7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

National Water Quality Laboratory - A Profile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raese, Jon W.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) is a full-service laboratory that specializes in environmental analytical chemistry. The NWQL's primary mission is to support USGS programs requiring environmental analyses that provide consistent methodology for national assessment and trends analysis. The NWQL provides the following: high-quality chemical data; consistent, published, state-of-the-art methodology; extremely low-detection levels; high-volume capability; biological unit for identifying benthic invertebrates; quality assurance for determining long-term water-quality trends; and a professional staff.

49 CFR 266.19 - Environmental impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... environmental assessment concludes that the future use significantly affects the quality of human environment... improvement assistance—(1) Environmental assessment. (i) When an applicant requests substitute service... shall: (A) Prepare an environmental assessment to determine whether the future use of the property will...

Self-Determination, Social Abilities and the Quality of Life of People with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nota, L.; Ferrari, L.; Soresi, S.; Wehmeyer, M.

2007-01-01

Background: The international literature has documented that self-determination is impacted by environmental factors, including living or work settings; and by intraindividual factors, including intelligence level, age, gender, social skills and adaptive behaviour. In addition, self-determination has been correlated with improved quality of life…

Environmental impact case study : Route 220, Fincastle to Eagle Rock : Project 0220-002-106.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-01-01

At the request of the Environmental Quality Division, the Environmental and Economics Section of the Virginia Highway Research Council conducted a study to determine the probable socioeconomic and environmental impact of the proposed dual-laning of R...

Riparian plant litter quality increases with latitude.

PubMed

Boyero, Luz; Graça, Manuel A S; Tonin, Alan M; Pérez, Javier; J Swafford, Andrew; Ferreira, Verónica; Landeira-Dabarca, Andrea; A Alexandrou, Markos; Gessner, Mark O; McKie, Brendan G; Albariño, Ricardo J; Barmuta, Leon A; Callisto, Marcos; Chará, Julián; Chauvet, Eric; Colón-Gaud, Checo; Dudgeon, David; Encalada, Andrea C; Figueroa, Ricardo; Flecker, Alexander S; Fleituch, Tadeusz; Frainer, André; Gonçalves, José F; Helson, Julie E; Iwata, Tomoya; Mathooko, Jude; M'Erimba, Charles; Pringle, Catherine M; Ramírez, Alonso; Swan, Christopher M; Yule, Catherine M; Pearson, Richard G

2017-09-05

Plant litter represents a major basal resource in streams, where its decomposition is partly regulated by litter traits. Litter-trait variation may determine the latitudinal gradient in decomposition in streams, which is mainly microbial in the tropics and detritivore-mediated at high latitudes. However, this hypothesis remains untested, as we lack information on large-scale trait variation for riparian litter. Variation cannot easily be inferred from existing leaf-trait databases, since nutrient resorption can cause traits of litter and green leaves to diverge. Here we present the first global-scale assessment of riparian litter quality by determining latitudinal variation (spanning 107°) in litter traits (nutrient concentrations; physical and chemical defences) of 151 species from 24 regions and their relationships with environmental factors and phylogeny. We hypothesized that litter quality would increase with latitude (despite variation within regions) and traits would be correlated to produce 'syndromes' resulting from phylogeny and environmental variation. We found lower litter quality and higher nitrogen:phosphorus ratios in the tropics. Traits were linked but showed no phylogenetic signal, suggesting that syndromes were environmentally determined. Poorer litter quality and greater phosphorus limitation towards the equator may restrict detritivore-mediated decomposition, contributing to the predominance of microbial decomposers in tropical streams.

A City Looks at Itself and Acts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eriksen, Clyde H.

1974-01-01

Prompted by a continued environmental awareness, Claremont, California established an Environmental Resource Task Force to determine methods of operating an economically and environmentally sound city. This group of lay persons and professionals concluded that environmental quality is economically possible, and made recommendations on planning,…

Genotypic and environmental effects on cottonseed oil, nitrogen, and gossypol contents in eighteen years Regional High Quality tests

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Determination of environmental influence on seed traits is critical for genetic improvement of seed quality in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The objective of this study was to analyze the relative contribution of environment and genotype (G) for seed oil, nitrogen (N), and gossypol content...

Chemical variation for fiber cuticular wax levels in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) evaluated under contrasting irrigation regimes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fiber quality is important for the sale of bulk fiber to textile mills for processing but is affected by many environmental factors, including water deficit. These environmental factors have made it difficult to identify the primary determinants of fiber quality which has spurred renewed research ef...

40 CFR 63.43 - Maximum achievable control technology (MACT) determinations for constructed and reconstructed...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... achieving such emission reduction and any non-air quality health and environmental impacts and energy..., and analysis of cost and non-air quality health environmental impacts or energy requirements for the...-day period for submittal of public comment; and (iii) A notice by prominent advertisement in the area...

40 CFR 63.43 - Maximum achievable control technology (MACT) determinations for constructed and reconstructed...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... achieving such emission reduction and any non-air quality health and environmental impacts and energy..., and analysis of cost and non-air quality health environmental impacts or energy requirements for the...-day period for submittal of public comment; and (iii) A notice by prominent advertisement in the area...

40 CFR 63.43 - Maximum achievable control technology (MACT) determinations for constructed and reconstructed...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achieving such emission reduction and any non-air quality health and environmental impacts and energy..., and analysis of cost and non-air quality health environmental impacts or energy requirements for the...-day period for submittal of public comment; and (iii) A notice by prominent advertisement in the area...

Relationship between environmental management with quality of kampong space room (Case study: RW 3 of Sukun Sub District, Malang City)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wardhani, D. K.; Azmi, D. S.; Purnamasari, W. D.

2017-06-01

RW 3 Sukun Malang was one of kampong that won the competition kampong environment and had managed to maintain the preservation of the kampong. Society of RW 3 Sukun undertake various activities to manage the environment by optimizing the use of kampong space. Despite RW 3 Sukun had conducted environmental management activities, there are several locations in the kampong space that less well maintained. The purpose of this research was to determine the relation of environmental management with the quality of kampong space in RW 3 Sukun. This research used qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Quantitative research conducted by using descriptive statistical analysis in assessing the quality of kampong space with weighting, scoring, and overlay maps. Quantitative research was also conducted on the relation analysis of environmental management with the quality of kampong space by using typology analysis and pearson correlation analysis. Qualitative research conducted on the analysis of environmental management and the relation analysis of environmental management with the quality of kampong space. Result of this research indicates that environmental management in RW 3 Sukun have relation with the quality of kampong space.

40 CFR 52.931 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... quality. 52.931 Section 52.931 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The..., the Kentucky Division for Air Quality has determined that the application complies with the applicable...

76 FR 41739 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-15

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R03-OAR-2011-0454; FRL-9439-9] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Determination of Attainment and Determination of Clean Data for the Annual 1997 Fine Particle Standard for the Charleston Area AGENCY...

77 FR 44544 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Utah; Determination of Clean Data...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-30

... governments or preempt Tribal law. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Utah; Determination of Clean Data for the 1987 PM 10 Standard... National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less...

Application of quality risk management to set viable environmental monitoring frequencies in biotechnology processing and support areas.

PubMed

Sandle, Tim

2012-01-01

Environmental monitoring programs are essential for pharmaceutical facilities in order to assess the level of environmental control. For biotechnology facilities there is little advice as to the frequency at which viable environmental monitoring should be conducted. This paper outlines an approach, based on the principles of quality risk management, for the development of a framework from which monitoring frequencies can be determined. This involved the identification of common hazards and the evaluation those hazards in terms of the severity of contamination and the probability of contamination occurring. These elements of risk were evaluated for different cleanrooms and the relative risks ranked. Once the risk scores were calculated, the methods for detecting risks within the cleanrooms were assessed. Risk filtering was then used to group different cleanrooms based on their relative risks and detection methods against predetermined monitoring frequencies. Through use of case study examples, the paper presents the model and describes how appropriate frequencies for the environmental monitoring of cleanrooms can be set. Cleanrooms in which biotechnology pharmaceutical processing takes place are subject to environmental monitoring. The frequency at which such monitoring should be performed can be difficult to determine. This paper uses quality risk assessment methods to construct a framework for determining monitoring frequencies and illustrates the suitability of the framework through a case study.

DOE-OES-EML quality assurance program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanderson, C.G.

1980-01-01

Contractor laboratories handling radioactive materials for the US Department of Energy (DOE) are required to monitor the environmental exposure and publish annual reports for the Division of Operational and Environmental Safety (OES). In order to determine the validity of the data contained in these reports the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) was requested to develop, coordinate, and conduct an Environmental Quality Assurance Program (QAP). There are four major phases to the DOE-OES-EML Quality Assurance Program: sample collection and preparation, sample analyses at EML, quarterly sample distribution, and reporting the data returned by the participants. The various phases of the QAP andmore » the data reported during the first year of the program are discussed.« less

78 FR 72032 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; New York; Determination of Clean...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-02

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [Docket No. EPA-R02-OAR-2013-0618; FRL-9903-24... Data for the 1987 PM 10 Standard for the New York County Area AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... New York County nonattainment area in New York is attaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standard...

The Influence of Supports Strategies, Environmental Factors, and Client Characteristics on Quality of Life-Related Personal Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claes, Claudia; Van Hove, Geert; Vandevelde, Stijn; van Loon, Jos; Schalock, Robert

2012-01-01

The concept of quality of life (QOL) is increasingly being used as a support provision and outcomes evaluation framework in the field of intellectual disability (ID). The present study used a hierarchical multiple regression research design to determine the role that available supports strategies, environmental factors, and client characteristics…

Linking Air Quality and Human Health Effects Models: An Application to the Los Angeles Air Basin

PubMed Central

Stewart, Devoun R; Saunders, Emily; Perea, Roberto A; Fitzgerald, Rosa; Campbell, David E; Stockwell, William R

2017-01-01

Proposed emission control strategies for reducing ozone and particulate matter are evaluated better when air quality and health effects models are used together. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model is the US Environmental Protection Agency’s model for determining public policy and forecasting air quality. CMAQ was used to forecast air quality changes due to several emission control strategies that could be implemented between 2008 and 2030 for the South Coast Air Basin that includes Los Angeles. The Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program—Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) was used to estimate health and economic impacts of the different emission control strategies based on CMAQ simulations. BenMAP-CE is a computer program based on epidemiologic studies that link human health and air quality. This modeling approach is better for determining optimum public policy than approaches that only examine concentration changes. PMID:29162976

Linking Air Quality and Human Health Effects Models: An Application to the Los Angeles Air Basin.

PubMed

Stewart, Devoun R; Saunders, Emily; Perea, Roberto A; Fitzgerald, Rosa; Campbell, David E; Stockwell, William R

2017-01-01

Proposed emission control strategies for reducing ozone and particulate matter are evaluated better when air quality and health effects models are used together. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model is the US Environmental Protection Agency's model for determining public policy and forecasting air quality. CMAQ was used to forecast air quality changes due to several emission control strategies that could be implemented between 2008 and 2030 for the South Coast Air Basin that includes Los Angeles. The Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program-Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) was used to estimate health and economic impacts of the different emission control strategies based on CMAQ simulations. BenMAP-CE is a computer program based on epidemiologic studies that link human health and air quality. This modeling approach is better for determining optimum public policy than approaches that only examine concentration changes.

Data Quality Objectives Supporting the Environmental Soil Monitoring Program for the Idaho National Laboratory Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haney, Thomas Jay

This document describes the process used to develop data quality objectives for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Environmental Soil Monitoring Program in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance. This document also develops and presents the logic that was used to determine the specific number of soil monitoring locations at the INL Site, at locations bordering the INL Site, and at locations in the surrounding regional area. The monitoring location logic follows the guidance from the U.S. Department of Energy for environmental surveillance of its facilities.

40 CFR 35.412 - Allotment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Water Quality Management Planning Grants (section 205(j)(2)) § 35.412... State's construction grant allotment as determined by Congress for Water Quality Management Planning...

Development of a direct observation Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings.

PubMed

King, Gillian; Rigby, Patty; Batorowicz, Beata; McMain-Klein, Margot; Petrenchik, Theresa; Thompson, Laura; Gibson, Michelle

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to develop an observer-rated measure of aesthetic, physical, social, and opportunity-related qualities of leisure activity settings for young people (with or without disabilities). Eighty questionnaires were completed by sets of raters who independently rated 22 community/home activity settings. The scales of the 32-item Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS; Opportunities for Social Activities, Opportunities for Physical Activities, Pleasant Physical Environment, Opportunities for Choice, Opportunities for Personal Growth, and Opportunities to Interact with Adults) were determined using principal components analyses. Test-retest reliability was determined for eight activity settings, rated twice (4-6wk interval) by a trained rater. The factor structure accounted for 80% of the variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was 0.73. Cronbach's alphas for the scales ranged from 0.76 to 0.96, and interrater reliabilities (ICCs) ranged from 0.60 to 0.93. Test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.70 to 0.90. Results suggest that the MEQAS has a sound factor structure and preliminary evidence of internal consistency, interrater, and test-retest reliability. The MEQAS is the first observer-completed measure of environmental qualities of activity settings. The MEQAS allows researchers to assess comprehensively qualities and affordances of activity settings, and can be used to design and assess environmental qualities of programs for young people. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Educational Module on Environmental Problems in Cities. Environmental Educational Series 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). Div. of Science, Technical and Vocational Education.

The International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) of UNESCO has determined that the enhancement of the quality of the built environment is a basic priority for future environmental action, particularly in Europe and North America. This experimental teaching module applies specifically to those two continents, and is intended for use by…

Innovative Approaches to Environmental Health Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mock, Bruce H.

1974-01-01

The results of a NSF-supported student project to determine certain environmental problems in Indiana are reported. The project sought to relate the quality of the local environment to human life and concentrated on problems of air pollution, water pollution, solid waste disposal, and environmental attitudes. (LS)

Agri-Environmental Resource Management by Large-Scale Collective Action: Determining KEY Success Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uetake, Tetsuya

2015-01-01

Purpose: Large-scale collective action is necessary when managing agricultural natural resources such as biodiversity and water quality. This paper determines the key factors to the success of such action. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper analyses four large-scale collective actions used to manage agri-environmental resources in Canada and…

Sources of Virginia meteorological and air quality data for use in highway air quality analysis with comments on their usefulness.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

The preparation of accurate air quality analysis portions of highway environmental impact statements requires valid meteorological and air quality data. These data are needed, in part, to determine the regional and local wind patterns on which pollut...

Deciphering the Environmental Impacts on Rice Quality for Different Rice Cultivated Areas.

PubMed

Li, Xiukun; Wu, Lian; Geng, Xin; Xia, Xiuhong; Wang, Xuhong; Xu, Zhengjin; Xu, Quan

2018-01-19

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is cultivated in a wide range of climatic conditions, and is one of mankind's major staple foods. The interaction of environmental factors with genotype effects major agronomic traits such as yield, quality, and resistance in rice. However, studies on the environmental factors affecting agronomic traits are often difficult to conduct because most environmental factors are dynamic and constantly changing. A series of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from an indica/japonica cross were planted into four typical rice cultivated areas arranging from latitude N22° to N42°. The environmental data from the heading to mature (45 days) stages were recorded for each RIL in the four areas. We determined that light, temperature, and humidity significantly affected the milling quality and cooking quality overall the four areas. Within each area, these environmental factors mainly affected the head rice ratio, grain length, alkali consumption, and amylose and protein content. Moreover, the effect of these environmental factors dynamically changed from heading to mature stage. Compared to light and humidity, temperature was more stable and predictable, and night temperature showed a stronger correlation efficiency to cooking quality than day temperature, and the daily temperature range had contrary effects compared to day and night temperature on grain quality. The present study evaluated the critical phase during the grain filling stage by calculating the dynamic changes of correlation efficiency between the quality traits and climate parameters. Our findings suggest that the sowing date could be adjusted to improve rice quality so as to adjust for environmental changes.

Design, analysis, and interpretation of field quality-control data for water-sampling projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, David K.; Schertz, Terry L.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Sandstrom, Mark W.

2015-01-01

The report provides extensive information about statistical methods used to analyze quality-control data in order to estimate potential bias and variability in environmental data. These methods include construction of confidence intervals on various statistical measures, such as the mean, percentiles and percentages, and standard deviation. The methods are used to compare quality-control results with the larger set of environmental data in order to determine whether the effects of bias and variability might interfere with interpretation of these data. Examples from published reports are presented to illustrate how the methods are applied, how bias and variability are reported, and how the interpretation of environmental data can be qualified based on the quality-control analysis.

Criteria for classification of competitive housing projects in terms of their environmental friendliness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nezhnikova, Ekaterina

2017-10-01

This article deals with social and economic essence of strategy of the housing industry development, both complex system of economic relations in field of production and consumption, which is regulated through the mechanism of prices and implemented through formation and realization of priority directions. Developed criteria for classification of housing construction projects as environmentally friendly and the quality criteria of variables for assessment of the environmental friendliness of residential buildings allowed to determine the ways of development of the industry on the basis of creation of competitive projects in interrelation with quality, environmental friendliness and price of consumption.

Environmental applications activity at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paludan, C. T. N.

1972-01-01

MSFC environmental applications demonstration projects have emphasized application of aerospace technology to community needs of southeastern U.S. Some of the typical projects underway are: hydrological parameter determination; land use surveys; agricultural stress detection; new community site surveys; pollution monitoring; urban transportation studies; and urban environmental quality.

75 FR 1802 - Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Gila Cliff...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-13

... Management Plan because it has determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is the more appropriate... Assessment was approved by the Chief of the NPS Environmental Quality Division on November 4, 2009. The draft general management plan and Environmental Assessment is expected to be distributed for a 30 day public...

SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on environmental ergonomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushada, M.; Kusuma Aji, G.; Okayama, T.; Khidir, M.

2018-04-01

Small-Medium sized (SME) is a focal type of Indonesian industry which contributes to national emerging economies. Indonesian goverment has developed employee social security system (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) to support worker quality of life. However, there were limited research which could assist BPJS Ketenagakerjaan in evaluating worker quality of life. Worker quality of life could be categorized as the highest worker needs or affective states. SME Worker Affective (SWA) index is being concerned as a basic tool to make balance between worker performance and quality of life in workstation of SMEs. The research objectives are: 1) To optimize the environmental ergonomics in SMEs; 2) To quantify SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on optimized environmental ergonomics. The research advantage is to support Indonesian goverment in monitoring SMEs good practices to its worker quality of life. Simulated annealing optimized the heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index was determined based on comparison between optimized heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index were quantified for 380 data of worker. The evaluation indicated 51.3% worker in affective and 48.7% in non-affective condition. Research results indicated that stakeholders of SMEs should put more attention on environmental ergonomics and worker affective.

75 FR 54778 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Louisiana; Baton Rouge 8-Hour...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Louisiana; Baton Rouge 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area; Determination of Attainment of the 8-Hour Ozone Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The EPA has determined that the Baton Rouge (BR) moderate 8- hour ozone...

Attitude Change as a Result of a Short Course on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milson, James L.

This study was conducted to determine what attitude changes take place in a group of secondary school teachers as a result of participation in a short course on the environmental problems of air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, population problems and the use of natural resources. A secondary purpose was to determine if the teachers…

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy application in environmental monitoring of water quality: a review.

PubMed

Yu, Xiaodong; Li, Yang; Gu, Xiaofeng; Bao, Jiming; Yang, Huizhong; Sun, Li

2014-12-01

Water quality monitoring is a critical part of environmental management and protection, and to be able to qualitatively and quantitatively determine contamination and impurity levels in water is especially important. Compared to the currently available water quality monitoring methods and techniques, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has several advantages, including no need for sample pre-preparation, fast and easy operation, and chemical free during the process. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the fundamentals of aqueous LIBS analysis and effectively apply this technique to environmental monitoring. This article reviews the research conducted on LIBS analysis for liquid samples, and the article content includes LIBS theory, history and applications, quantitative analysis of metallic species in liquids, LIBS signal enhancement methods and data processing, characteristics of plasma generated by laser in water, and the factors affecting accuracy of analysis results. Although there have been many research works focusing on aqueous LIBS analysis, detection limit and stability of this technique still need to be improved to satisfy the requirements of environmental monitoring standard. In addition, determination of nonmetallic species in liquid by LIBS is equally important and needs immediate attention from the community. This comprehensive review will assist the readers to better understand the aqueous LIBS technique and help to identify current research needs for environmental monitoring of water quality.

76 FR 61291 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Ohio; Determination...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

.... Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. D. Hand..., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103..., Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2023. The telephone number...

Targeting Environmental Quality to Improve Population Health ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Key goals of health care reform are to stimulate innovative approaches to improve healthcare quality and clinical outcomes while holding down costs. To achieve these goals value-based payment places the needs of the patient first and encourages multi-stakeholder cooperation. Yet, the stakeholders are typically all within the healthcare system, e.g. the Accountable Care Organization or Patient-Centered Medical Home, leaving important contributors to the health of the population such as the public health and environmental health systems absent. And rarely is the quality of the environment regarded as a modifiable factor capable of imparting a health benefit. Underscoring this point, a PubMed search of the search terms “environmental quality” with “value-based payment”, “value-based healthcare” or “value-based reimbursement” returned no relevant articles, providing further evidence that the healthcare industry largely disregards the quality of the environment as a significant determinant of wellbeing and an actionable risk factor for clinical disease management and population health intervention. Yet, the quality of the environment is unequivocally related to indicators of population health including all-cause mortality. The EPA’s Environmental Quality Index (EQI) composed of five different domains (air, land use, water, built environment and social) has provided new estimates of the associations between environmental quality and health stat

MANAGING UNCERTAINTY IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Many environmental decision makers and practitioners worldwide assume that the quality of data pertaining to a contaminated site is primarily determined by the nature of thhe analytical chemistry methods used to collect information. This assumption, which diminishes the importan...

A Two-Year Water Quality Monitoring Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Richard B.; And Others

The Environmental Protection Agency developed this curriculum to train technicians to monitor water quality. Graduates of the program should be able to monitor municipal, industrial, and commercial discharges; test drinking water for purity; and determine quality of aquatic environments. The program includes algebra, communication skills, biology,…

40 CFR Appendix C to Part 61 - Quality Assurance Procedures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality Assurance Procedures C Appendix C to Part 61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS...—Quality Assurance Procedures Procedure 1—Determination of Adequate Chromatographic Peak Resolution In this...

Environmental Quality Research, Use of Unicellular Algae for Evaluation of Potential Aquatic Contaminants

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-11-01

bioassays to determine the toxic and/or biostimulating effects of hydrazine and methylated hydrazines in various freshwater and marine aquatic environments...Table 2. TABLE 2 COMPOUNDS TESTED AND TEST CONDITIONS OF 1976/77 BIOASSAYS COMPOUND TEST CONDITIONS Type of Water Nutrient Level Hydrazine Freshwater ...AMRL-TR-78-86 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY RESEARCH, USE OF UNICELLULAR ALGAE FOR EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL AQUATIC CONTAMINANTS Third Annual Report JAN

Using a Physical Education Environmental Survey to Identify Areas of Concern and Improve Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Grant; Hulbert, George

2007-01-01

School environmental conditions can impact learning in physical educational classes. It is important for schools to control environmental health hazards, not only to promote a conducive school learning environment, but to also reduce associated health risks. To help physical education leaders determine the quality of physical education facilities…

Development of a Personal Integrated Environmental Monitoring System

PubMed Central

Wong, Man Sing; Yip, Tsan Pong; Mok, Esmond

2014-01-01

Environmental pollution in the urban areas of Hong Kong has become a serious public issue but most urban inhabitants have no means of judging their own living environment in terms of dangerous threshold and overall livability. Currently there exist many low-cost sensors such as ultra-violet, temperature and air quality sensors that provide reasonably accurate data quality. In this paper, the development and evaluation of Integrated Environmental Monitoring System (IEMS) are illustrated. This system consists of three components: (i) position determination and sensor data collection for real-time geospatial-based environmental monitoring; (ii) on-site data communication and visualization with the aid of an Android-based application; and (iii) data analysis on a web server. This system has shown to be working well during field tests in a bus journey and a construction site. It provides an effective service platform for collecting environmental data in near real-time, and raises the public awareness of environmental quality in micro-environments. PMID:25420154

Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, Peter R.; McMahon, Peter B.; Mueller, David K.; Clark, Melanie L.

2012-01-01

In June 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency installed two deep monitoring wells (MW01 and MW02) near Pavillion, Wyoming, to study groundwater quality. During April and May 2012, the U.S Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, collected groundwater-quality data and quality-control data from monitoring well MW01 and, following well redevelopment, quality-control data for monitoring well MW02. Two groundwater-quality samples were collected from well MW01—one sample was collected after purging about 1.5 borehole volumes, and a second sample was collected after purging 3 borehole volumes. Both samples were collected and processed using methods designed to minimize atmospheric contamination or changes to water chemistry. Groundwater-quality samples were analyzed for field water-quality properties (water temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, oxidation potential); inorganic constituents including naturally occurring radioactive compounds (radon, radium-226 and radium-228); organic constituents; dissolved gasses; stable isotopes of methane, water, and dissolved inorganic carbon; and environmental tracers (carbon-14, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, tritium, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and the ratio of helium-3 to helium-4). Quality-control sample results associated with well MW01 were evaluated to determine the extent to which environmental sample analytical results were affected by bias and to evaluate the variability inherent to sample collection and laboratory analyses. Field documentation, environmental data, and quality-control data for activities that occurred at the two monitoring wells during April and May 2012 are presented.

Child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, and environmental factors affecting the quality of life of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Tseng, Mei-Hui; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Lu, Lu; Huang, Chien-Yu; Simeonsson, Rune J

2016-12-01

The study aimed to investigate comprehensively the determinants of the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY). A total of 167 children with CP (mean age 9.06 years, SD 2.61 years) and their caregivers (mean age 40.24 years, SD 5.43 years) participated in this study. The QOL of caregivers was measured with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF-Taiwan version (WHOQOL-BREF-TW). The potential determinants of QOL were collected, including child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, and environmental factors from all dimensions of the ICF-CY and analysed using multiple regression models. Four multiple regression models revealed that determinants of the QOL of caregivers of children with CP was multidimensional, encompassing child characteristics (age, type of CP, fine motor impairment, other diseases, behaviour and emotions, visual impairment, hearing impairment), caregiver characteristics (general mental health, parenting stress, marital status, family coping patterns, and socio-economic status), and environmental factors (child's medication, school setting, and current rehabilitation service, caregiver's spouse's age, family life impacts, and domestic helper). Knowledge of the determinants of QOL could serve as a guide in a holistic approach to evaluation and intervention and help plan interventions targeted at these determinants to improve the QOL of caregivers of children with CP. Implications for Rehabilitation Caregivers of children with CP had lower QOL, except the environment QOL. The QOL determinants of caregivers of children with CP are multidimensional, including child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, and environmental factors. In addition to child characteristics of severity of fine motor impairments and emotional and behavioural problems, caregiver characteristics of general mental health, parenting stress, and coping patterns, and environmental factors of family life impacts, and school setting demonstrated important relationships with caregiver QOL.

Assessing the Effects of Grassland Management on Forage Production and Environmental Quality to Identify Paths to Ecological Intensification in Mountain Grasslands.

PubMed

Loucougaray, Grégory; Dobremez, Laurent; Gos, Pierre; Pauthenet, Yves; Nettier, Baptiste; Lavorel, Sandra

2015-11-01

Ecological intensification in grasslands can be regarded as a process for increasing forage production while maintaining high levels of ecosystem functions and biodiversity. In the mountain Vercors massif, where dairy cattle farming is the main component of agriculture, how to achieve forage autonomy at farm level while sustaining environmental quality for tourism and local dairy products has recently stimulated local debate. As specific management is one of the main drivers of ecosystem functioning, we assessed the response of forage production and environmental quality at grassland scale across a wide range of management practices. We aimed to determine which components of management can be harnessed to better match forage production and environmental quality. We sampled the vegetation of 51 grasslands stratified across 13 grassland types. We assessed each grassland for agronomic and environmental properties, measuring forage production, forage quality, and indices based on the abundance of particular plant species such as timing flexibility, apiarian potential, and aromatic plants. Our results revealed an expected trade-off between forage production and environmental quality, notably by stressing the contrasts between sown and permanent grasslands. However, strong within-type variability in both production and environmental quality as well as in flexibility of timing of use suggests possible ways to improve this trade-off at grassland and farm scales. As achieving forage autonomy relies on increasing both forage production and grassland resilience, our results highlight the critical role of the ratio between sown and permanent grasslands as a major path for ecological intensification in mountain grasslands.

A weight of evidence framework for environmental assessments: Inferring Qualities

EPA Science Inventory

The weighing of heterogeneous evidence such as conventional laboratory toxicity tests, field tests, biomarkers, and community surveys is essential to environmental assessments. Evidence synthesis and weighing is needed to determine causes of observed effects, hazards posed by ch...

Impacts of talent development environments on athlete burnout: a self-determination perspective.

PubMed

Li, Chunxiao; Wang, Chee Keng John; Pyun, Do Young

2017-09-01

Guided by Deci and Ryan's (2000) self-determination theory, this survey study aimed to examine the effects of the talent development environmental factors on athlete burnout. Talented adolescent athletes (n = 691) filled out a survey form measuring the talent development environmental factors, needs satisfaction and burnout. The findings showed that three talent environmental factors (i.e., long-term development focus, holistic quality preparation and communication) were negative predictors of burnout via needs satisfaction. It was concluded that the three talent development environmental factors may be important for facilitating athletes' needs satisfaction and preventing burnout.

77 FR 22676 - Revisions to the Arizona State Implementation Plan, Pinal County Air Quality Control District

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-17

... the Arizona State Implementation Plan, Pinal County Air Quality Control District AGENCY: Environmental... disapproval of a revision to the Pinal County Air Quality Control District portion of the Arizona State... the Control Officer to determine whether the manner of control of fugitive emissions is satisfactory...

EFFECTS OF URBANIZATION ON THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CHEMICAL QUALITY OF THREE TIDAL BAYOUS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

EPA Science Inventory

Water and sediment quality in three tidal bayous located near Pensacola, Florida, were assessed during 1993-1995. The primary objective was to determine the environmental condition of the relatively small urban bayous by comparing the chemical quality of the sediments and surface...

Use of the Oslo-Potsdam Solution to test the effect of an environmental education model on tangible measures of environmental protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Philip Craig

The fundamental goals of environmental education include the creation of an environmentally literate citizenry possessing the knowledge, skills, and motivation to objectively analyze environmental issues and engage in responsible behaviors leading to issue resolution and improved or maintained environmental quality. No existing research, however, has linked educational practices and environmental protection. In an original attempt to quantify the pedagogy - environmental protection relationship, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to investigate local environmental records and environmental quality indices that reflected the results of student actions. The data were analyzed using an educational adaptation of the "Oslo-Potsdam Solution for International Environmental Regime Effectiveness." The new model, termed the Environmental Education Performance Indicator (EEPI), was developed and evaluated as a quantitative tool for testing and fairly comparing the efficacy of student-initiated environmental projects in terms of environmental quality measures. Five case studies were developed from descriptions of student actions and environmental impacts as revealed by surveys and interviews with environmental education teachers using the IEEIA (Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions) curriculum, former students, community members, and agency officials. Archival information was also used to triangulate the data. In addition to evaluating case study data on the basis of the EEPI model, an expert panel of evaluators consisting of professionals from environmental education, natural sciences, environmental policy, and environmental advocacy provided subjective assessments on the effectiveness of each case study. The results from this study suggest that environmental education interventions can equip and empower students to act on their own conclusions in a manner that leads to improved or maintained environmental conditions. The EEPI model shows promise in providing a more consistent, accurate and objective evaluation than is possible with subjective analysis. Recommendations are offered to guide further research on establishing the environmental education - environmental quality link. Ultimately, a research framework for determining which educational strategies are most effectively linked to demonstrable environmental quality outcomes will have utility in both educational and public policy arenas.

RELATING WEIGHT AND COUNT DISTRIBUTIONS OF STREAM BED GRAVEL

EPA Science Inventory

The size distribution of particles in a stream bed reflects the stream hydrology as well as its physical and chemical water quality characteristics. In environmental assessments, gravel distribution determines habitat quality for aquatic insects and stream suitability for spawnin...

36 CFR 907.7 - Determination of requirement for EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Determination of requirement for EIS. 907.7 Section 907.7 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 907.7 Determination of requirement for EIS. Determining whether to prepare...

Terra incognita: The unknown risks to environmental quality posed by the spatial distribution and abundance of concentrated animal feeding operations.

PubMed

Martin, Katherine L; Emanuel, Ryan E; Vose, James M

2018-06-18

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) pose wide ranging environmental risks to many parts of the US and across the globe, but datasets for CAFO risk assessments are not readily available. Within the United States, some of the greatest concentrations of CAFOs occur in North Carolina. It is also one of the only states with publicly accessible location data for classes of CAFOs that are required to obtain water quality permits from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); however, there are no public data sources for the large number of CAFOs that do not require EPA water quality permits. We combined public records of CAFO locations with data collected in North Carolina by the Waterkeeper and Riverkeeper Alliances to examine the distribution of both permitted and non-permitted CAFOs across the state. Over half (55%) of the state's 6646 CAFOs are located in the Coastal Plain, a low-lying region vulnerable to flooding associated with regular cyclonic and convective storms. We identified 19% of CAFOs ≤ 100 m of the nearest stream, and some as close as 15 m to the nearest stream, a common riparian buffer width for water quality management. Future climate scenarios suggest large storm events are expected to become increasingly extreme, and dry interstorm periods could lengthen. Such extremes could exacerbate the environmental impacts of CAFOs. Understanding the potential impacts of CAFO agroecosystems will require remote sensing to identify CAFOs, fieldwork to determine the extent of environmental footprints, and modeling to identify thresholds that determine environmental risk under changing conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY AND SWIMMING ASSOCIATED HEALTH EFFECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's National Epidemiological and Environmental Assessment of Recreational Water study is currently underway with the goal of determining if new rapid methods for measuring water quality can be used to predict illness in swimmers. This lecture will provide a historical...

Translations on Environmental Quality, Number 179

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-13

Pierre Bonhomme; LA PRESSE, 15 Aug 78) 24 EASTERN EUROPE ALBANIA More Attention to Environmental Protection Urged (Tahir Cenko; SHENDETESIA...Environmental Protection 57 Protection of the Baltic Sea 57 WESTERN EUROPE GREECE Elevsinians Determined To Clean Up Polluted Environment (Sotiris...momument, while the hydroelectric power plant Planina would destroy our most beauti- ful field in Kras which is intended to become part of the

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINATION OF SEDIMENT PARTICLE SIZE (GRAIN SIZE)

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment quality and sediment remediation projects have become a high priority for USEPA. Sediment particle size determinations are used in environmental assessments for habitat characterization, chemical normalization, and partitioning potential of chemicals. The accepted met...

LABORATORY AND FIELD AUDITS AS PART OF THE EPA (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) HAZARDOUS WASTE ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY (HWERL) QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Audits are an important and integral part of the EPA Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory (HWERL) Quality Assurance (QA) Program. As part of the overall QA program, audits are used to determine contractor compliance with quality assurance plans and to assess the overal...

Determinants of exercise adherence and maintenance among cancer survivors: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

For an exercise intervention to be successful, it is important that cancer survivors adhere to the prescribed program. To be able to improve adherence and to preserve achieved beneficial effects, insights into the relevant and modifiable determinants is important. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review determinants of exercise adherence and maintenance in cancer survivors using a socio-ecological approach. Studies were identified in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and SPORTDiscus up to July 2013. We included full-text articles that: 1) were conducted among adult cancer survivors; 2) quantitatively assessed factors associated with intervention adherence and maintenance, and 3) were published in English. The methodological quality of the selected studies was examined. A best evidence synthesis was applied. Eighteen studies were included. Median methodological quality was 53% and ranged from 21-78% of maximum score. Twelve studies focused on determinants of exercise adherence and evaluated 71 potential determinants: 29 demographic and clinical, 27 psychological, ten physical, four social factors, and one environmental factor. Six studies focused on determinants of exercise maintenance after completion of an intervention, and investigated 63 factors: 22 demographic and clinical, 28 psychosocial, nine physical, three social and one environmental factor. We found moderate evidence for a positive association between exercise history and exercise adherence. Inconsistent findings were found for age, gender and education as well as for psychological factors such as stage of change, perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, extraversion, attitude, intention, fatigue, and quality of life, and physical factors including cardiovascular fitness, body mass index, and baseline physical activity. Exercise history is positively associated with exercise adherence. Future trials should further study the influence of social and environmental determinants on exercise adherence and maintenance in addition to demographic, psychological and physical determinants. PMID:24989069

Understanding determinants of nutrition, physical activity and quality of life among older adults: the Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life (WELL) study.

PubMed

McNaughton, Sarah A; Crawford, David; Ball, Kylie; Salmon, Jo

2012-09-12

Nutrition and physical activity are major determinants of health and quality of life; however, there exists little research focusing on determinants of these behaviours in older adults. This is important, since just as these behaviours vary according to subpopulation, it is likely that the determinants also vary. An understanding of the modifiable determinants of nutrition and physical activity behaviours among older adults to take into account the specific life-stage context is required in order to develop effective interventions to promote health and well-being and prevent chronic disease and improve quality of life. The aim of this work is to identify how intrapersonal, social and environmental factors influence nutrition and physical activity behaviours among older adults living in urban and rural areas. This study is a cohort study of adults aged 55-65 years across urban and rural Victoria, Australia. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline in 2010 and will complete follow-up questionnaires in 2012 and 2014. Self-report questionnaires will be used to assess outcomes such as food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, anthropometry and quality of life. Explanatory variables include socioeconomic position, and measures of the three levels of influence on older adults' nutrition and physical activity behaviours (intrapersonal, social and perceived environmental influences). Obesity and its determinant behaviours, physical inactivity and poor diet are major public health concerns and are significant determinants of the quality of life among the ageing population. There is a critical need for a better understanding of the determinants of nutrition and physical activity in this important target group. This research will provide evidence for the development of effective policies and programs to promote and support increased physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among older adults.

