Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management最新文献

We compared ground flora sampling methods for assessing the state of multiple bottomland forest restorations 6-21 years after restoration implementation in northeast Indiana, United States. Data from standard fixed-area plots of appropriate size and complexity for forest assessments were compared with data from smaller fixed-area plots of different shapes and plotless sampling methods. The methods were compared for their ability to (1) assess species richness and abundance, (2) detect and monitor invasive and dominant species, and (3) understand community composition. We assessed the biases of the compared methods, identified the training and skills needed to conduct sampling, and examined sampling costs in relation to total monitoring costs. Results show that smaller plots are able to detect more species per unit area sampled without significant differences in floristic quality measures. Data from smaller plots were sufficient for comprehensively describing site conditions even when less of the total site area was sampled. Although multivariate analyses of data from smaller plots yielded greater within-group dissimilarity than data from larger plots, multiple response permutation procedure analyses indicated no significant differences between nonmetric multidimensional scaling solutions based on data from the different sampling methods. Regardless of the sampling methods used to collect data, use of multivariate analyses identified a gradient of time since restoration was implemented as the dominant factor relating to differences between community composition. Sampling costs spanned a range of one order of magnitude but generally represented less than 6% of total assessment costs. Results suggest that when selecting sampling methods, matching monitoring effort to specific measurable management endpoints is more important than sampling cost.

Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) facilities, often characterized by their negative externalities, are frequently opposed or resisted by the public. To examine the impact of information interventions on public acceptance of NIMBY facilities, a behavioral investigation experiment consisting of a survey of 100 college students before and after viewing negative videos of either environmentally polluting or psychologically excluding types of NIMBY facilities was conducted to assess the efficacy of these interventions in shaping public perceptions and attitudes. Differences in respondent's attitudes toward the types of NIMBY facilities demonstrated that the information intervention affected perceptions and attitudes toward NIMBY facilities. Changes in response variables for perceived risk, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, positive emotion label, social environment, and public acceptance showed that environmentally polluting NIMBY facilities elicited a more negative response than psychologically excluding NIMBY facilities. Postintervention, significant differences emerged across all six dimensions, and attitudes toward environmentally polluting NIMBY facilities became more negative than those toward psychologically excluding NIMBY facilities, with a significant increase in the perceived risk and a significant decrease in the perceived benefit. The study demonstrated that information interventions influenced attitudes toward NIMBY facilities, and that this influence differed between the two facility types.

Accumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been demonstrated in biota across the globe. Higher trophic-level air-breathing organisms that live in or depend on aquatic ecosystems are most at risk from PFOS and other bioaccumulative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Nonetheless, there are very few guidelines available for the protection of air-breathing wildlife. The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality provide Default Guideline Values (DGVs) for toxicants. These DGVs are based on traditional ecotoxicological tests that do not consider bioaccumulation. For chemicals known to bioaccumulate, the guidelines recommend a precautionary approach by applying the DGV that protects 99% of species. The PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP) provides Wildlife Diet Guidelines (WDGs) to protect mammals and birds that consume aquatic organisms. Other jurisdictions have developed Water Quality Criteria for the protection of wildlife via the use of dietary studies and combined with bioconcentration factors to back-calculate a safe concentration of PFOS in the water. As end users tend to use Water Quality Guidelines/Criteria as screening tools for further risk assessment, it is critically important to understand whether these PFOS guidelines effectively protect wildlife. In 2022-2023, water, sediment, and biota samples were collected over a year at eight sites in southeast Queensland, Australia. The dominant PFAS found in biota was PFOS, with the only other PFAS found in biota to be long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). Fifty percent of the sites had mean PFOS surface water concentrations that were below the draft Australian DGV, and yet all but one had biota concentrations that exceeded the NEMP WDGs. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFS) in fish were inversely related to concentrations of PFOS in water and showed a high variability within species and sites. Considering this, an interim field derived screening threshold is proposed for wildlife risk assessments.

