Biodegradability data were collected and evaluated for 894 substances with widely varying chemical structures and were used to develop a model for predicting chemical biodegradability. (Loonen, H.; et al. "Prediction of Biodegradability From Chemical Structure: Modeling of Ready Biodegradation Test Data," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 1999,18 (8), 1763-1768) Decision making. The influence of model prediction uncertainties on the outcome of environmental management practices is examined, and a method is described for assessing uncertainty for situations in which validation research is difficult or impossible. (Ragas, A; et al. "Assessing Model
Uncertainty for Environmental Decision Making: A Case Study of the Coherence of Independently Derived Environmental Quality Objectives for Air and Water," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 1999,18 (8), 1856-1867) Large natural systems. Global parameter sensitivity analyses that are potentially useful at all stages of the modeling process of natural systems are described and used to assess regional vulnerability of groundwater to contamination by pesticides. (Soutter, M.; Musy, A. "Global Sensitivity Analyses of Three Pesticide Leaching Models Using a Monte Carlo Approach," /. Environ. Qual. 1999,28 (4), 1290-1297)
OZONE Ozone phytotoxicity. The body of scientific evidence on 0 3 phytotoxicity and whether the data now available are sufficient to mandate 0 3 control strategies over the European Commission territory are discussed. (De Santis, F. "New Directions: Will a New European Vegetation Ozone Standard Be Fair to All European Countries?" Atmos. Environ. 1999,33 (23), 3873-3874)
PESTICIDES Global HCH usage. Results show that India was the most contaminated country in 1990 and is most likely the most polluted by technical HCH today. (Li, Y. F. "Global Technical Hexachlorocyclohexane Usage and Its Contamination Consequences in the Environment: From 1948 to 1997," Sci. Total Environ. 1999,232(3), 121-158)
RENEWABLE ENERGY Photovoltaics. The advantages and limitations of photovoltaic solar modules for energy generation are reviewed, with an emphasis on siliconbased solar cells; recent developments suggest that thin-film crystalline silicon—especially, microcrystalline silicon—is evolving as a prime candidate for future photovoltaic applications. (Shah, A.; et al. "Photovoltaic Technology: The Case for Thin-Film Solar Cells," Science 1999, 285 (5428), 692-698)
Atmospheric chemistry of
MMT Quantification of possible environmental impacts of the gasoline additive methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) requires an understanding of its atmospheric chemistry. This was studied by T J. Wellington and coworkers using laboratory smog chamber systems. They found that MMT, which absorbs strongly in the UV-visible region, undergoes photolysis, producing CO and an unidentified species believed to be methylcyclopentadienyl manganese dicarbonyl (MMD). MMD undergoes rapid photolysis, liberating additional CO. Reaction of MMT with OH and 0 3 proceeded rapidly. During the day, the atmospheric loss of MMT proceeds via photolysis; at night, reaction with 0 3 can be significant. [Environ. Sci. Technol., this issue, pp. 4232-4238)
Renewable resources. Energy payback, carbon dioxide abatement, energy storage, and pathways for introducing hydrogen technologies into the energy infrastructure are examined in terms of whether money and energy should be spent on carbon dioxode sequestration or implementation of renewable resource technologies. (Turner, J. A. "A Realizable Energy Future," Science 1999, 285 (5428), 687-689)
at lower levels of the food web, with no biomagnification detected at upper levels, except in mosquito fish. (Liang, Y.; Cheung, R. Y. H.; Wong, M. H. "Reclamation of Wastewater for Polyculture of Freshwater Fish: Bioaccumulation of Trace Metals in Fish," Water Res. 1999,33 (11), 2690-2700) Dioxin elimination. The advantages and limitations of several possible approaches that use biological end points to determine the presence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the environment and ultimately define virtual elimination were evaluated. (Servos, M. R.; et al. "Developing Biological Endpoints for Defining Virtual Elimination: A Case Study for PCDDs and PCDFs," Water Qual. Res. J. Can. 1999, 34 (3), 391^22) Estrogen effects. This study addresses whether estrogens and their mimics are present in marine waters and if so, whether the effects are harmful to populations and communities through changes in reproductive and other physiological processes. (Allen, Y; et al. "Survey of Estrogenic Activity in United Kingdom Estuarine and Coastal Waters and Its Effects on Gonadal Development of the Flounder Platichthys flesus," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 1999, 18 (8), 1791-1800)
WASTE TECHNOLOGY Electrode preparation. The concept and potential of electrochemical procedures are described for biomolecule immobilization on electrode surfaces based on electrochemically polymerized films. (Cosnier, S. "Biomolecule Immobilization on Electrode Surfaces by Entrapment or Attachment to Electrochemically Polymerized Films—A Review," Biosens. Bioelectron. 1999,14 (5), 443-456)
TOXICITY Cultured fish. Results of a study of the bioaccumulation of trace metals in polycultured fish showed that bioaccumulation occurred in the organisms
Demolition wastes. The risks associated with landfilling demolition wastes were assessed by analyzing potential inorganic contaminants and factors controlling their mobility. (Johnson, C. A.; Moench, H.; Brandenberger, S. "Assessing the Potential Long-Term Behavior of the Landfill Fraction of Sorted Demolition Wastes,"/. Environ. Qual. 1999, 28 (4), 1061-1067) Environmental engineering. Technological innovations contributing to the ongoing shift in environmental engineering from waste disposal to waste reclamation are summarized. (Iranpour, R.; et al. "Environmental Engineering: Energy Value of Replacing Waste Disposal With Resource Recovery," Science 1999, 285 (5428), 706-711)
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