40 CFR 121.28 - Termination of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the operation or conduct thereof has been modified so as not to violate water quality standards. If the Regional Administrator determines that water quality standards will not be violated, he shall so... Section 121.28 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE...

40 CFR 35.412 - Allotment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Water Quality Management Planning Grants (section 205(j)(2)) § 35.412... State's construction grant allotment as determined by Congress for Water Quality Management Planning...)(4) regarding reserves from State allotments under Title VI of the Clean Water Act for section 205(j...

40 CFR 121.28 - Termination of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the operation or conduct thereof has been modified so as not to violate water quality standards. If the Regional Administrator determines that water quality standards will not be violated, he shall so... Section 121.28 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE...

Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA) for Hazardous Materials Removal at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-31

ACM). The FEW Environmental Planning Function ( EPF ) conducted the analysis of this proposed action. 2. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION. The... EPF determined that the proposed action has the potential to affect Air Quality, Occupational Safety and Health, Cultural Resources and Hazardous Waste

Environmental health program in NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrazzo, R. M.

1969-01-01

The NASA policy on environmental health uses medical and environmental concepts to: (1) Determine the health status of employees; (2) prevent illness and promote good health among employees; and (3) identify and control factors that affect the health of personnel and quality of environment. Evaluation and control of physical, chemical, radiological and biological factors surrounding personnel and which represent physiological and psychological stresses and impairment are considered.

Preliminary evaluation of environmental variables affecting diameter growth of individual hardwoods in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab; F. Thomas Lloyd

2001-01-01

The value of environmental variables as measures of site quality for individual tree growth models was determined for 12 common species of eastern hardwoods in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Periodic diameter increment was modeled as a function of size, competition and environmental variables for 1,381 trees in even-aged stands of mixed-species. Resulting species...

Assessing regional environmental quality by integrated use of remote sensing, GIS, and spatial multi-criteria evaluation for prioritization of environmental restoration.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Rejaur; Shi, Z H; Chongfa, Cai

2014-11-01

This study was an attempt to analyse the regional environmental quality with the application of remote sensing, geographical information system, and spatial multiple criteria decision analysis and, to project a quantitative method applicable to identify the status of the regional environment of the study area. Using spatial multi-criteria evaluation (SMCE) approach with expert knowledge in this study, an integrated regional environmental quality index (REQI) was computed and classified into five levels of regional environment quality viz. worse, poor, moderate, good, and very good. During the process, a set of spatial criteria were selected (here, 15 criterions) together with the degree of importance of criteria in sustainability of the regional environment. Integrated remote sensing and GIS technique and models were applied to generate the necessary factors (criterions) maps for the SMCE approach. The ranking, along with expected value method, was used to standardize the factors and on the other hand, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was applied for calculating factor weights. The entire process was executed in the integrated land and water information system (ILWIS) software tool that supports SMCE. The analysis showed that the overall regional environmental quality of the area was at moderate level and was partly determined by elevation. Areas under worse and poor quality of environment indicated that the regional environmental status showed decline in these parts of the county. The study also revealed that the human activities, vegetation condition, soil erosion, topography, climate, and soil conditions have serious influence on the regional environment condition of the area. Considering the regional characteristics of environmental quality, priority, and practical needs for environmental restoration, the study area was further regionalized into four priority areas which may serve as base areas of decision making for the recovery, rebuilding, and protection of the environment.

30 CFR 550.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pollutant means any combination of agents for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has... is calculated by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator of EPA to be... available control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction...

30 CFR 250.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... any combination of agents for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established... by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator of EPA to be reliable) not... control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction for each...

30 CFR 550.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pollutant means any combination of agents for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has... is calculated by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator of EPA to be... available control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction...

30 CFR 550.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pollutant means any combination of agents for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has... is calculated by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator of EPA to be... available control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction...

EFFECTS OF A COASTAL GOLF COMPLEX ON WATER QUALITY, PERIPHYTON, AND SEAGRASS.

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a golf course complex on water quality, colonized periphyton and seagrass meadows in adjacent freshwater, near-coastal and wetland areas. The environmental impact of the recreational facility, which uses spray wastewater...

OVERVIEW OF EPA'S QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR SOLICITATIONS AND CONTRACTS

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this presentation and this Website is to assist EPA employees to determine the type of Quality Assurance (QA) requirements needed for work under contract. Most environmental data are collected on behalf of EPA by other organizations. EPA has made available this ea...

76 FR 31237 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

...-Beaver Valley 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is making a final determination that the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley 8-hour ozone..., Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. EPA's determination is...

78 FR 20244 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determinations of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-04

... CFR 51.918), a final determination of attainment suspends the CAA requirements for the Pittsburgh Area... Ozone Standard for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Moderate Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental... determinations regarding the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (the Pittsburgh Area...

Manipulating Sensory and Phytochemical Profiles of Greenhouse Tomatoes Using Environmentally Relevant Doses of Ultraviolet Radiation.

PubMed

Dzakovich, Michael P; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Mitchell, Cary A

2016-09-14

Fruits harvested from off-season, greenhouse-grown tomato plants have a poor reputation compared to their in-season, garden-grown counterparts. Presently, there is a gap in knowledge with regard to the role of UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) in determining greenhouse tomato quality. Knowing that UV-B is a powerful elicitor of secondary metabolism and not transmitted through greenhouse glass and some greenhouse plastics, we tested the hypothesis that supplemental UV-B radiation in the greenhouse will impart quality attributes typically associated with garden-grown tomatoes. Environmentally relevant doses of supplemental UV-B radiation did not strongly affect antioxidant compounds of fruits, although the flavonol quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin) significantly increased in response to UV-B. Physicochemical metrics of fruit quality attributes and consumer sensory panels were used to determine if any such differences altered consumer perception of tomato quality. Supplemental UV-A radiation (315-400 nm) pre-harvest treatments enhanced sensory perception of aroma, acidity, and overall approval, suggesting a compelling opportunity to environmentally enhance the flavor of greenhouse-grown tomatoes. The expression of the genes COP1 and HY5 were indicative of adaptation to UV radiation, which explains the lack of marked effects reported in these studies. To our knowledge, these studies represent the first reported use of environmentally relevant doses of UV radiation throughout the reproductive portion of the tomato plant life cycle to positively enhance the sensory and chemical properties of fruits.

Recent Updates in the Social and Environmental Determinants of Sleep Health

PubMed Central

Emanuele, Erin; James, Sarah

2016-01-01

In this brief review article, we provide an overview of recent (since 2010) scientific contributions to our understanding of the social and environmental determinants of sleep health. In particular, we focus on three areas where we saw the most contributions to the determinants of sleep health among children, adolescents, and adults. First, studies of neighborhood context and sleep health find that sleep quality and quantity are lower in disadvantaged neighborhoods. These negative associations are often stronger for women than for men. Second, family factors matter for sleep health. Children from families with more parental resources sleep better than do children from families without such resources. Adults with children sleep less than those without, and work-family conflict is an impediment to good sleep. Third, media use is problematic for sleep health. Around the world, higher levels of screen media use are associated with lower quality and quantity of sleep. Future research on the social and environmental determinants of sleep health will grow out of these three areas of current research. In addition, we anticipate new research in the international realm and in the area of interventions designed to improve the population’s sleep health. PMID:27540510

Moving Environmental Justice Indoors: Understanding Structural Influences on Residential Exposure Patterns in Low-Income Communities

PubMed Central

Zota, Ami R.; Fabian, M. Patricia; Chahine, Teresa; Julien, Rhona; Spengler, John D.; Levy, Jonathan I.

2011-01-01

Objectives. The indoor environment has not been fully incorporated into the environmental justice dialogue. To inform strategies to reduce disparities, we developed a framework to identify the individual and place-based drivers of indoor environment quality. Methods. We reviewed empirical evidence of socioeconomic disparities in indoor exposures and key determinants of these exposures for air pollutants, lead, allergens, and semivolatile organic compounds. We also used an indoor air quality model applied to multifamily housing to illustrate how nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) vary as a function of factors known to be influenced by socioeconomic status. Results. Indoor concentrations of multiple pollutants are elevated in low-socioeconomic status households. Differences in these exposures are driven by the combined influences of indoor sources, outdoor sources, physical structures, and residential activity patterns. Simulation models confirmed indoor sources’ importance in determining indoor NO2 and PM2.5 exposures and showed the influence of household-specific determinants. Conclusions. Both theoretical models and empirical evidence emphasized that disparities in indoor environmental exposure can be significant. Understanding key determinants of multiple indoor exposures can aid in developing policies to reduce these disparities. PMID:21836112

Recent Updates in the Social and Environmental Determinants of Sleep Health.

PubMed

Hale, Lauren; Emanuele, Erin; James, Sarah

2015-12-01

In this brief review article, we provide an overview of recent (since 2010) scientific contributions to our understanding of the social and environmental determinants of sleep health. In particular, we focus on three areas where we saw the most contributions to the determinants of sleep health among children, adolescents, and adults. First, studies of neighborhood context and sleep health find that sleep quality and quantity are lower in disadvantaged neighborhoods. These negative associations are often stronger for women than for men. Second, family factors matter for sleep health. Children from families with more parental resources sleep better than do children from families without such resources. Adults with children sleep less than those without, and work-family conflict is an impediment to good sleep. Third, media use is problematic for sleep health. Around the world, higher levels of screen media use are associated with lower quality and quantity of sleep. Future research on the social and environmental determinants of sleep health will grow out of these three areas of current research. In addition, we anticipate new research in the international realm and in the area of interventions designed to improve the population's sleep health.

Stress, depression, quality of life and salivary cortisol levels in community health agents.

PubMed

Knuth, Berenice Scaletzky; Cocco, Rafaela Abreu; Radtke, Vinicius Augusto; Medeiros, João Ricardo Carvalho; Oses, Jean Pierre; Wiener, Carolina David; Jansen, Karen

2016-06-01

To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with depression and stress with perceived quality of life and the salivary cortisol levels in Community Health Agent (CHA). Materials and Methods Cross-sectional descriptive study of CHAs in Pelotas-RS, Brazil. Data collection, including sociodemographic information and factors related to work and health. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) II was used to assess depressive symptoms, Inventory of Stress Symptoms Lipp (ISSL) was used for the analysis of stress and the WHOQOL-BREF was used to investigate quality of life. Salivary cortisol was quantified via ELISA test. The assessments showed that 71.0% are in a state of stress resistance, 30.5% were in the alert state of stress and 32.8% were in the stress state of exhaustion. Depressive episodes (BDI≥12) were observed in 28.2%. The environmental domain had the lowest score for quality of life. We observed significantly higher salivary cortisol levels in CHAs with less than 1 year of service and with the lowest quality of life scores in the environmental subsection. A high prevalence of stress and depression was observed in this sample of CHAs. In addition, the worst levels of quality of life were identified in the environmental subsection. Cortisol levels corroborate these findings regarding quality of life within the environmental domain and began working less than a year previously.

Accounting for natural resources and environmental sustainability: linking ecosystem services to human well-being.

PubMed

Jordan, Stephen J; Hayes, Sharon E; Yoskowitz, David; Smith, Lisa M; Summers, J Kevin; Russell, Marc; Benson, William H

2010-03-01

One of society's greatest challenges is to sustain natural resources while promoting economic growth and quality of life. In the face of this challenge, society must measure the effectiveness of programs established to safeguard the environment. The impetus for demonstrating positive results from government-sponsored research and regulation in the United States comes from Congress (General Accountability Office; GAO) and the Executive Branch (Office of Management and Budget; OMB). The message is: regulatory and research programs must demonstrate outcomes that justify their costs. Although the concept is simple, it is a complex problem to demonstrate that environmental research, policies, and regulations cause measurable changes in environmental quality. Even where changes in environmental quality can be tracked reliably, the connections between government actions and environmental outcomes seldom are direct or straightforward. In this article, we describe emerging efforts (with emphasis on the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; EPA) to frame and measure environmental outcomes in terms of ecosystem services and values-societally and ecologically meaningful metrics for gauging how well we manage environmental resources. As examples of accounting for outcomes and values, we present a novel, low-cost method for determining relative values of multiple ecosystem services, and describe emerging research on indicators of human well-being.

Biomarker discovery study design for type 1 diabetes in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study.

PubMed

Lee, Hye-Seung; Burkhardt, Brant R; McLeod, Wendy; Smith, Susan; Eberhard, Chris; Lynch, Kristian; Hadley, David; Rewers, Marian; Simell, Olli; She, Jin-Xiong; Hagopian, Bill; Lernmark, Ake; Akolkar, Beena; Ziegler, Anette G; Krischer, Jeffrey P

2014-07-01

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young planned biomarker discovery studies on longitudinal samples for persistent confirmed islet cell autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes using dietary biomarkers, metabolomics, microbiome/viral metagenomics and gene expression. This article describes the details of planning The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young biomarker discovery studies using a nested case-control design that was chosen as an alternative to the full cohort analysis. In the frame of a nested case-control design, it guides the choice of matching factors, selection of controls, preparation of external quality control samples and reduction of batch effects along with proper sample allocation. Our design is to reduce potential bias and retain study power while reducing the costs by limiting the numbers of samples requiring laboratory analyses. It also covers two primary end points (the occurrence of diabetes-related autoantibodies and the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes). The resulting list of case-control matched samples for each laboratory was augmented with external quality control samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

30 CFR 250.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... and 250.304 of this part: Air pollutant means any combination of agents for which the Environmental... shown by monitored data or which is calculated by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by... standards established by EPA. Best available control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on...

O3, CO2 and chemical fractionation in ponderosa pine saplings

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental factors can affect plant tissue quality which is important for quality of organic matter inputs into soil food webs and decomposition of soil organic matter. Thus the effects of increases in CO2 and O3 and their interactions were determined for various chemical fra...

Quantitative evaluation of water quality in the coastal zone by remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, W. P.

1971-01-01

Remote sensing as a tool in a waste management program is discussed. By monitoring both the pollution sources and the environmental quality, the interaction between the components of the exturaine system was observed. The need for in situ sampling is reduced with the development of improved calibrated, multichannel sensors. Remote sensing is used for: (1) pollution source determination, (2) mapping the influence zone of the waste source on water quality parameters, and (3) estimating the magnitude of the water quality parameters. Diffusion coefficients and circulation patterns can also be determined by remote sensing, along with subtle changes in vegetative patterns and density.

Validation of selected analytical methods using accuracy profiles to assess the impact of a Tobacco Heating System on indoor air quality.

PubMed

Mottier, Nicolas; Tharin, Manuel; Cluse, Camille; Crudo, Jean-René; Lueso, María Gómez; Goujon-Ginglinger, Catherine G; Jaquier, Anne; Mitova, Maya I; Rouget, Emmanuel G R; Schaller, Mathieu; Solioz, Jennifer

2016-09-01

Studies in environmentally controlled rooms have been used over the years to assess the impact of environmental tobacco smoke on indoor air quality. As new tobacco products are developed, it is important to determine their impact on air quality when used indoors. Before such an assessment can take place it is essential that the analytical methods used to assess indoor air quality are validated and shown to be fit for their intended purpose. Consequently, for this assessment, an environmentally controlled room was built and seven analytical methods, representing eighteen analytes, were validated. The validations were carried out with smoking machines using a matrix-based approach applying the accuracy profile procedure. The performances of the methods were compared for all three matrices under investigation: background air samples, the environmental aerosol of Tobacco Heating System THS 2.2, a heat-not-burn tobacco product developed by Philip Morris International, and the environmental tobacco smoke of a cigarette. The environmental aerosol generated by the THS 2.2 device did not have any appreciable impact on the performances of the methods. The comparison between the background and THS 2.2 environmental aerosol samples generated by smoking machines showed that only five compounds were higher when THS 2.2 was used in the environmentally controlled room. Regarding environmental tobacco smoke from cigarettes, the yields of all analytes were clearly above those obtained with the other two air sample types. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of Microbial Water Quality Indicators and Fecal Waterborne Pathogens in Environmental Waters: A Review of Methods, Applications, and Limitations

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental waters are important reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms, many of which are of fecal origin. In most cases, the presence of pathogens is determined using surrogate bacterial indicators. In other cases, direct detection of the pathogen in question is required. M...

7 CFR 372.8 - Major planning and decision points and public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... addressed in the environmental impact statement process. (1) A notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement will be published in the Federal Register as soon as it is determined that a proposed major Federal action has the potential to affect significantly the quality of the human environment. The...

7 CFR 372.8 - Major planning and decision points and public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... addressed in the environmental impact statement process. (1) A notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement will be published in the Federal Register as soon as it is determined that a proposed major Federal action has the potential to affect significantly the quality of the human environment. The...

77 FR 28264 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Ohio; Determination...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-14

... Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..., Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2023. The telephone [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. What action is EPA taking? II. What is the effect of this...

77 FR 23130 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Connecticut; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-18

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R01-OAR-2011-0711; FRL-9660-2] Approval and... Ozone Standard for the Greater Connecticut Area; Correction AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA... nonattainment area did not meet the applicable deadline of November 15, 2007, for attaining the one-hour...

Detection limits and cost comparisons of human- and gull-associated conventional and quantitative PCR assays in artificial and environmental waters

EPA Science Inventory

Modern techniques for tracking fecal pollution in environmental waters require investing in DNA-based methods to determine the presence of specific fecal sources. To help water quality managers decide whether to employ routine polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or quantitative PC...

76 FR 19309 - Solicitation of Letters of Interest To Participate in National Environmental Policy Act Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

... environmental analyses and documents required under NEPA to determine the extent to which these approaches improve the quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness of such analyses and documents. The pilot project will focus only on NEPA analyses and documents associated with petitions for nonregulated status for GE...

DEMONSTRATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT OF DIOXIN AND DIOXIN-LIKE COMPOUNDS IN SOIL AND SEDIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The demonstration of technologies for determining the presence of dioxin in soil and sediment is being conducted under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in Saginaw, Michigan, at Green Point Environmental Learning Center fr...

Greenwich Township Environmental Analysis: A Field Study 1972-74.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahorik, J. Wesley, Ed.

This project attempted to develop a baseline on which the community could assess its own local environment. The objectives of the study include developing a list of references and resources, developing an assessment model for community use, composing an environmental quality index, determining areas to be protected and persuading decision-making…

A regional classification scheme for estimating reference water quality in streams using land-use-adjusted spatial regression-tree analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, D.A.; Heisey, D.M.

2006-01-01

Various approaches are used to subdivide large areas into regions containing streams that have similar reference or background water quality and that respond similarly to different factors. For many applications, such as establishing reference conditions, it is preferable to use physical characteristics that are not affected by human activities to delineate these regions. However, most approaches, such as ecoregion classifications, rely on land use to delineate regions or have difficulties compensating for the effects of land use. Land use not only directly affects water quality, but it is often correlated with the factors used to define the regions. In this article, we describe modifications to SPARTA (spatial regression-tree analysis), a relatively new approach applied to water-quality and environmental characteristic data to delineate zones with similar factors affecting water quality. In this modified approach, land-use-adjusted (residualized) water quality and environmental characteristics are computed for each site. Regression-tree analysis is applied to the residualized data to determine the most statistically important environmental characteristics describing the distribution of a specific water-quality constituent. Geographic information for small basins throughout the study area is then used to subdivide the area into relatively homogeneous environmental water-quality zones. For each zone, commonly used approaches are subsequently used to define its reference water quality and how its water quality responds to changes in land use. SPARTA is used to delineate zones of similar reference concentrations of total phosphorus and suspended sediment throughout the upper Midwestern part of the United States. ?? 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Impact of Medicare Advantage penetration and hospital competition on technical efficiency of nursing care in US intensive care units.

PubMed

Min, Ari; Scott, Linda D; Park, Chang; Vincent, Catherine; Ryan, Catherine J; Lee, Taewha

2018-04-10

This study aimed to evaluate technical efficiency of US intensive care units and determine the effects of environmental factors on technical efficiency in providing quality of nursing care. Data were obtained from the 2014 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Data envelopment analysis was used to estimate technical efficiency for each intensive care unit. Multilevel modeling was used to determine the effects of environmental factors on technical efficiency. Overall, Medicare Advantage penetration and hospital competition in a market did not create pressure for intensive care units to become more efficient by reducing their inputs. However, these 2 environmental factors showed positive influences on technical efficiency in intensive care units with certain levels of technical efficiency. The implications of the study results for management strategies and health policy may vary according to the levels of technical efficiency in intensive care units. Further studies are needed to examine why and how intensive care units with particular levels of technical efficiency are differently affected by certain environmental factors. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

COMPARATIVE ECLOGICAL CONDITION OF BAYOUS TEXAR, CHICO AND GRANDE

EPA Science Inventory

Water and sediment quality in three urban bayous or tidal estuaries located near Pensacola, Florida, were determined at 23 sampling stations over a three year period during which hurricane and dredging activity occurred. Our primary objective was to determine the environmental co...

Environmental health and hazardous waste issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border.

PubMed Central

Carter, D E; Peña, C; Varady, R; Suk, W A

1996-01-01

Environmental health and environmental quality issues along the U.S.-Mexico border have been of concern for several years. The enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the presence of the maquiladoras (foreign-owned industries using imported raw materials) have intensified those concerns recently. Efforts to assess these issues are complicated by the fact that many of the issues affecting the border region are within federal jurisdiction, but the problems are regional and local in nature. Thus, state and local governments become involved with public concerns about real and potential problems. One major problem is that environmental health data from this region are lacking, particularly from Mexico. Some new agencies such as the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission, and the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation have joined several existing agencies at the federal and state level to address environmental quality and health. Several studies have been initiated to determine air and water quality, but little is being done in the areas of hazardous waste and health assessment. Several problems are anticipated in the generation of such data, such as its format and accessibility. Data gaps and research needs are discussed. PMID:8793340

A framework to determine the locations of the environmental monitoring in an estuary of the Yellow Sea.

PubMed

Kim, Nam-Hoon; Hwang, Jin Hwan; Cho, Jaegab; Kim, Jae Seong

2018-06-04

The characteristics of an estuary are determined by various factors as like as tide, wave, river discharge, etc. which also control the water quality of the estuary. Therefore, detecting the changes of characteristics is critical in managing the environmental qualities and pollution and so the locations of monitoring should be selected carefully. The present study proposes a framework to deploy the monitoring systems based on a graphical method of the spatial and temporal optimizations. With the well-validated numerical simulation results, the monitoring locations are determined to capture the changes of water qualities and pollutants depending on the variations of tide, current and freshwater discharge. The deployment strategy to find the appropriate monitoring locations is designed with the constrained optimization method, which finds solutions by constraining the objective function into the feasible regions. The objective and constrained functions are constructed with the interpolation technique such as objective analysis. Even with the smaller number of the monitoring locations, the present method performs well equivalently to the arbitrarily and evenly deployed monitoring system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating sustainable water quality management in the U.S.: Urban, Agricultural, and Environmental Protection Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Oel, P. R.; Alfredo, K. A.; Russo, T. A.

2015-12-01

Sustainable water management typically emphasizes water resource quantity, with focus directed at availability and use practices. When attention is placed on sustainable water quality management, the holistic, cross-sector perspective inherent to sustainability is often lost. Proper water quality management is a critical component of sustainable development practices. However, sustainable development definitions and metrics related to water quality resilience and management are often not well defined; water quality is often buried in large indicator sets used for analysis, and the policy regulating management practices create sector specific burdens for ensuring adequate water quality. In this research, we investigated the methods by which water quality is evaluated through internationally applied indicators and incorporated into the larger idea of "sustainability." We also dissect policy's role in the distribution of responsibility with regard to water quality management in the United States through evaluation of three broad sectors: urban, agriculture, and environmental water quality. Our research concludes that despite a growing intention to use a single system approach for urban, agricultural, and environmental water quality management, one does not yet exist and is even hindered by our current policies and regulations. As policy continues to lead in determining water quality and defining contamination limits, new regulation must reconcile the disparity in requirements for the contaminators and those performing end-of-pipe treatment. Just as the sustainable development indicators we researched tried to integrate environmental, economic, and social aspects without skewing focus to one of these three categories, policy cannot continue to regulate a single sector of society without considering impacts to the entire watershed and/or region. Unequal distribution of the water pollution burden creates disjointed economic growth, infrastructure development, and policy enactment across the sectors preventing a holistic approach to water quality management and, thus, rendering our system unsustainable.

36 CFR 1010.6 - Determination of requirement for EA or EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for EA or EIS. 1010.6 Section 1010.6 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.6 Determination of requirement for EA or EIS. In deciding whether to require the preparation of an EA or an EIS, the NEPA Compliance Coordinator will determine whether the proposal is one...

Detection of coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli by multiplex polymerase chain reaction: comparison with defined substrate and plating methods for water quality monitoring.

PubMed Central

Bej, A K; McCarty, S C; Atlas, R M

1991-01-01

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene probe detection of target lacZ and uidA genes were used to detect total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli, respectively, for determining water quality. In tests of environmental water samples, the lacZ PCR method gave results statistically equivalent to those of the plate count and defined substrate methods accepted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for water quality monitoring and the uidA PCR method was more sensitive than 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide-based defined substrate tests for specific detection of E. coli. Images PMID:1768116

77 FR 73387 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determinations of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-10

... Ozone Standard for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Moderate Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental... independent determinations regarding the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (the.... Among those nonattainment areas is the Pittsburgh Area, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver...

75 FR 57186 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-20

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R04-OAR-2010-0203-201035; FRL-9202-9] Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes... determination that the Birmingham, Alabama, nonattainment area has attained the 24-hour fine particulate matter...

76 FR 5078 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; The Milwaukee-Racine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R05-OAR-2010-0850; FRL-9258-7] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; The Milwaukee-Racine and Sheboygan Areas... determinations under the Clean Air Act that the Milwaukee-Racine and Sheboygan, Wisconsin areas have attained the...

77 FR 14712 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Massachusetts; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-13

... Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection performed a missing data analysis for each site with low... Massachusetts missing data analysis used a combination of meteorology and air quality data for ozone monitors... with missing ozone data, the ozone levels, if captured, would have been below the 1997 8-hour ozone...

77 FR 52232 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-29

...: Bristol; Determination of Attaining Data for the 2008 Lead Standards AGENCY: Environmental Protection... nonattainment area (hereafter also referred to as the ``Bristol Area'' or ``Area'') has attained the 2008 lead... 2008 lead national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or standard) has attained the 2008 lead NAAQS...

78 FR 66280 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio: Bellefontaine; Determination...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-05

... Attainment for the 2008 Lead Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Direct final... area has attained the 2008 lead (Pb) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or standard). In... of designations for the 2008 Lead NAAQS on November 22, 2011. See 76 FR 72097. No additional areas in...

76 FR 51471 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-18

... to make a determination as to whether a certification or waiver by the applicable State water quality agency is required under section 21 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1341(a...: Environmental Information; and Supplemental Information on Water Quality Consideration under 33 U.S.C. 1341(a...

Biological, habitat, and water quality conditions in the upper Merced River drainage, Yosemite National Park, California, 1993-1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; Short, Terry M.

1999-01-01

The general conclusion from these studies is that water quality in the upper Merced River was very good from 1993-1996, despite high levels of human activities in some areas. Fish communities did not appear to be a useful indicator of habitat and water quality because of low species richness and the apparent importance of physical barriers in determining species distributions. Measurements of fish densities and size-distributions might be useful, but would be logistically difficult. Benthic algae and benthic invertebrates do appear to be useful in monitoring environmental conditions. Benthic algae may be more sensitive than benthic invertebrates to small environmental differences within years. Benthic algae were also more responsive than benthic invertebrates to differences in discharge between years. Thus, benthic invertebrates may be more useful in comparing environmental conditions between years, independent of discharge conditions.

Sense of coherence--a determinant of quality of life over time in older female acute myocardial infarction survivors.

PubMed

Norekvål, Tone M; Fridlund, Bengt; Moons, Philip; Nordrehaug, Jan E; Saevareid, Hans I; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Hanestad, Berit R

2010-03-01

To determine the relationships between different sense of coherence levels and quality of life, and in older female myocardial infarction survivors; to investigate how socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, sense of coherence self-reported symptoms and function affect quality of life; and to determine whether sense of coherence and quality of life are stable during a six-month follow-up. Myocardial infraction confers new physical and mental challenges. However, research on sense of coherence and other factors involved in maintaining physical, psychosocial and environmental aspects of quality of life in older female myocardial infraction survivors is scant. Survey. A postal survey was conducted of 145 women, aged 62-80 years, three months to five years after myocardial infarction (T1), with a follow-up after six months (T2). Self-reported socio-demographic and clinical data and hospital medical records data were collected. The sense of coherence scale (SOC-29) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Abbreviated (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. We found a significant difference in quality of life between weak, moderate, and strong sense of coherence groups (p<0.001). Sense of coherence contributed to the level of all quality of life domains (p<0.001). Several clinical characteristics contributed to quality of life: (1) physical domain: comorbidities (p<0.001), previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.013), ejection fraction (p<0.011), length of hospital stay (p = 0.005) symptoms and function (p<0.001); (2) psychological domain: previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.031) and symptoms and function (p<0.001); and (3) environmental domain: education (p = 0.033) and symptoms and function (p = 0.003). On group level, both sense of coherence and quality of life were stable. Experiencing specific health changes (p<0.001), not major life events, influenced quality of life during the six-month follow-up. Sense of coherence was an important stable determinant of quality of life domains in female myocardial infarction survivors. Although other factors were identified, further research is needed to elucidate additional determinants of quality of life. These specific factors could guide clinicians in making treatment decisions that optimize the quality of life of their patients. Applying a salutogenic perspective through patient education may be important.

Semi-annual report of the Department of Energy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Quality Assessment Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanderson, C.G.; Scarpitta, S.C.

1991-07-01

This report presents the results from the analysis of the 34th set of environmental quality assessment samples (QAP 34) that were received on or before June 10, 1991. This Quality Assessment Program (QAP) is designed to test the quality of the environmental measurements being reported to the Department of Energy by its contractors. Since 1976, real or synthetic environmental samples that have been prepared and thoroughly analyzed at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) have been distributed at first quarterly and then semi-annually to these contractors. Their results, which are returned to EML within 90 days, are compiled with EML's resultsmore » and are reported back to the participating contractors 30 days later. A summary of the reported results is available to the participants 3 days after the reporting deadline via a modem-telephone connection to the EML computer. The EML value'' listed in the tables to which the contractors' results are compared is the mean of replicate determination for each nuclide. The EML uncertainty is the standard error of the mean. All other uncertainties are as reported by the participants.« less

A Service-Learning Project in Chemistry: Environmental Monitoring of a Nature Preserve

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kammler, David C.; Truong, Triet M.; VanNess, Garrett; McGowin, Audrey E.

2012-01-01

A collaborative environmental service-learning project was implemented between upper-level undergraduate science majors and graduate chemistry students at a large state school and first-year students at a small private liberal arts college. Students analyzed the water quality in a nature preserve by determining the quantities of 12 trace metals,…

[Association between psychosocial aspects of work and quality of life among motorcycle taxi drivers].

PubMed

Teixeira, Jules Ramon Brito; Boery, Eduardo Nagib; Casotti, Cezar Augusto; Araújo, Tânia Maria de; Pereira, Rafael; Ribeiro, Ícaro José Santos; Rios, Marcela Andrade; Amorim, Camila Rego; Moreira, Ramon Missias; Boery, Rita Narriman Silva de Oliveira; Sales, Zenilda Nogueira

2015-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of motorcycle taxi drivers and the association with psychosocial characteristics of their work. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 400 motorcycle taxi drivers in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The study used a form containing demographic and socioeconomic data, WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Motorcycle taxi drivers with greater decision-making control over their work showed better self-rated quality of life in the psychological domain; those with high psychological demands presented better self-rated quality of life in the social relations and environmental domains; those with high strain and active work showed better self-rated quality of life in the social and environmental domains. The psychosocial work environment and especially decision-making autonomy were thus important determinants of self-rated quality of life in this group of motorcycle taxi drivers.

Understanding determinants of nutrition, physical activity and quality of life among older adults: the Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life (WELL) study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Nutrition and physical activity are major determinants of health and quality of life; however, there exists little research focusing on determinants of these behaviours in older adults. This is important, since just as these behaviours vary according to subpopulation, it is likely that the determinants also vary. An understanding of the modifiable determinants of nutrition and physical activity behaviours among older adults to take into account the specific life-stage context is required in order to develop effective interventions to promote health and well-being and prevent chronic disease and improve quality of life. Methods The aim of this work is to identify how intrapersonal, social and environmental factors influence nutrition and physical activity behaviours among older adults living in urban and rural areas. This study is a cohort study of adults aged 55-65 years across urban and rural Victoria, Australia. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline in 2010 and will complete follow-up questionnaires in 2012 and 2014. Self-report questionnaires will be used to assess outcomes such as food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, anthropometry and quality of life. Explanatory variables include socioeconomic position, and measures of the three levels of influence on older adults’ nutrition and physical activity behaviours (intrapersonal, social and perceived environmental influences). Discussion Obesity and its determinant behaviours, physical inactivity and poor diet are major public health concerns and are significant determinants of the quality of life among the ageing population. There is a critical need for a better understanding of the determinants of nutrition and physical activity in this important target group. This research will provide evidence for the development of effective policies and programs to promote and support increased physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among older adults. PMID:22966959

Geographical Variations in the Environmental Determinants of Physical Inactivity among U.S. Adults.

PubMed

An, Ruopeng; Li, Xinye; Jiang, Ning

2017-10-31

Physical inactivity is a major modifiable risk factor for morbidity, disability and premature mortality worldwide. This study assessed the geographical variations in the impact of environmental quality on physical inactivity among U.S. adults. Data on county-level prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity came from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. County environment was measured by the Environmental Quality Index (EQI), a comprehensive index of environmental conditions that affect human health. The overall EQI consists of five subdomains-air, water, land, social, and built environment. Geographically weighted regressions (GWRs) were performed to estimate and map county-specific impact of overall EQI and its five subdomains on physical inactivity prevalence. The prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity among U.S. counties was 25% in 2005. On average, one standard deviation decrease in the overall EQI was associated with an increase in county-level prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity by nearly 1%. However, substantial geographical variations in the estimated environmental determinants of physical inactivity were present. The estimated changes of county-level prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity resulted from one standard deviation decrease of the overall EQI ranged from an increase of over 3% to a decrease of nearly 2% across U.S. counties. Analogous, the estimated changes of county-level prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity resulted from one standard deviation decrease of the EQI air, water, land, social, and built environment subdomains ranged from an increase of 2.6%, 1.5%, 2.9%, 3.3%, and 1.7% to a decrease of 2.9%, 1.4%, 2.4%, 2.4%, and 0.8% across U.S. counties, respectively. Given the substantial heterogeneities in the environmental determinants of physical inactivity, locally customized physical activity interventions are warranted to address the most concerning area-specific environmental issue.

Are harmful algal blooms becoming the greatest inland water quality threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems?

PubMed

Brooks, Bryan W; Lazorchak, James M; Howard, Meredith D A; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Morton, Steve L; Perkins, Dawn A K; Reavie, Euan D; Scott, Geoffrey I; Smith, Stephanie A; Steevens, Jeffery A

2016-01-01

In this Focus article, the authors ask a seemingly simple question: Are harmful algal blooms (HABs) becoming the greatest inland water quality threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems? When HAB events require restrictions on fisheries, recreation, and drinking water uses of inland water bodies significant economic consequences result. Unfortunately, the magnitude, frequency, and duration of HABs in inland waters are poorly understood across spatiotemporal scales and differentially engaged among states, tribes, and territories. Harmful algal bloom impacts are not as predictable as those from conventional chemical contaminants, for which water quality assessment and management programs were primarily developed, because interactions among multiple natural and anthropogenic factors determine the likelihood and severity to which a HAB will occur in a specific water body. These forcing factors can also affect toxin production. Beyond site-specific water quality degradation caused directly by HABs, the presence of HAB toxins can negatively influence routine surface water quality monitoring, assessment, and management practices. Harmful algal blooms present significant challenges for achieving water quality protection and restoration goals when these toxins confound interpretation of monitoring results and environmental quality standards implementation efforts for other chemicals and stressors. Whether HABs presently represent the greatest threat to inland water quality is debatable, though in inland waters of developed countries they typically cause more severe acute impacts to environmental quality than conventional chemical contamination events. The authors identify several timely research needs. Environmental toxicology, environmental chemistry, and risk-assessment expertise must interface with ecologists, engineers, and public health practitioners to engage the complexities of HAB assessment and management, to address the forcing factors for HAB formation, and to reduce the threats posed to inland surface water quality. © 2015 SETAC.

77 FR 73560 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Redesignation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-11

... the Area. The maintenance plan includes an insignificance determination for the on-road motor vehicle... redesignation. The maintenance plan includes an insignificance determination for the on-road motor vehicle...) Nonattainment Area to Attainment and Approval of the Associated Maintenance Plan AGENCY: Environmental...

78 FR 41901 - Determination of Attainment for the West Central Pinal Nonattainment Area for the 2006 Fine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-12

... reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan, and contingency... for implementation of reasonably available control measures (RACM), reasonable further progress (RFP..., Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, requested that EPA determine whether the West Central Pinal...