This report summarizes discussions of an international workshop in May 2024, aiming to scope the development needs of a proposal for an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidance Document on vitellogenin (VTG) analysis and assessment. Vitellogenin, an egg-yolk precursor protein in oviparous species, is an informative marker of possible chemical-induced endocrine activity (particularly estrogenicity). Vitellogenin measurement is included in several standardized test guidelines published by the OECD and USEPA for the assessment of endocrine activity of chemicals in fish (and one in amphibians). However, in vivo VTG data across and within fish species can be highly variable and influenced by both technical and biological factors, affecting the reliability and interpretation of results. This poses a challenge for regulatory decision-making and can trigger potentially unnecessary vertebrate studies or prevent necessary further investigations. The workshop brought together 42 experts from different sectors and geographies to discuss three key aspects regarding VTG assessment: (1) technical/laboratory factors and VTG quantification, (2) data handling and statistics, and (3) interpreting the biological relevance of VTG responses. The workshop participants discussed the development and needs of a guidance document to provide harmonized recommendations, best practices, quality assurance criteria, and minimum reporting standards for VTG assessment in regulatory studies across the different test guidelines. Several areas were identified where further work and discussion are needed to inform on the development of the guidance document, such as the use of historical control data, the identification of potential outliers, the presentation of data, and analysis of case study examples. Provision of such a guidance document will further support the use of VTG as a relevant marker for a key aspect of endocrine activity assessment for regulatory decision-making. A formal project was subsequently accepted into the OECD Test Guideline workplan in April 2025.

This study estimates the recreational value of the Sal (Shorea robusta) forests ecosystem services, focusing on Bhawal National Park in Bangladesh. We employ the contingent valuation method (CVM) to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for a safer and improved nature-based recreational area. A sample of 418 visitors was randomly selected and surveyed during peak and off-peak tourism seasons. A probit regression model was used to estimate the inverse relationship between visit likelihood and potential entrance prices. Subsequently, the double-bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) CVM was applied to estimate the WTP. The estimated average WTP was Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) 188.99 (USD [U.S. dollar] 1.72), at least nine times higher than the current fees. Visitors are willing to pay ∼91% more for entrance fees during peak seasons than off-peak seasons. As a foundational study in valuing the Sal forest, this study is crucial for informing ecotourism management policies to sustain this ecosystem's health and recreational value.

This review revisits microplastic pollution in Bangladesh from 2014-2024, synthesizing research on distribution, plastic types, policies, and mitigation strategies. Using PubMed and Google Scholar, peer-reviewed articles and documents were analyzed to assess sources, impacts, and policy effectiveness. Microplastics contaminate rivers, soil, air, fertilizers, and food products. The dominant polymers, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide, originate from fishing nets, industrial discharge, and urban waste, threatening ecosystems and food chains. Plastic pollution is exacerbated by transboundary river systems, excessive plastic production, use of single-use plastics, and ineffective waste management. The Meghna, Karnaphuli, and Rupsha Rivers transport 1 million metric tons of mismanaged waste annually to coastal areas. The plastics industry, employing 1.2 million people across 5,000 manufacturers, has increased per capita plastic consumption from 3 kg in 2005 to 9 kg in 2020, worsening waste accumulation. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the crisis, with polythene bag usage increasing to 21 billion, generating 78,433 tons of waste. Plastic pollution costs USD 39 million annually, affecting tourism, fisheries, and municipal budgets, and microplastic contamination threatens seafood exports. Clean-up costs consume 30% of Bangladesh's environmental budget. Using an agent-based system dynamics model, simulations predict that per capita plastic waste will rise to 11.6 kg by 2040, with landfill accumulation reaching 70,000 tons and riverine discharge increasing from 512 to 834 tons, raising the plastic waste footprint index (PWFI) to 24. Policy 2, which implements 69% conversion, 80% source separation, and 50% riverine discharge reduction, proves most effective, lowering PWFI to 1.07 and ensuring sustainable waste management. However, an integrated approach combining research, policy enforcement, technological innovation, and global collaboration is crucial. Strengthening the waste management framework, regulatory enforcement, and sustainable economic strategies will enable Bangladesh to mitigate microplastic pollution, advance its circular economy, and contribute to global environmental conservation.

