Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management最新文献

The proposed use of equivalence tests instead of difference tests in the revised guidance on the risk assessment of plant protection products for bees is a reasonable approach given an adverse effect was observed in the lower tier studies, using the hypothesis that there is a risk as the null hypothesis places the burden to prove the opposite on the other side. However, some uncertainties regarding the application of equivalence tests in field studies are discussed in the present study. Here, we compare equivalence and difference testing methods using a control dataset of a honey bee field effect study conducted in northern Germany in 2014. Half of the 48 colonies were assigned to a hypothetical test item group, and the colony strength data were analyzed using t-tests, a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), and the corresponding equivalence tests. The data reflected the natural variability of honey bee colonies, with initially approximately 12 000 adult bees. Although the t-test and GLMM confirmed that 24 + 24 colonies are sufficient to show “no adverse effect,” the equivalence tests of the t-test and GLMM were not able to reject the null hypothesis and classified at least some of the assessments as “high risk,” indicating a power that was too low. Based on this, different operating options to reduce the variability are discussed. One possible option, which may provide a more realistic application of equivalence to avoid false high risk, is to consider the lower confidence interval of the control as a baseline and use GLMMs. With this option, we demonstrate a relatively acceptable probability to prove that no high risk for initially similar groups can be achieved. Further studies with different numbers of colonies are still needed to develop and validate the suggested approach. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1496–1503. © 2024 SETAC

Many jurisdictions have regulatory frameworks that seek to reduce the effects of environmental exposures of anthropogenic chemicals on terrestrial wildlife (i.e., mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians). The frameworks apply for new and existing chemicals, including pesticides (prospective assessments), and to environmental contamination from releases (retrospective risk assessments). Relatively recently, there have been many scientific advances that could improve risk estimates for wildlife. Here, we briefly describe current regulations from North America (United States and Canada) and from Europe that include risk assessments for wildlife to ascertain whether they are conducive to the use of emerging science and new methods. We also provide examples where new and emerging science may be used to improve wildlife risk characterization and identify areas in need of future research. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:765–779. © 2024 His Majesty the King in Right of Canada and The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management © 2024 Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Soil contamination is a significant environmental issue that poses a threat to human health and the ecosystems. Conventional remediation techniques, such as excavation and landfilling, are often expensive, disruptive, and unsustainable. As a result, there has been growing interest in developing sustainable remediation strategies that are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and socially acceptable. One such solution is phytoextraction: a nature-based approach that uses the abilities of hyperaccumulator plants to uptake and accumulate metals and metalloids (potentially toxic elements [PTE]) without signs of toxicity. Once harvested, plant biomass can be treated to reduce its volume and weight by combustion, thus obtaining bioenergy, and the ashes can be used for the recovery of metals or in the construction industry. However, phytoextraction has shown variable effectiveness due to soil conditions and plant species specificity, which has led researchers to develop additional approaches known as assisted phytoextraction to enhance its success. Assisted phytoextraction is a remediation strategy based on modifying certain plant traits or using different materials to increase metal uptake or bioavailability. This review article provides a practical and up-to-date overview of established strategies and the latest scientific advancements in assisted phytoextraction. Our focus is on improving plant performance and optimizing the uptake, tolerance, and accumulation of PTE, as well as the accessibility of these contaminants. While we highlight the advantages of using hyperaccumulator plants for assisted phytoextraction, we also address the challenges and limitations associated with this approach. Factors such as soil pH, nutrient availability, and the presence of other contaminants can affect its efficiency. Furthermore, the real-world challenges of implementing phytoextraction on a large scale are discussed and strategies to modify plant traits for successful phytoremediation are presented. By exploring established strategies and the latest scientific developments in assisted phytoextraction, this review provides valuable guidance for optimizing a sustainable, nature-based technology. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:2003–2022. © 2024 SETAC

We present a novel method for detecting red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms off the west coast of Florida, driven by a neural network classifier that combines remote sensing data with spatiotemporally distributed in situ sample data. The network detects blooms over a 1-km grid, using seven ocean color features from the MODIS-Aqua satellite platform (2002–2021) and in situ sample data collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and its partners. Model performance was demonstrably enhanced by two key innovations: depth normalization of satellite features and encoding of an in situ feature. The satellite features were normalized to adjust for depth-dependent bottom reflection effects in shallow coastal waters. The in situ data were used to engineer a feature that contextualizes recent nearby ground truth of K. brevis concentrations through a K-nearest neighbor spatiotemporal proximity weighting scheme. A rigorous experimental comparison revealed that our model outperforms existing remote detection methods presented in the literature and applied in practice. This classifier has strong potential to be operationalized to support more efficient monitoring and mitigation of future blooms, more accurate communication about their spatial extent and distribution, and a deeper scientific understanding of bloom dynamics, transport, drivers, and impacts in the region. This approach also has the potential to be adapted for the detection of other algal blooms in coastal waters. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1432–1446. © 2024 SETAC

Environmental exposure data are a key component of chemical and ecological assessments, supporting and guiding environmental management decisions and regulations. Measures taken to protect the environment based on exposure data can have social and economic implications. Flawed information may lead to measures being taken in the wrong place or to important action not being taken. Although the advantages of harmonizing evaluation methods have been demonstrated for hazard information, no comparable approach is established for exposure data evaluation. The goal of Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED) is to improve the transparency and consistency with which exposure data are evaluated regarding usability in environmental assessments. Here, we describe the synthesis of the CREED process, and propose methods and tools to summarize and interpret the outcomes of the data usability evaluation in support of decision-making and communication. The CREED outcome includes a summary that reports any key gaps or shortcomings in the reliability (data quality) and relevance (fitness for purpose) of the data being considered. The approach has been implemented in a workbook template (provided as Supporting Information), for assessors to readily follow the workflow and create a report card for any given dataset. The report card communicates the outcome of the CREED evaluation and summarizes important dataset attributes, providing a concise reference pertaining to the dataset usability for a specified purpose and documenting data limitations that may restrict data use or increase environmental assessment uncertainty. The application of CREED is demonstrated through three case studies, which also were used during beta testing of the methodology. As experience with the CREED approach application develops, further improvements may be identified and incorporated into the framework. Such development is to be encouraged in the interest of better science and decision-making, and to make environmental monitoring and assessment more cost-effective. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1019–1034. © 2024 SETAC

Many jurisdictions require ecological risk assessments for terrestrial wildlife (i.e., terrestrial vertebrates) to assess potential adverse effects from exposure to anthropogenic chemicals. This occurs, for example, at contaminated sites and when new pesticides are proposed, and it occurs for chemicals that are in production and/or proposed for wide-scale use. However, guidance to evaluate such risks has not changed markedly in decades, despite the availability of new scientific tools to do so. In 2019, the Wildlife Toxicology World Interest Group of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) initiated a virtual workshop that included a special session coincident with the annual SETAC North America meeting and which focused on the prospect of improving risk assessments for wildlife and improving their use in implementing chemical regulations. Work groups continued the work and investigated the utility of integrating emerging science and novel methods for improving problem formulation (WG1), exposure (WG2), toxicology (WG3), and risk characterization (WG4). Here we provide a summary of that workshop and the follow-up work, the regulations that drive risk assessment, and the key focus areas identified to advance the ability to predict risks of chemicals to wildlife. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:645–657. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).