Hydro-environmental management of groundwater resources: A fuzzy-based multi-objective compromise approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizadeh, Mohammad Reza; Nikoo, Mohammad Reza; Rakhshandehroo, Gholam Reza

2017-08-01

Sustainable management of water resources necessitates close attention to social, economic and environmental aspects such as water quality and quantity concerns and potential conflicts. This study presents a new fuzzy-based multi-objective compromise methodology to determine the socio-optimal and sustainable policies for hydro-environmental management of groundwater resources, which simultaneously considers the conflicts and negotiation of involved stakeholders, uncertainties in decision makers' preferences, existing uncertainties in the groundwater parameters and groundwater quality and quantity issues. The fuzzy multi-objective simulation-optimization model is developed based on qualitative and quantitative groundwater simulation model (MODFLOW and MT3D), multi-objective optimization model (NSGA-II), Monte Carlo analysis and Fuzzy Transformation Method (FTM). Best compromise solutions (best management policies) on trade-off curves are determined using four different Fuzzy Social Choice (FSC) methods. Finally, a unanimity fallback bargaining method is utilized to suggest the most preferred FSC method. Kavar-Maharloo aquifer system in Fars, Iran, as a typical multi-stakeholder multi-objective real-world problem is considered to verify the proposed methodology. Results showed an effective performance of the framework for determining the most sustainable allocation policy in groundwater resource management.

Characterization of water-quality and bed-sediment conditions in Currituck Sound, North Carolina, prior to the Mid-Currituck Bridge construction, 2011–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Chad R.; Fitzgerald, Sharon; Antolino, Dominick J.

2015-12-24

The characterization of water-quality and bed-sediment chemistry in Currituck Sound along the proposed alignment of the Mid-Currituck Bridge summarized herein provides a baseline for determining the effect of bridge construction and bridge deck runoff on environmental conditions in Currituck Sound.

Knowledge Translation Strategies in a Community-University Partnership: Examining Local Quality of Life (QoL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Allison; Holden, Bill; Krebs, Peter; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Waygood, Kate; Randall, James; Spence, Cara

2008-01-01

There is a growing interest in quality of life as an integrated approach to addressing key social, environmental and economic determinants of health. The University of Saskatchewan's Community-University Institute for Social Research, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (grant #410-2004-0669) has examined the process and…

76 FR 18650 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... determination, in accordance with 40 CFR 52.1004(c), suspends the requirements for this area to submit an... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R04-OAR-2010-0798-201048; FRL-9288-8] Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes...

77 FR 3220 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Massachusetts; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-23

... of Environmental Protection performed a missing data analysis for this site in accordance with the regulatory requirements of 40 CFR part 50, Appendix I. The Massachusetts missing data analysis used a combination of meteorology and air quality data for ozone monitors near the Adams site for the missing days to...

75 FR 69589 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; New York, New Jersey, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

...; Determination of Attainment of the 1997 Fine Particle Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA...-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT fine particle (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particle National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) has attained the 1997 PM 2.5 NAAQS. DATES: Effective...

43 CFR 404.49 - What criteria will Reclamation use to determine whether to recommend that a proposed rural water...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...; (3) Addresses environmental quality and source water protection issues; (4) Addresses opportunities to treat and use low-quality or non-potable water, water-reuse based supplies, and brackish and... technologies to reduce water use and water system costs; (6) Addresses opportunities to take advantage of...

River water quality and pollution sources in the Pearl River Delta, China.

PubMed

Ouyang, Tingping; Zhu, Zhaoyu; Kuang, Yaoqiu

2005-07-01

Some physicochemical parameters were determined for thirty field water samples collected from different water channels in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone river system. The analytical results were compared with the environmental quality standards for surface water. Using the SPSS software, statistical analyses were performed to determine the main pollutants of the river water. The main purpose of the present research is to investigate the river water quality and to determine the main pollutants and pollution sources. Furthermore, the research provides some approaches for protecting and improving river water quality. The results indicate that the predominant pollutants are ammonium, phosphorus, and organic compounds. The wastewater discharged from households in urban and rural areas, industrial facilities, and non-point sources from agricultural areas are the main sources of pollution in river water in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone.

Improvement of the environmental and operational characteristics of vehicles through decreasing the motor fuel density.

PubMed

Magaril, Elena

2016-04-01

The environmental and operational characteristics of motor transport, one of the main consumers of motor fuel and source of toxic emissions, soot, and greenhouse gases, are determined to a large extent by the fuel quality which is characterized by many parameters. Fuel density is one of these parameters and it can serve as an indicator of fuel quality. It has been theoretically substantiated that an increased density of motor fuel has a negative impact both on the environmental and operational characteristics of motor transport. The use of fuels with a high density leads to an increase in carbonization within the engine, adversely affecting the vehicle performance and increasing environmental pollution. A program of technological measures targeted at reducing the density of the fuel used was offered. It includes a solution to the problem posed by changes in the refining capacities ratio and the temperature range of gasoline and diesel fuel boiling, by introducing fuel additives and adding butanes to the gasoline. An environmental tax has been developed which allows oil refineries to have a direct impact on the production of fuels with improved environmental performance, taking into account the need to minimize the density of the fuel within a given category of quality.

Region 8: Utah Adequate Letter (6/10/2005)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This letter from EPA to Utah Department of Environmental Quality determined Salt Lake Citys' and Ogdens' Carbon Monoxide (CO) maintenance plan for Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets adequate for transportation conformity purposes.

16 CFR 1.88 - Implementing procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... efforts to improve environmental quality. He will provide assistance to the staff in determining when an... Competition will supplement these procedures for their Bureaus to assure that every proposed rule and guide is...

Identifying the groundwater basin boundaries, using environmental isotopes: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demiroğlu, Muhterem

2017-06-01

Groundwater, which is renewable under current climatic conditions separately from other natural sources, in fact is a finite resource in terms of quality and fossil groundwater. Researchers have long emphasized the necessity of exploiting, operating, conserving and managing groundwater in an efficient and sustainable manner with an integrated water management approach. The management of groundwater needs reliable information about changes on groundwater quantity and quality. Environmental isotopes are the most important tools to provide this support. No matter which method we use to calculate the groundwater budget and flow equations, we need to determine boundary conditions or the physical boundaries of the domain. The Groundwater divide line or basin boundaries that separate the two adjacent basin recharge areas from each other must be drawn correctly to be successful in defining complex groundwater basin boundary conditions. Environmental isotope data, as well as other methods provide support for determining recharge areas of the aquifers, especially for karst aquifers, residence time and interconnections between aquifer systems. This study demonstrates the use of environmental isotope data to interpret and correct groundwater basin boundaries giving as an example the Yeniçıkrı basin within the main Sakarya basin.

Growth and development and their environmental and biological determinants.

PubMed

da Rocha Neves, Kelly; de Souza Morais, Rosane Luzia; Teixeira, Romero Alves; Pinto, Priscilla Avelino Ferreira

2016-01-01

To investigate child growth, cognitive/language development, and their environmental and biological determinants. This was a cross-sectional, predictive correlation study with all 92 children aged 24-36 months who attended the municipal early childhood education network in a town in the Vale do Jequitinhonha region, in 2011. The socioeconomic profile was determined using the questionnaire of the Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. The socio-demographicand maternal and child health profiles were created through a self-prepared questionnaire. The height-for-age indicator was selected to represent growth. Cognitive/language development was assessed through the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development. The quality of educational environments was assessed by Infant/Toddler Environment Scale; the home environment was assessed by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment. The neighborhood quality was determined by a self-prepared questionnaire. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed. Families were predominantly from socioeconomic class D, with low parental education. The prevalence of stunted growth was 14.1%; cognitive and language development were below average at 28.6% and 28.3%, respectively. Educational institutions were classified as inadequate, and 69.6% of homes were classified as presenting a risk for development. Factors such as access to parks and pharmacies and perceived security received the worst score regarding neighborhood environment. Biological variables showed a greater association with growth and environmental variables with development. The results showed a high prevalence of stunting and below-average results for cognitive/language development among the participating children. Both environmental and biological factors were related to growth and development. However, biological variables showed a greater association with growth, whereas environmental variables were associated with development. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The Use of Input-Output Control System Analysis for Sustainable Development of Multivariable Environmental Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koliopoulos, T. C.; Koliopoulou, G.

2007-10-01

We present an input-output solution for simulating the associated behavior and optimized physical needs of an environmental system. The simulations and numerical analysis determined the accurate boundary loads and areas that were required to interact for the proper physical operation of a complicated environmental system. A case study was conducted to simulate the optimum balance of an environmental system based on an artificial intelligent multi-interacting input-output numerical scheme. The numerical results were focused on probable further environmental management techniques, with the objective of minimizing any risks and associated environmental impact to protect the quality of public health and the environment. Our conclusions allowed us to minimize the associated risks, focusing on probable cases in an emergency to protect the surrounded anthropogenic or natural environment. Therefore, the lining magnitude could be determined for any useful associated technical works to support the environmental system under examination, taking into account its particular boundary necessities and constraints.

77 FR 38246 - Revisions to the Arizona State Implementation Plan, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

... the Arizona State Implementation Plan, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Maricopa County Air Quality Department, and Pima County Department of Environmental Quality AGENCY: Environmental... Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD), and Pima County...

Healthy People 2020: Leading Health Indicators

MedlinePlus

... Environmental Quality Injury and Violence Maternal, Infant, and Child Health Mental Health Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Oral Health Reproductive and Sexual Health Social Determinants Substance Abuse Tobacco Leading Health Indicators Healthy People 2020 provides ...

Transportation fuels and vehicles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-06-24

Environmental concerns are currently the primary driver of innovation in the area of Transportation Fuels and Vehicles. Road vehicle emissions are a significant determinant of urban air quality and produce a very substantial quantity of carbon dioxid...

Evaluation of Environmental Quality Productive Ecosystem Guayas (Ecuador).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozo, Wilson; Pardo, Francisco; Sanfeliu, Teófilo; Carrera, Gloria; Jordan, Manuel; Bech, Jaume; Roca, Núria

2015-04-01

Natural resources are deteriorating very rapidly in the Gulf of Guayaquil and the area of influence in the Guayas Basin due to human activity. Specific problems are generated by the mismanagement of the aquaculture industry affecting the traditional agricultural sectors: rice, banana, sugarcane, cocoa, coffee, and soya also studied, and by human and industrial settlements. The development of industrial activities such as aquaculture (shrimp building for shrimp farming in ponds) and agriculture, have increasingly contributed to the generation of waste, degrading and potentially toxic elements in high concentrations, which can have adverse effects on organisms in the ecosystems, in the health of the population and damage the ecological and environmental balance. The productive Guayas ecosystem, consists of three interrelated ecosystems, the Gulf of Guayaquil, the Guayas River estuary and the Guayas Basin buffer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental quality of the productive Guayas ecosystem (Ecuador), through operational and specific objectives: 1) Draw up the transition coastal zone in the Gulf of Guayaquil, 2) Set temporal spatial variability of soil salinity in wetlands rice, Lower Guayas Basin, 3) evaluate the heavy metals in wetland rice in the Lower Basin of Guayas. The physical and chemical parameters of the soils have been studied. These are indicators of environmental quality. The multivariate statistical method showed the relations of similarities and dissimilarities between variables and parameter studies as stable. Moreover, the boundaries of coastal transition areas, temporal spatial variability of soil salinity and heavy metals in rice cultivation in the Lower Basin of Guayas were researched. The sequential studies included and discussed represent a broad framework of fundamental issues that has been valued as a basic component of the productive Guayas ecosystem. They are determinants of the environmental quality of the Guayas productive ecosystem. Keyword: Evaluation, Environmental Quality, Productive Ecosystem

Sex-specific genotype-by-environment interactions for cuticular hydrocarbon expression in decorated crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus: implications for the evolution of signal reliability.

PubMed

Weddle, C B; Mitchell, C; Bay, S K; Sakaluk, S K; Hunt, J

2012-10-01

Phenotypic traits that convey information about individual identity or quality are important in animal social interactions, and the degree to which such traits are influenced by environmental variation can have profound effects on the reliability of these cues. Using inbred genetic lines of the decorated cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus, we manipulated diet quality to test how the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of males and females respond across two different nutritional rearing environments. There were significant differences between lines in the CHC profiles of females, but the effect of diet was not quite statistically significant. There was no significant genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI), suggesting that environmental effects on phenotypic variation in female CHCs are independent of genotype. There was, however, a significant effect of GEI for males, with changes in both signal quantity and content, suggesting that environmental effects on phenotypic expression of male CHCs are dependent on genotype. The differential response of male and female CHC expression to variation in the nutritional environment suggests that these chemical cues may be under sex-specific selection for signal reliability. Female CHCs show the characteristics of reliable cues of identity: high genetic variability, low condition dependence and a high degree of genetic determination. This supports earlier work showing that female CHCs are used in self-recognition to identify previous mates and facilitate polyandry. In contrast, male CHCs show the characteristics of reliable cues of quality: condition dependence and a relatively higher degree of environmental determination. This suggests that male CHCs are likely to function as cues of underlying quality during mate choice and/or male dominance interactions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

40 CFR 1518.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT FUND... Management Fund (“Fund”): The Management Fund for the Office of Environmental Quality. (d) Interagency... of Environmental Quality. The Environmental Quality Improvement Act specifies that the Chairman of...

The commensurability of environmental geology and petroleum geology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Argen, R.J.

1990-05-01

Environmental geology and petroleum geology are practical applications of pure geology. These two applied sciences differ with respect to their philosophical and ethical mandates. A good petroleum geologist finds hydrocarbons, but the role of a good environmental geologist is not well defined. If the good environmental geologist's role is not simply to protect the environment from the good petroleum geologist then how do the mandates of these geologists differ, yet remain compatible If the mandate of a good environmental geologist were to protect every natural resource from all managed use, then the good environmental geologist and the good petroleum geologistmore » would forever be at war. This mandate provides no framework for agreement because it assumes the inherent worth of each natural resource is discoverable. If the mandate of a good environmental geologist is to discover how to maximize the long-term benefits of the managed use of natural resource, then both the good environmental geologist and the good petroleum geologist would agree that no natural resource has inherent worth. The value of a natural resource is not determined by what it is, but by how it enhances the quality of life for a particular class of sentient creatures. An instrumental theory of value will provide a medium for interim disagreement on how to enhance the quality of life for sentient creatures, and also will provide the means for a long-term agreement that the managed use of natural resources enhances the long-term quality of life for sentient creatures.« less

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Closure of the Central Facilities Area Sewage Treatment Plant Lagoon 3 and Land Application Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewis, Michael G.

This quality assurance project plan describes the technical requirements and quality assurance activities of the environmental data collection/analyses operations to close Central Facilities Area Sewage treatment Plant Lagoon 3 and the land application area. It describes the organization and persons involved, the data quality objectives, the analytical procedures, and the specific quality control measures to be employed. All quality assurance project plan activities are implemented to determine whether the results of the sampling and monitoring performed are of the right type, quantity, and quality to satisfy the requirements for closing Lagoon 3 and the land application area.

75 FR 27944 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

...; State of California; PM-10; Determination of Attainment for the Coso Junction Nonattainment Area... Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is finalizing its determination that the Coso Junction... Officer, GBUAPCD, to Doris Lo, Environmental Protection Specialist, EPA, with CosoJunction2010--MetAndTEOM...

Determining average yarding distance.

Treesearch

Roger H. Twito; Charles N. Mann

1979-01-01

Emphasis on environmental and esthetic quality in timber harvesting has brought about increased use of complex boundaries of cutting units and a consequent need for a rapid and accurate method of determining the average yarding distance and area of these units. These values, needed for evaluation of road and landing locations in planning timber harvests, are easily and...

Soil-profile distribution of organic C and N at the end of 6 years of tillage and grazing management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil nitrogen (TSN) are key determinants for evaluating agricultural management practices to address climate change, environmental quality, and soil productivity issues. We determined SOC, TSN, and particulate organic C and N depth distributions and cum...

78 FR 63881 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determinations of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R03-OAR-2012-0769; FRL-9901-81-Region 3... of the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Standards for the Liberty-Clairton Nonattainment Area AGENCY... area (the Liberty-Clairton Area). First, EPA is determining that the Liberty-Clairton Area attained the...

76 FR 12860 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisville...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

...; Determination of Attainment of the 1997 Annual Fine Particle Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... Kentucky) fine particle (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment area has attained the 1997 annual average PM 2.5 National... rule, pertaining to the determination of attainment of the fine particle standards for the Louisville...

75 FR 55725 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisville...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-14

...; Determination of Attainment of the Fine Particle Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION...) fine particle (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment area has attained the 1997 annual average PM 2.5 National Ambient... particle standard for the bi-state Louisville (Indiana and Kentucky) area, involves proposed determinations...

77 FR 18922 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determinations of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-29

... determinations, in accordance with 40 CFR 51.1004(c), suspend the requirements for these areas to submit an... Lancaster Nonattainment Areas AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY..., Johnstown, and Lancaster nonattainment areas (hereafter referred to as ``Areas'') for the 24- hour 2006 fine...

Individual quality and age but not environmental or social conditions modulate costs of reproduction in a capital breeder.

PubMed

Debeffe, Lucie; Poissant, Jocelyn; McLoughlin, Philip D

2017-08-01

Costs associated with reproduction are widely known to play a role in the evolution of reproductive tactics with consequences to population and eco-evolutionary dynamics. Evaluating these costs as they pertain to species in the wild remains an important goal of evolutionary ecology. Individual heterogeneity, including differences in individual quality (i.e., among-individual differences in traits associated with survival and reproduction) or state, and variation in environmental and social conditions can modulate the costs of reproduction; however, few studies have considered effects of these factors simultaneously. Taking advantage of a detailed, long-term dataset for a population of feral horses (Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada), we address the question of how intrinsic (quality, age), environmental (winter severity, location), and social conditions (group size, composition, sex ratio, density) influence the costs of reproduction on subsequent reproduction. Individual quality was measured using a multivariate analysis on a combination of four static and dynamic traits expected to depict heterogeneity in individual performance. Female quality and age interacted with reproductive status of the previous year to determine current reproductive effort, while no effect of social or environmental covariates was found. High-quality females showed higher probabilities of giving birth and weaning their foal regardless of their reproductive status the previous year, while those of lower quality showed lower probabilities of producing foals in successive years. Middle-aged (prime) females had the highest probability of giving birth when they had not reproduced the year before, but no such relationship with age was found among females that had reproduced the previous year, indicating that prime-aged females bear higher costs of reproduction. We show that individual quality and age were key factors modulating the costs of reproduction in a capital breeder but that environmental or social conditions were not, highlighting the importance of considering multiple factors when studying costs of reproduction.

Voluntary environmental agreements: Good or bad news for environmental protection?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Segerson, K.; Miceli, T.J.

1998-09-01

There has been growing interest in the use of voluntary agreements (VAs) as an environmental policy tool. This article uses a simple model to determine whether VAs are likely to lead to efficient environmental protection. The authors consider cases where polluters are induced to participate either by a background threat of mandatory controls (the stick approach) or by cost-sharing subsidies (the carrot approach). The results suggest that the overall impact on environmental quality could be positive or negative, depending on a number of factors, including the allocation of bargaining power, the magnitude of the background threat, and the social costmore » of funds.« less

Region 6: Texas Adequate Letter (4/16/2010)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This letter from EPA to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality determined 2021 motor vehicle emission budgets for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for Beaumont/Port Arthur area adequate for transportation conformity purposes

7 CFR 1940.318 - Completing environmental assessments for Class II actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Throughout this assessment process, the preparer will keep in mind the criteria for determining a significant... action has the potential for significantly affecting the quality of the human environment or will...

Multi-biomarker approach using the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) to assess the quality of marine environments: season and habitat-related impacts.

PubMed

Brenner, M; Broeg, K; Frickenhaus, S; Buck, B H; Koehler, A

2014-04-01

Using a comprehensive approach, intertidal, near- and offshore sites in the German Bight were analysed for their environmental quality by assessing the health of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). During a ten month sampling period mussels were studied with a set of biomarkers comprising lysosomal membrane stability and accumulation of lipofuscin, supplemented by biomarkers indicating nutritional status such as neutral lipids and glycogen in the cells of the digestive gland. Data were analysed in relation to sex, gonadal status, condition index and for the presence of parasites, to determine the overall health status of mussels at the respective sites. Mussels from all sites showed clear signs of stress, indicating an inferior environmental quality throughout the southern German Bight. Further, habitat characteristics such as inundation time and growing on- or off-bottom, as well as seasonal factors, can clearly influence the response of biomarkers in mussels exposed to similar levels of chemical environmental stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality and management of wastewater in sugar industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poddar, Pradeep Kumar; Sahu, Omprakash

2017-03-01

Wastewater from sugar industries is one that has complex characteristics and is considered a challenge for environmental engineers in terms of treatment as well as utilization. Before treatment and recycling, determination of physicochemical parameter is an important mechanism. Many different types of techniques are introduced and modified for the purpose, but depend upon the water quality parameters. The main aim of this study is to determine the physicochemical characteristics of sugar industry waste water by the standard method and minimize the fresh water consumption in sugar industry by water pinch methodology.

Environmental flows and water quality objectives for the River Murray.

PubMed

Gippel, C; Jacobs, T; McLeod, T

2002-01-01

Over the past decade, there intense consideration of managing flows in the River Murray to provide environmental benefits. In 1990 the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council adopted a water quality policy: To maintain and, where necessary, improve existing water quality in the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin for all beneficial uses - agricultural, environmental, urban, industrial and recreational, and in 1994 a flow policy: To maintain and where necessary improve existing flow regimes in the waterways of the Murray-Darling Basin to protect and enhance the riverine environment. The Audit of Water Use followed in 1995, culminating in the decision of the Ministerial Council to implement an interim cap on new diversions for consumptive use (the "Cap") in a bid to halt declining river health. In March 1999 the Environmental Flows and Water Quality Objectives for the River Murray Project (the Project) was set up, primarily to establish be developed that aims to achieve a sustainable river environment and water quality, in accordance with community needs, and including an adaptive approach to management and operation of the River. It will lead to objectives for water quality and environmental flows that are feasible, appropriate, have the support of the scientific, management and stakeholder communities, and carry acceptable levels of risk. This paper describes four key aspects of the process being undertaken to determine the objectives, and design the flow options that will meet those objectives: establishment of an appropriate technical, advisory and administrative framework; establishing clear evidence for regulation impacts; undergoing assessment of environmental flow needs; and filling knowledge gaps. A review of the impacts of flow regulation on the health of the River Murray revealed evidence for decline, but the case for flow regulation as the main cause is circumstantial or uncertain. This is to be expected, because the decline of the River Murray results from many factors acting over a long period. Also, the health of the river varies along its length, from highly degraded to reasonably healthy, so it is clear that different approaches will be needed in the various river zones, with some problems requiring reach or even point scale solutions. Environmental flow needs have been determined through two major Expert Panel reports that identified the ecological priorities for the river. The next step is to translate these needs into feasible flow management actions that will provide the necessary hydrological conditions. Several investigations are underway to recommend options for flow management. Two important investigations are described in this paper: how to enhance flows to wetlands of national and international significance, and how to physically alter or change the operation of structures (including a dam, weir, lock, regulator, barrage or causeway), to provide significant environmental benefits. Early modelling suggests that the only option which has a positive environmental effect in all zones of the River is a reduction in overall water consumption.

Temporal trend and determinants of river water quality across urbanization gradients in a coastal city, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, W.; Zhu, X.

2015-12-01

Water contamination in rivers embedded in urbanizing areas is increasingly affected by anthropogenic factors. The impacts may vary with location, time and water variables particularly in rapidly growing areas with clear urbanization gradients. Therefore, characterizing the temporal trend and identifying responsible divers to water quality changes in areas with different urbanization intensity could greatly improve our knowledge about human-water interactions. We employed geographically weighted regression (GWR) to interpret the determinants of river water quality changes in four urban development zones, i.e. central urban, suburban, central county and rural areas. Monitoring data of 8 variables- permanganate (CODMn), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonium (NH3-N), petroleum (oil), volatile phenol (VP), phosphorus (TP), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) from 33 stations were collected from 2004, 2008 and 2010. Five determinants were identified: urban land use intensity, environmental policies, industrial zone expansion, land use composition, and gross domestic product (GDP). Relationships between these identified determinants and water quality changes showed great variations due to their different nature and sensitivity. Typically, for zones with higher urbanization intensity located in central cities and central counties, urban land use had positive impacts on river water quality improvement. However, in less urbanized areas, rapid urban expansion indicated rapid river water degradation. Environmental policies had distinct influences on river pollution control in highly-urbanized areas, but led to unexpected negative impacts in areas beyond the management priorities. Industrial activities were the major contributor to heavy metal pollution in suburban areas while boosted N, P decrease in central cities. Our study highlighted the importance of "local" management instead of one-size-fits-all system in mitigating undesirable impacts of urbanization on water environment.

Gender difference in health related quality of life and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending anti-retroviral therapy at public health facilities, western Ethiopia: comparative cross sectional study.

PubMed

Gebremichael, Delelegn Yilma; Hadush, Kokeb Tesfamariam; Kebede, Ermiyas Mulu; Zegeye, Robel Tezera

2018-04-23

Though HIV/AIDS has multidimensional consequences on quality of life, there is a gap in measuring and monitoring health related quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Hence, this study intended to measure health related quality of life domains and associated determinants among people living with HIV/AIDS in western Ethiopia. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 520 HIV/AIDS patients on anti-retroviral therapy in public health facilities in West Shoa Zone, Western Ethiopia from April to May, 2016. Participants were selected using simple random sampling method. Quality of life was measured using WHOQOL-HIV BREF and depression was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. An independent sample t-test was used to compare quality of life domains between men and women and logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors. Females had significantly lower quality of life in physical, psychological, independence and environmental domains as compared with males except social relationship and spiritual domains. Depressed HIV patients had significantly lower quality of life in all domains as compared with HIV infected patients without depression in both genders. Malnutrition and anemia were significantly associated with poor physical, psychological, independence and environmental domains. Anemic women had 1.9 times lower independence quality of life compared with women who had no anemia (AOR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.4, 3.5). Tuberculosis was also predictor of physical, psychological, independence and social domains in both genders. TB/HIV co-infected females had 2.0 times poorer environmental health compared to only HIV infected females (AOR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.2, 3.5). Family support, education and occupation were also independent significant predictors of QOL domains in both genders. In females, residence was significantly associated with independence (AOR = 1.8, 95%CI: 1.2-3.8) and environmental (AOR = 1.5, 95%CI: 1.1-3.2) domains. Females had significantly lower quality of life compared with males. The findings indicted poor socio-economic status and co-infections significantly associated with poor quality of life among HIV/AIDS patients. So, due emphasis should be given to improve socio-economic status and enhance integrated early detection and management of malnutrition, depression, tuberculosis and anemia among HIV/AIDS patients in Ethiopia.

Streamflow gains and losses and selected water-quality observations in five subreaches of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo del Norte from near Presidio to Langtry, Texas, Big Bend area, United States and Mexico, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raines, Timothy H.; Turco, Michael J.; Connor, Patrick J.; Bennett, Jeffery B.

2012-01-01

Few historical streamflow and water-quality data are available to characterize the segment of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo del Norte (hereinafter Rio Grande) extending from near Presidio to near Langtry, Texas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, collected water-quality and streamflow data from the Rio Grande from near Presidio to near Langtry, Texas, to characterize the streamflow gain and loss and selected constituent concentrations in a 336.3-mile reach of the Rio Grande from near Presidio to near Langtry, Texas. Streamflow was measured at 38 sites and water-quality samples were collected at 20 sites along the Rio Grande in February, March, and June 2006. Streamflow gains and losses over the course of the stream were measured indirectly by computing the differences in measured streamflow between sites along the stream. Water-quality data were collected and analyzed for salinity, dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, and stable isotopes. Selected properties and constituents were compared to available Texas Commission on Environmental Quality general use protection criteria or screening levels. Summary statistics of selected water-quality data were computed for each of the five designated subreaches. Streamflow gain and loss and water-quality constituent concentration were compared for each subreach, rather than the entire segment because of the temporal variation in sample collection caused by controlled releases upstream. Subreach A was determined to be a losing reach, and subreaches B, C, D, and E were determined to be gaining reaches. Compared to concentrations measured in upstream subreaches, downstream subreaches exhibited evidence of dilution of selected constituent concentrations. Subreaches A and B had measured total dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate exceeding the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality general use protection criteria. Subreaches C, D, and E did not exceed the general use protection criteria for any constituent concentration criteria, but dissolved oxygen concentrations did not meet the general use criteria in these subreaches.

Comparison of the microbiological quality of environmentally friendly and conventionally grown vegetables sold at retail markets in Korea.

PubMed

Ryu, Jee-Hoon; Kim, Minju; Kim, Eun-Gyeong; Beuchat, Larry R; Kim, Hoikyung

2014-09-01

Fresh produce is usually eaten raw without cooking or heating, which may increase the probability of foodborne infection. The microbiological quality of 11 types of fresh, raw vegetables (romaine lettuce, sesame leaves, crown daisy, garlic chives, iceberg lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, leek, chili pepper, capsicum, and zucchini) purchased at retail markets in Iksan, Korea as affected by cultivation method (environmentally friendly vegetables [organic, pesticide-free, and low-pesticide vegetables] and conventionally grown vegetables) and harvest season was determined. Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella were not detected in all samples of vegetables tested. Aerobic mesophiles (>6 log cfu/g) were detected in environmentally friendly romaine lettuce and crown daisy and environmentally friendly and conventionally grown garlic chives, which also contained coliforms (>3 log cfu/g). Sesame leaf and crown daisy (regardless of cultivation method), as well as conventionally grown romaine lettuce and leek, contained >1 log cfu/g of E. coli. The overall microbiological quality of environmentally friendly and conventionally grown vegetables was not significantly different (P > 0.05). However, there were seasonal effects on populations of coliforms and generic E. coli on vegetables. The greatest numbers of microorganisms were isolated from environmentally friendly or conventionally grown vegetables purchased in winter. The vegetables, regardless of cultivation method or season, should be subjected to appropriate antimicrobial treatment to enhance their microbial safety. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Air pollution and public health: a guidance document for risk managers.

PubMed

Craig, Lorraine; Brook, Jeffrey R; Chiotti, Quentin; Croes, Bart; Gower, Stephanie; Hedley, Anthony; Krewski, Daniel; Krupnick, Alan; Krzyzanowski, Michal; Moran, Michael D; Pennell, William; Samet, Jonathan M; Schneider, Jurgen; Shortreed, John; Williams, Martin

2008-01-01

This guidance document is a reference for air quality policymakers and managers providing state-of-the-art, evidence-based information on key determinants of air quality management decisions. The document reflects the findings of five annual meetings of the NERAM (Network for Environmental Risk Assessment and Management) International Colloquium Series on Air Quality Management (2001-2006), as well as the results of supporting international research. The topics covered in the guidance document reflect critical science and policy aspects of air quality risk management including i) health effects, ii) air quality emissions, measurement and modeling, iii) air quality management interventions, and iv) clean air policy challenges and opportunities.

77 FR 66545 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Michigan; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... Particle Standard for the Detroit-Ann Arbor Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA...) regarding the 1997 annual fine particle (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment area of Detroit-Ann Arbor, Michigan...

CHILDREN'S DIETARY EXPOSURES TO CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 requires EPA to more accurately assess children's aggregate exposures to environmental contaminants. Children have unstructured eating behaviors which cause excess exposures as a result of their activities. Determining total dietary intak...

Environmental condition assessment of US military installations using GIS based spatial multi-criteria decision analysis.

PubMed

Singer, Steve; Wang, Guangxing; Howard, Heidi; Anderson, Alan

2012-08-01

Environment functions in various aspects including soil and water conservation, biodiversity and habitats, and landscape aesthetics. Comprehensive assessment of environmental condition is thus a great challenge. The issues include how to assess individual environmental components such as landscape aesthetics and integrate them into an indicator that can comprehensively quantify environmental condition. In this study, a geographic information systems based spatial multi-criteria decision analysis was used to integrate environmental variables and create the indicator. This approach was applied to Fort Riley Military installation in which land condition and its dynamics due to military training activities were assessed. The indicator was derived by integrating soil erosion, water quality, landscape fragmentation, landscape aesthetics, and noise based on the weights from the experts by assessing and ranking the environmental variables in terms of their importance. The results showed that landscape level indicator well quantified the overall environmental condition and its dynamics, while the indicator at level of patch that is defined as a homogeneous area that is different from its surroundings detailed the spatiotemporal variability of environmental condition. The environmental condition was mostly determined by soil erosion, then landscape fragmentation, water quality, landscape aesthetics, and noise. Overall, environmental condition at both landscape and patch levels greatly varied depending on the degree of ground and canopy disturbance and their spatial patterns due to military training activities and being related to slope. It was also determined the environment itself could be recovered quickly once military training was halt or reduced. Thus, this study provided an effective tool for the army land managers to monitor environmental dynamics and plan military training activities. Its limitation lies at that the obtained values of the indicator vary and are subjective to the experts' knowledge and experience. Thus, further advancing this approach is needed by developing a scientific method to derive the weights of environmental variables.

National Water Quality Laboratory Profile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raese, Jon W.

1994-01-01

The National Water Quality Laboratory determines organic and inorganic constituents in samples of surface and ground water, river and lake sediment, aquatic plant and animal material, and precipitation collected throughout the United States and its territories by the U.S. Geological Survey. In water year 1994, the Laboratory produced more than 900,000 analytical results for about 65,000 samples. The Laboratory also coordinates an extensive network of contract laboratories for the determination of radiochemical and stable isotopes and work for the U.S. Department of Defense Environmental Contamination Hydrology Program. Heightened concerns about water quality and about the possible effects of toxic chemicals at trace and ultratrace levels have contributed to an increased demand for impartial, objective, and independent data.

40 CFR 1515.2 - About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Quality (CEQ). 1515.2 Section 1515.2 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROCEDURES Organization of Ceq § 1515.2 About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ” or “the Council”) was created by the National Environmental Policy...

40 CFR 1515.2 - About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Quality (CEQ). 1515.2 Section 1515.2 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROCEDURES Organization of Ceq § 1515.2 About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ” or “the Council”) was created by the National Environmental Policy...

40 CFR 1515.2 - About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Quality (CEQ). 1515.2 Section 1515.2 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROCEDURES Organization of Ceq § 1515.2 About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ” or “the Council”) was created by the National Environmental Policy...

40 CFR 1515.2 - About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Quality (CEQ). 1515.2 Section 1515.2 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROCEDURES Organization of Ceq § 1515.2 About the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ” or “the Council”) was created by the National Environmental Policy...

Individual, social and environmental determinants of sleep among women: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sleep is important to promote optimal health and avoid negative health outcomes. Short-duration and low-quality sleep may be more common and more detrimental among women compared with men. Identifying the determinants of behaviour is one of the first steps in designing effective interventions. To ou...

Environment effects from SRB exhaust effluents: Technique development and preliminary assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldford, A. I.; Adelfang, S. I.; Hickey, J. S.; Smith, S. R.; Welty, R. P.; White, G. L.

1977-01-01

Techniques to determine the environmental effects from the space shuttle SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) exhaust effluents are used to perform a preliminary climatological assessment. The exhaust effluent chemistry study was performed and the exhaust effluent species were determined. A reasonable exhaust particle size distribution is constructed for use in nozzle analyses and for the deposition model. The preliminary assessment is used to identify problems that are associated with the full-scale assessment; therefore, these preliminary air quality results are used with caution in drawing conclusion regarding the environmental effects of the space shuttle exhaust effluents.

[Application of simultaneous determination of inorganic ionic species by advanced ion chromatography for water quality monitoring of river water and wastewater].

PubMed

Nakatani, Nobutake; Kozaki, Daisuke; Tanaka, Kazuhiko

2012-04-01

In this study, our recent work on advanced ion chromatographic methods for the simultaneous determination of inorganic ionic species such as common anions (SO4(2-), Cl(-) and NO3(-)) and cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+), nutrients (phosphate and silicate) and hydrogen ion/alkalinity are summarized first. Then, the applications using these methods for monitoring environmental water quality are also presented. For the determination of common anions and cations with nutrients, the separation was successfully performed by a polymethacrylate-based weakly acidic cation-exchange column of TSKgel Super IC-A/C (Tosoh, 150 mm x 6.0 mm i. d.) and a mixture solution of 100 mmol/L ascorbic acid and 4 mmol/L 18-crown-6 as acidic eluent with dual detection of conductivity and spectrophotometry. For the determination of hydrogen ion/alkalinity, the separation was conducted by TSKgel ODS-100Z column (Tosoh, 150 mm x 4.5 mm i. d.) modified with lithium dodecylsulfate and an eluent of 40 mmol/L LiCl/0.1 mmol/L lithium dodecylsulfate/0.05 mmol/L H2SO4 with conductivity detector. The differences of ion concentration between untreated and treated wastewater showed the variation of ionic species during biological treatment process in a sewage treatment plant. Occurrence and distribution of water-quality conditions were related to the bioavailability and human activity in watershed. From these results, our advanced ion chromatographic methods have contributed significantly for water quality monitoring of environmental waters.

Invertebrate-Based Water Quality Impairments and Associated Stressors Identified through the US Clean Water Act

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govenor, Heather; Krometis, Leigh Anne H.; Hession, W. Cully

2017-10-01

Macroinvertebrate community assessment is used in most US states to evaluate stream health under the Clean Water Act. While water quality assessment and impairment determinations are reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is no national summary of biological assessment findings. The objective of this work was to determine the national extent of invertebrate-based impairments and to identify pollutants primarily responsible for those impairments. Evaluation of state data in the US Environmental Protection Agency's Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load Tracking and Implementation System database revealed considerable differences in reporting approaches and terminologies including differences in if and how states report specific biological assessment findings. Only 15% of waters impaired for aquatic life could be identified as having impairments determined by biological assessments (e.g., invertebrates, fish, periphyton); approximately one-third of these were associated with macroinvertebrate bioassessment. Nearly 650 invertebrate-impaired waters were identified nationwide, and sediment was the most common pollutant in bedded (63%) and suspended (9%) forms. This finding is not unexpected, given previous work on the negative impacts of sediment on aquatic life, and highlights the need to more specifically identify the mechanisms driving sediment impairments in order to design effective remediation plans. It also reinforces the importance of efforts to derive sediment-specific biological indices and numerical sediment quality guidelines. Standardization of state reporting approaches and terminology would significantly increase the potential application of water quality assessment data, reveal national trends, and encourage sharing of best practices to facilitate the attainment of water quality goals.