Polymers and plastics are widely used to support a range of growing market segments and applications (e.g.,, packaging, construction, agricultural films) due to functional properties (e.g.,, durability, versatility) and cost effectiveness. With continued growing use of polymers and plastics, there is increased interest in health and environmental assessments of these materials, including chemicals associated with their production and use. Additives and polymer-associated chemistries (APAC), as individual chemicals, are subject to regulation by chemical assessment frameworks (e.g.,, U.S. TSCA, EU REACH). Finished products and articles are subject to other regulations (e.g.,, U.S. FDA Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act). Assessing risk (ie, hazard x exposure) and making risk-based decisions requires analysis of a complex, dynamic dataset. There is a need for practical screening and prioritization methods to address the large numbers and complexity of APAC. Therefore, a data synthesis framework supporting risk-based screening and prioritization of APAC is proposed to demonstrate where and how to gather, organize, and process data for downstream human health and environmental risk assessment of APAC (ie in articles). A case study was performed using the 13,186 APAC identified in the UNEP Chemicals in Plastics report to evaluate the utility of this data synthesis framework and evaluate how many APAC have sufficient publicly available data to perform downstream risk assessment. Based on application of this framework, it was determined that at a minimum Tier 1 + data are readily accessible to support risk-based screening and prioritization of most of the UNEP database APAC for human health (8,819 or 66.9%) and environmental (9,068 or 68.8%) risk assessment.

The pollution of urban soils in tropical megacities with legacy radionuclides poses a significant environmental challenge, yet risk assessment is often hampered by a reliance on models from temperate climates. This study addresses this gap by presenting the first longitudinal (2022-2024) investigation into the dynamics of soil-to-plant transfer for both natural radionuclides (2³8U, 2³2Th, 40K), which define the geological baseline, and the primary anthropogenic contaminant, 1³7Cs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Analysis of four ecologically significant plant species indicates that radionuclide bioavailability is not static. Instead, it exhibits significant fluctuations correlated with seasonal climatic shifts, a dynamic that challenges equilibrium-based assumptions and underscores the need for process-based risk assessment models. The results inform a "right plant, right place" management strategy for urban soil pollution. Araucaria columnaris was identified as an effective phytoextractor for 1³7Cs (TF up to 0.697), while Pinus kesiya was confirmed as a low-uptake species suitable for safe urban greening. Furthermore, risk assessment of the edible Moringa oleifera confirmed a negligible public health risk from its consumption (<3% of the public dose limit) and established its potential as a valuable sentinel species for long-term environmental monitoring. This research provides a foundational dataset on soil pollution in Southeast Asia and a transferable methodology for mitigating radiological risks in urban ecosystems.

Microplastic pollution is a growing global concern with direct and indirect environmental health impacts. Africa hosts some of the most heavily polluted water bodies, exacerbated by limited management resources and research capacities. To evaluate the state-of-the-art in African freshwater microplastics approaches, we review studies that assessed pollution in freshwater organisms and appraise the field sampling and laboratory techniques used. Thirty-seven studies were included that analysed the status of microplastic concentration, ingestion, and abundance in African freshwater organisms. Of these, 11 studies conducted experimental work in laboratory settings, whereas the remainder were field-based. Studies were biased taxonomically and geographically, with 24 on fish, 10 on macroinvertebrates, and one each on birds and amphibians, and with studies predominantly in a few countries, mainly South Africa. Most of the studies were thus conducted in southern Africa, followed by east Africa, finding fibres to be the most dominant microplastic type, followed by fragments. Laboratory studies predominantly used pellets, polystyrene microbeads, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon 66, and polyethylene terephthalate to determine their impact on organisms such as Clarias gariepinus, Oreochromis niloticus, Tilapia sparrmanii, Daphnia magna, Raphidocelis subcapitata and Tetrahymena thermophila. Microplastic extraction and separation from fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates are mostly done using potassium hydroxide (KOH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric acid (HNO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Furthermore, instrumental analytical techniques for microplastics included the use of microscopes and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) or attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for polymer verification. Although Africa ranks highly in unmanaged plastic waste, studies on the prevalence of freshwater microplastics and their interactions with freshwater organisms in natural ecosystems remain scarce. Therefore, it is recommended that more studies are conducted to address the substantial gap, given the importance of freshwater biota in biomonitoring, especially in countries with a complete absence of studies on freshwater microplastic pollution.