Determining significance within CEQA: a new UC program to assist planners in conserving oak woodlands

Treesearch

Gregory A. Giusti; Douglas D. McCreary

2008-01-01

In 2004, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1334 (Bill), titled Oak Woodlands Conservation: Environmental Quality. This Bill states, “A county…shall determine whether a project within its jurisdiction may result in a conversion of oak woodlands that will have a significant effect on the environment”. Once a determination has been...

Determination of nitrogen balance in agroecosystems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitrogen balance in agroecosystems provides a quantitative framework of N inputs and outputs and retention in the soil that examine sustainability of agricultural productivity and soil and environmental quality. Nitrogen inputs include N additions from manures and fertilizers, atmospheric deposition...

40 CFR 121.11 - Copies of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE CERTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A FEDERAL LICENSE OR PERMIT Determination of Effect on Other States § 121... relate to water quality considerations shall be forwarded to the Regional Administrator. ...

State of the art of stream monitoring.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

The study was conducted in an effort to identify methods of stream monitoring for use by the Environmental Quality Division in improving its monitoring programs. A literature search was undertaken to determine the present knowledge of the effects of ...

76 FR 12302 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Illinois; Missouri; Saint Louis...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-07

...; Determination of Attainment of the Fine Particle Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... Louis PM 2.5 nonattainment area in Illinois and Missouri has attained the 1997 annual fine particle (PM...

"EPA'S NATIONAL BEACHES STUDY: HUNTINGTON BEACH, 2003"

EPA Science Inventory

The original U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recreational water health studies, initiated in 1972 and completed in 1982, were designed to determine the relationship between swimming-associated gastroenteritis and the quality of the bathing water. However, these healt...

BIOMONITORING OF SOURCE WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Living organisms are commonly used to determine the toxicity of environmental samples but are usually limited to survival, growth, or reproduction. With advances in electronic and computer technology, biomonitors are being developed that can assess the toxicity of water by monit...

Environmental assessment for the Processing and Environmental Technology Laboratory (PETL)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed Processing and Environmental Technology Laboratory (PETC) at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM). This facility is needed to integrate, consolidate, and enhance the materials science and materials process research and development (R&D) currently in progress at SNL/NM. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required, andmore » DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).« less

Optical techniques for the determination of nitrate in environmental waters: Guidelines for instrument selection, operation, deployment, maintenance, quality assurance, and data reporting

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pellerin, Brian A.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Downing, Bryan D.; Saraceno, John Franco; Garrett, Jessica D.; Olsen, Lisa D.

2013-01-01

The recent commercial availability of in situ optical sensors, together with new techniques for data collection and analysis, provides the opportunity to monitor a wide range of water-quality constituents on time scales in which environmental conditions actually change. Of particular interest is the application of ultraviolet (UV) photometers for in situ determination of nitrate concentrations in rivers and streams. The variety of UV nitrate sensors currently available differ in several important ways related to instrument design that affect the accuracy of their nitrate concentration measurements in different types of natural waters. This report provides information about selection and use of UV nitrate sensors by the U.S. Geological Survey to facilitate the collection of high-quality data across studies, sites, and instrument types. For those in need of technical background and information about sensor selection, this report addresses the operating principles, key features and sensor design, sensor characterization techniques and typical interferences, and approaches for sensor deployment. For those needing information about maintaining sensor performance in the field, key sections in this report address maintenance and calibration protocols, quality-assurance techniques, and data formats and reporting. Although the focus of this report is UV nitrate sensors, many of the principles can be applied to other in situ optical sensors for water-quality studies.

Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bisping, L.E.

This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring the onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. The Hanford Environmental Health Foundation is responsible for monitoring the nonradiological parameters as defined in the National Drinking Water Standards while PNL conducts the radiological monitoring of themore » onsite drinking water. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize the expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site.« less

HYDROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COASTAL LAGOONS AT HUGH TAYLOR BIRCH STATE RECREATION AREA, FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brock, Robert J.

1987-01-01

The author presents initial results of an ongoing study of Southeast Florida coastal lagoon lakes. Objectives include presenting environmental conditions within and adjacent to the lagoons under a variety of hydrologic conditions and to determine water-quality changes in ground water and surface water and how these changes in water quality affect lagoonal biological communities within the lagoons.

Relative Linkages of Stream Dissolved Oxygen with the Climatic, Hydrological, and Biogeochemical Drivers across the East Coast of U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdul-Aziz, O. I.; Ahmed, S.

2017-12-01

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key indicator of stream water quality and ecosystem health. However, the temporal dynamics of stream DO is controlled by a multitude of interacting environmental drivers. The relative linkages of stream DO with the relevant environmental drivers were determined in this study across the U.S. East Coast by employing a systematic data analytics approach. The study analyzed temporal data for 51 water quality monitoring stations from USGS NWIS and EPA STORET databases. Principal component analysis and factor analysis, along with Pearson's correlation analysis, were applied to identify the interrelationships and unravel latent patterns among DO and the environmental drivers. Power law based partial least squares regression models with a bootstarp Monte-Carlo procedure (1000 iterations) were developed to reliably estimate the environmental linkages of DO by resolving multicollinearity. Based on the similarity of dominant drivers, the streams were categorized into three distinct environmental regimes. Stream DO in the northern part of temperate zone (e.g., northeast coast) had the strongest linkage with water temperature; suggesting an environmental regime with dominant climatic control. However, stream DO in the tropical zones (e.g., southeast Florida) was mostly driven by pH; indicating an environmental regime likely controlled by redox chemistry. Further, a transitional regime was found between the temperate and tropical zones, where stream DO was controlled by both water temperature and pH. The results suggested a strong effect of the climatic gradient (temperate to tropical) on stream DO along the East Coast. The identified environmental regimes and the regime-specific relative linkages provided new information on the dominant controls of coastal stream water quality dynamics. The findings would guide the planning and management of coastal stream water quality and ecosystem health across the U.S. East Coast and around the world.

[Weight parameters of water quality impact and risk grade determination of water environmental sensitive spots in Jiashan].

PubMed

Xie, Rong-Rong; Pang, Yong; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Ke; Sun, Ming-Yuan

2012-07-01

For the safety of the water environment in Jiashan county in Zhejiang Province, one-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality models are established based on three large-scale monitoring of hydrology and water quality in Jiashan county, three water environmental sensitive spots including Hongqitang dam Chijia hydrological station and Luxie pond are selected to investigate weight parameters of water quality impact and risk grade determination. Results indicate as follows (1) Internal pollution impact in Jiashan areas was greater than the external, the average weight parameters of internal chemical oxygen demand (COD) pollution is 55.3%, internal ammonia nitrogen (NH(4+)-N) is 67.4%, internal total phosphor (TP) is 63.1%. Non-point pollution impact in Jiashan areas was greater than point pollution impact, the average weight parameters of non-point COD pollutions is 53.7%, non-point NH(4+)-N is 65.9%, non-point TP is 57.8%. (2) The risk of Hongqitang dam and Chijia hydrological station are in the middle risk. The risk of Luxie pond is also in the middle risk in August, and in April and December the risk of Luxie pond is low. The strategic decision will be suggested to guarantee water environment security and social and economic security in the study.

40 CFR 121.11 - Copies of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 121.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE CERTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A FEDERAL LICENSE OR PERMIT Determination of Effect on Other States § 121... relate to water quality considerations shall be forwarded to the Regional Administrator. ...

40 CFR 121.11 - Copies of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 121.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE CERTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A FEDERAL LICENSE OR PERMIT Determination of Effect on Other States § 121... relate to water quality considerations shall be forwarded to the Regional Administrator. ...

40 CFR 121.11 - Copies of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 121.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE CERTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A FEDERAL LICENSE OR PERMIT Determination of Effect on Other States § 121... relate to water quality considerations shall be forwarded to the Regional Administrator. ...

40 CFR 121.11 - Copies of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 121.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE CERTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A FEDERAL LICENSE OR PERMIT Determination of Effect on Other States § 121... relate to water quality considerations shall be forwarded to the Regional Administrator. ...

77 FR 39659 - Proposed Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plan; Michigan; Determination of Attainment of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

... 2006 24-Hour Fine Particle Standards for the Detroit-Ann Arbor Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental... the Clean Air Act (CAA) regarding the fine particle (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment area of Detroit-Ann Arbor...

40 CFR 140.5 - Analytical procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 140.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) MARINE SANITATION DEVICE STANDARD § 140.5 Analytical procedures. In determining the composition and quality of effluent discharge from marine sanitation devices, the procedures contained in 40 CFR part 136...

QUINAULT INDIAN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TRIBAL SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION SURVEY SOFTWARE

EPA Science Inventory

The Quinault Indian Nation needed to determine appropriate seafood consumption rates for development of their water quality standards. EPA Region 10 and EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory had been collaborating on computer assisted personal inter...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, J.; Giam, C.S.

Polynuclear azaarenes in a creosote-pentachlorophenol wood preservative wastewater were analyzed. The total concentration of azaarenes was determined to be 1300 mg kg/sup -1/. Potential adverse effects of these compounds on environmental quality and health suggest a need to develop analytical protocols for measuing azaarenes in hazardous wastes.

75 FR 78164 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; The Milwaukee-Racine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-15

... suspended for as long as the areas continue to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. These determinations... obligations remain suspended for each area for so long as it continues to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS...; Determination of Attainment of the 1997 8-hour Ozone Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA...

Water quality assessment of Australian ports using water quality evaluation indices

PubMed Central

Jahan, Sayka

2017-01-01

Australian ports serve diverse and extensive activities, such as shipping, tourism and fisheries, which may all impact the quality of port water. In this work water quality monitoring at different ports using a range of water quality evaluation indices was applied to assess the port water quality. Seawater samples at 30 stations in the year 2016–2017 from six ports in NSW, Australia, namely Port Jackson, Botany, Kembla, Newcastle, Yamba and Eden, were investigated to determine the physicochemical and biological variables that affect the port water quality. The large datasets obtained were designed to determine the Water Quality Index, Heavy metal Evaluation Index, Contamination Index and newly developed Environmental Water Quality Index. The study revealed medium water quality index and high and medium heavy metal evaluation index at three of the study ports and high contamination index in almost all study ports. Low level dissolved oxygen and higher level of total dissolved solids, turbidity, fecal coliforms, copper, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium and cobalt are mainly responsible for the poor water qualities of the port areas. Good water quality at the background samples indicated that various port activities are the likely cause for poor water quality inside the port area. PMID:29244876

Interacting coastal based ecosystem services: recreation and water quality in Puget Sound, WA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreitler, Jason; Papenfus, Michael; Byrd, Kristin; Labiosa, William

2013-01-01

Coastal recreation and water quality are major contributors to human well-being in coastal regions. They can also interact, creating opportunities for ecosystem based management, ecological restoration, and water quality improvement that can positively affect people and the environment. Yet the effect of environmental quality on human behavior is often poorly quantified, but commonly assumed in coastal ecosystem service studies. To clarify this effect we investigate a water quality dataset for evidence that environmental condition partially explains variation in recreational visitation, our indicator of human behavior. In Puget Sound, WA, we investigate variation in visitation in both visitation rate and fixed effects (FE) models. The visitation rate model relates the differences in annual recreational visitation among parks to environmental conditions, park characteristics, travel cost, and recreational demand. In our FE model we control for all time-invariant unobserved variables and compare monthly variation at the park level to determine how water quality affects visitation during the summer season. The results of our first model illustrate how visitation relates to various amenities and costs. In the FE analysis, monthly visitation was negatively related to water quality while controlling for monthly visitation trends. This indicates people are responding to changes in water quality, and an improvement would yield an increase in the value of recreation. Together, these results could help in prioritizing water quality improvements, could assist the creation of new parks or the modification of existing recreational infrastructure, and provide quantitative estimates for the expected benefits from potential changes in recreational visitation and water quality improvements. Our results also provide an example of how recreational visitation can be quantified and used in ecosystem service assessments.

Interacting Coastal Based Ecosystem Services: Recreation and Water Quality in Puget Sound, WA

PubMed Central

Kreitler, Jason; Papenfus, Michael; Byrd, Kristin; Labiosa, William

2013-01-01

Coastal recreation and water quality are major contributors to human well-being in coastal regions. They can also interact, creating opportunities for ecosystem based management, ecological restoration, and water quality improvement that can positively affect people and the environment. Yet the effect of environmental quality on human behavior is often poorly quantified, but commonly assumed in coastal ecosystem service studies. To clarify this effect we investigate a water quality dataset for evidence that environmental condition partially explains variation in recreational visitation, our indicator of human behavior. In Puget Sound, WA, we investigate variation in visitation in both visitation rate and fixed effects (FE) models. The visitation rate model relates the differences in annual recreational visitation among parks to environmental conditions, park characteristics, travel cost, and recreational demand. In our FE model we control for all time-invariant unobserved variables and compare monthly variation at the park level to determine how water quality affects visitation during the summer season. The results of our first model illustrate how visitation relates to various amenities and costs. In the FE analysis, monthly visitation was negatively related to water quality while controlling for monthly visitation trends. This indicates people are responding to changes in water quality, and an improvement would yield an increase in the value of recreation. Together, these results could help in prioritizing water quality improvements, could assist the creation of new parks or the modification of existing recreational infrastructure, and provide quantitative estimates for the expected benefits from potential changes in recreational visitation and water quality improvements. Our results also provide an example of how recreational visitation can be quantified and used in ecosystem service assessments. PMID:23451067

Environmental monitoring handbook for coal conversion facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salk, M.S.; DeCicco, S.G.

1978-05-01

The primary objectives of the Department of Energy's (DOE) coal conversion program are to demonstrate the environmental acceptability, technical feasibility, and economic viability of various technologies for gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels from coal. The Environmental Monitoring Handbook for Coal Conversion Facilities will help accomplish the objective of environmental acceptability by guiding the planning and execution of socioeconomic and environmental monitoring programs for demonstration facilities. These programs will provide information adequate to (1) predict, insofar as is possible, the potential impacts of construction and operation of a coal conversion plant, (2) verify the occurrence of these or any other impactsmore » during construction and operation, (3) determine the adequacy of mitigating measures to protect the environment, (4) develop effluent source terms for process discharges, and (5) determine the effectiveness of pollution control equipment. Although useful in a variety of areas, the handbook is intended primarily for contractors who, as industrial partners with DOE, are building coal conversion plants. For the contractor it is a practical guide on (1) the methodology for developing site- and process-specific environmental monitoring programs, (2) state-of-the-art sampling and analytical techniques, and (3) impact analyses.To correspond to the phases of project activity, the subject matter is divided into four stages of monitoring: (1) a reconnaissance or synoptic survey, (2) preconstruction or baseline, (3) construction, and (4) operation, including process monitoring (prepared by Radian Corp., McLean, Va.). For each stage of monitoring, guidelines are given on socioeconomics, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, air quality and meteorology, surface and groundwater quality, geohydrology and soil survey, and surface water hydrology.« less

[Medical and environmental aspects of the drinking water supply crisis].

PubMed

Él'piner, L I

2013-01-01

Modern data determining drinking water supply crisis in Russia have been considered. The probability of influence of drinking water quality used by population on current negative demographic indices was shown. The necessity of taking into account interests of public health care in the process of formation of water management decisions was grounded. To achieve this goal the application of medical ecological interdisciplinary approach was proposed Its use is mostly effective in construction of goal-directed medical ecological sections for territorial schemes of the rational use and protection of water resources. Stages of the elaboration of these sections, providing the basing of evaluation and prognostic medical and environmental constructions on similar engineering studies of related disciplinary areas (hydrological, hydrogeological, hydrobiological, hydrochemical, environmental, socio-economic, technical and technological) were determined.

Interactions between environmental variables determine immunity in the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella.

PubMed

Triggs, Alison; Knell, Robert J

2012-03-01

1. Animals raised in good environmental conditions are expected to have more resources to invest in immunity than those raised in poor conditions. Variation in immune activity and parasite resistance in response to changes in environmental temperature, population density and food quality have been shown in many invertebrate species. 2. Almost all studies to date have examined the effects of individual variables in isolation. The aim of this study was to address whether environmental factors interact to produce synergistic effects on phenoloxidase (PO) activity and haemocyte count, both indicators of immune system activity. Temperature, food quality and density were varied in a fully factorial design for a total of eight treatment combinations. 3. Strong interactions between the three environmental variables led to the magnitude and in some cases the direction of the effect of most variables changing as the other environmental factors were altered. Overall, food quality had the most important and consistent influence, larvae raised on a good-quality diet having substantially higher PO activity in every case and substantially higher haemocyte counts in all treatments except unheated/low density. 4. When food quality was good, the larvae showed 'density-dependent prophylaxis': raising their investment in immunity when population density is high. When food quality was poor and the temperature low, however, those larvae raised at high densities invested less in immunity. 5. Increased temperature is often thought to lead to increased immune reactivity in ectotherms, but we found that the effect of temperature was strongly dependent on the values of other environmental variables. PO activity increased with temperature when larvae were raised on good food or when density was high, but when food was poor and density low, a higher temperature led to reduced PO activity. A higher temperature led to higher haemocyte counts when density was high and food quality was poor, but in all other cases, the effect of increased temperature was either close to zero or somewhat negative. 6. Although PO activity and haemocyte count were weakly correlated across the whole data set, there were a number of treatments where the two measures responded in different ways to environmental change. Overall, effect sizes for PO activity were substantially higher than those for haemocyte count, indicating that the different components of the immune system vary in their sensitivity to environmental change. 7. Predictions of the effect of environmental or population change on immunity and disease dynamics based on laboratory experiments that only investigate the effects of single variable are likely to be inaccurate or even entirely wrong. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2011 British Ecological Society.

Assessment of Soil Environmental Quality in Huangguoshu Waterfalls Scenic Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Rongbin; Feng, Kaiyu; Gu, Bo; Xu, Chengcheng

2018-03-01

This paper concentrates on five major heavy metal pollutants as soil environmental quality evaluation factors, respectively Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), Chromium (Cr), based on the National Soil Environmental Quality Standards (GB15618 - 1995), we used single factor index evaluation model of soil environmental quality and comprehensive index evaluation model to analyze surface soil environmental quality in the Huangguoshu Waterfalls scenic area. Based on surface soil analysis, our results showed that the individual contamination index, Pb, Hg, As and Cr in the Huangguoshu Waterfalls scenic area met class I according to requirements of National Soil Environmental Quality Standards, which indicated that Pb, Hg, As and Cr were not main heavy metal pollutants in this area, but the individual contamination index of Cd in soil was seriously exceeded National Soil Environmental Quality Standards’ requirement. Soil environmental quality in Shitouzhai, Luoshitan, Langgong Hongyan Power Plant have exceeded the requirement of National Soil Environmental Quality Standards “0.7< Pc≤ 1.0” (Alert Level), these soils had been slightly polluted; the classification of soil environmental quality assessment in Longgong downstream area was above “Alert Level”, it indicated that soil in this area was not polluted. Above all, relevant measures for soil remediation are put forward.

Assessment and prediction of air quality using fuzzy logic and autoregressive models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbajal-Hernández, José Juan; Sánchez-Fernández, Luis P.; Carrasco-Ochoa, Jesús A.; Martínez-Trinidad, José Fco.

2012-12-01

In recent years, artificial intelligence methods have been used for the treatment of environmental problems. This work, presents two models for assessment and prediction of air quality. First, we develop a new computational model for air quality assessment in order to evaluate toxic compounds that can harm sensitive people in urban areas, affecting their normal activities. In this model we propose to use a Sigma operator to statistically asses air quality parameters using their historical data information and determining their negative impact in air quality based on toxicity limits, frequency average and deviations of toxicological tests. We also introduce a fuzzy inference system to perform parameter classification using a reasoning process and integrating them in an air quality index describing the pollution levels in five stages: excellent, good, regular, bad and danger, respectively. The second model proposed in this work predicts air quality concentrations using an autoregressive model, providing a predicted air quality index based on the fuzzy inference system previously developed. Using data from Mexico City Atmospheric Monitoring System, we perform a comparison among air quality indices developed for environmental agencies and similar models. Our results show that our models are an appropriate tool for assessing site pollution and for providing guidance to improve contingency actions in urban areas.

Environmental indicators for sustainable production of algal biofuels

DOE PAGES

Efroymson, Rebecca A.; Dale, Virginia H.

2014-10-01

For analyzing sustainability of algal biofuels, we identify 16 environmental indicators that fall into six categories: soil quality, water quality and quantity, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and productivity. Indicators are selected to be practical, widely applicable, predictable in response, anticipatory of future changes, independent of scale, and responsive to management. Major differences between algae and terrestrial plant feedstocks, as well as their supply chains for biofuel, are highlighted, for they influence the choice of appropriate sustainability indicators. Algae strain selection characteristics do not generally affect which indicators are selected. The use of water instead of soil as themore » growth medium for algae determines the higher priority of water- over soil-related indicators. The proposed set of environmental indicators provides an initial checklist for measures of biofuel sustainability but may need to be modified for particular contexts depending on data availability, goals of the stakeholders, and financial constraints. Ultimately, use of these indicators entails defining sustainability goals and targets in relation to stakeholder values in a particular context and can lead to improved management practices.« less

Determination of uranium isotopes in environmental samples by anion exchange in sulfuric and hydrochloric acid media.

PubMed

Popov, L

2016-09-01

Method for determination of uranium isotopes in various environmental samples is presented. The major advantages of the method are the low cost of the analysis, high radiochemical yields and good decontamination factors from the matrix elements, natural and man-made radionuclides. The separation and purification of uranium is attained by adsorption with strong base anion exchange resin in sulfuric and hydrochloric acid media. Uranium is electrodeposited on a stainless steel disk and measured by alpha spectrometry. The analytical method has been applied for the determination of concentrations of uranium isotopes in mineral, spring and tap waters from Bulgaria. The analytical quality was checked by analyzing reference materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The metrological assurance of quality petroleum products. Methods for determining octane and sulfur numbers in the petroleum products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalkov, A. V.; Fadeev, Y. A.

2018-01-01

At present, solving environmental problems in industrially developed regions with a large concentration of mining and machine building enterprises is one of the main socially important tasks. Taking into account the increase in the volume of mining, there is an increase in the environmental burden, which affects the internal migration of the population. This is particularly evident in the examples of single-industry towns, in which a gradual decrease in the young workable population occurs. The article presents an analysis of the sources of maximum pollution of the environment by coal mining enterprises. Modern methods of controlling automobile fuel were analyzed. The analysis of fuel quality and the environmental assessment of combustion products was carried out. The equipment used in the article makes it possible to exclude substandard fuel and to reduce harmful emissions of vehicles to the atmosphere.

Perceived Neighborhood Quality and HIV-related Stigma among African Diasporic Youth; Results from the African, Caribbean, and Black Youth (ACBY) Study.

PubMed

Kerr, Jelani; Northington, Toya; Sockdjou, Tamara; Maticka-Tyndale, Eleanor

2018-01-01

Socio-environmental factors such as neighborhood quality are increasingly recognized drivers of HIV disparities. Additionally, HIV- related stigma heightens HIV vulnerability among youth in the African Diaspora. However, little research examines the intersection of neighborhood quality and HIV- related stigma. This study uses survey data (N=495) from African, Caribbean, and Black youth in a midsized city in Ontario, Canada to address this research deficit. Analysis of variance and multivariate ordinary least squares regressions were conducted to determine differences in HIV- related stigma by neighborhood quality, experiences of discrimination, HIV- knowledge, and demographic factors. Residents in more socially disordered neighborhoods (p<.05), males (p<.0001), African- Muslim youth (p<.01), and individuals with lower HIV- knowledge (p<.0001) endorsed stigmatizing beliefs more often. Addressing neighborhood disadvantage may have implications for HIV- related stigma. More research should be conducted to understand the impact of socio- environmental disadvantage and HIV- related stigma.

Environmental Quality, the Fourth Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC.

The state of the environment and efforts to improve it are reported upon in this Fourth Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality. Broad in scope, the report covers federal and state activities during the past year, the urban environment, economics and environmental management, the law and land use regulation, environmental quality,…

Final Environmental assessment for the Uranium Lease Management Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-07-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared a programmatic environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed action to continue leasing withdrawn lands and DOE-owned patented claims for the exploration and production of uranium and vanadium ores. The Domestic Uranium Program regulation, codified at Title 10, Part 760.1, of the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), gives DOE the flexibility to continue leasing these lands under the Uranium Lease Management Program (ULMP) if the agency determines that it is in its best interest to do so. A key element in determining what is in DOE`s ``best interest`` is the assessment ofmore » the environmental impacts that may be attributable to lease tract operations and associated activities. On the basis of the information and analyses presented in the EA for the ULMP, DOE has determined that the proposed action does not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, as defined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code 4321 et seq.), as amended.Therefore, preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required for the ULMP,and DOE is issuing this Finding, of No Significant Impact (FONSI).« less

Theoretical approach to society-wide environmental quality control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayano, K.

1982-01-01

The study outlines the basis for a theory of societal control of environmental quality in the US based on the concepts and philosophy of company-wide quality control which has developed in Japan as a cross-disciplinary approach to problem-solving in the industrial realm. The basic concepts are: 1) every member of society, as a producer of environmental products and services for future generations, in principle has the responsibility to control the quality of his output; 2) environment quality is the quality of life, or the fitness of use of environment for humans; and 3) societal control is any activity necessary formore » quality production of environmental products and services continuously or in the long run. A motivator-hygiene theory of environmental quality is identified, and a proposal is made that the policy provision must be formulated differently between those aimed at hygiene factors of environmental quality and those aimed at motivators, the former in a collectivistic manner, the latter as an individual problem. The concept of societal cost of environmental quality is introduced. Based on the motivator-hygiene theory of environmental quality, the collectivistic and individual approaches are differentiated and discussed.« less

A study of the influence of regional environmental expenditure on air quality in China: the effectiveness of environmental policy.

PubMed

He, Lingyun; Wu, Meng; Wang, Deqing; Zhong, Zhangqi

2018-03-01

Based on the panel data model, data on environmental expenditures, the air quality index, economic aggregates, industrial structures, etc., of seven seriously polluted cities in China, from the period 2007-2015, were collected, and this paper estimates the general relationship between environmental expenditures and the air quality index. Besides, the impact of the fuel tax policy on air quality as well as on the relationship between environmental expenditure and the air quality index is tested using the method of regression discontinuity. We find that there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between environmental expenditure and air quality index as well as a 0.0507% positive effect of the former on the latter. Second, for Beijing, Taiyuan, Chongqing, and Lanzhou, a 1% increase in environmental expenditure leads to 0.0773, 0.0125, 0.0965, and 0.0912% decreases in the air quality index, respectively; however, for Shijiazhuang, Ji'nan, and Urumqi, effect of environmental expenditure on air quality is insignificant. Third, both economic growth and optimization of the industrial structure can lead to an improvement of air quality. Fourth, since the implementation of the fuel tax policy in 2009, the air quality of the sample cities has improved, and the pulling effect of environmental expenditure on the air quality index has decreased from 0.0507 to 0.0048%. Our findings cannot only clarify the effect of environmental expenditures on air quality but can also objectively judge the effectiveness of environmental policies of China to a certain extent. It may benefit Chinese government to effectively govern air pollution with fiscal tools in conjunction with economic and environmental characteristics.

Characterization of environmental quality of forest fragments changes in Jundiaí-Mirim river basin-Brazil using the Markov Chain model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasimoto Fengler, Felipe; Leite de Moraes, Jener Fernando; Irio Ribeiro, Admilson; Peche Filho, Afonso; Araujo de Medeiros, Gerson; Baldin Damame, Desirée; Márcia Longo, Regina

2015-04-01

In Brazil is common practice the concurrency of large urban centers water catchment in distant sites. There's no policy to preserve strategic springs in the urban territory. Thus, rural areas, located in the surrounds of municipals, usually provide water and others environment services to the population that reside on cities. The Jundiaí-Mirim river basin, located in the most urbanized state in Brazil, São Paulo, composes an interesting example of this situation. It is located in a rural area near large urban centers, with large industrial parks, near the capital of state. As result of expansion of the cities on its surrounds their lands have had a historic of monetary valorization, making its territories attractive to the housing market. Consequently, the region has an intense process of urbanization that resulted in an increasing environmental disturbance in the areas of natural vegetation. In the other hand, the watershed is the principal water supplier of Jundiaí city, and houses forest remaining of an important Biome in Brazil, the Atlantic Rain Forest. Given the need to preserve its water production capacity and the forest remnants there, this study modeled the environmental quality of forest fragments through indicators of disturbance and evaluated the changes that occur between 1972 and 2013 using the Markov Chain model. The environment quality was determined by nine indicators of environmental disturbance (distance of urban areas, roads, edge land use, size, distance of others forest fragments, land capacity of use, watershed forest cover, number of forest fragments in the watersheds, shape of the forest fragment), obtained by techniques of Geoprocessing, and integrated by Multicriteria Analysis. The Markov Chain model showed a constant tendency of deteriorating in natural vegetation environmental quality, attributed to the intense process of occupation of the river basin. The results showed a historical trend of transformation in forest fragments with very low environmental quality to others uses and a static behavior of forest fragments with high environmental quality. It was explained by the tendency of occupation in forest fragments near urban areas, roads, with small size and high perturbation, and difficulties in occupation of forest fragments with high size, isolated from urban areas end roads. It was concluded that: (a) urbanization and deforestation of natural vegetation were primarily responsible for changes in environmental quality; (b) there is a need to create public policies to preserve the natural vegetation in the Jundiaí-Mirim river basin.

32 CFR 651.39 - Significance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Significance. 651.39 Section 651.39 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY... for substantial periods; or cause irreparable harm to animal or plant life could be determined...

Pathway-based monitoring of biological effects at Great Lakes sites (Presntation)

EPA Science Inventory

The Great Lakes region suffers from degradation of water and environmental quality due to release of chemicals of emerging concern. Critical issues remain in delisting Areas of Concern (AOC) including determining sources of chemicals causing fish health impacts, relating health ...

Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report. Final

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) has been prepared to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Proposed Action includes the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a 48 megawatt (gross) geothermal power plant with ancillary facilities (10-12 production well pads and 3-5 injection well pads, production and injection pipelines), access roads, and a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in the Modoc National Forest in Siskiyou County, California. Alternative locations for the power plant site within a reasonable distance of the middle of the wellfield weremore » determined to be technically feasible. Three power plant site alternatives are evaluated in the Final EIS/EIR.« less

Evaluation of nutrient quality-assurance data for Alexanders and Mount Rock Spring basins, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witt, E. C.; Hippe, D.J.; Giovannitti, R.M.

1992-01-01

A total of 304 nutrient samples were collected from May 1990 through September 1991 to determine concentrations and loads of nutrients in water discharged from two spring basins in Cumberland County, Pa. Fifty-four percent of these nutrient samples were for the evaluation of (1) laboratory consistency, (2) container and preservative cleanliness, (3) maintenance of analyte representativeness as affected by three different preservation methods, and (4) comparison of analyte results with the "Most Probable Value" for Standard Reference Water Samples. Results of 37 duplicate analyses indicate that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Laboratories (principal laboratory) remained within its ±10 percent goal for all but one analyte. Results of the blank analysis show that the sampling containers did not compromise the water quality. However, mercuric-chloride-preservation blanks apparently contained measurable ammonium in four of five samples and ammonium plus organic nitrogen in two of five samples. Interlaboratory results indicate substantial differences in the determination of nitrate and ammonium plus organic nitrogen between the principal laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Laboratory. In comparison with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Quality-Control Samples, the principal laboratory was sufficiently accurate in its determination of nutrient anafytes. Analysis of replicate samples indicated that sulfuric-acid preservative best maintained the representativeness of the anafytes nitrate and ammonium plus organic nitrogen, whereas, mercuric chloride best maintained the representativeness of orthophosphate. Comparison of nutrient analyte determinations with the Most Probable Value for each preservation method shows that two of five analytes with no chemical preservative compare well, three of five with mercuric-chloride preservative compare well, and three of five with sulfuricacid preservative compare well.

Does financial development reduce environmental degradation? Evidence from a panel study of 129 countries.

PubMed

Al-Mulali, Usama; Tang, Chor Foon; Ozturk, Ilhan

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of financial development on CO2 emission in 129 countries classified by the income level. A panel CO2 emission model using urbanisation, GDP growth, trade openness, petroleum consumption and financial development variables that are major determinants of CO2 emission was constructed for the 1980-2011 period. The results revealed that the variables are cointegrated based on the Pedroni cointegration test. The dynamic ordinary least squares (OLS) and the Granger causality test results also show that financial development can improve environmental quality in the short run and long run due to its negative effect on CO2 emission. The rest of the determinants, especially petroleum consumption, are determined to be the major source of environmental damage in most of the income group countries. Based on the results obtained, the investigated countries should provide banking loans to projects and investments that can promote energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy to help these countries reduce environmental damage in both the short and long run.

Predicting water quality by relating secchi-disk transparency and chlorophyll a measurements to satellite imagery for Michigan Inland Lakes, August 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuller, L.M.; Aichele, Stephen S.; Minnerick, R.J.

2004-01-01

Inland lakes are an important economic and environmental resource for Michigan. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have been cooperatively monitoring the quality of selected lakes in Michigan through the Lake Water Quality Assessment program. Through this program, approximately 730 of Michigan's 11,000 inland lakes will be monitored once during this 15-year study. Targeted lakes will be sampled during spring turnover and again in late summer to characterize water quality. Because more extensive and more frequent sampling is not economically feasible in the Lake Water Quality Assessment program, the U.S. Geological Survey and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality investigate the use of satellite imagery as a means of estimating water quality in unsampled lakes. Satellite imagery has been successfully used in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and elsewhere to compute the trophic state of inland lakes from predicted secchi-disk measurements. Previous attempts of this kind in Michigan resulted in a poorer fit between observed and predicted data than was found for Minnesota or Wisconsin. This study tested whether estimates could be improved by using atmospherically corrected satellite imagery, whether a more appropriate regression model could be obtained for Michigan, and whether chlorophyll a concentrations could be reliably predicted from satellite imagery in order to compute trophic state of inland lakes. Although the atmospheric-correction did not significantly improve estimates of lake-water quality, a new regression equation was identified that consistently yielded better results than an equation obtained from the literature. A stepwise regression was used to determine an equation that accurately predicts chlorophyll a concentrations in northern Lower Michigan.

Productivity at work and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

van Vilsteren, Myrthe; Boot, Cecile R L; Knol, Dirk L; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; Steenbeek, Romy; Anema, Johannes R

2015-05-06

The aim of this study was to determine which combination of personal, disease-related and environmental factors is best associated with at-work productivity loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether at-work productivity loss is associated with the quality of life for these patients. This study is based on cross-sectional data. Patients completed a questionnaire with personal, disease-related and environmental factors (related to the work environment), and clinical characteristics were obtained from patient medical records. At-work productivity loss was measured with the Work Limitations Questionnaire, and quality of life with the RAND 36. Using linear regression analyses, a multivariate model was built containing the combination of factors best associated with at-work productivity loss. This model was cross-validated internally. We furthermore determined whether at-work productivity loss was associated with quality of life using linear regression analyses. We found that at-work productivity loss was associated with workers who had poorer mental health, more physical role limitations, were ever treated with a biological therapeutic medication, were not satisfied with their work, and had more work instability (R(2) = 0.50 and R(2) following cross-validation was 0.32). We found that at-work productivity loss was negatively associated with health-related quality of life, especially with dimensions of mental health, physical role limitations, and pain. We found that at-work productivity loss was associated with personal, work-related, and clinical factors. Although our study results should be interpreted with caution, they provide insight into patients with RA who are at risk for at-work productivity loss.

Data on sediment quality and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls from the Lower Neponset River, Massachusetts, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breault, Robert F.; Cooke, Matthew G.; Merrill, Michael

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Department of Fish and Game Riverways Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, studied sediment and water quality in the lower Neponset River, which is a tributary to Boston Harbor. Grab and core samples of sediment were tested for elements and organic compounds including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Physical properties of sediment samples, including grain size, were also measured. Selected sediment-core samples were tested for reactive sulfides and metals by means of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, which are sediment-disposal-related tests. Water quality, with respect to polychlorinated biphenyl contamination, was determined by testing samples collected by PISCES passive-water-column samplers for polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. Total concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls were calculated by congener and by Aroclor.

Environmental quality of Korean coasts as determined by modified Shannon-Wiener evenness proportion.

PubMed

Yoo, Jae-Won; Lee, Yong-Woo; Ruesink, Jennifer L; Lee, Chang-Gun; Kim, Chang-Soo; Park, Mi-Ra; Yoon, Kon-Tak; Hwang, In-Seo; Maeng, Jun-Ho; Rosenberg, Rutger; Hong, Jae-Sang

2010-11-01

The coast of the Korean peninsula experiences a range of human impacts, including pollution, shipping, reclamation, and aquaculture, that have motivated numerous local studies of macrobenthic organisms. In this paper, 1,492 subtidal stations were compiled from 23 studies (areas) to evaluate environmental quality on a broader scale. A common index in biomonitoring, Shannon-Wiener evenness proportion (SEP), could not incorporate azoic or single-species samples. This shortcoming was overcome by developing an inverse function of SEP (ISEP), which was positively correlated with independent measures of water quality available for nine sites and was not biased by the size of the sampling unit. Additionally, at Shihwa Dike, where samples were collected before and after reinstating a tidal connection with the ocean, ISEP values improved over time, as expected. Thus, it is now possible to assign Korean subtidal sites to seven ISEP "grades" and to use their values and trends to guide coastal management.

[Ecological environmental quality assessment of Hangzhou urban area based on RS and GIS].

PubMed

Xu, Pengwei; Zhao, Duo

2006-06-01

In allusion to the shortage of traditional ecological environmental quality assessment, this paper studied the spatial distribution of assessing factors at a mid-small scale, and the conversion of integer character to girding assessing cells. The main assessing factors including natural environmental condition, environmental quality, natural landscape and urbanization pressure, which were classified into four types with about eleven assessing factors, were selected from RS images and GIS-spatial analyzing environmental quality vector graph. Based on GIS, a comprehensive assessment model for the ecological environmental quality in Hangzhou urban area was established. In comparison with observed urban heat island effects, the assessment results were in good agreement with the ecological environmental quality in the urban area of Hangzhou.

Chemical and microbiological experimentation for development of environmental control and life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitman, G. A.; Wilson, M. E.; Cole, H. E.; Traweek, M.

1992-01-01

Microbiological techniques are under study with a view to the identification of viable microorganisms in liquid cultures, improve the identification of stressed organisms, and determine the biocidal activity of iodine and other chemicals on isolates from recycled water. A quality-assurance program has been implemented to validate data employed in making decisions concerning engineering and human health and safety. Analytical laboratory refinements will strongly aid the development of environmental control and life-support systems.

75 FR 8045 - National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft Guidance, Establishing, Applying, and Revising...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-23

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft Guidance...: Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Draft Guidance, ``Establishing, Applying... February 18, 2010, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced four steps to modernize...

Development of indoor environmental index: Air quality index and thermal comfort index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saad, S. M.; Shakaff, A. Y. M.; Saad, A. R. M.; Yusof, A. M.; Andrew, A. M.; Zakaria, A.; Adom, A. H.

2017-03-01

In this paper, index for indoor air quality (also known as IAQI) and thermal comfort index (TCI) have been developed. The IAQI was actually modified from previous outdoor air quality index (AQI) designed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). In order to measure the index, a real-time monitoring system to monitor indoor air quality level was developed. The proposed system consists of three parts: sensor module cloud, base station and service-oriented client. The sensor module cloud (SMC) contains collections of sensor modules that measures the air quality data and transmit the captured data to base station through wireless. Each sensor modules includes an integrated sensor array that can measure indoor air parameters like Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Oxygen, Volatile Organic Compound and Particulate Matter. Temperature and humidity were also being measured in order to determine comfort condition in indoor environment. The result from several experiments show that the system is able to measure the air quality presented in IAQI and TCI in many indoor environment settings like air-conditioner, chemical present and cigarette smoke that may impact the air quality. It also shows that the air quality are changing dramatically, thus real-time monitoring system is essential.

Dilemma between health and environmental motives when purchasing animal food products: sociodemographic and nutritional characteristics of consumers.

PubMed

Péneau, Sandrine; Fassier, Philippine; Allès, Benjamin; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Hercberg, Serge; Méjean, Caroline

2017-11-10

Dietary guidelines in France give quantitative recommendations for intake of meat, fish and dairy products whereas consumers are increasingly concerned by the environmental impacts associated with the production of these foods. This potentially leads to consumer dilemmas when purchasing food products. The present study aimed at investigating the sociodemographic profiles of individuals reporting health and environmental dilemmas when purchasing meat, fish and dairy products, and comparing diet quality of individuals with and without dilemma. A total of 22,936 adult participants in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing motives when purchasing meat, fish and dairy products, including health and environmental determinants. Environmental vs. health dilemmas were assessed using implicit and explicit methods. Sociodemographic data as well as dietary intake using repeated 24 h-records were collected. The association between sociodemographic characteristics and presence of dilemma was assessed using logistic regression models and between dilemma and intake of these products, adherence to food group guidelines, or overall dietary quality, using covariance analysis. Among participants, 13% were torn between buying meat for health reasons and to avoid buying it for environmental reasons, 12% in the case of fish and 5% in the case of dairy products. Older participants, women and low income individuals were more likely to report dilemmas. Participants reporting dilemmas for meat and dairy products consumed less of these foods (P < 0.05 and P < 0.0001, respectively) and had a better dietary quality overall (both P < 0.0001). In addition, participants with meat dilemma showed a better adherence to meat/fish/eggs guidelines (P < 0.001). Individuals reporting dilemmas concerning animal products had specific sociodemographic characteristics and showed higher diet quality overall compared with those having no dilemma. Our data suggest that having environmental concerns is not contradictory with adherence to nutritional guidelines.

Project Galaxy - Sustianable Resource Supply and Environmental Implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Downing, Mark; Wimmer, Robert

2012-03-01

Understanding what it takes to move from a corn-based liquid fuels industry to one that is cellulosic-based requires a complex transition over time. This transition implies, among other things, a shift from annual cropping systems considered under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy as commodity crops, to perennial lignocellulosic crops that are herbaceous and wood-based. Because of changes in land use as well as biomass and other crop supplies, land-based environmental amenities such as water quality, soil health and tilth, air quality, and animal and avian species populations and their diversity change also. Environmental effects are measured as magnitudesmore » (how much they are impacted), and direction of the impact (either positive or negative). By developing a series of quantitative and qualitative metrics, the larger issue of defining relative sustainability may be addressed, and this can be done at a finer detail of regional (scale) and environmental amenity-specific impacts. Although much literature exists about research relevant to specific environmental variables, there is no published, documented, nor research literature on direct application of environmental over-compliance with regards a 'biorefinery.' Our three goals were to (1) understand and quantify bioenergy sustainability and some key environmental effects in a generic set of examples; (2) explain the effort and means to define and quantify specific qualitative environmental measures, and to determine a way to understand changes in these measures over time and what their implications might be; and (3) use these outcomes to evaluate potential sites in any geographic area. This would permit assessment of candidate locations, combined with an understanding of co-production of fuels, chemicals, and electric power, to interpret sustainability measures and the relationship between environmental sustainability and economic sustainability. The process of determining environmental sustainability effects as a result of providing renewable energy is complex. We have only included in this report environmental effects as a result of producing biomass for the biorefinery, and the area represented by the footprint of the biorefinery itself. In doing this, we have defined critical environmental variables (water, soil, air, and flora and fauna) and discussed some measurable indicators used to quantify effects such as nitrate content, soil organic matter, air particulates, and avian species diversity, respectively. We also point out the need to perform specific sustainability risk assessments, and the need to continually evaluate the life cycle inventory with an accompanying life-cycle assessment. Only in this dynamic framework can environmental sustainability be determined, evaluated and assessed, and contrasted with economic sustainability goals of a firm or an industry.« less

76 FR 16391 - Call for Innovative National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pilot Project Proposals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-23

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Call for Innovative National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pilot Project Proposals AGENCY: Council On Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Call... the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) invites the public and federal agencies to nominate...

Clean Air Act : historical information on EPA's process for reviewing California waiver requests and making waiver determinations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Emissions from mobile sources, such as automobiles and trucks, contribute to air quality degradation and can threaten public health and the environment. Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates these emissions. The...

Pathway-based monitoring of biological effects at Great Lakes sites

EPA Science Inventory

The Great Lakes region suffers from degradation of water and environmental quality due to release of chemicals of emerging concern (CEC) that may threaten near shore health. Critical issues remain in delisting AOC including determining sources of chemicals causing fish health im...

Clean Air Act : historical information on EPA's process for reviewing California waiver requests and making waiver determinations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-16

Emissions from mobile sources, such as automobiles and trucks, contribute to air : quality degradation and can threaten public health and the environment. Under the : Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates these emissions....

DETERMINING THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF IMPROVED HUMAN EXPOSURE DATA

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA develops and revises environmental regulations and policies to protect the environment and human health. One of the key components of the regulatory process is establishing the proposed action level, which requires high quality exposure data. In many cases, expos...

Clean Air Act : historical information on EPA's process for reviewing California waiver requests and making waiver determinations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-16

Emissions from mobile sources, such as automobiles and trucks, contribute to air quality degradation and can threaten public health and the environment. Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates these emissions. The...

75 FR 8331 - Adequacy Status of the Cincinnati, Ohio/Indiana Submitted 8-Hour Ozone Redesignation and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-24

...) means that transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, worsen existing... for Transportation Conformity Purposes AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice... area are adequate for use in transportation conformity determinations. Ohio submitted a redesignation...

DREDGING IMPACT ON AN URBANIZED FLORIDA BAYOU: EFFECTS ON BENTHOS AND ALGAL-PERIPHYTON.

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental effects of dredging events have been uncommonly reported for shallow, residential estuaries characteristic of the Gulf of Mexico region. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of hydraulic dredging on an urbanized estuary. Physicochemical quality, ...

ON-LINE TOXICITY MONITORS AND WATERSHED EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

A Water Quality Early Warning System using On-line Toxicity Monitors (OTMs) has been deployed in the East Fork of the Little Miami River, Clermont County, OH. Living organisms have long been used to determine the toxicity of environmental samples. With advancements in electronic ...

An Experimental Introduction to Interlaboratory Exercises in Analytical Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puignou, L.; Llaurado, M.

2005-01-01

An experimental exercise on analytical proficiency studies in collaborative trials is proposed. This practical provides students in advanced undergraduate courses in chemistry, pharmacy, and biochemistry, with the opportunity to improve their quality assurance skills. It involves an environmental analysis, determining the concentration of a…

Cotinine analytical workshop report: consideration of analytical methods for determining cotinine in human body fluids as a measure of passive exposure to tobacco smoke.

PubMed Central

Watts, R R; Langone, J J; Knight, G J; Lewtas, J

1990-01-01

A two-day technical workshop was convened November 10-11, 1986, to discuss analytical approaches for determining trace amounts of cotinine in human body fluids resulting from passive exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The workshop, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control, was attended by scientists with expertise in cotinine analytical methodology and/or conduct of human monitoring studies related to ETS. The workshop format included technical presentations, separate panel discussions on chromatography and immunoassay analytical approaches, and group discussions related to the quality assurance/quality control aspects of future monitoring programs. This report presents a consensus of opinion on general issues before the workshop panel participants and also a detailed comparison of several analytical approaches being used by the various represented laboratories. The salient features of the chromatography and immunoassay analytical methods are discussed separately. PMID:2190812

Changes in soybean phytate content as a result of field growing conditions and influence on tofu texture.

PubMed

Ishiguro, Takahiro; Ono, Tomotada; Wada, Takahiro; Tsukamoto, Chigen; Kono, Yuhi

2006-04-01

It is known that tofu quality tends to vary among soybeans even of the same variety. Cultivation environments can affect the contents of the soybeans. Twenty-seven soybean varieties were grown in a drained paddy field and an upland field, and then their protein and phytate contents were determined using the Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) method. The phytate contents of 12 varieties were higher in the drained paddy field than in the upland field. On the other hand, the environmental factor had little effect on the protein contents. In order to determine whether the difference in phytate content affected tofu texture, the hardness of the tofu made from phytate-added soymilk was measured. The tofu texture having more phytate became softer in the range of the common coagulant concentration. We concluded that the difference in the phytate content of the soybeans among the environmental conditions is a factor that causes fluctuation in tofu quality.

Neighborhood environment walkability and health-related quality of life among older adults in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Zhao, Yanan; Chung, Pak-Kwong

2017-11-01

This study examined the associations between walkability related environmental attributes (WREA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 participants (women = 233; mean age = 74.4 years) living in urban communities. Independent variables included residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure for walking, aesthetics, traffic hazards, crime, access to parking, lack of cul-de-sacs, hilliness, and physical barriers. Physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL were the dependent variables. Results revealed significant associations between WREA and HRQoL and demonstrated that aesthetics and physical barriers were significant determinants of physical health after adjusting age and sex, and crime and physical barriers were significant determinants of mental health after adjusting sex. This study provided empirical evidence that environmental walkability was associated with HRQoL among older adults in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimation of environmental flow incorporating water quality and hypothetical climate change scenarios.

PubMed

Walling, Bendangtola; Chaudhary, Shushobhit; Dhanya, C T; Kumar, Arun

2017-05-01

Environmental flows (Eflow, hereafter) are the flows to be maintained in the river for its healthy functioning and the sustenance and protection of aquatic ecosystems. Estimation of Eflow in any river stretch demands consideration of various factors such as flow regime, ecosystem, and health of river. However, most of the Eflow estimation studies have neglected the water quality factor. This study urges the need to consider water quality criterion in the estimation of Eflow and proposes a framework for estimating Eflow incorporating water quality variations under present and hypothetical future scenarios of climate change and pollution load. The proposed framework is applied on the polluted stretch of Yamuna River passing through Delhi, India. Required Eflow at various locations along the stretch are determined by considering possible variations in future water quantity and quality. Eflow values satisfying minimum quality requirements for different river water usage classes (classes A, B, C, and D as specified by the Central Pollution Control Board, India) are found to be between 700 and 800 m 3 /s. The estimated Eflow values may aid policymakers to derive upstream storage-release policies or effluent restrictions. Generalized nature of this framework will help its implementation on any river systems.

Characterization (environmental Signature) and Function of the Main Instrumented (monitoring Water Quality Network in Real Time) Rivers Atoyac and Zahuapan in High Atoyac Basin; in Dry, Rain and Winter Season 2013-2014; Puebla-Tlaxcala Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavera, E. M.; Rodriguez-Espinosa, P. F.; Morales-Garcia, S. S.; Muñoz-Sevilla, N. P.

2014-12-01

The Zahuapan and Atoyac rivers were characterized in the Upper Atoyac through the integration of physical and chemical parameters (environmental firm) determining the behavior and function of the basin as a tool for measuring and monitoring the quality and management of water resources of the water in one of the most polluted rivers in Mexico. For the determination of the environmental signature proceeded to characterize the water through 11 physicochemical parameters: temperature (T), potential hydrogen (pH), dissolved oxygen (DO), spectral absorption coefficient (SAC), the reduction of oxide potential (ORP), turbidity (Turb), conductivity (l), biochemical oxygen demand in 5 days (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS ), which were evaluated in 49 sites in the dry season, 47 for the rainy season and 23 for the winter season in the basin and Atoyac Zahuapan Alto Atoyac, Puebla-Tlaxcala, Mexico river; finding a mathematical algorithm to assimilate and better represent the information obtained. The algorithm allows us to estimate correlation greater than 0.85. The results allow us to propose the algorithm used in the monitoring stations for purposes of processing information assimilated form.This measurement and monitoring of water quality supports the project, the monitoring network in real time and the actions to clean up Atoyac River, in the urban area of the city of Puebla.

Public green areas and urban environmental quality of the city of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Bertini, M A; Rufino, R R; Fushita, A T; Lima, M I S

2016-04-19

Assess the state of public green areas, their importance and influence on environmental quality and living in urban centers is an arduous task considering the conceptual and scientific regarding quantification and data analysis methods divergence. In this study, we aimed to determine two indicators of public green areas relative to the percentage of public green areas (PPGA) and the public green areas index (PGAI) in the urban area of São Carlos, SP. The study area was organized into administrative regions (ARs), using satellite images, topographical maps of 1:10,000 Geographic and Cartographic Institute (1990) and data provided by the Municipality of São Carlos. The results show that public green areas comprise 6.55% of the municipality, with a public green areas index (PGAI) of 18.85 m2/inhabitant, indicating good urban environmental quality when compared to rates of 15 m2/capita for public green areas for recreation, suggested by the Brazilian Society of Urban Forestry. The differences between the administrative regions are concern with situations from 4.16 to 36.30 m2/inhabitant. In this context, it is recommend specific public policies and popular participation in the process of continuous improvement for increasing public green areas in the less favored regions. The Genebrino method applied to indicators of public green areas (GPGA - amount of public green areas divided by population density), showed a commendable goal above 40% for urban environmental quality.

Management of marine cage aquaculture. Environmental carrying capacity method based on dry feed conversion rate.

PubMed

Cai, Huiwen; Sun, Yinglan

2007-11-01

Marine cage aquaculture produces a large amount of waste that is released directly into the environment. To effectively manage the mariculture environment, it is important to determine the carrying capacity of an aquaculture area. In many Asian countries trash fish is dominantly used in marine cage aquaculture, which contains more water than pellet feed. The traditional nutrient loading analysis is for pellet feed not for trash fish feed. So, a more critical analysis is necessary in trash fish feed culturing areas. Corresponding to FCR (feed conversion rate), dry feed conversion rate (DFCR) was used to analyze the nutrient loadings from marine cage aquaculture where trash fish is used. Based on the hydrodynamic model and the mass transport model in Xiangshan Harbor, the relationship between the water quality and the waste discharged from cage aquaculture has been determined. The environmental carrying capacity of the aquaculture sea area was calculated by applying the models noted above. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the water quality parameters considered in this study. The simulated results show that the maximum nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were 0.216 mg/L and 0.039 mg/L, respectively. In most of the sea area, the nutrient concentrations were higher than the water quality standard. The calculated environmental carrying capacity of nitrogen and phosphorus in Xiangshan Harbor were 1,107.37 t/yr and 134.35 t/yr, respectively. The waste generated from cage culturing in 2000 has already exceeded the environmental carrying capacity. Unconsumed feed has been identified as the most important origin of all pollutants in cage culturing systems. It suggests the importance of increasing the feed utilization and improving the feed composition on the basis of nutrient requirement. For the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry, it is an effective management measure to keep the stocking density and pollution loadings below the environmental carrying capacity. The DFCR-based nutrient loadings analysis indicates, in trash fish feed culturing areas, that it is more critical and has been proved to be a valuable loading calculation method. The modeling approach for Xiangshan Harbor presented in this paper is a cost-effective method for assessing the environmental impact and determining the capacity. Carrying capacity information can give scientific suggestions for the sustainable management of aquaculture environments. It has been proved that numerical models were convenient tools to predict the environmental carrying capacity. The development of models coupled with dynamic and aquaculture ecology is a requirement of further research. Such models can also be useful in monitoring the ecological impacts caused by mariculture activities.

Kansas environmental and resource study: A Great Plains model. Monitoring fresh water resources. [water quality of reservoirs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yarger, H. L. (Principal Investigator); Mccauley, J. R.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Processing and analysis of CCT's for numerous ground truth supported passes over Kansas reservoirs has demonstrated that sun angle and atmospheric conditions are strong influences on water reflectance levels as detected by ERTS-1 and can suppress the contributions of true water quality factors. Band ratios, on the other hand, exhibit very little dependence on sun angle and sky conditions and thus are more directly related to water quality. Band ratio levels can be used to reliably determine suspended load. Other water quality indicators appear to have little or no affect on reflectance levels.

Supplementary search methods were more effective and offered better value than bibliographic database searching: A case study from public health and environmental enhancement.

PubMed

Cooper, Chris; Lovell, Rebecca; Husk, Kerryn; Booth, Andrew; Garside, Ruth

2018-06-01

We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the health benefits of environmental enhancement and conservation activities. We were concerned that a conventional process of study identification, focusing on exhaustive searches of bibliographic databases as the primary search method, would be ineffective, offering limited value. The focus of this study is comparing study identification methods. We compare (1) an approach led by searches of bibliographic databases with (2) an approach led by supplementary search methods. We retrospectively assessed the effectiveness and value of both approaches. Effectiveness was determined by comparing (1) the total number of studies identified and screened and (2) the number of includable studies uniquely identified by each approach. Value was determined by comparing included study quality and by using qualitative sensitivity analysis to explore the contribution of studies to the synthesis. The bibliographic databases approach identified 21 409 studies to screen and 2 included qualitative studies were uniquely identified. Study quality was moderate, and contribution to the synthesis was minimal. The supplementary search approach identified 453 studies to screen and 9 included studies were uniquely identified. Four quantitative studies were poor quality but made a substantive contribution to the synthesis; 5 studies were qualitative: 3 studies were good quality, one was moderate quality, and 1 study was excluded from the synthesis due to poor quality. All 4 included qualitative studies made significant contributions to the synthesis. This case study found value in aligning primary methods of study identification to maximise location of relevant evidence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Contact Us About Managing the Quality of Environmental Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The contact us form for the EPA Quality Program regarding quality management activities for all environmental data collection and environmental technology programs performed by or for the Agency and the EPA Information Quality Guidelines.

Air Quality Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Stak-Tracker CEM (Continuous Emission Monitor) Gas Analyzer is an air quality monitor capable of separating the various gases in a bulk exhaust stream and determining the amounts of individual gases present within the stream. The monitor is produced by GE Reuter- Stokes, a subsidiary of GE Corporate Research & Development Center. The Stak-Tracker uses a Langley Research Center software package which measures the concentration of a target gas by determining the degree to which molecules of that gas absorb an infrared beam. The system is environmental-friendly, fast and has relatively low installation and maintenance costs. It is applicable to gas turbines and various industries including glass, paper and cement.

Environmental Characteristics and Geographic Information System Applications for the Development of Nutrient Thresholds in Oklahoma Streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masoner, Jason R.; Haggard, Brian E.; Rea, Alan

2002-01-01

The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency has developed nutrient criteria using ecoregions to manage and protect rivers and streams in the United States. Individual states and tribes are encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to modify or improve upon the ecoregion approach. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board uses a dichotomous process that stratifies streams using environmental characteristics such as stream order and stream slope. This process is called the Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter15. The Use Support Assessment Protocols can be used to identify streams threatened by excessive amounts of nutrients, dependant upon a beneficial use designation for each stream. The Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter 15 uses nutrient and environmental characteristic thresholds developed from a study conducted in the Netherlands, but the Oklahoma Water Resources Board wants to modify the thresholds to reflect hydrologic and ecological conditions relevant to Oklahoma streams and rivers. Environmental characteristics thought to affect impairment from nutrient concentrations in Oklahoma streams and rivers were determined for 798 water-quality sites in Oklahoma. Nutrient, chlorophyll, water-properties, and location data were retrieved from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET database including data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Drainage-basin area, stream order, stream slope, and land-use proportions were determined for each site using a Geographic Information System. The methods, procedures, and data sets used to determine the environmental characteristics are described.

High Spatial Resolution Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing Data for Analysis of the Atlanta, Georgia, Urban Heat Island Effect and Its Impacts on the Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.

2007-01-01

The twenty-first century is the first "urban century" according to the United Nations Development Program. The focus of cities reflects awareness of the growing percentage of the world's population that lives in urban areas. In environmental terms, cities are the original producers of many of the global problems related to waste disposal, air and water pollution, and associated environmental and ecological challenges. Expansion of cities, both in population and areal extent, is a relentless process. In 2000, approximately 3 billion people representing about 40% of the global population, resided in urban areas. Urban population will continue to rise substantially over the next several decades according to UN estimates, and most of this growth will Occur in developing countries. The UN estimates that by 2025, 60% of the world's population will live in urban areas. As a consequence, the number of"megacities" (those cities with populations of 10 million inhabitants or more) will increase by 100 by 2025. Thus, there is a critical need to understand urban areas and what their impacts are on environmental, ecological and hydrologic resources, as well as on the local, regional, and even global climate. One of the more egregious side effects of urbanization is the increase in surface and air temperatures that lead to deterioration in air quality. In the United States, under the more stringent air quality guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1997, nearly 300 counties in 34 states will not meet these new air quality standards for ground level ozone. Mitigation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect is actively being evaluated as a possible way to reduce ground ozone levels in cities and assist states in improving air quality. Foremost in the analysis of how the UHI affects air quality and other environmental factors is the use of remote sensing technology and data to characterize urban land covers in sufficient detail to quantifiably measure the impact of increased urban heating on air quality. The urban landscape impacts surface thermal energy exchanges that determine development of the UHI. This paper will illustrate how we are using high spatial remote sensing data collected over the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area in conjunction with other geographic information, to perform a detailed urban land cover classification and to determine the contribution of these land covers to the urban heat island effect. Also, the spatial arrangement of the land covers and the impact on urban heating from these selected patterns of development are evaluated. Additionally, this paper will show how these data are being used as inputs to improve air quality modeling for Atlanta, including potential benefits from UHI mitigation.

The Relation of Environmental Quality and Fishery Sector in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktavilia, Shanty; Habibah Yusfi, Reikha; Firmansyah; Sugiyanto, FX

2018-02-01

The condition of fishery sector is currently stagnating, even tending to decline, which is indicated by the decrease of production in some areas in Indonesia. Environmental degradation in marine waters is due to global climate change and uncontrolled fish exploitation impact on the decline of marine fisheries production. While in aquaculture, the environmental quality is also indicated to influence the production. Nevertheless, the increase of production of both marine and terrestrial fisheries has an effect on the quality of the environment. This study aims to analyze the interrelationship between the influence of environmental quality on the production of fishery sub-sector and the influence of fishery subsector production on environmental quality. This research employs environmental quality data and output of fishery of 34 provinces in Indonesia during 2011-2015. The study finds that output of fishery sector affects the environmental quality, which proves the Environment Kuznets Curve in the fishery sector in Indonesia. Since a certain threshold is achieved, the increase in revenue followed by the increase in environmental quality. The study also finds that the environmental quality has a positive effect on the production of fishery. Implication of the study is the increase of income of fishery households can be encouraged the ability of the community to protect the environment and increases the willingness of households to sacrifice other goods to environmental protection.

Development of risk-based air quality management strategies under impacts of climate change.

PubMed

Liao, Kuo-Jen; Amar, Praveen; Tagaris, Efthimios; Russell, Armistead G

2012-05-01

Climate change is forecast to adversely affect air quality through perturbations in meteorological conditions, photochemical reactions, and precursor emissions. To protect the environment and human health from air pollution, there is an increasing recognition of the necessity of developing effective air quality management strategies under the impacts of climate change. This paper presents a framework for developing risk-based air quality management strategies that can help policy makers improve their decision-making processes in response to current and future climate change about 30-50 years from now. Development of air quality management strategies under the impacts of climate change is fundamentally a risk assessment and risk management process involving four steps: (1) assessment of the impacts of climate change and associated uncertainties; (2) determination of air quality targets; (3) selections of potential air quality management options; and (4) identification of preferred air quality management strategies that minimize control costs, maximize benefits, or limit the adverse effects of climate change on air quality when considering the scarcity of resources. The main challenge relates to the level of uncertainties associated with climate change forecasts and advancements in future control measures, since they will significantly affect the risk assessment results and development of effective air quality management plans. The concept presented in this paper can help decision makers make appropriate responses to climate change, since it provides an integrated approach for climate risk assessment and management when developing air quality management strategies. Development of climate-responsive air quality management strategies is fundamentally a risk assessment and risk management process. The risk assessment process includes quantification of climate change impacts on air quality and associated uncertainties. Risk management for air quality under the impacts of climate change includes determination of air quality targets, selections of potential management options, and identification of effective air quality management strategies through decision-making models. The risk-based decision-making framework can also be applied to develop climate-responsive management strategies for the other environmental dimensions and assess costs and benefits of future environmental management policies.

Environmental Quality Index - Overview Report

EPA Science Inventory

A better estimate of overall environmental quality is needed to improve our understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions and humanhealth. Described in this report is the effort to construct an environmental quality index representing multiple domains of the ...

Soil structural quality assessment for soil protection regulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johannes, Alice; Boivin, Pascal

2017-04-01

Soil quality assessment is rapidly developing worldwide, though mostly focused on the monitoring of arable land and soil fertility. Soil protection regulations assess soil quality differently, focusing on priority pollutants and threshold values. The soil physical properties are weakly considered, due to lack of consensus and experimental difficulties faced with characterization. Non-disputable, easy to perform and inexpensive methods should be available for environmental regulation to be applied, which is unfortunately not the case. As a consequence, quantitative soil physical protection regulation is not applied, and inexpensive soil physical quality indicators for arable soil management are not available. Overcoming these limitations was the objective of a research project funded by the Swiss federal office for environment (FOEN). The main results and the perspectives of application are given in this presentation. A first step of the research was to characterize soils in a good structural state (reference soils) under different land use. The structural quality was assessed with field expertise and Visual Evaluation of the Soil Structure (VESS), and the physical properties were assessed with Shrinkage analysis. The relationships between the physical properties and the soil constituents were linear and highly determined. They represent the reference properties of the corresponding soils. In a second step, the properties of physically degraded soils were analysed and compared to the reference properties. This allowed defining the most discriminant parameters departing the different structure qualities and their threshold limits. Equivalent properties corresponding to these parameters but inexpensive and easy to determine were defined and tested. More than 90% of the samples were correctly classed with this method, which meets, therefore, the requirements for practical application in regulation. Moreover, result-oriented agri-environmental schemes for soil quality are now proposed to farmers based on these indicators.

Assessing environmental quality status by integrating chemical and biological effect data: The Cartagena coastal zone as a case.

PubMed

Martínez-Gómez, Concepción; Fernández, Beatriz; Robinson, Craig D; Campillo, J Antonio; León, Víctor M; Benedicto, José; Hylland, Ketil; Vethaak, A Dick

2017-03-01

Cartagena coastal zone (W Mediterranean) was chosen for a practical case study to investigate the suitability of an integrated indicator framework for marine monitoring and assessment of chemicals and their effects, which was developed by ICES and OSPAR. Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were selected as target species. Concentrations of contaminants in sediment and biota, and contaminant-related biomarkers were analysed. To assess environmental quality in the Cartagena coastal zone with respect to chemical pollution, data were assessed using available assessment criteria, and then integrated for different environmental matrices. A qualitative scoring method was used to rank the overall assessments into selected categories and to evaluate the confidence level of the final integrated assessment. The ICES/OSPAR integrated assessment framework, originally designed for the North Atlantic, was found to be applicable for Mediterranean species and environmental matrices. Further development of assessment criteria of chemical and biological parameters in sediments and target species from the Mediterranean will, however, be required before this framework can be fully applied for determining Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in these regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Dendup, Tashi; Feng, Xiaoqi; Clingan, Stephanie; Astell-Burt, Thomas

2018-01-01

Different elements of the environment have been posited to influence type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review summarizes evidence on the environmental determinants of T2DM identified in four databases. It proposes a theoretical framework illustrating the link between environment and T2DM, and briefly discusses some methodological challenges and potential solutions, and opportunities for future research. Walkability, air pollution, food and physical activity environment and roadways proximity were the most common environmental characteristics studied. Of the more than 200 reported and extracted relationships assessed in 60 studies, 82 showed significant association in the expected direction. In general, higher levels of walkability and green space were associated with lower T2DM risk, while increased levels of noise and air pollution were associated with greater risk. Current evidence is limited in terms of volume and study quality prohibiting causal inferences. However, the evidence suggests that environmental characteristics may influence T2DM prevention, and also provides a reasonable basis for further investigation with better quality data and longitudinal studies with policy-relevant environmental measures. This pursuit of better evidence is critical to support health-orientated urban design and city planning. PMID:29304014

Time of travel of solutes in Buffalo Bayou and selected tributaries, Houston, Texas, August 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

East, Jeffery W.; Schaer, Jasper D.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, conducted a time-of-travel study in the Buffalo Bayou watershed during low flow in August 1999. The study was done as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) program. The EMPACT program was designed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work with communities to “make timely, accurate, and understandable environmental information available to millions of people in the largest metropolitan areas across the country.” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). Buffalo Bayou, located in Houston, Texas, was chosen as a pilot project because it is a frequently used recreational water source, it has many water-treatment facilities located along its stream segments, and it has a history of water-quality problems (Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2000). One component of the pilot project is to develop a water-quality simulation model that can be used to assess the effects of noncompliance events on Buffalo Bayou. Because accurate estimates of time of travel during low flow are required to develop the model, the time of travel of solutes in Buffalo Bayou and selected tributaries was determined using dye tracing methods. The study was conducted during low flow in a 38.7-mile reach of Buffalo Bayou, a 9.6-mile reach of Whiteoak Bayou, a 5.9-mile reach of Mason Creek, and a 6.6-mile reach of Bear Creek. Efforts to determine the time of travel in a 7.5-mile reach of Horsepen Creek were unsuccessful. This report explains the approach used to conduct the study and presents the results of the study

Creating an Overall Environmental Quality Index - Technical Report

EPA Science Inventory

A better estimate of overall environmental quality is needed to improve our understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions and humanhealth. Described in this report is the effort to construct an environmental quality index representing multiple domains of the ...

ANALYTICAL METHODS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE CRITERIA FOR LC/ES/MS DETERMINATION OF PFOS IN FISH

EPA Science Inventory

PFOS, perfluorooctanesulfonate, has recently received much attention from environmental researchers. Previous analytical methods were based upon complexing with a strong ion-pairing reagent and extraction into MTBE. Detection was done on a concentrate using negative ion LC/ES/MS/...

Environmental and production responses from tall fescue-endophyte associations in Georgia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This presentation reports on the 2011 activities from a long-term research experiment conducted at the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville GA. Our general objective was to determine the dynamics of nutrient cycling, soil quality, and soil microbial biomass, activity, and community st...

Monitoring water quality in Northwest Atlantic coastal waters using dinoflagellate cysts

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrient pollution is a major environmental problem in many coastal waters around the US. Determining the total input of nutrients to estuaries is a challenge. One method to evaluate nutrient input is through nutrient loading models. Another method relies upon using indicators as...

Zeolite Soil Application Method Affects Inorganic Nitrogen, Moisture, and Corn Growth

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Adoption of new management techniques which improve soil water storage and soil nitrogen plant availability yet limit nitrogen leaching may help improve environmental quality. A benchtop study was conducted to determine the influence of a single urea fertilizer rate (224 kilograms of Nitrogen per ...

Oikos, The Environment and Education. Fastback 52.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Hearn, George T.

Designed for individuals in the educational process, this publication concerns the quality of human life. Major environmental problems are discussed, handling of these issues will determine our future direction. Man's belief that freedom places him separate from the environment causes drastic changes, upsetting the ecosystem balance. Wise…

Physical, chemical and biological properties of simulated beef cattle bedded manure packs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Manure including bedding material can be a valuable fertilizer, yet numerous, poorly characterized, environmental factors control its quality. The objective was to determine whether moisture content (MC), nutrient value (ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total po...

REFERENCE MATERIALS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

One of the first environmental matrix Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for determination of organic species was SRM 1649 Urban Dust, ambient total suspended particulate matter (PM) collected in Washington D...

Environmental, political, and economic determinants of water quality monitoring in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Lucas; Bernauer, Thomas; Kalbhenn, Anna

2010-11-01

Effective monitoring is essential for effective pollution control in national and international water systems. To what extent are countries' monitoring choices driven by environmental criteria, as they should be? And to what extent are they also influenced by other factors, such as political and economic conditions? To address these questions, we describe and explain the evolution of one of the most important international environmental monitoring networks in Europe, the one for water quality, in the time period 1965-2004. We develop a geographic information system that contains information on the location of several thousand active monitoring stations in Europe. Using multivariate statistics, we then examine whether and to what extent the spatial and temporal clustering of monitoring intensity is driven by environmental, political, and economic factors. The results show that monitoring intensity is higher in river basins exposed to greater environmental pressure. However, political and economic factors also play a strong role in monitoring decisions: democracy, income, and peer pressure are conducive to monitoring intensity, and monitoring intensity generally increases over time. Moreover, even though monitoring is more intense in international upstream-downstream settings, we observe only a weak bias toward more monitoring downstream of international borders. In contrast, negative effects of European Union (EU) membership and runup to the EU's Water Framework Directive are potential reasons for concern. Our results strongly suggest that international coordination and standardization of water quality monitoring should be intensified. It will be interesting to apply our analytical approach also to other national and international monitoring networks, for instance, the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment Program or the European Monitoring and Evaluation Program for air pollution.

Assessment of Environmental Determinants of Physical Activity: a Study of Built Environment Indicators in Brno, Czech Republic.

PubMed

Brázdová, Zuzana Derflerová; Klimusová, Helena; Hruška, Dalibor; Prokopová, Alice; Burjanek, Aleš; Wulff, Krauff Rainer Schwanhaeuser

2015-11-01

Research on physical activity in relation to obesity gradually becomes more focused on environmental determinants, which can potentially influence people's health choices. The present article addresses the topic of physical activity from a wider sociological perspective. Our pilot study was designed with the objective of testing the applicability of a method included in the EC 6th Framework Programme EURO-PREVOB, in the Czech context. The method examines specific determinants of the built environment that can have an impact on physical activity at the population level. In addition, the study aims to analyze possible differences in built environment indicators and their relation to the physical activity of people living in neighbourhoods with areas of varying socioeconomic status. The field study was carried out in the city of Brno, Czech Republic, in 5 neighbourhood quintiles, i.e. areas divided according to the socioeconomic status of local residents. In each quintile, we evaluated the quality of the built environment according to the quality, aesthetics and safety of segregated cycle facilities, playgrounds/playing areas, public open spaces, marked road crossings and pavements as well as signs of incivilities and devastation. Between the five quintiles, significant differences were found in the quality of parks and playgrounds/playing areas, pavements, marking of pedestrian crossings, and in general aesthetics, i.e. signs of incivilities and devastation of the built environment. No differences were found in the quality and use of cycle facilities. The method we used for the evaluation of the built environment proved highly applicable in Czech populated areas. Monitoring of built environment indicators in the Czech Republic should provide a basis for health maps, showing potential associations between the prevalence of high-incidence, non-infectious diseases and various social determinants of physical activity. This information might help in achieving an improvement in these determinants at a community level and promoting an increase in physical activity at the population level. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

How relevant is environmental quality to per capita health expenditures? Empirical evidence from panel of developing countries.

PubMed

Yahaya, Adamu; Nor, Norashidah Mohamed; Habibullah, Muzafar Shah; Ghani, Judhiana Abd; Noor, Zaleha Mohd

2016-01-01

Developing countries have witnessed economic growth as their GDP keeps increasing steadily over the years. The growth led to higher energy consumption which eventually leads to increase in air pollutions that pose a danger to human health. People's healthcare demand, in turn, increase due to the changes in the socioeconomic life and improvement in the health technology. This study is an attempt to investigate the impact of environmental quality on per capital health expenditure in 125 developing countries within a panel cointegration framework from 1995 to 2012. We found out that a long-run relationship exists between per capita health expenditure and all explanatory variables as they were panel cointegrated. The explanatory variables were found to be statistically significant in explaining the per capita health expenditure. The result further revealed that CO2 has the highest explanatory power on the per capita health expenditure. The impact of the explanatory power of the variables is greater in the long-run compared to the short-run. Based on this result, we conclude that environmental quality is a powerful determinant of health expenditure in developing countries. Therefore, developing countries should as a matter of health care policy give provision of healthy air a priority via effective policy implementation on environmental management and control measures to lessen the pressure on health care expenditure. Moreover more environmental proxies with alternative methods should be considered in the future research.

Utilizing steel slag in environmental application - An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, J. W.; Chew, L. H.; Choong, T. S. Y.; Tezara, C.; Yazdi, M. H.

2016-06-01

Steel slags are generated as waste material or byproduct every day from steel making industries.The potential environmental issues which are related with the slag dump or reprocessing for metal recovery are generally being focused in the research. However the chemistry and mineralogy of slag depends on metallurgical process which is able to determine whether the steel slag can be the reusable products or not. Nowadays, steel slag are well characterized by using several methods, such as X-ray Diffraction, ICP-OES, leaching test and many more. About the industrial application, it is mainly reused as aggregate for road construction, as armour stones for hydraulic engineering constructions and as fertilizers for agricultural purposes. To ensure the quality of steel slag for the end usage, several test methods are developed for evaluating the technical properties of steel slag, especially volume stability and environmental behaviour. In order to determine its environmental behaviour, leaching tests have been developed. The focus of this paper however is on those applications that directly affect environmental issues including remediation, and mitigation of activities that negatively impact the environment.

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Widening Trench 36 of the 218-E-12B Low-Level Burial Ground, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

N /A

1999-02-11

This environmental assessment was prepared to assess potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action to widen and operate unused Trench 36 in the 218-E-12B Low-Level Burial Ground for disposal of low-level waste. Information contained herein will be used by the Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, to determine if the Proposed Action is a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. If the Proposed Action is determined to be major and significant, an environmental impact statement will be prepared. If the Proposed Action is determined not to be major and significant, a Findingmore » of No Significant Impact will be issued and the action may proceed. Criteria used to evaluate significance can be found in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations 1508.27. This environmental assessment was prepared in compliance with the ''National Environmental Policy Act of1969'', as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of ''National Environmental Policy Act'' (Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations 1500-1508), and the U.S. Department of Energy Implementing Procedures for ''National Environmental Polio Act'' (Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations 1021). The following is a description of each section of this environmental assessment. (1) Purpose and Need for Action. This section provides a brief statement concerning the problem or opportunity the U.S, Department of Energy is addressing with the Proposed Action. Background information is provided. (2) Description of the Proposed Action. This section provides a description of the Proposed Action with sufficient detail to identify potential environmental impacts. (3) Alternatives to the Proposed Action. This section describes reasonable,alternative actions to the Proposed Action, which addresses the Purpose and Need. A No Action Alternative, as required by Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations 1021, also is described. (4) Affected Environment. This section provides a brief description of the locale in which the Proposed Action would take place. (5) Environmental Impacts. This section describes the range of environmental impacts, beneficial and adverse, of the Proposed Action. Impacts of alternatives briefly are discussed. (6) Permits and Regulatory Requirements. This section provides a brief description of permits and regulatory requirements for the Proposed Action. (7) Organizations Consulted. This section lists any outside groups, agencies, or individuals contacted as part of the environmental assessment preparation and/or review. (8) References. This section provides a list of documents used to contribute information or data in preparation of this environmental assessment.« less

Biological and environmental determinants of childhood obesity.

PubMed

Blass, Elliott M

2003-01-01

Childhood obesity reflects the confluence of three factors that minimize attention to internal physiologic satiety signals: the release of central opioids through ingestion of sweets and fats, which induces a preference for such foods; the phylogenetic quality of extending meals in response to environmental demands, as in work schedules, or through finding patches of agreeable food that are safe to consume (this is exacerbated in impoverished children, whose activity is limited); the determination of food preference through social interactions renders feeding systems open to external influences such as mass marketing and television advertising. Alternative feeding modes are presented based on studies of childhood food preferences and how children may be influenced to choose more balanced and healthier diets.

10 CFR 960.5-2-5 - Environmental quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., State, or local environmental requirements. (2) Projected significant adverse environmental impacts that... REPOSITORY Preclosure Guidelines Environment, Socioeconomics, and Transportation § 960.5-2-5 Environmental quality. (a) Qualifying condition. The site shall be located such that (1) the quality of the environment...

Local environmental quality positively predicts breastfeeding in the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Sear, Rebecca

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Breastfeeding is an important form of parental investment with clear health benefits. Despite this, rates remain low in the UK; understanding variation can therefore help improve interventions. Life history theory suggests that environmental quality may pattern maternal investment, including breastfeeding. We analyse a nationally representative dataset to test two predictions: (i) higher local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation and longer duration; (ii) higher socioeconomic status (SES) provides a buffer against the adverse influences of low local environmental quality. Methodology: We ran factor analysis on a wide range of local-level environmental variables. Two summary measures of local environmental quality were generated by this analysis—one ‘objective’ (based on an independent assessor’s neighbourhood scores) and one ‘subjective’ (based on respondent’s scores). We used mixed-effects regression techniques to test our hypotheses. Results: Higher objective, but not subjective, local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of starting and maintaining breastfeeding over and above individual SES and area-level measures of environmental quality. Higher individual SES is protective, with women from high-income households having relatively high breastfeeding initiation rates and those with high status jobs being more likely to maintain breastfeeding, even in poor environmental conditions. Conclusions and Implications: Environmental quality is often vaguely measured; here we present a thorough investigation of environmental quality at the local level, controlling for individual- and area-level measures. Our findings support a shift in focus away from individual factors and towards altering the landscape of women’s decision making contexts when considering behaviours relevant to public health. PMID:29354262

Local environmental quality positively predicts breastfeeding in the UK's Millennium Cohort Study.

PubMed

Brown, Laura J; Sear, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Breastfeeding is an important form of parental investment with clear health benefits. Despite this, rates remain low in the UK; understanding variation can therefore help improve interventions. Life history theory suggests that environmental quality may pattern maternal investment, including breastfeeding. We analyse a nationally representative dataset to test two predictions: (i) higher local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation and longer duration; (ii) higher socioeconomic status (SES) provides a buffer against the adverse influences of low local environmental quality. Methodology: We ran factor analysis on a wide range of local-level environmental variables. Two summary measures of local environmental quality were generated by this analysis-one 'objective' (based on an independent assessor's neighbourhood scores) and one 'subjective' (based on respondent's scores). We used mixed-effects regression techniques to test our hypotheses. Results: Higher objective, but not subjective, local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of starting and maintaining breastfeeding over and above individual SES and area-level measures of environmental quality. Higher individual SES is protective, with women from high-income households having relatively high breastfeeding initiation rates and those with high status jobs being more likely to maintain breastfeeding, even in poor environmental conditions. Conclusions and Implications: Environmental quality is often vaguely measured; here we present a thorough investigation of environmental quality at the local level, controlling for individual- and area-level measures. Our findings support a shift in focus away from individual factors and towards altering the landscape of women's decision making contexts when considering behaviours relevant to public health.

77 FR 68076 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; Redesignation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

... redesignation. The maintenance plan includes an insignificance determination for the on-road motor vehicle... and Approval of the Associated Maintenance Plan AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... proposing to approve the maintenance plan SIP revision that the State submitted in conjunction with its...

School Climate and Restructuring for Low-Achieving Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smey-Richman, Barbara

Although analogous and vague definitions of school climate may help in determining whether low-achieving students are experiencing a more positive or negative school climate, more clarity is needed to render the climate construct more observable, measurable, and malleable. Tagiuri conceptualizes climate as the total environmental quality within an…

Water Quality Perceptions and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ditton, Robert B.; Goodale, Thomas L.

1974-01-01

An extensive survey of the marine recreational uses of the Bay of Green Bay was conducted to determine the knowledge, perception, and attitudes of adjacent populations. Findings indicated that environmental forces and problems are not well understood and that the condition of Green Bay is perceived differently by different users. (Author/MA)

EQ Index, 1971.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC.

To assess the status of our environmental quality and determine if we are winning or losing the campaign to save our environment, the National Wildlife Federation has developed this "EQ" kit. Multi-media materials help measure one's attitudes and activities in the areas of air, water, forests, wildlife, minerals, and soil conservation. Living…

Use of SeaWiFS, MODIS, and MERIS in developing water quality numeric criteria for Florida’s coastal waters

EPA Science Inventory

Human activities on land often increase nutrient loads to coastal waters and may cause increased phytoplankton production, algal biomass, and eutrophication. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency determined that numeric criteria were necessary to protect Florida's coastal wa...

76 FR 11983 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Adoption of Control...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... state and local air pollution control authorities information that should assist them in determining...; plastic asceptic packaging; and carbon paper and inked ribbons. VOC emissions from paper, film, or foil... of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by...

78 FR 28773 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Adoption of Control...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-16

... Miscellaneous Metal and Plastic Parts Which Includes Pleasure Craft Coating Operations AGENCY: Environmental... recommended by EPA's control technique guidelines (CTG) for Miscellaneous Metal Parts and Plastic Coating... air pollution control authorities information that should assist them in determining RACT for VOC from...

75 FR 4064 - Adequacy Status of the Steubenville, OH and the Canton, OH Submitted Annual Fine Particulate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-26

... Implementation Plan (SIP) means that transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations... Transportation Conformity Purposes AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of adequacy... adequate for use in transportation conformity determinations. Ohio submitted the Steubenville and Canton...

77 FR 9529 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of Missouri

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... pollution control, Environmental protection, Incorporation by reference, Lead, Reporting and recordkeeping... Implementation Plan (SIP) and control strategy for the lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS... in this action is the lead NAAQS promulgated by EPA in 1978. EPA has determined that both SIP...

Integration of Air Quality Modeling and Monitoring Data for Enhanced Health Exposure Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

In order to assess the environmental impact of air pollution on human health it is necessary to establish the concentrations to which the population is exposed. The obvious way to determine this is to measure these quantities. However, given the limited number of monitoring sta...

ECOREGIONAL INFLUENCES ON WATERSHED LAND COVER, WATER QUALITY, AND IN-STREAM BIOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Omernik's ecoregions were developed to serve as a spatial framework for environmental monitoring and research. We examined the biology and chemistry in 35 headwater streams in the Little Miami River (LMR) of Ohio to determine whethEr there were real differences among three ecore...

Integration of Air Quality Modeling and Monitoring Data for Enhanced Health Exposure Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

In order to assess the environmental impact of air pollution on human health it is necessary to establish the concentrations to which the population is exposed. The obvious way to determine this is to measure these quantities. However, given the limited number of monitoring stati...

Predicting the Use of Public Transportation: A Case Study from Putrajaya, Malaysia

PubMed Central

Borhan, Muhamad Nazri; Mohd Akhir, Norliza; Mat Yazid, Muhamad Razuhanafi; Ismail, Amiruddin; Rahmat, Riza Atiq

2014-01-01

Putrajaya is a new federal administrative capital of Malaysia which has been set to achieve a 70% share of all travels by public transport in the city area. However, the current modal split between the public transport and private transport is 15 : 85. In order to understand travelers' willingness to use the public transport, a conceptual model has been developed to determine the factors that affect them to use the public transport instead of travelling in their own cars. Various variables such as service quality, environmental impact, attitude, and behavior intention were analyzed and tested using structural equation model (SEM). Results indicate that the service quality and attitude are found to have positive effects on the behavioral intention of taking the public transport. Other than this, this study also shows that the service quality and environmental impact have some positive influences on the attitude to using the public transport. However, environmental impact has no significant, positive, and direct effect on behavioral intention. The results of this study demonstrate that the model that was developed is useful in predicting the public transport and it could provide a more complete understanding of behavioral intention towards public transport use. PMID:25110744

Predicting the use of public transportation: a case study from Putrajaya, Malaysia.

PubMed

Borhan, Muhamad Nazri; Syamsunur, Deprizon; Akhir, Norliza Mohd; Yazid, Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat; Ismail, Amiruddin; Rahmat, Riza Atiq

2014-01-01

Putrajaya is a new federal administrative capital of Malaysia which has been set to achieve a 70% share of all travels by public transport in the city area. However, the current modal split between the public transport and private transport is 15:85. In order to understand travelers' willingness to use the public transport, a conceptual model has been developed to determine the factors that affect them to use the public transport instead of travelling in their own cars. Various variables such as service quality, environmental impact, attitude, and behavior intention were analyzed and tested using structural equation model (SEM). Results indicate that the service quality and attitude are found to have positive effects on the behavioral intention of taking the public transport. Other than this, this study also shows that the service quality and environmental impact have some positive influences on the attitude to using the public transport. However, environmental impact has no significant, positive, and direct effect on behavioral intention. The results of this study demonstrate that the model that was developed is useful in predicting the public transport and it could provide a more complete understanding of behavioral intention towards public transport use.

Environmental Quality, the Third Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC.

The state of the environment and efforts to improve it are reported upon in this Third Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality. Broad in scope, the report covers federal and state activities during the past year, the development of environmental indices, and legal implications of the National Environmental Policy Act. The chapter on…

40 CFR 1517.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.2 Definitions. For the purpose of this part: (a) The term Council shall mean the Council on Environmental Quality established under title II of the National Environmental Policy Act of...

40 CFR 1517.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.2 Definitions. For the purpose of this part: (a) The term Council shall mean the Council on Environmental Quality established under title II of the National Environmental Policy Act of...

40 CFR 1517.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.2 Definitions. For the purpose of this part: (a) The term Council shall mean the Council on Environmental Quality established under title II of the National Environmental Policy Act of...

40 CFR 1517.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.2 Definitions. For the purpose of this part: (a) The term Council shall mean the Council on Environmental Quality established under title II of the National Environmental Policy Act of...

40 CFR 1517.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.2 Definitions. For the purpose of this part: (a) The term Council shall mean the Council on Environmental Quality established under title II of the National Environmental Policy Act of...

Construction of an environmental quality index for public health research

EPA Science Inventory

A more comprehensive estimate of environmental quality would improve our understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions and human health. An environmental quality index (EQI) for all counties in the U.S. was developed. The EQI was developed in four parts: doma...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION PROGRAM: QUALITY AND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PILOT PERIOD (1995-2000)

EPA Science Inventory

Based upon the structure and specifications in ANSI/ASQC E4-1994, Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs, the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program Quality and Management Plan (QMP) f...

Urbanization, regime type and durability, and environmental degradation in Ghana.

PubMed

Adams, Samuel; Adom, Philip Kofi; Klobodu, Edem Kwame Mensah

2016-12-01

This study examines the effect of urbanization, income, trade openness, and institutional quality (i.e., regime type and durability) on environmental degradation in Ghana over the period 1965-2011. Using the bounds test approach to cointegration and the Fully Modified Phillip-Hansen (FMPH) technique, the findings show that urbanization, income, trade openness, and institutional quality have long-run cointegration with environmental degradation. Further, the results show that income, trade openness, and institutional quality are negatively associated with environmental degradation. This suggests that income, trade openness, and institutional quality enhance environmental performance. Urbanization, however, is positively related to environmental degradation. Additionally, long-run estimates conditioned on institutional quality reveal that the extent to which trade openness and urbanization enhance environmental performance is largely due to the presence of quality institutions (or democratic institutions). Finally, controlling for structural breaks, we find that trade openness, urbanization, and regime type (i.e., democracy) improve environmental performance significantly after the 1970s except for income.

Assessment of phytoplankton and environmental variables for water quality and trophic state classification in the Gemlik Gulf, Marmara Sea (Turkey).

PubMed

Balci, Muharrem; Balkis, Neslihan

2017-02-15

Phytoplankton assemblages related to environmental factors and ecological status of the Gemlik Gulf were investigated between June 2010 and May 2011. A total 155 phytoplankton species were detected and 6 taxa (Amphisolenia laticincta, Archaeperidinium minutum, Cochlodinium sp., Gynogonadinium aequatoriale, Heterocapsa rotundata and Metaphalacroma sp.) were new records for the Turkish Seas. The lowest and highest total phytoplankton abundance among the sampling units (depths) was recorded in April 2011 (7.4×10 3 cellsL -1 ) and July 2010 (251.8×10 3 cellsL -1 ). Local small patches of visible red tide events were detected especially in the gulf, although a phytoplankton bloom was not observed. The water column was well stratified in the early autumn and well mixed in the early spring according to stratification index values. Surface nutrient concentrations increased especially at stations located inside of the gulf. The limiting effect of silicate was observed in early, mid-summer and early winter periods while the nitrogen was the limiting nutrient in the gulf during the whole sampling period. In the Gulf, low water quality-high mesotrophic and bad water quality-eutrophic status, high quality and low trophic level were generally detected according to Chl a, dissolved oxygen and trophic index. However, indices developed to determine the trophic level and water quality of the Mediterranean Sea can give unexpected results about the current environmental quality status when it is applied to the Marmara Sea which has limited photic zone by the halocline-pycnocline and thermocline. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposed methods and endpoints for defining and assessing adverse environmental impact (AEI) on fish communities/populations in Tennessee River reservoirs.

PubMed

Hickman, Gary D; Brown, Mary L

2002-06-07

Two multimetric indices have been developed to help address fish community (reservoir fish assemblage index [RFAI]) and individual population quality (sport fishing index [SFI]) in Tennessee River reservoirs. The RFAI, with characteristics similar to the index of biotic integrity (IBI) used in stream fish community determinations, was developed to monitor the existing condition of resident fish communities. The index, which incorporates standardized electrofishing of littoral areas and experimental gill netting for limnetic bottom-dwelling species, has been used to determine residential fish community response to various anthropogenic impacts in southeastern reservoirs. The SFI is a multimetric index designed to address the quality of the fishery for individual resident sport fish species in a particular lake or reservoir[4]. The SFI incorporates measures of fish population aspects and angler catch and pressure estimates. This paper proposes 70% of the maximum RFAI score and 10% above the average SFI score for individual species as "screening" endpoints for balanced indigenous populations (BIP) or adverse environmental impact (AEI). Endpoints for these indices indicate: (1) communities/populations are obviously balanced indigenous populations (BIP) indicating no adverse environmental impact (AEI), or are "screened out"; (2) communities/populations are considered to be potentially impacted; and (3) where the resident fish community/population should be considered adversely impacted. Suggestions are also made concerning how examination of individual metric scores can help determine the source or cause of the impact.

[Environmental quality assessment of regional agro-ecosystem in Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Wang, Limei; Meng, Fanping; Zheng, Jiyong; Wang, Zhonglin

2004-03-01

Based on the detection and analysis of the contamination status of agro-ecosystem with apple-crops intercropping as the dominant cropping model in Loess Plateau, the individual factor and comprehensive environmental quality were assessed by multilevel fuzzy synthetic evaluation model, analytical hierarchy process(AHP), and improved standard weight deciding method. The results showed that the quality of soil, water and agricultural products was grade I, the social economical environmental quality was grade II, the ecological environmental quality was grade III, and the comprehensive environmental quality was grade I. The regional agro-ecosystem dominated by apple-crops intercropping was not the best model for the ecological benefits, but had the better social economical benefits.

Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis: A Perspective of Sustainable Development in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuansa, Citrasmara Galuh; Widodo, Wahyu

2018-02-01

Sustainable development with three main pillars, namely environmental, economic, and social, is the concept of country's development to achieve inclusive economic growth, good environmental quality, and improvement of people's welfare. However, the dominance of economic factors cause various environmental problem. This phenomenon occurs in most of developing countries, including in Indonesia. The relationship between economic activity and environmental quality has been widely discussed and empirically tested by scholars. This descriptive research analysed the hypothesis called Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) from a perspective of sustainable development in Indonesia. EKC hypothesis illustrates the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation forming an inverted U-curve, indicating that at the beginning of development, environmental quality will decrease along with increasing economic growth, and then reached a certain point the environmental quality will gradually improve. In this paper will be discussed how the relationship between environmental quality and economic growth in Indonesia was investigated. The preliminary results show that most of the empirical studies use the conventional approach, in which the CO2 emission used as the proxy of environmental degradation. The existence of inverted U-curve is also inconclusive. Therefore, the extension research on the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality in Indonesia using the EKC hypothesis is required.

Data-collection methods and quality-assurance/quality-control procedures used in the study of episodic stream acidification and its effect on fish and aquatic invertebrates in four Catskill Mountain streams, New York, 1988-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ranalli, Anthony J.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Horan-Ross, Debra; Allen, Ronald V.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, conducted a 20-month study during 1988-90 to evaluate the effects of episodic acidification on fish and aquatic invertebrates in pristine headwater streams in the Catskill Mountains of New York. The study was part of the Episodic Response Project, a regional survey of episodic acidification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and was carried out simultaneously with other studies in the Adirondack Mountains of New York by the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation and in central Pennsylvania by Pennsylvania State University. This report summarizes the methods used, describes the sampling sites, and presents the data collected from October 1, 1988 through May 30, 1990 at four headwater watersheds (Biscuit Brook, East Branch Neversink River, Black Brook, and High Falls Brook). The study entailed (1) monitoring the quantity and chemical quality of atmospheric deposition and the quality of discharge of streams, and (2) experiments to determine the effect of stream-water-quality changes on fish and invertebrate populations.

Rural and Urban Differences in Air Quality, 2008–2012, and Community Drinking Water Quality, 2010–2015 — United States

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Caitlin; Monti, Michele; Yip, Fuyuen

2017-01-01

Problem/Condition The places in which persons live, work, and play can contribute to the development of adverse health outcomes. Understanding the differences in risk factors in various environments can help to explain differences in the occurrence of these outcomes and can be used to develop public health programs, interventions, and policies. Efforts to characterize urban and rural differences have largely focused on social and demographic characteristics. A paucity of national standardized environmental data has hindered efforts to characterize differences in the physical aspects of urban and rural areas, such as air and water quality. Reporting Period 2008–2012 for air quality and 2010–2015 for water quality. Description of System Since 2002, CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program has collaborated with federal, state, and local partners to gather standardized environmental data by creating national data standards, collecting available data, and disseminating data to be used in developing public health actions. The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (i.e., the tracking network) collects data provided by national, state, and local partners and includes 21 health outcomes, exposures, and environmental hazards. To assess environmental factors that affect health, CDC analyzed three air-quality measures from the tracking network for all counties in the contiguous United States during 2008–2012 and one water-quality measure for 26 states during 2010–2015. The three air-quality measures include 1) total number of days with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 24-hour average PM2.5 (PM2.5 days); 2) mean annual average ambient concentrations of PM2.5 in micrograms per cubic meter (mean PM2.5); and 3) total number of days with maximum 8-hour average ozone concentrations greater than the NAAQS (ozone days). The water-quality measure compared the annual mean concentration for a community water system (CWS) to the maximum contaminant level (MCL) defined by EPA for 10 contaminants: arsenic, atrazine, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), haloacetic acids (HAA5), nitrate, perchloroethene (PCE), radium, trichloroethene (TCE), total trihalomethanes (TTHM), and uranium. Findings are presented by urban-rural classification scheme: four metropolitan (large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium metropolitan, and small metropolitan) and two nonmetropolitan (micropolitan and noncore) categories. Regression modeling was used to determine whether differences in the measures by urban-rural categories were statistically significant. Results Patterns for all three air-quality measures suggest that air quality improves as areas become more rural (or less urban). The mean total number of ozone days decreased from 47.54 days in large central metropolitan counties to 3.81 days in noncore counties, whereas the mean total number of PM2.5 days decreased from 11.21 in large central metropolitan counties to 0.95 in noncore counties. The mean average annual PM2.5 concentration decreased from 11.15 μg/m3 in large central metropolitan counties to 8.87 μg/m3 in noncore counties. Patterns for the water-quality measure suggest that water quality improves as areas become more urban (or less rural). Overall, 7% of CWSs reported at least one annual mean concentration greater than the MCL for all 10 contaminants combined. The percentage increased from 5.4% in large central metropolitan counties to 10% in noncore counties, a difference that was significant, adjusting for U.S. region, CWS size, water source, and potential spatial correlation. Similar results were found for two disinfection by-products, HAA5 and TTHM. Arsenic was the only other contaminant with a significant result. Medium metropolitan counties had 3.1% of CWSs reporting at least one annual mean greater than the MCL, compared with 2.4% in large central counties. Interpretation Noncore (rural) counties experienced fewer unhealthy air-quality days than large central metropolitan counties, likely because of fewer air pollution sources in the noncore counties. All categories of counties had a mean annual average PM2.5 concentration lower than the EPA standard. Among all CWSs analyzed, the number reporting one or more annual mean contaminant concentrations greater the MCL was small. The water-quality measure suggests that water quality worsens as counties become more rural, in regards to all contaminants combined and for the two disinfection by-products individually. Although significant differences were found for the water-quality measure, the odds ratios were very small, making it difficult to determine whether these differences have a meaningful effect on public health. These differences might be a result of variations in water treatment practices in rural versus urban counties. Public Health Action Understanding the differences between rural and urban areas in air and water quality can help public health departments to identify, monitor, and prioritize potential environmental public health concerns and opportunities for action. These findings suggest a continued need to develop more geographically targeted, evidence-based interventions to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with poor air and water quality. PMID:28640797

Rural and Urban Differences in Air Quality, 2008-2012, and Community Drinking Water Quality, 2010-2015 - United States.

PubMed

Strosnider, Heather; Kennedy, Caitlin; Monti, Michele; Yip, Fuyuen

2017-06-23

The places in which persons live, work, and play can contribute to the development of adverse health outcomes. Understanding the differences in risk factors in various environments can help to explain differences in the occurrence of these outcomes and can be used to develop public health programs, interventions, and policies. Efforts to characterize urban and rural differences have largely focused on social and demographic characteristics. A paucity of national standardized environmental data has hindered efforts to characterize differences in the physical aspects of urban and rural areas, such as air and water quality. 2008-2012 for air quality and 2010-2015 for water quality. Since 2002, CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program has collaborated with federal, state, and local partners to gather standardized environmental data by creating national data standards, collecting available data, and disseminating data to be used in developing public health actions. The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (i.e., the tracking network) collects data provided by national, state, and local partners and includes 21 health outcomes, exposures, and environmental hazards. To assess environmental factors that affect health, CDC analyzed three air-quality measures from the tracking network for all counties in the contiguous United States during 2008-2012 and one water-quality measure for 26 states during 2010-2015. The three air-quality measures include 1) total number of days with fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) levels greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 24-hour average PM 2.5 (PM 2.5 days); 2) mean annual average ambient concentrations of PM 2.5 in micrograms per cubic meter (mean PM 2.5 ); and 3) total number of days with maximum 8-hour average ozone concentrations greater than the NAAQS (ozone days). The water-quality measure compared the annual mean concentration for a community water system (CWS) to the maximum contaminant level (MCL) defined by EPA for 10 contaminants: arsenic, atrazine, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), haloacetic acids (HAA5), nitrate, perchloroethene (PCE), radium, trichloroethene (TCE), total trihalomethanes (TTHM), and uranium. Findings are presented by urban-rural classification scheme: four metropolitan (large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium metropolitan, and small metropolitan) and two nonmetropolitan (micropolitan and noncore) categories. Regression modeling was used to determine whether differences in the measures by urban-rural categories were statistically significant. Patterns for all three air-quality measures suggest that air quality improves as areas become more rural (or less urban). The mean total number of ozone days decreased from 47.54 days in large central metropolitan counties to 3.81 days in noncore counties, whereas the mean total number of PM 2.5 days decreased from 11.21 in large central metropolitan counties to 0.95 in noncore counties. The mean average annual PM 2.5 concentration decreased from 11.15 μg/m 3 in large central metropolitan counties to 8.87 μg/m 3 in noncore counties. Patterns for the water-quality measure suggest that water quality improves as areas become more urban (or less rural). Overall, 7% of CWSs reported at least one annual mean concentration greater than the MCL for all 10 contaminants combined. The percentage increased from 5.4% in large central metropolitan counties to 10% in noncore counties, a difference that was significant, adjusting for U.S. region, CWS size, water source, and potential spatial correlation. Similar results were found for two disinfection by-products, HAA5 and TTHM. Arsenic was the only other contaminant with a significant result. Medium metropolitan counties had 3.1% of CWSs reporting at least one annual mean greater than the MCL, compared with 2.4% in large central counties. Noncore (rural) counties experienced fewer unhealthy air-quality days than large central metropolitan counties, likely because of fewer air pollution sources in the noncore counties. All categories of counties had a mean annual average PM 2.5 concentration lower than the EPA standard. Among all CWSs analyzed, the number reporting one or more annual mean contaminant concentrations greater the MCL was small. The water-quality measure suggests that water quality worsens as counties become more rural, in regards to all contaminants combined and for the two disinfection by-products individually. Although significant differences were found for the water-quality measure, the odds ratios were very small, making it difficult to determine whether these differences have a meaningful effect on public health. These differences might be a result of variations in water treatment practices in rural versus urban counties. Understanding the differences between rural and urban areas in air and water quality can help public health departments to identify, monitor, and prioritize potential environmental public health concerns and opportunities for action. These findings suggest a continued need to develop more geographically targeted, evidence-based interventions to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with poor air and water quality.

Waste Technology Engineering Laboratory (324 building)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kammenzind, D.E.

The 324 Facility Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID) is comprised of twenty functional areas. Two of the twenty functional areas (Decontamination and Decommissioning and Environmental Restoration) were determined as nonapplicable functional areas and one functional area (Research and Development and Experimental Activities) was determined applicable, however, requirements are found in other functional areas and will not be duplicated. Each functional area follows as a separate chapter, either containing the S/RID or a justification for nonapplicability. The twenty functional areas listed below follow as chapters: 1. Management Systems; 2. Quality Assurance; 3. Configuration Management; 4. Training and Qualification; 5. Emergency Management; 6.more » Safeguards and Security; 7. Engineering Program; 8. Construction; 9. Operations; 10. Maintenance; 11. Radiation Protection; 12. Fire Protection; 13. Packaging and Transportation; 14. Environmental Restoration; 15. Decontamination and Decommissioning; 16. Waste Management; 17. Research and Development and Experimental Activities; 18. Nuclear Safety; 19. Occupational Safety and Health; 20. Environmental Protection.« less

Linking Stream Dissolved Oxygen with the Dynamic Environmental Drivers across the Pacific Coast of U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araya, F. Z.; Abdul-Aziz, O. I.

2017-12-01

This study utilized a systematic data analytics approach to determine the relative linkages of stream dissolved oxygen (DO) with the hydro-climatic and biogeochemical drivers across the U.S. Pacific Coast. Multivariate statistical techniques of Pearson correlation matrix, principal component analysis, and factor analysis were applied to a complex water quality dataset (1998-2015) at 35 water quality monitoring stations of USGS NWIS and EPA STORET. Power-law based partial least squares regression (PLSR) models with a bootstrap Monte Carlo procedure (1000 iterations) were developed to reliably estimate the relative linkages by resolving multicollinearity (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency, NSE = 0.50-0.94). Based on the dominant drivers, four environmental regimes have been identified and adequately described the system-data variances. In Pacific North West and Southern California, water temperature was the most dominant driver of DO in majority of the streams. However, in Central and Northern California, stream DO was controlled by multiple drivers (i.e., water temperature, pH, stream flow, and total phosphorus), exhibiting a transitional environmental regime. Further, total phosphorus (TP) appeared to be the limiting nutrient for most streams. The estimated linkages and insights would be useful to identify management priorities to achieve healthy coastal stream ecosystems across the Pacific Coast of U.S.A. and similar regions around the world. Keywords: Data analytics, water quality, coastal streams, dissolved oxygen, environmental regimes, Pacific Coast, United States.

Accounting for metal bioavailability in assessing water quality: A step change?

PubMed

Merrington, Graham; Peters, Adam; Schlekat, Christian E

2016-02-01

Bioavailability of metals to aquatic organisms can be considered to be a combination of the physicochemical factors governing metal behavior and the specific pathophysiological characteristics of the organism's biological receptor. Effectively this means that a measure of bioavailability will reflect the exposures that organisms in the water column actually "experience". This is important because it has long been established that measures of total metal in waters have limited relevance to potential environmental risk. The concept of accounting for bioavailability in regard to deriving and implementing environmental water quality standards is not new, but the regulatory reality has lagged behind the development of scientific evidence supporting the concept. Practical and technical reasons help to explain this situation. For example, concerns remain from regulators and the regulated that the efforts required to change existing systems of metal environmental protection that have been in place for over 35 yr are so great as not to be commensurate with likely benefits. However, more regulatory jurisdictions are now considering accounting for metal bioavailability in assessments of water quality as a means to support evidence-based decision-making. In the past decade, both the US Environmental Protection Agency and the European Commission have established bioavailability-based standards for metals, including Cu and Ni. These actions have shifted the debate toward identifying harmonized approaches for determining when knowledge is adequate to establish bioavailability-based approaches and how to implement them. © 2016 SETAC.

Investigation of the environmental impacts of sedimentation in Anzali Pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barmal, Milad; Neshaei, Seyed Ahmad; Farzan, Niloofar

2016-04-01

Anzali harbor is the most essential transportation pole between Iran and other countries of the Caspian Sea basin. Anzali pond is an important ecosystem in the region due to its unique plant and animal species. In order to determine the effects of interaction between pond and sea, a series of in-depth studies and analysis on the pattern of sedimentation in Anzali harbor and pond were performed. The study area is Anzali harbor and pond which is located in southwest of the Caspian Sea in Iran. In recent years the economical importance and improvement program of this region has devoted many scientists and authorities attention to itself. In this paper, researches on environmental impact by sediment and pollution in this zone are performed. Analysis indicates that by disposal of sediment and pollution in this area, the physical and chemical quality of water has declined. Some practical suggestions are made to improve the quality of the studied region in terms of environmental aspects.

Fatigue design procedure for the American SST prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doty, R. J.

1972-01-01

For supersonic airline operations, significantly higher environmental temperature is the primary new factor affecting structural service life. Methods for incorporating the influence of temperature in detailed fatigue analyses are shown along with current test indications. Thermal effects investigated include real-time compared with short-time testing, long-time temperature exposure, and stress-temperature cycle phasing. A method is presented which allows designers and stress analyzers to check fatigue resistance of structural design details. A communicative rating system is presented which defines the relative fatigue quality of the detail so that the analyst can define cyclic-load capability of the design detail by entering constant-life charts for varying detail quality. If necessary then, this system allows the designer to determine ways to improve the fatigue quality for better life or to determine the operating stresses which will provide the required service life.

[Quality of water for human consumption and its association with morbimortality in Colombia, 2008-2012].

PubMed

Guzmán, Blanca Lisseth; Nava, Gerardo; Díaz, Paula

2015-08-01

The quality of water for human consumption has been correlated with the occurrence of different diseases. Studying the relationship between these parameters would allow determining the impact of water quality on human health, and to direct preventative measures and promote environmental health. To analyze the quality of water intended for human consumption and its association with morbimortality in Colombia, 2008-2012. The database for surveillance of water quality was analyzed by means of descriptive statistics of the principal indicators (total coliforms, Escherichia coli , turbidity, color, pH, free residual chlorine and water quality risk index). The results were correlated with infant mortality and morbidity due to acute diarrheal diseases, foodborne diseases and hepatitis A. A risk map was prepared to identify those municipalities with the highest risk of water contamination and infant mortality. A high percentage of municipalities did not conform to existing standards for water potability values. Problems were identified that were related to presence of E. coli and total coliforms, as well as absence of free residual chlorine, a situation that was exacerbated in rural areas. Water quality showed a high correlation with infant mortality, highlighting its importance for children's health. Water quality was found to have an important impact on infant mortality. Improving water quality in Colombia will require policies that strengthen water supply systems in this country. Strengthening of environmental health surveillance programs is essential to guide actions aimed at improving water quality and exert a positive impact on health.

75 FR 8046 - National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft Guidance, “NEPA Mitigation and Monitoring.”

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-23

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft Guidance, ``NEPA Mitigation and Monitoring.'' AGENCY: Council On Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Draft... Quality (CEQ) announced four steps to modernize, reinvigorate, and ease the use and increase the...

EPA's Environmental Quality Index Supports Public Health

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) pulls data from five domains: air, water, land, built, and sociodemographic environments to provide a county-by-county snapshot of overall environmental quality across the entire U.S.

The disappearing Environmental Kuznets Curve: a study of water quality in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB).

PubMed

Wong, Yoon Loong Andrew; Lewis, Lynne

2013-12-15

The literature is flush with articles focused on estimating the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for various pollutants and various locations. Most studies have utilized air pollution variables; far fewer have utilized water quality variables, all with mixed results. We suspect that mixed evidence of the EKC stems from model and error specification. We analyze annual data for four water quality indicators, three of them previously unstudied - total phosphorus (TOTP), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonium (NH4) and nitrites (NO2) - from the Lower Mekong Basin region to determine whether an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is evident for a transboundary river in a developing country and whether that curve is dependent on model specification and/or pollutant. We build upon previous studies by correcting for the problems of heteroskedasticity, serial correlation and cross-sectional dependence. Unlike multi-country EKC studies, we mitigate for potential distortion from pooling data across geographically heterogeneous locations by analyzing data drawn from proximate locations within a specific international river basin in Southeast Asia. We also attempt to identify vital socioeconomic determinants of water pollution by including a broad list of explanatory variables alongside the income term. Finally, we attempt to shed light on the pollution-income relationship as it pertains to trans-boundary water pollution by examining data from an international river system. We do not find consistent evidence of an EKC for any of the 4 pollutant indicators in this study, but find the results are entirely dependent on model and error specification as well as pollutant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic control of gamete quality in the mouse--a tribute to Halina Krzanowska.

PubMed

Styrna, Jozefa

2008-01-01

In this article, we summarise the principal research findings of the distinguished Polish scientist, Professor Halina Krzanowska, related to the genetic control of mammalian gamete quality. During the early stages of her career, Halina Krzanowska conducted experiments on poultry and then she moved on to work on mice. All her research on gamete quality was conducted on the research models, consomic, congenic and recombinant inbred strains, which Krzanowska developed herself. These models differed mostly in their fertility. Krzanowska was one of the first researchers to demonstrate the influence of chromosome Y on the morphology of mice spermatozoa. She also showed that the uterotubal junction is in vivo a selection barrier for the morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, whereas in vitro abnormal spermatozoa are able to participate in fertilization, the function of selective barrier being performed by the granulosa cell layer and the zona pellucida. Another model which Krzanowska produced were chimaeras, which she used to find out if the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa and the efficiency of fertilization are determined by germ cells themselves or by environmental factors and she discovered that sperm head shape, the proportion of abnormal sperm and fertilizing capacity are determined mainly by the genotype of germ cells and only minimally by environmental factors.

Fungal–bacterial dynamics and their contribution to terrigenous carbon turnover in relation to organic matter quality

PubMed Central

Fabian, Jenny; Zlatanovic, Sanja; Mutz, Michael; Premke, Katrin

2017-01-01

Ecological functions of fungal and bacterial decomposers vary with environmental conditions. However, the response of these decomposers to particulate organic matter (POM) quality, which varies widely in aquatic ecosystems, remains poorly understood. Here we investigated how POM pools of substrates of different qualities determine the relative contributions of aquatic fungi and bacteria to terrigenous carbon (C) turnover. To this end, surface sediments were incubated with different POM pools of algae and/or leaf litter. 13C stable-isotope measurements of C mineralization were combined with phospholipid analysis to link the metabolic activities and substrate preferences of fungal and bacterial heterotrophs to dynamics in their abundance. We found that the presence of labile POM greatly affected the dominance of bacteria over fungi within the degrader communities and stimulated the decomposition of beech litter primarily through an increase in metabolic activity. Our data indicated that fungi primarily contribute to terrigenous C turnover by providing litter C for the microbial loop, whereas bacteria determine whether the supplied C substrate is assimilated into biomass or recycled back into the atmosphere in relation to phosphate availability. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the role of fungi and bacteria in terrestrial–aquatic C cycling in relation to environmental conditions. PMID:27983721

Space Station Freedom Environmental Health Care Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richard, Elizabeth E.; Russo, Dane M.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the environmental planning and monitoring aspects of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Environmental Health Care Program, which encompasses all phases of the SSF assembly and operation from the first element entry at MB-6 through the Permanent Manned Capability and beyond. Environmental planning involves the definition of acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the radiation dose barothermal parameters and potential contaminants in the SSF air and water and on internal surfaces. Inflight monitoring will be implemented through the Environmental Health System, which consists of five subsystems: Microbiology, Toxicology, Water Quality, Radiation, and Barothermal Physiology. In addition to the environmental data interpretation and analysis conducted after each mission, the new data will be compared to archived data for statistical and long-term trend analysis and determination of risk exposures. Results of these analyses will be used to modify the acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the future.

Nutrient concentrations and their relations to the biotic integrity of wadeable streams in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Graczyk, David J.; Garrison, Paul J.; Wang, Lizhu; LaLiberte, Gina; Bannerman, Roger

2006-01-01

Excessive nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) loss from watersheds is frequently associated with degraded water quality in streams. To reduce this loss, agricultural performance standards and regulations for croplands and livestock operations are being proposed by various States. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is establishing regionally based nutrient criteria that can be refined by each State to determine whether actions are needed to improve a stream's water quality. More confidence in the environmental benefits of the proposed performance standards and nutrient criteria will be possible with a better understanding of the biotic responses to a range of nutrient concentrations in different environmental settings. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources collected data from 240 wadeable streams throughout Wisconsin to: 1) describe how nutrient concentrations and biotic-community structure vary throughout the State; 2) determine which environmental characteristics are most strongly related to the distribution of nutrient concentrations; 3) determine reference water-quality and biotic conditions for different areas of the State; 4) determine how the biotic community of streams in different areas of the State respond to changes in nutrient concentrations; 5) determine the best regionalization scheme to describe the patterns in reference conditions and the responses in water quality and the biotic community; and 6) develop new indices to estimate nutrient concentrations in streams from a combination of biotic indices. The ultimate goal of this study is to provide the information needed to guide the development of regionally based nutrient criteria for Wisconsin streams. For total nitrogen (N) and suspended chlorophyll (SCHL) concentrations and water clarity, regional variability in reference conditions and in the responses in water quality to changes in land use are best described by subdividing wadeable streams into two categories: streams in areas with high clay-content soils (Environmental Phosphorus Zone 3, EPZ 3) and streams throughout the rest of the State. The regional variability in the response in total phosphorus (P) concentrations is also best described by subdividing the streams into these two categories; however, little consistent variability was found in reference P concentrations in streams throughout the State. Reference P concentrations are smilar throughout the State (0.03-0.04 mg/L). Reference N concentrations are divided into two categories: 0.6-0.7 mg/L in all streams except those in areas with high clay-content soils, where 0.4 mg/L is more appropriate. Reference SCHL concentrations are divided into two categories: 1.2-1.7 ?g/L in all streams except those in areas with high clay-content soils, where 1.0 ?g/L may be more appropriate. Reference water clarity is divided into two categories: streams in areas with high clay-content soils with a lower reference water clarity (Secchi tube depth, SD, of about 110 cm) and streams throughout the rest of the State (SD greater than or equal to about 115 cm). For each category of the biotic community (SCHL and benthic chlorophyll a concentrations (BCHL), periphytic diatoms, macroinvertebrates, and fish), a few biotic indices were more related to differences in nutrient concentrations than were others. For each of the indices more strongly related to nutrient concentrations, reference conditions were obtained by determining values corresponding to the worst 75th percentile value from a subset of minimally impacted streams (streams having reference nutrient concentrations). By examining the biotic community in streams having either reference P or N concentrations but not both, the relative importance of these two nutrients was determined. For SCHL, P was the more important limiting nutrient; however, for BCHL and all macroinvertebrate indices, it appears that N was the more important nutrient when concent

Wildlife management: Managing the hunt versus the hunting experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammitt, William E.; McDonald, Cary D.; Noe, Francis P.

1989-07-01

Deer hunter satisfaction is investigated from two perspectives, (1) satisfaction with the hunt/harvest and (2) satisfaction with the overall hunting trip experience. Regression analysis is used to determine what variables best predict satisfaction with the hunt and the hunting experience. Results indicate that animal population variables (number of deer seen, shot at, bagged) are the best determinants of a quality deer hunt, while environmental (outdoors) and social (crowding and hunter behavior) are the best predictors of a quality hunting trip experience. Wildlife managers and researchers need to realize that deer hunters view the hunt/harvest as different from the hunting trip experience and need to manage for both aspects of hunter satisfaction.

Reliability testing across the Environmental Quality Index and national environmental indices.

EPA Science Inventory

One challenge in environmental epidemiology is the exploration of cumulative environmental exposure across multiple domains (e.g. air, water, land). The Environmental Quality Index (EQI), created by the U.S. EPA, uses principle component analyses combining environmental domains (...

Quality of life and social determinants of anxiolytics and hypnotics use in women in Poland: a population-based study.

PubMed

Zagozdzon, Pawel; Kolarzyk, Emilia; Marcinkowski, Jerzy T

2013-05-01

The majority of studies show a substantially higher consumption of anxiolytics and antidepressants among women than among men and in the age bracket above 45 years. To analyse association between the use of hypnotics/anxiolytics, and various characteristics of Polish women, including health-related quality of life. One thousand, five hundred and sixty (1,560) women aged 45-60 years completed a questionnaire dealing with the use of hypnotics/anxiolytics, demographic characteristics, environmental and work stress exposure, and self-reported quality of life (SF-36 form). The following variables were revealed as the predictors of hypnotic/anxiolytic use on univariate analysis: age; social pension; stress at work and environmental stress; hormone replacement therapy; headache; palpitations; mood swings or increased muscular tension; anger; duration of symptoms longer than one week; consulting a specialist; and low physical and mental health-related quality of life. The significant protective factors included: vocational and tertiary education; job satisfaction; and home as place of rest. The independent predictors of anxiolytic/hypnotic use included consulting a specialist and symptoms lasting more than one week, while job satisfaction and home as place of rest were the independent protective factors. The use of hypnotic/anxiolytic medication is strongly associated with environmental and psychosocial characteristics of women between 40 and 65 years of age.

The environmental correlates of overall and neighborhood based recreational walking (a cross-sectional analysis of the RECORD Study).

PubMed

Chaix, Basile; Simon, Chantal; Charreire, Hélène; Thomas, Frédérique; Kestens, Yan; Karusisi, Noëlla; Vallée, Julie; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Weber, Christiane; Pannier, Bruno

2014-02-21

Preliminary evidence suggests that recreational walking has different environmental determinants than utilitarian walking. However, previous studies are limited in their assessment of environmental exposures and recreational walking and in the applied modeling strategies. Accounting for individual sociodemographic profiles and weather over the walking assessment period, the study examined whether numerous street network-based neighborhood characteristics related to the sociodemographic, physical, service, social-interactional, and symbolic environments were associated with overall recreational walking and recreational walking in one's residential neighborhood and could explain their spatial distribution. Based on the RECORD Cohort Study (Paris region, France, n=7105, 2007-2008 data), multilevel-spatial regression analyses were conducted to investigate environmental factors associated with recreational walking (evaluated by questionnaire at baseline). A risk score approach was applied to quantify the overall disparities in recreational walking that were predicted by the environmental determinants. Sixty-nine percent of the participants reported recreational walking over the past 7 days. Their mean reported recreational walking time was 3h 31mn. After individual-level adjustment, a higher neighborhood education, a higher density of destinations, green and open spaces of quality, and the absence of exposure to air traffic were associated with higher odds of recreational walking and/or a higher recreational walking time in one's residential neighborhood. As the overall disparities that were predicted by these environmental factors, the odds of reporting recreational walking and the odds of a higher recreational walking time in one's neighborhood were, respectively, 1.59 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.56, 1.62] times and 1.81 (95% CI: 1.73, 1.87) times higher in the most vs. the least supportive environments (based on the quartiles). Providing green/open spaces of quality, building communities with services accessible from the residence, and addressing environmental nuisances such as those related to air traffic may foster recreational walking in one's environment.

The environmental correlates of overall and neighborhood based recreational walking (a cross-sectional analysis of the RECORD Study)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Preliminary evidence suggests that recreational walking has different environmental determinants than utilitarian walking. However, previous studies are limited in their assessment of environmental exposures and recreational walking and in the applied modeling strategies. Accounting for individual sociodemographic profiles and weather over the walking assessment period, the study examined whether numerous street network-based neighborhood characteristics related to the sociodemographic, physical, service, social-interactional, and symbolic environments were associated with overall recreational walking and recreational walking in one’s residential neighborhood and could explain their spatial distribution. Methods Based on the RECORD Cohort Study (Paris region, France, n = 7105, 2007–2008 data), multilevel-spatial regression analyses were conducted to investigate environmental factors associated with recreational walking (evaluated by questionnaire at baseline). A risk score approach was applied to quantify the overall disparities in recreational walking that were predicted by the environmental determinants. Results Sixty-nine percent of the participants reported recreational walking over the past 7 days. Their mean reported recreational walking time was 3h31mn. After individual-level adjustment, a higher neighborhood education, a higher density of destinations, green and open spaces of quality, and the absence of exposure to air traffic were associated with higher odds of recreational walking and/or a higher recreational walking time in one’s residential neighborhood. As the overall disparities that were predicted by these environmental factors, the odds of reporting recreational walking and the odds of a higher recreational walking time in one’s neighborhood were, respectively, 1.59 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.56, 1.62] times and 1.81 (95% CI: 1.73, 1.87) times higher in the most vs. the least supportive environments (based on the quartiles). Conclusions Providing green/open spaces of quality, building communities with services accessible from the residence, and addressing environmental nuisances such as those related to air traffic may foster recreational walking in one’s environment. PMID:24555820

The Environmental Protection Agency's Watershed-based Approach: where social and natural sciences meet to address today's water resource challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biddle, J. C.

2010-12-01

A growing number of governmental organizations at the local, state, and federal level collaborate with nongovernmental organizations and individuals to solve watershed scale problems (Imperial and Koontz, 2007). Such a shift in policy approach from hierarchical regulation to bottom-up collaboration is largely a result of regulator’s recognition of the interdependence of natural and socio-economic systems on a watershed scale (Steelman and Carmin, 2002. Agencies throughout the federal government increasingly favored new governing institutions that encourage cooperation between local actors with conflicting interests, divergent geographic bases, and overlapping administrative jurisdictions to resolve continuing disputes over resource management (Bardach 1998). This favoritism of collaborative over command-and-control approaches for managing nonpoint source pollution led to the development of watershed partnerships and the watershed-based approach (Lubell et al., 2002). This study aims to further collaborative governance scholarship and aid decision-makers in identifying the critical elements of collaborative governance resulting in environmental improvements. To date, this relationship has not been empirically determined, in spite of the fact that collaborative governance is used routinely by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in resolving issues related to watershed management and other applications. This gap in the research is largely due to the lack of longitudinal data. In order to determine whether changes have occurred, environmental data must be collected over relatively long time periods (Koontz and Thomas, 2006; Sabatier, et al., 2005). However, collecting these data is often cost prohibitive. Monitoring water quality is expensive and requires technical expertise, and is often the first line item cut in environmental management budgets. This research is interdisciplinary, looking at the physical, chemical, and biological parameters for 44 waterbodies, assessing changes in water quality and the sociological characteristics of a collaborative policy approach. This research relied upon a unique longitudinal water quality data set collected through EPA’s National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Program’s (NNPSMP), simultaneously controlling for confounding effects related to political/institutional, socioeconomic, and physical conditions. These data were coupled with survey data of individuals who participated in this collaborative monitoring program to assess the relationship between programmatic elements of the NNPSMP and changes in water quality. The choice to use the NNPSMP’s data was two-fold. First, the program has conducted long-term monitoring on water quality improvements, which has been the limiting factor in testing causality. Changes in water quality take decades to occur and are not often realized due to the lack of longitudinal data. Second, baseline data exist for each waterbody within the watershed prior to the implementation of the collaborative governance process. These baseline data will serve as pre-intervention data and allow for the attribution of measured outcomes to the watershed initiatives (Thomas, 2008).

Billy Shaw Dam and Reservoir : Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impacts.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada.

This notice announces BPA`s decision to fund the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Billy Shaw Dam and Reservoir on the Duck Valley Reservation. This project is part of a continuing effort to address system-wide fish and wildlife losses caused by the development of the hydropower system in the Columbia River Basin. BPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the Proposed Action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning ofmore » the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI.« less

A review of programs that targeted environmental determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

PubMed

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-08-09

Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller's Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge.

A Review of Programs That Targeted Environmental Determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

PubMed Central

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-01-01

Objective: Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. Methods and Results: We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller’s Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Conclusions: Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. Implications: While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge. PMID:23939388

Historical trends in the accumulation of chemicals in Puget Sound. National status and trends program for marine environmental quality: Technical memo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lefkovitz, L.F.; Cullinan, V.I.; Crecelius, E.A.

The purpose of the study is to: (1) continue monitoring historical trends in the concentration of contaminants in Puget Sound sediments, and (2) quantify recent trends in the recovery of contaminated sediments. Results from this study can be compared with those obtained in the 1982 study to determine whether sediment quality is still improving and to estimate the rate of recovery. A statistically significant reduction in sediment contamination over the past 20 years would provide empirical evidence that environmental regulation has had a positive impact on the water quality in Puget Sound. Chemical trends were evaluated from six age-dated sedimentmore » cores collected from the main basin of Puget Sound. Chemical analyses included metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), PCBs and chlorinated pesticides, nutrients (total nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)), butyl tins, and total organic carbon (TOC). Sedimentation (cm/yr) and deposition rates (g/sq cm/yr) were estimated using a steady-state Pb-210 dating technique.« less

Fieldwork measurement of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Malaysian platinum-rated green office buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tharim, Asniza Hamimi Abdul; Samad, Muna Hanim Abdul; Ismail, Mazran

2017-10-01

An Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) fieldwork assessment was conducted in the Platinum-rated GBI office building located in Putrajaya Malaysia. The aim of the study is to determine the current indoor performance of the selected green office building. The field measurement consists of several IEQ parameters counted under the GBI Malaysia namely the Thermal Comfort of temperature, relative humidity, air movement and heat transfer as well as solar radiation. This field measurement also comprises of the measurement for the background noise, visual lighting and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) focusing on the aspect of carbon dioxide concentration. All the selected indoor parameters were measured for the period of five working days and the results were compared to the Malaysian Standard. Findings of the field measurement show good indoor performance of the Platinum rated office building that complies with the GBI standard. It is hoped that the research findings will be beneficial for future design and construction of office building intended to be rated under the GBI Malaysia.

County-level cumulative environmental quality associated with cancer incidence.

PubMed

Jagai, Jyotsna S; Messer, Lynne C; Rappazzo, Kristen M; Gray, Christine L; Grabich, Shannon C; Lobdell, Danelle T

2017-08-01

Individual environmental exposures are associated with cancer development; however, environmental exposures occur simultaneously. The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) is a county-level measure of cumulative environmental exposures that occur in 5 domains. The EQI was linked to county-level annual age-adjusted cancer incidence rates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program state cancer profiles. All-site cancer and the top 3 site-specific cancers for male and female subjects were considered. Incident rate differences (IRDs; annual rate difference per 100,000 persons) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using fixed-slope, random intercept multilevel linear regression models. Associations were assessed with domain-specific indices and analyses were stratified by rural/urban status. Comparing the highest quintile/poorest environmental quality with the lowest quintile/best environmental quality for overall EQI, all-site county-level cancer incidence rate was positively associated with poor environmental quality overall (IRD, 38.55; 95% CI, 29.57-47.53) and for male (IRD, 32.60; 95% CI, 16.28-48.91) and female (IRD, 30.34; 95% CI, 20.47-40.21) subjects, indicating a potential increase in cancer incidence with decreasing environmental quality. Rural/urban stratified models demonstrated positive associations comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles for all strata, except the thinly populated/rural stratum and in the metropolitan/urbanized stratum. Prostate and breast cancer demonstrated the strongest positive associations with poor environmental quality. We observed strong positive associations between the EQI and all-site cancer incidence rates, and associations differed by rural/urban status and environmental domain. Research focusing on single environmental exposures in cancer development may not address the broader environmental context in which cancers develop, and future research should address cumulative environmental exposures. Cancer 2017;123:2901-8. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Quality in School Environments: A Multiple Case Study of the Diagnosis, Design and Management of Environmental Quality in Five Elementary Schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools from an Action Research Perspective. Volumes I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackney, Jeffery A.

Environmental factors are being increasingly recognized as playing a role in school effectiveness and educational outcomes. Volume 1 examines what is known concerning the diagnosis, design, and management of environmental quality in schools, and the perceived relationship between environmental quality and educational outcomes, as revealed in an…

Silencing of omega-5 gliadins in transgenic wheat eliminates a major source of environmental variability and improves dough mixing properties of flour.

PubMed

Altenbach, Susan B; Tanaka, Charlene K; Seabourn, Bradford W

2014-12-24

The end-use quality of wheat flour varies as a result of the growth conditions of the plant. Among the wheat gluten proteins, the omega-5 gliadins have been identified as a major source of environmental variability, increasing in proportion in grain from plants that receive fertilizer or are subjected to high temperatures during grain development. The omega-5 gliadins also have been associated with the food allergy wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA). Recently, transgenic lines with reduced levels of omega-5 gliadins were developed using RNA interference (RNAi). These lines make it possible to determine whether changes in the levels of omega-5 gliadins in response to environmental conditions and agronomic inputs may be responsible for changes in flour end-use quality. Two transgenic wheat lines and a non-transgenic control were grown under a controlled temperature regimen with or without post-anthesis fertilizer and the protein composition of the resulting flour was analyzed by quantitative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). In one transgenic line, all 2-DE spots identified as omega-5 gliadins were substantially reduced without effects on other proteins. In the other transgenic line, the omega-5 gliadins were absent and there was a partial reduction in the levels of the omega-1,2 gliadins and the omega-1,2 chain-terminating gliadins as well as small changes in several other proteins. With the exception of the omega gliadins, the non-transgenic control and the transgenic plants showed similar responses to the fertilizer treatment. Protein contents of flour were determined by the fertilizer regimen and were similar in control and transgenic samples produced under each regimen while both mixing time and mixing tolerance were improved in flour from transgenic lines when plants received post-anthesis fertilizer. The data indicate that omega-5 gliadins have a negative effect on flour quality and suggest that changes in quality with the growth environment may be due in part to alterations in the levels of the omega gliadins. Because a known food allergen and one of the major sources of environmentally-induced variation in wheat flour protein composition has been eliminated, the transgenic lines may yield flour with both improved end-use quality and more consistent functionality when grown in different locations.

77 FR 65346 - Determination of Attainment for the Sacramento Nonattainment Area for the 2006 Fine Particle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-26

... 7 EPA also concluded \\8\\ from its Technical System Audit of the CARB Primary Quality Assurance..., transmitting ``Technical System Audit of the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board... an ``anonymous access'' system, and EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you...

Hydrological processes and model representation: impact of soft data on calibration

Treesearch

J.G. Arnold; M.A. Youssef; H. Yen; M.J. White; A.Y. Sheshukov; A.M. Sadeghi; D.N. Moriasi; J.L. Steiner; Devendra Amatya; R.W. Skaggs; E.B. Haney; J. Jeong; M. Arabi; P.H. Gowda

2015-01-01

Hydrologic and water quality models are increasingly used to determine the environmental impacts of climate variability and land management. Due to differing model objectives and differences in monitored data, there are currently no universally accepted procedures for model calibration and validation in the literature. In an effort to develop accepted model calibration...

77 FR 53772 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Washington; Determination of Clean...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-04

... Fine Particulate Standard for the Tacoma, Pierce County Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental..., Pierce County nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ``Tacoma, Pierce County'' or ``the area'') has... the Tacoma, Pierce County nonattainment area has clean data for the 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS. This...

77 FR 39657 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Washington; Determination of Clean...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

... Fine Particulate Standard for the Tacoma, Pierce County Nonattainment Area AGENCY: Environmental..., Pierce County nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ``Tacoma, Pierce County'' or ``the area'') for... section 107(d)(1), for the 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS. As part of that action, Tacoma, Pierce County...

Environmental Quality Management in the United States in the 1980s and Beyond: An Appraisal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower, Blair T.

1984-01-01

Presents an overview of: (1) the institutional context of the environmental pollution sector of environmental quality management (EQM); accomplishments and problems in some representative subsectors (including water quality, soil erosion, air quality, and hazardous wastes); and (3) future prospects. Also considers role of government and…

Institutionalizing urban forestry as a "biotechnology" to improve environmental quality

Treesearch

David J. Nowak

2006-01-01

Urban forests can provide multiple environmental benefits. As urban areas expand, the role of urban vegetation in improving environmental quality will increase in importance. Quantification of these benefits has revealed that urban forests can significantly improve air quality. As a result, national air quality regulations are now willing to potentially credit tree...

Effects of resource variation during early life and adult social environment on contest outcomes in burying beetles: a context-dependent silver spoon strategy?

PubMed

Hopwood, Paul E; Moore, Allen J; Royle, Nick J

2014-06-22

Good early nutritional conditions may confer a lasting fitness advantage over individuals suffering poor early conditions (a 'silver spoon' effect). Alternatively, if early conditions predict the likely adult environment, adaptive plastic responses might maximize individual performance when developmental and adult conditions match (environmental-matching effect). Here, we test for silver spoon and environmental-matching effects by manipulating the early nutritional environment of Nicrophorus vespilloides burying beetles. We manipulated nutrition during two specific early developmental windows: the larval environment and the post-eclosion environment. We then tested contest success in relation to variation in adult social environmental quality experienced (defined according to whether contest opponents were smaller (good environment) or larger (poor environment) than the focal individual). Variation in the larval environment influenced adult body size but not contest success per se for a given adult social environment experienced (an 'indirect' silver spoon effect). Variation in post-eclosion environment affected contest success dependent on the quality of the adult environment experienced (a context-dependent 'direct' silver spoon effect). By contrast, there was no evidence for environmental-matching. The results demonstrate the importance of social environmental context in determining how variation in nutrition in early life affects success as an adult.

The Environmental Domain of Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases.

PubMed

Kurpas, Donata; Szwamel, Katarzyna; Mroczek, Bożena

2016-01-01

The literature lacks reports on the role played by the Environmental domain of quality of life (QoL) in care for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Such information has a high potential for implementation in modern medicine based on a 'tailor-made' holistic healthcare model. The purpose of this study was to determine the components that shape the Environmental domain of QoL in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The study group consisted of 305 adult patients (median age 65 years) with at least one chronic respiratory disease. The greatest contribution to a high value of QoL in the Environmental domain among patients with chronic respiratory diseases was made by the coexistence of high QoL levels in other domains and in satisfaction with QoL. Programs for preventing a decline in QoL in the Environmental domain should include patients with low scores for the above variables as well as those with a low level of education, those who have not shown an improvement in their psychological well-being in the past 12 months, those with a low level of positive mental attitudes or healthy eating habits, a low Camberwell index, and low levels of overall pro-health behavior.

Characterization of Water Quality in Unmonitored Streams in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Northwestern Mississippi, May-June 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bryson, Jeannie R.; Coupe, Richard H.; Manning, Michael A.

2007-01-01

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is required to develop restoration and remediation plans for water bodies not meeting their designated uses, as stated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act section 303(d). The majority of streams in northwestern Mississippi are on the 303(d) list of water-quality limited waters. Agricultural effects on streams in northwestern Mississippi have reduced the number of unimpaired streams (reference streams) for water-quality comparisons. As part of an effort to develop an index to assess impairment, the U.S. Geological Survey collected water samples from 52 stream sites on the 303(d) list during May-June 2006, and analyzed the samples for nutrients and chlorophyll. The data were analyzed by trophic group as determined by total nitrogen concentrations. Seven constituents (nitrite plus nitrate, total Kjeldhal nitrogen, total phosphorus, orthophosphorus, total organic carbon, chlorophyll a, and pheophytina) and four physical property measurements (specific conductance, pH, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen) were determined to be significantly different (p < 0.05) between trophic groups. Total Kjeldhal nitrogen, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen were used as indicators of stream productivity with which to infer stream health. Streams having high total Kjeldhal nitrogen values and high turbidity values along with low dissolved oxygen concentrations were typically eutrophic abundant in nutrients), whereas streams having low total Kjeldhal nitrogen values and low turbidity values along with high dissolved oxygen concentrations were typically oligotrophic (deficient in nutrients).

Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Colorado Springs Airport/El Paso County School District 11 Property Acquisition and Future Development at Peterson Air Foce Base, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc,104 W Anapamu...St Ste 204a,San Barbara,CA,93101 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR...National Ambient Air Quality Standards [NAAQS]). The USEPA require the proponent of a proposed action to perform an analysis to determine if its

A new approach to the identification of Landscape Quality Objectives (LQOs) as a set of indicators.

PubMed

Sowińska-Świerkosz, Barbara Natalia; Chmielewski, Tadeusz J

2016-12-15

The objective of the paper is threefold: (1) to introduce Landscape Quality Objectives (LQOs) as a set of indicators; (2) to present a method of linking social and expert opinion in the process of the formulation of landscape indicators; and (3) to present a methodological framework for the identification of LQOs. The implementation of these goals adopted a six-stage procedure based on the use of landscape units: (1) GIS analysis; (2) classification; (3) social survey; (4) expert value judgement; (5) quality assessment; and (6) guidelines formulation. The essence of the research was the presentation of features that determine landscape quality according to public opinion as a set of indicators. The results showed that 80 such indicators were identified, of both a qualitative (49) and a quantitative character (31). Among the analysed units, 60% (18 objects) featured socially expected (and confirmed by experts) levels of landscape quality, and 20% (6 objects) required overall quality improvement in terms of both public and expert opinion. The adopted procedure provides a new tool for integrating social responsibility into environmental management. The advantage of the presented method is the possibility of its application in the territories of various European countries. It is flexible enough to be based on cartographic studies, landscape research methods, and environmental quality standards existing in a given country. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Relationship between Socioeconomic Conditions and Urban Environmental Quality in Accra, Ghana

PubMed Central

Fobil, Julius; May, Juergen; Kraemer, Alexander

2010-01-01

The influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on health inequalities is widely known, but there is still poor understanding of the precise relationship between area-based socioeconomic conditions and neighborhood environmental quality. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic conditions which predict urban neighbourhood environmental quality. The results showed wide variation in levels of association between the socioeconomic variables and environmental conditions, with strong evidence of a real difference in environmental quality across the five socioeconomic classes with respect to total waste generation (p < 0.001), waste collection rate (p < 0.001), sewer disposal rate (p < 0.001), non-sewer disposal (p < 0.003), the proportion of households using public toilets (p = 0.005). Socioeconomic conditions are therefore important drivers of change in environmental quality and urban environmental interventions aimed at infectious disease prevention and control if they should be effective could benefit from simultaneous implementation with other social interventions. PMID:20195437

Five domains of environmental quality and infant mortality

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between environmental conditions and human health varies by environmental media. In order to account for multiple ambient environmental conditions, we constructed an Environmental Quality Index (EQI) for health research. We used U.S. county level data representin...

Environmental quality and infant mortality

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between environmental conditions and human health varies by environmental media. In order to account for multiple ambient environmental conditions, we constructed an Environmental Quality Index (EQI)for use in health research. We used u.s. county level data repre...

Valuable water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlowicz, Michael

In some places, money flows with water. Studying both the water quality and property values around 22 lakes in south-central Maine, Kevin Boyle and Holly James of the University of Maine and Roy Bouchard of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection have found that good water quality makes waterfront property even more valuable. To gauge water quality, the researchers used Secchi disks to measure the clarity of the water at depth. They also reviewed 543 lakefront property sales between 1990 and 1994 to determine how values correlated with changing water conditions. The group also considered such factors as lake frontage, sizes of the houses and lots, and size of the lake.

Characterization of urban air quality using GIS as a management system.

PubMed

Puliafito, E; Guevara, M; Puliafito, C

2003-01-01

Keeping the air quality acceptable has become an important task for decision makers as well as for non-governmental organizations. Particulate and gaseous emissions of pollutant from industries and auto-exhausts are responsible for rising discomfort, increasing airway diseases, decreasing productivity and the deterioration of artistic and cultural patrimony in urban centers. A model to determine the air quality in urban areas using a geographical information system will be presented here. This system permits the integration, handling, analysis and simulation of spatial and temporal data of the ambient concentration of the main pollutant. It allows the users to characterize and recognize areas with a potential increase or improvement in its air pollution situation. It is also possible to compute past or present conditions by changing basic input information as traffic flow, or stack emission rates. Additionally the model may be used to test the compliance of local standard air quality, to study the environmental impact of new industries or to determine the changes in the conditions when the vehicle circulation is increased.

Quality-assurance results for routine water analysis in US Geological Survey laboratories, water year 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maloney, T.J.; Ludtke, A.S.; Krizman, T.L.

1994-01-01

The US. Geological Survey operates a quality- assurance program based on the analyses of reference samples for the National Water Quality Laboratory in Arvada, Colorado, and the Quality of Water Service Unit in Ocala, Florida. Reference samples containing selected inorganic, nutrient, and low ionic-strength constituents are prepared and disguised as routine samples. The program goal is to determine precision and bias for as many analytical methods offered by the participating laboratories as possible. The samples typically are submitted at a rate of approximately 5 percent of the annual environmental sample load for each constituent. The samples are distributed to the laboratories throughout the year. Analytical data for these reference samples reflect the quality of environmental sample data produced by the laboratories because the samples are processed in the same manner for all steps from sample login through data release. The results are stored permanently in the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System. During water year 1991, 86 analytical procedures were evaluated at the National Water Quality Laboratory and 37 analytical procedures were evaluated at the Quality of Water Service Unit. An overall evaluation of the inorganic (major ion and trace metal) constituent data for water year 1991 indicated analytical imprecision in the National Water Quality Laboratory for 5 of 67 analytical procedures: aluminum (whole-water recoverable, atomic emission spectrometric, direct-current plasma); calcium (atomic emission spectrometric, direct); fluoride (ion-exchange chromatographic); iron (whole-water recoverable, atomic absorption spectrometric, direct); and sulfate (ion-exchange chromatographic). The results for 11 of 67 analytical procedures had positive or negative bias during water year 1991. Analytical imprecision was indicated in the determination of two of the five National Water Quality Laboratory nutrient constituents: orthophosphate as phosphorus and phosphorus. A negative or positive bias condition was indicated in three of five nutrient constituents. There was acceptable precision and no indication of bias for the 14 low ionic-strength analytical procedures tested in the National Water Quality Laboratory program and for the 32 inorganic and 5 nutrient analytical procedures tested in the Quality of Water Service Unit during water year 1991.

Environmental Assessment for the Transfer of 1100 AREA, Southern Rail Connection and Rolling Stock, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

N /A

This environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared to assess potential environmental impacts associated with the U.S. Department of Energy's proposed action: the transfer of the 1100 Area, southern rail connection and rolling stock to a non-federal entity. Impact information contained herein will be used by the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office Manager, to determine if the proposed action is a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. If the proposed action is determined to be major and significant, an environmental impact statement will be prepared. If the proposed action is determined not to bemore » major and significant, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be issued and the action can proceed. Criteria used to evaluate significance can be found in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1508.27. This EA was prepared in compliance with the ''National Environmental Policy Act'' (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), and the U.S. Department of Energy Implementing Procedures for NEPA (10 CFR 1021). The following is a description of each section of the EA. (1) Purpose and Need for Action. This provides a brief statement concerning the problem or opportunity the U.S. Department of Energy is addressing with the proposed action. As necessary, background information is provided. (2) Description of the Proposed Action. A description with sufficient detail to identify potential environmental impacts is provided. (3) Alternatives to the Proposed Action. Reasonable alternative actions, which would address the Purpose and Need, are described. A no action alternative, as required by 10 CFR 1021, also is described. (4) Affected Environment. This provides a brief description of the locale in which the proposed action takes place, and which may be environmentally impacted. (5) Environmental Impacts. The range of environmental impacts, beneficial and adverse, are described for the proposed action. Impacts of alternatives briefly are discussed. (6) Permits and Regulatory Requirements. A brief description of permits and regulatory requirements for the proposed action is provided. (7) Organizations Consulted. Any outside agencies, groups, or individuals contacted as part of environmental assessment documentation preparation are listed. (8) References. Documents used to provide information or data are listed. The appendices contain additional information necessary to support an understanding of the proposed action, alternatives, and potential impacts is provided. Comments resulting from review of the environmental assessment by states and tribes or other stakeholders and the response to those comments will be included in the appendices.« less

An overall index of environmental quality in coal mining areas and energy facilities.

PubMed

Vatalis, Konstantinos I; Kaliampakos, Demetrios C

2006-12-01

An approach to measuring environmental quality and trends in coal mining and industrial areas was attempted in this work. For this purpose, the establishment of a reference scale characterizing the status of environmental quality is proposed by developing an Environmental Quality Index (EQI). The methodology involves three main components: social research, the opinion of environmental experts, and the combination of new or existing indices. A survey of public opinion was carried out to identify the main environmental problems in the region of interest. Environmental experts carried out a survey, and the weights of specific environmental problems were obtained through a fuzzy Delphi method and pairwise comparison. The weight attributed to each environmental problem was computed, using new or existing indices (subindices) in the relevant literature. The EQI comprises a combination of the subindices with their own weights. The methodology was applied to a heavily industrialized coal basin in northwestern Macedonia, Greece. The results show that the new index may be used as a reliable tool for evaluating environmental quality in different areas. In addition, the study of EQI trends on an interannual basis can provide useful information on the efficiency of environmental policies already implemented by the responsible authorities.

Selecting Metrics for Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dale, Virginia H; Kline, Keith L; Mulholland, Patrick J

Key decisions about land-use practices and dynamics in biofuel systems affect the long-term sustainability of biofuels. Choices about what crops are grown and how are they planted, fertilized, and harvested determine the effects of biofuels on native plant diversity, competition with food crops, and water and air quality. Those decisions also affect economic viability since the distance that biofuels must be transported has a large effect on the market cost of biofuels. The components of a landscape approach include environmental and socioeconomic conditions and the bioenergy features [type of fuel, plants species, management practices (e.g., fertilizer and pesticide applications), typemore » and location of production facilities] and ecological and biogeochemical feedbacks. Significantly, while water (availability and quality) emerges as one of the most limiting factors to sustainability of bioenergy feedstocks, the linkage between water and bioenergy choices for land use and management on medium and large scales is poorly quantified. Metrics that quantify environmental and socioeconomic changes in land use and landscape dynamics provide a way to measure and communicate the influence of alternative bioenergy choices on water quality and other components of the environment. Cultivation of switchgrass could have both positive and negative environmental effects, depending on where it is planted and what vegetation it replaces. Among the most important environmental effects are changes in the flow regimes of streams (peak storm flows, base flows during the growing season) and changes in stream water quality (sediment, nutrients, and pesticides). Unfortunately, there have been few controlled studies that provide sufficient data to evaluate the hydrological and water quality impacts of conversion to switchgrass. In particular, there is a need for experimental studies that use the small watershed approach to evaluate the effects of growing a perennial plant as a biomass crop. Small watershed studies have been used for several decades to identify effects of vegetation type, disturbance, and land use and agriculture practices on hydrology and water quality. An ideal experimental design to determine the effects of conversion to switchgrass on surface water hydrology and quality would involve (1) small catchment (5-20 ha) drained by a perennial or ephemeral stream, (2) crop treatments including conversion from row crops to switchgrass; pasture to switchgrass (other likely scenarios); controls (no change in vegetation), (3) treatments to compare different levels of fertilization and pesticide application, (4) riparian treatments to compare riparian buffers with alternative cover types, and a treatment with no buffer, and (5) 3-4 replicates of each treatment or BACI (before-after, control-intervention) design for unreplicated treatments (ideally with several years of measurements prior to the imposition of treatments for BACI design). Hydrologic measurements would include soil moisture patterns with depth and over time; nitrogen and phosphorus chemistry; soil solution chemistry - major anions and cations, inorganic and organic forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus; precipitation amount and chemical deposition; stream discharge; and streamwater chemistry. These water quality metrics would need to be put into context of the other environmental and social conditions that are altered by growth of bioenergy feedstocks. These conditions include farm profits and yield of food and fuel, carbon storage and release, and a variety of ecosystem services such as enhanced biodiversity and pollinator services. Innovations in landscape design for bioenergy feedstocks take into account environmental and socioeconomic dynamics and consequences with consideration of alternative bioenergy regimes and policies. The ideal design would be scale-sensitive so that economic, social, and environmental constraints can be measured via metrics applicable at relevant scales. To develop a landscape design, land managers must consider (1) what are the environmental impacts on water and air quality, carbon sequestration, and native plants and animals and their habitats; (2) what is the appropriate spatial and temporal scales at which to examine environmental effects, and (3) how can potential tradeoffs in environmental costs and benefits be considered. Tradeoffs exist across space and time among the economic, ecological, and social consequences of alternative choices. For example, the implications of increased biofuel production from corn at a local scale may be to increase pesticide use, which could negatively affect human health. At a regional scale, nutrient flux may increase and thus degrade water quality. At the scale of the Mississippi River watershed (48% of the U.S.), production may increase the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico and cause decline of shrimp harvest in the region.« less

Urban-rural status affects associations between overall environmental quality and cancer incidence

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between environmental conditions and human health varies by urbanicity. To estimate ambient environmental conditions, an Environmental Quality Index (EQI) for 2000-2005 was constructed by the Environmental Protection Agency using county-level data representing fi...

40 CFR 125.3 - Technology-based treatment requirements in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... techniques; (v) Process changes; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...-water quality environmental impact (including energy requirements). (3) For BAT requirements: (i) The... achieving such effluent reduction; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...

40 CFR 125.3 - Technology-based treatment requirements in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... techniques; (v) Process changes; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...-water quality environmental impact (including energy requirements). (3) For BAT requirements: (i) The... achieving such effluent reduction; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...

40 CFR 125.3 - Technology-based treatment requirements in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... techniques; (v) Process changes; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...-water quality environmental impact (including energy requirements). (3) For BAT requirements: (i) The... achieving such effluent reduction; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...

40 CFR 125.3 - Technology-based treatment requirements in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... techniques; (v) Process changes; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...-water quality environmental impact (including energy requirements). (3) For BAT requirements: (i) The... achieving such effluent reduction; and (vi) Non-water quality environmental impact (including energy...

USEPA Environmental Quality Index (EQI) and Associated Domain Indices by County for the United States

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This map service displays the results data from the EPA's Environmental Quality Index. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) in the Environmental Public Health Division (EPHD) is currently engaged in research aimed at developing a measure that estimates overall environmental quality at the county level for the United States. This work is being conducted as an effort to learn more about how various environmental factors simultaneously contribute to health disparities in low-income and minority populations, and to better estimate the total environmental and social context to which humans are exposed. This dataset contains the finalized Environmental Quality Index (EQI), and an index for each of the associated domains (air, water, land, built environment, and sociodemographic environment). Indices are at the county level for all counties in the United States.

Recreation trends: indicators of environmental quality

Treesearch

Roy Feuchter

1980-01-01

As you probably know, tomorrow is Earth Day-80, the 10th anniversary of the original Earth Day, so it is certainly appropriate that we talk these next few days about environmental quality and the relationship of outdoor recreation to that quality. However, perhaps the title should be more of a question such as: Are recreation trends indicators of environmental quality...

A proposal for assessing study quality: Biomonitoring, Environmental Epidemiology, and Short-lived Chemicals (BEES-C) instrument.

PubMed

LaKind, Judy S; Sobus, Jon R; Goodman, Michael; Barr, Dana Boyd; Fürst, Peter; Albertini, Richard J; Arbuckle, Tye E; Schoeters, Greet; Tan, Yu-Mei; Teeguarden, Justin; Tornero-Velez, Rogelio; Weisel, Clifford P

2014-12-01

The quality of exposure assessment is a major determinant of the overall quality of any environmental epidemiology study. The use of biomonitoring as a tool for assessing exposure to ubiquitous chemicals with short physiologic half-lives began relatively recently. These chemicals present several challenges, including their presence in analytical laboratories and sampling equipment, difficulty in establishing temporal order in cross-sectional studies, short- and long-term variability in exposures and biomarker concentrations, and a paucity of information on the number of measurements required for proper exposure classification. To date, the scientific community has not developed a set of systematic guidelines for designing, implementing and interpreting studies of short-lived chemicals that use biomonitoring as the exposure metric or for evaluating the quality of this type of research for WOE assessments or for peer review of grants or publications. We describe key issues that affect epidemiology studies using biomonitoring data on short-lived chemicals and propose a systematic instrument--the Biomonitoring, Environmental Epidemiology, and Short-lived Chemicals (BEES-C) instrument--for evaluating the quality of research proposals and studies that incorporate biomonitoring data on short-lived chemicals. Quality criteria for three areas considered fundamental to the evaluation of epidemiology studies that include biological measurements of short-lived chemicals are described: 1) biomarker selection and measurement, 2) study design and execution, and 3) general epidemiological study design considerations. We recognize that the development of an evaluative tool such as BEES-C is neither simple nor non-controversial. We hope and anticipate that the instrument will initiate further discussion/debate on this topic. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A proposal for assessing study quality: Biomonitoring, Environmental Epidemiology, and Short-lived Chemicals (BEES-C) instrument

PubMed Central

LaKind, Judy S.; Sobus, Jon R.; Goodman, Michael; Barr, Dana Boyd; Fürst, Peter; Albertini, Richard J.; Arbuckle, Tye E.; Schoeters, Greet; Tan, Yu-Mei; Teeguarden, Justin; Tornero-Velez, Rogelio; Weisel, Clifford P.

2015-01-01

The quality of exposure assessment is a major determinant of the overall quality of any environmental epidemiology study. The use of biomonitoring as a tool for assessing exposure to ubiquitous chemicals with short physiologic half-lives began relatively recently. These chemicals present several challenges, including their presence in analytical laboratories and sampling equipment, difficulty in establishing temporal order in cross-sectional studies, short- and long-term variability in exposures and biomarker concentrations, and a paucity of information on the number of measurements required for proper exposure classification. To date, the scientific community has not developed a set of systematic guidelines for designing, implementing and interpreting studies of short-lived chemicals that use biomonitoring as the exposure metric or for evaluating the quality of this type of research for WOE assessments or for peer review of grants or publications. We describe key issues that affect epidemiology studies using biomonitoring data on short-lived chemicals and propose a systematic instrument – the Biomonitoring, Environmental Epidemiology, and Short-lived Chemicals (BEES-C) instrument – for evaluating the quality of research proposals and studies that incorporate biomonitoring data on short-lived chemicals. Quality criteria for three areas considered fundamental to the evaluation of epidemiology studies that include biological measurements of short-lived chemicals are described: 1) biomarker selection and measurement, 2) study design and execution, and 3) general epidemiological study design considerations. We recognize that the development of an evaluative tool such as BEES-C is neither simple nor non-controversial. We hope and anticipate that the instrument will initiate further discussion/debate on this topic. PMID:25137624

Reliable cues and signals of fruit quality are contingent on the habitat in black elder (Sambucus nigra).

PubMed

Schaefer, H Martin; Braun, Julius

2009-06-01

Communication mediates interactions between organisms and can be based on signals or cues. Signals are selected for their signaling function, whereas cues evolve for reasons other than signaling. To be evolutionarily stable, communication needs to be reliable on average, but the mechanisms that enforce reliability are hotly debated in light of strong environmental influence on signals and cues. While fruit quality in black elder (Sambucus nigra) is unrelated to fruit color, it is indicated by alternative pedicel phenotypes. Information on fruit quality has thus been transferred from the fruit to the developmentally associated pedicels, which are environmentally determined cues. Within each phenotype, color variation indicates fruit quality. Communication by black elder is thus reliable, but the proximate mechanisms enforcing reliability are habitat specific. High irradiance increases both the contrasts of the visual cue and fruit quality in the anthocyanin-based red pedicel phenotype, while shaded plants of the chlorophyll-based green phenotype apparently use signals by forgoing photosynthesis. This is because lower chlorophyll content in green pedicels creates contrasting pedicels, and higher contrasts indicate higher sugar content in the fruits of green pedicels. Because anthocyanins are light-induced, plants use cues when exposed to high irradiance, whereas they apparently use costly signals in the shade by reducing chlorophyll content in the pedicels. In behavioral field and laboratory experiments we document that avian seed dispersers select among pedicel phenotypes that indicate different fruit quality. Plants can thus increase their reproductive success by sending highly informative cues. Our results indicate how reliable information transfer can be maintained both in cues and signals in spite of substantial environmental influence on visual traits.

Remote-sensing reflectance determinations in the coastal ocean environment: impact of instrumental characteristics and environmental variability.

PubMed

Toole, D A; Siegel, D A; Menzies, D W; Neumann, M J; Smith, R C

2000-01-20

Three independent ocean color sampling methodologies are compared to assess the potential impact of instrumental characteristics and environmental variability on shipboard remote-sensing reflectance observations from the Santa Barbara Channel, California. Results indicate that under typical field conditions, simultaneous determinations of incident irradiance can vary by 9-18%, upwelling radiance just above the sea surface by 8-18%, and remote-sensing reflectance by 12-24%. Variations in radiometric determinations can be attributed to a variety of environmental factors such as Sun angle, cloud cover, wind speed, and viewing geometry; however, wind speed is isolated as the major source of uncertainty. The above-water approach to estimating water-leaving radiance and remote-sensing reflectance is highly influenced by environmental factors. A model of the role of wind on the reflected sky radiance measured by an above-water sensor illustrates that, for clear-sky conditions and wind speeds greater than 5 m/s, determinations of water-leaving radiance at 490 nm are undercorrected by as much as 60%. A data merging procedure is presented to provide sky radiance correction parameters for above-water remote-sensing reflectance estimates. The merging results are consistent with statistical and model findings and highlight the importance of multiple field measurements in developing quality coastal oceanographic data sets for satellite ocean color algorithm development and validation.

Quality Management Plan for the Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Quality management plan (QMP) which identifies the mission, roles, responsibilities of personnel with regard to quality assurance and quality management for the environmental assessment and innovation division.

[Changes of regional environment quality pattern in China since 1986-2008].

PubMed

Guan, Wei-Hua; Sun, Ming-Kun; Lu, Yu-Qi

2011-03-01

For further study of regional differences and the pattern of changes in environmental quality in China since 1986-2008, we perform the principal component analysis, standard deviation, Mann-Kendall and cluster analysis on 18 environmental quality indexes in 28 provinces of China in this paper. Those indexes refer to pollutant emission, pollutants treatment capacities and pollutant emission of per unit land area, etc. The paper indicates that regional environmental quality in China has been increased slightly during this period. It can be divided into four stages: 1986-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-2005 and 2005-2008. The overall patterns of regional environmental quality is the West is higher than the East in general, while the environmental quality of the eastern part have been changed somewhat. For more details, the regional environmental quality in China in 1986 is composed of two parts, the eastern part and the western part, while in 2000 and 2001 the eastern part, the middle part and the western part appears as the overall pattern. For the year of 2005, the regional environmental quality in the western is higher than that of the eastern; meanwhile, the eastern can be divided into the northern part, the middle part and the southern part, and the environmental quality in northern part is better than that of the southern part, southern part is better than that of the middle part. This pattern hardly changed in 2008, except that the area with poor environment quality region had expanded. Pollutant emission of per unit land area played as a main factor; yet both the pollutant emission and the reuse of pollutants impacted the pattern specifically. In addition, the national macro policies, the regional policies, the regional economic and the industrial structure can be primary reason for the change of regional environmental quality pattern in China as well.

Service quality and patient experiences of ambulatory care in a specialized clinic vs. a general hospital.

PubMed

De Regge, Melissa; De Groote, Hélène; Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Brugada, Pedro

2017-04-01

Health care organizations are constantly looking for ways to establish a differential advantage to attract customers. To this end, service quality has become an important differentiator in the strategy of health care organizations. In this study, we compared the service quality and patient experience in an ambulatory care setting of a physician-owned specialized facility with that of a general hospital. A comparative case study with a mixed method design was employed. Data were gathered through a survey on health service quality and patient experience, completed with observations, walkthroughs, and photographic material. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both the investigated health care facilities. A significant distinction can be made between the two facilities in terms of interpersonal quality (p = 0.001) and environmental quality (P ≤ 0.001), in favor of the medical center. The difference in environmental quality is also indicated by the scores given by participants who had been in both facilities. Qualitative analysis showed higher administrative quality in the medical center. Environmental quality and patient experience can predict the interpersonal quality; for environmental quality, interpersonal quality and age are significant predictors. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both facilities. The medical center has higher service quality for interpersonal and environmental service quality and is more process-centered.

Complexity in action: Untangling latent relationships between land quality, economic structures and socio-spatial patterns in Italy.

PubMed

Salvati, Luca; Tombolini, Ilaria; Gemmiti, Roberta; Carlucci, Margherita; Bajocco, Sofia; Perini, Luigi; Ferrara, Agostino; Colantoni, Andrea

2017-01-01

Land quality, a key economic capital supporting local development, is affected by biophysical and anthropogenic factors. Taken as a relevant attribute of economic systems, land quality has shaped the territorial organization of any given region influencing localization of agriculture, industry and settlements. In regions with long-established human-landscape interactions, such as the Mediterranean basin, land quality has determined social disparities and polarization in the use of land, reflecting the action of geographical gradients based on elevation and population density. The present study investigates latent relationships within a large set of indicators profiling local communities and land quality on a fine-grained resolution scale in Italy with the aim to assess the potential impact of land quality on the regional socioeconomic structure. The importance of land quality gradients in the socioeconomic configuration of urban and rural regions was verified analyzing the distribution of 149 socioeconomic and environmental indicators organized in 5 themes and 17 research dimensions. Agriculture, income, education and labour market variables discriminate areas with high land quality from areas with low land quality. While differential land quality in peri-urban areas may reflect conflicts between competing actors, moderate (or low) quality of land in rural districts is associated with depopulation, land abandonment, subsidence agriculture, unemployment and low educational levels. We conclude that the socioeconomic profile of local communities has been influenced by land quality in a different way along urban-rural gradients. Policies integrating environmental and socioeconomic measures are required to consider land quality as a pivotal target for sustainable development. Regional planning will benefit from an in-depth understanding of place-specific relationships between local communities and the environment.

Complexity in action: Untangling latent relationships between land quality, economic structures and socio-spatial patterns in Italy

PubMed Central

Salvati, Luca; Tombolini, Ilaria; Gemmiti, Roberta; Carlucci, Margherita; Bajocco, Sofia; Perini, Luigi; Ferrara, Agostino

2017-01-01

Land quality, a key economic capital supporting local development, is affected by biophysical and anthropogenic factors. Taken as a relevant attribute of economic systems, land quality has shaped the territorial organization of any given region influencing localization of agriculture, industry and settlements. In regions with long-established human-landscape interactions, such as the Mediterranean basin, land quality has determined social disparities and polarization in the use of land, reflecting the action of geographical gradients based on elevation and population density. The present study investigates latent relationships within a large set of indicators profiling local communities and land quality on a fine-grained resolution scale in Italy with the aim to assess the potential impact of land quality on the regional socioeconomic structure. The importance of land quality gradients in the socioeconomic configuration of urban and rural regions was verified analyzing the distribution of 149 socioeconomic and environmental indicators organized in 5 themes and 17 research dimensions. Agriculture, income, education and labour market variables discriminate areas with high land quality from areas with low land quality. While differential land quality in peri-urban areas may reflect conflicts between competing actors, moderate (or low) quality of land in rural districts is associated with depopulation, land abandonment, subsidence agriculture, unemployment and low educational levels. We conclude that the socioeconomic profile of local communities has been influenced by land quality in a different way along urban-rural gradients. Policies integrating environmental and socioeconomic measures are required to consider land quality as a pivotal target for sustainable development. Regional planning will benefit from an in-depth understanding of place-specific relationships between local communities and the environment. PMID:28574984

Computational Investigation of Environment-Noise Interaction in Single-Cell Organisms: The Merit of Expression Stochasticity Depends on the Quality of Environmental Fluctuations.

PubMed

Lück, Anja; Klimmasch, Lukas; Großmann, Peter; Germerodt, Sebastian; Kaleta, Christoph

2018-01-10

Organisms need to adapt to changing environments and they do so by using a broad spectrum of strategies. These strategies include finding the right balance between expressing genes before or when they are needed, and adjusting the degree of noise inherent in gene expression. We investigated the interplay between different nutritional environments and the inhabiting organisms' metabolic and genetic adaptations by applying an evolutionary algorithm to an agent-based model of a concise bacterial metabolism. Our results show that constant environments and rapidly fluctuating environments produce similar adaptations in the organisms, making the predictability of the environment a major factor in determining optimal adaptation. We show that exploitation of expression noise occurs only in some types of fluctuating environment and is strongly dependent on the quality and availability of nutrients: stochasticity is generally detrimental in fluctuating environments and beneficial only at equal periods of nutrient availability and above a threshold environmental richness. Moreover, depending on the availability and nutritional value of nutrients, nutrient-dependent and stochastic expression are both strategies used to deal with environmental changes. Overall, we comprehensively characterize the interplay between the quality and periodicity of an environment and the resulting optimal deterministic and stochastic regulation strategies of nutrient-catabolizing pathways.

What explains the association between neighborhood-level income inequality and the risk of fatal overdose in New York City?

PubMed

Nandi, Arijit; Galea, Sandro; Ahern, Jennifer; Bucciarelli, Angela; Vlahov, David; Tardiff, Kenneth

2006-08-01

Accidental drug overdose is a substantial cause of mortality for drug users. Using a multilevel case-control study we previously have shown that neighborhood-level income inequality may be an important determinant of overdose death independent of individual-level factors. Here we hypothesized that the level of environmental disorder, the level of police activity, and the quality of the built environment in a neighborhood mediate this association. Data from the New York City (NYC) Mayor's Management Report, the NYC Police Department, and the NYC Housing and Vacancy Survey were used to define constructs for the level of environmental disorder, the level of police activity and the quality of the built environment, respectively. In multivariable models the odds of death due to drug overdose in neighborhoods in the top decile of income inequality compared to the most equitable neighborhoods decreased from 1.63 to 1.12 when adjusting for the three potential mediators. Path analyses show that the association between income inequality and the rate of drug overdose mortality was primarily explained by an indirect effect through the level of environmental disorder and the quality of the built environment in a neighborhood. Implications of these findings for the reduction of drug overdose mortality associated with the distribution of income are discussed.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluation of a Novel Tobacco Vapor (NTV) product.

PubMed

Ichitsubo, Hirokazu; Kotaki, Misato

2018-02-01

The impact of using a Novel Tobacco Vapor (NTV) product on indoor air quality (IAQ) was simulated using an environmentally-controlled chamber. Three environmental simulations were examined; two non-smoking areas (conference room and dining room) and one ventilated smoking area (smoking lounge). IAQ was evaluated by (i) measuring constituents in the mainstream NTV product emissions, (ii) and by determining classical environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and representative air quality markers. Analysis of the mainstream emissions revealed that vapor from the NTV product is chemically simpler than cigarette smoke. ETS markers (RSP, UVPM, FPM, solanesol, nicotine, 3-ethenylpyridine), volatile organic compound (toluene), carbon monoxide, propylene glycol, glycerol, and triacetin were below the limit of detection or the limit of quantification in both the non-smoking and smoking environments after using the NTV product. The concentrations of ammonia, carbonyls (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone), and total volatile organic compounds were the same levels found in the chamber without NTV use. There was no significant increase in the levels of formaldehyde, acetone or ammonia in exhaled breath following NTV use. In summary, under the simulations tested, the NTV product had no measurable effect on the IAQ, in either non-smoking or smoking areas. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Sources for an Environmental Quality Index: Availability, Quality, and Utility

PubMed Central

Rappazzo, Kristen; Messer, Lynne C.

2011-01-01

Objectives. An environmental quality index (EQI) for all counties in the United States is under development to explore the relationship between environmental insults and human health. The EQI is potentially useful for investigators researching health disparities to account for other concurrent environmental conditions. This article focused on the identification and assessment of data sources used in developing the EQI. Data source strengths, limitations, and utility were addressed. Methods. Five domains were identified that contribute to environmental quality: air, water, land, built, and sociodemographic environments. An inventory of possible data sources was created. Data sources were evaluated for appropriate spatial and temporal coverage and data quality. Results. The overall data inventory identified multiple data sources for each domain. From the inventory (187 sources, 617 records), the air, water, land, built environment, and sociodemographic domains retained 2, 9, 7, 4, and 2 data sources for inclusion in the EQI, respectively. However, differences in data quality, geographic coverage, and data availability existed between the domains. Conclusions. The data sources identified for use in the EQI may be useful to researchers, advocates, and communities to explore specific environmental quality questions. PMID:21836111

Influence of the interaction between environmental quality and T102C SNP in the HTR2A gene on fibromyalgia susceptibility.

PubMed

Mergener, Michelle; Becker, Roze Mary Ribas; dos Santos, Adriana Freitag; dos Santos, Geraldine Alves; de Andrade, Fabiana Michelsen

2011-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the genetic influence of the T102C polymorphism of the 2A serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A) and its interaction with environmental aspects, such as exposure to noise, traffic, climate, and opportunities to acquire new information, physical protection, and security, among others, as possible risk factors for developing fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Forty-one FMS patients and 49 controls were evaluated. Environmental factors were evaluated by application of the V domain of the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire. Patients were asked that their answers represented only the periods preceding the onset of symptoms. The T102C variant of the HTR2A gene was determined through PCR/RFLP. Among patients, the frequency of carriers of the 102C allele was higher than in controls (76.5% vs. 50%; P = 0.028). The scores of the V domain were lower in patients than in controls, indicating a worst perception of the environmental quality by patients (P < 0.001). The factor "lack of opportunities for acquiring new information and skills" increased the chance of developing FMS by almost 14-fold (P = 0.009). The factor "low quality of social care and health" together with the presence of the 102C allele also increased this chance by more than 90-fold (P = 0.005). However, carriers of the same allele who have high quality social care and health are not at a higher risk to develop FMS. These data suggest that these factors may predispose to FMS, especially in carriers of the 102C allele. However, studies with larger samples are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Scaling up food production in the Upper Mississippi river basin: modeling impacts on water quality and nutrient cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, E. E.; Martin, P. A.; Schuble, T. J.; Yan, E.; Demissie, Y.

2010-12-01

Agricultural production imposes significant environmental stress on the landscape, both in the intensity and extent of agricultural activities. Among the most significant impacts, agriculture dominates the natural reactive nitrogen cycle, with excess reactive nitrogen leading to the degraded quality of inland and coastal waters. In the U.S., policymakers and stakeholders nationwide continue to debate strategies for decreasing environmental degradation from agricultural lands. Such strategies aim to optimize the balance among competing demands for food, fuel and ecosystem services. One such strategy increasingly discussed in the national debate is that of localizing food production around urban areas, developing what some have recently called “foodsheds”. However, the environmental impacts of localizing food production around population centers are not well-understood given the hard-to-generalize variety seen in management practices currently employed among local farms marketing food crops directly to consumers. As a first, landscape level study of potential impacts from scaling up this type of agriculture, we use the USDA Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to quantify environmental impacts from developing foodsheds for all population centers in the Upper Mississippi river basin. Specifically, we focus on nutrient cycling and water quality impacts determining direct greenhouse gas emissions and changes to nutrient runoff from increased food production in this watershed. We investigate a variety of scenarios in which food production is scaled up to the regional level using different types of farm management practices, ranging from conventional production of fruits and vegetables, to production of these products from small-scale, diversified systems integrating conservation easements. In addition to impacts on nutrient cycling and water quality, we also characterize relative levels of productivity in conjunction with overall demand for food associated with population centers to address one aspect of socio-economic concern.

Relative Linkages of Stream Dissolved Oxygen with the Hydroclimatic and Biogeochemical Drivers across the Gulf Coast of U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebreslase, A. K.; Abdul-Aziz, O. I.

2017-12-01

Dynamics of coastal stream water quality is influenced by a multitude of interacting environmental drivers. A systematic data analytics approach was employed to determine the relative linkages of stream dissolved oxygen (DO) with the hydroclimatic and biogeochemical variables across the Gulf Coast of U.S.A. Multivariate pattern recognition techniques of PCA and FA, alongside Pearson's correlation matrix, were utilized to examine the interrelation of variables at 36 water quality monitoring stations from USGS NWIS and EPA STORET databases. Power-law based partial least square regression models with a bootstrap Monte Carlo procedure (1000 iterations) were developed to estimate the relative linkages of dissolved oxygen with the hydroclimatic and biogeochemical variables by appropriately resolving multicollinearity (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency = 0.58-0.94). Based on the dominant drivers, stations were divided into four environmental regimes. Water temperature was the dominant driver of DO in the majority of streams, representing most the northern part of Gulf Coast states. However, streams in the southern part of Texas and Florida showed a dominant pH control on stream DO. Further, streams representing the transition zone of the two environmental regimes showed notable controls of multiple drivers (i.e., water temperature, stream flow, and specific conductance) on the stream DO. The data analytics research provided profound insight to understand the dynamics of stream DO with the hydroclimatic and biogeochemical variables. The knowledge can help water quality managers in formulating plans for effective stream water quality and watershed management in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Keywords Data analytics, coastal streams, relative linkages, dissolved oxygen, environmental regimes, Gulf Coast, United States.

Urban-rural status affects associations between domains of environmental quality and adverse birth outcomes

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between environmental conditions and human health varies by environmental domain and urbanicity. To account for multiple ambient environmental conditions, we constructed an Environmental Quality Index (EQI) for health research. We used U.S. county level data rep...

Integrating Susceptibility into Environmental Policy: An Analysis of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Lead

PubMed Central

Chari, Ramya; Burke, Thomas A.; White, Ronald H.; Fox, Mary A.

2012-01-01

Susceptibility to chemical toxins has not been adequately addressed in risk assessment methodologies. As a result, environmental policies may fail to meet their fundamental goal of protecting the public from harm. This study examines how characterization of risk may change when susceptibility is explicitly considered in policy development; in particular we examine the process used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set a National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead. To determine a NAAQS, EPA estimated air lead-related decreases in child neurocognitive function through a combination of multiple data elements including concentration-response (CR) functions. In this article, we present alternative scenarios for determining a lead NAAQS using CR functions developed in populations more susceptible to lead toxicity due to socioeconomic disadvantage. The use of CR functions developed in susceptible groups resulted in cognitive decrements greater than original EPA estimates. EPA’s analysis suggested that a standard level of 0.15 µg/m3 would fulfill decision criteria, but by incorporating susceptibility we found that options for the standard could reasonably be extended to lower levels. The use of data developed in susceptible populations would result in the selection of a more protective NAAQS under the same decision framework applied by EPA. Results are used to frame discussion regarding why cumulative risk assessment methodologies are needed to help inform policy development. PMID:22690184

The subtle intracapsular survival of the fittest: maternal investment, sibling conflict, or environmental effects?

PubMed

Smith, Kathryn E; Thatje, Sven

2013-10-01

Developmental resource partitioning and the consequent offspring size variations are of fundamental importance for marine invertebrates, in both an ecological and evolutionary context. Typically, differences are attributed to maternal investment and the environmental factors determining this; additional variables, such as environmental factors affecting development, are rarely discussed. During intracapsular development, for example, sibling conflict has the potential to affect resource partitioning. Here, we investigate encapsulated development in the marine gastropod Buccinum undatum. We examine the effects of maternal investment and temperature on intracapsular resource partitioning in this species. Reproductive output was positively influenced by maternal investment, but additionally, temperature and sibling conflict significantly affected offspring size, number, and quality during development. Increased temperature led to reduced offspring number, and a combination of high sibling competition and asynchronous early development resulted in a common occurrence of "empty" embryos, which received no nutrition at all. The proportion of empty embryos increased with both temperature and capsule size. Additionally, a novel example ofa risk in sibling conflict was observed; embryos cannibalized by others during early development ingested nurse eggs from inside the consumer, killing it in a "Trojan horse" scenario. Our results highlight the complexity surrounding offspring fitness. Encapsulation should be considered as significant in determining maternal output. Considering predicted increases in ocean temperatures, this may impact offspring quality and consequently species distribution and abundance.

40 CFR 1518.4 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT FUND... Council on Environmental Quality to the OEQ Management Fund for a joint study or project shall be... financed and supported by the OEQ Management Fund. (2) The charter must clearly state the relation of the...

The combination of environmental quality with increasingly rural residence and associations with adverse birth outcomes

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental quality differs across levels of urbanicity, and both urban and rural residence having been previously associated with better health. To explore these relationships, we constructed an environmental quality index (EQI) with data representing five domains (air, water,...

Contemporaneous Emissions Determination for PSD Netting from Region 5 to Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document may be of assistance in applying the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting regulations including the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements. This document is part of the NSR Policy and Guidance Database. Some documents in the database are a scanned or retyped version of a paper photocopy of the original. Although we have taken considerable effort to quality assure the documents, some may contain typographical errors. Contact the office that issued the document if you need a copy of the original.

Water quality monitoring of Jialing-River in Chongqing using advanced ion chromatographic system.

PubMed

Tanaka, Kazuhiko; Shi, Chao-Hong; Nakagoshi, Nobukazu

2012-04-01

The water quality monitoring operation to evaluate the water quality of polluted river is an extremely important task for the river-watershed management/control based on the environmental policy. In this study, the novel, simple and convenient water quality monitoring of Jialing-River in Chongqing, China was carried out using an advanced ion chromatography (IC) consisting of ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography (IEC/CEC) with conductivity detection for determining simultaneously the common anions such as SO4(2-), Cl(-), and NO3(-) and the cations such as Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, the ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) with visible detection for determining simultaneously the nutrient components such as phosphate and silicate ions, and the IEC with the enhanced conductivity detection using a post column of K+-form cation-exchange resin for determining HCO3(-)-alkalinity as an inorganic-carbon source for biomass synthesis in biological reaction process under the aerobic conditions. According to the ionic balance theory between the total equivalent concentrations of anions and cations, the water quality evaluation of the Jialing-River waters taking at different sampling sites in Chongqing metropolitan area was carried out using the advanced IC system. As a result, the effectiveness of this novel water quality monitoring methodology using the IC system was demonstrated on the several practical applications to a typical biological sewage treatment plant on Jialing-River of Chongqing.

References on EPA Quality Assurance Project Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Provides requirements for the conduct of quality management practices, including quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities, for all environmental data collection and environmental technology programs performed by or for this Agency.

Quantitative assessments of municipal waste management systems: using different indicators to compare and rank programs in New York State.

PubMed

Greene, Krista L; Tonjes, David J

2014-04-01

The primary objective of waste management technologies and policies in the United States is to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of waste, particularly those relating to energy consumption and climate change. Performance indicators are frequently used to evaluate the environmental quality of municipal waste systems, as well as to compare and rank programs relative to each other in terms of environmental performance. However, there currently is no consensus on the best indicator for performing these environmental evaluations. The purpose of this study is to examine the common performance indicators used to assess the environmental benefits of municipal waste systems to determine if there is agreement between them regarding which system performs best environmentally. Focus is placed on how indicator selection influences comparisons between municipal waste management programs and subsequent system rankings. The waste systems of ten municipalities in the state of New York, USA, were evaluated using each common performance indicator and Spearman correlations were calculated to see if there was a significant association between system rank orderings. Analyses showed that rank orders of waste systems differ substantially when different indicators are used. Therefore, comparative system assessments based on indicators should be considered carefully, especially those intended to gauge environmental quality. Insight was also gained into specific factors which may lead to one system achieving higher rankings than another. However, despite the insufficiencies of indicators for comparative quality assessments, they do provide important information for waste managers and they can assist in evaluating internal programmatic performance and progress. To enhance these types of assessments, a framework for scoring indicators based on criteria that evaluate their utility and value for system evaluations was developed. This framework was used to construct an improved model for waste system performance assessments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activity and participation, quality of life and user satisfaction outcomes of environmental control systems and smart home technology: a systematic review.

PubMed

Brandt, Ase; Samuelsson, Kersti; Töytäri, Outi; Salminen, Anna-Liisa

2011-01-01

To examine activity and participation, quality of life, and user satisfaction outcomes of environmental control systems (ECSs) and smart home technology (SHT) interventions for persons with impairments. A systematic review. Seventeen databases, three conference proceedings, and two journals were searched without language or study design restrictions covering the period January 1993 - June 2009. Reviewers selected studies, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality independently. Of 1739 studies identified, five effect studies and six descriptive studies were included. One study was on SHT and the remainder on ECS; functionalities were overlapping. The studies varied in most aspects, and no synthesis could be drawn. However, ECS/SHT tended to increase study participants' independence, instrumental activities of daily living, socialising, and quality of life. Two studies showed high user satisfaction. The level of evidence was regarded as low, mainly due to small study sizes, lacking confounder control, and a majority of descriptive studies. Due to few and small studies and study diversity, it was not possible to determine whether ECS/SHT have positive outcomes for persons with impairment, even though the technologies seem to be promising. High quality outcomes studies such as randomised controlled trials, when feasible, and large longitudinal multi-centre studies are required.

Summary of available state ambient stream-water-quality data, 1990-98, and limitations for national assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Larry M.; Rosner, Stacy M.; Hoffman, Darren C.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2004-01-01

The investigation described in this report summarized data from State ambient stream-water-quality monitoring sites for 10 water-quality constituents or measurements (suspended solids, fecal coliform bacteria, ammonia as nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen, total phosphorus, total arsenic, dissolved solids, chloride, sulfate, and pH). These 10 water-quality constituents or measurements commonly are listed nationally as major contributors to degradation of surface water. Water-quality data were limited to that electronically accessible from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storage and Retrieval System (STORET), the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS), or individual State databases. Forty-two States had ambient stream-water-quality data electronically accessible for some or all of the constituents or measurements summarized during this investigation. Ambient in this report refers to data collected for the purpose of evaluating stream ecosystems in relation to human health, environmental and ecological conditions, and designated uses. Generally, data were from monitoring sites assessed for State 305(b) reports. Comparisons of monitoring data among States are problematic for several reasons, including differences in the basic spatial design of monitoring networks; water-quality constituents for which samples are analyzed; water-quality criteria to which constituent concentrations are compared; quantity and comprehensiveness of water-quality data; sample collection, processing, and handling; analytical methods; temporal variability in sample collection; and quality-assurance practices. Large differences among the States in number of monitoring sites precluded a general assumption that statewide water-quality conditions were represented by data from these sites. Furthermore, data from individual monitoring sites may not represent water-quality conditions at the sites because sampling conditions and protocols are unknown. Because of these factors, a high level of uncertainty exists in a national assessment of water quality. The purpose of this report is to present a summary of electronically available State ambient stream-water-quality data for 10 selected constituents and measurements from monitoring sites with nine or more analyses for 199098 and to discuss limitations for use of the data for national assessment. These analyses were statistiscally summarized by monitoring site and State, and the results presented in tabular format. Most of the selected constituents or measurements have U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria or guidelines for aquatic-life or drinking-water purposes. A significant finding of this investigation is that for a large percentage of monitoring sites in the Nation, there are insufficient data to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommendations for determining if water-quality conditions are degraded and for making informed decisions regarding total maximum daily loads.

77 FR 30453 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Milwaukee-Racine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... of Attainment for the 2006 24-Hour Fine Particle Standard AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... period for a proposed rule published April 24, 2012 (77 FR 24436). On April 24, 2012, EPA proposed to approve a determination of attainment for the Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin area for the 2006 24-hour fine...

Application of Trophic Magnification Factors (TMFs) Under the Water Framework Directive: Some Practical Advice on Selecting and Determining a TMF

EPA Science Inventory

Directive 2013/39/EU amending and updating the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and its Daughter Directive (the so-called EQS Directive: 2008/105/EC) sets Environmental Quality Standards for biota (EQSbiota) for a number of bioaccumulative chemicals which can pose a threat ...

Application of trophic magnification factors (TMFs) under the Water Framework Directive: some practical advice on selecting and determining a TMF (poster)

EPA Science Inventory

Directive 2013/39/EU amending and updating the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and its Daughter Directive (the so-called EQS Directive: 2008/105/EC) sets Environmental Quality Standards for biota (EQSbiota) for a number of bioaccumulative chemicals which can pose a threat ...

EVALUATION OF SELECTED DNA-BASED TECHNOLOGY IN IMPAIRED WATERSHEDS IMPACTED BY FECAL CONTAMINATION FROM DIVERSE SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

Fecal pollution of surface waters is a top reason for impairment, as listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s report on the quality of the Nation's waters. To be able to develop and implement TMDLs in impaired aquatic resources, it is imperative to determine the sourc...

77 FR 36404 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Massachusetts; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

... Environmental Protection recently performed a missing data analysis for this site in accordance with the regulatory requirements of 40 CFR Part 50, Appendix I, for both 2010 and 2011. The Massachusetts missing data... the missing days to decisively conclude that on the days with missing ozone data, the ozone levels, if...

12 CFR 1815.109 - Preparation of an EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Preparation of an EIS. 1815.109 Section 1815... ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1815.109 Preparation of an EIS. (a) If the Fund determines that an EIS should be... or have prepared the EIS. Procedures for preparing the EIS are set forth in 40 CFR part 1502 of the...

40 CFR 1515.5 - How to make a Freedom of Information Act request.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Information Act request by writing a letter which states that you are making a Freedom of Information Act request. Address your letter to: Freedom of Information Officer, Council on Environmental Quality... information. (See § 1515.15(c) also.) (5) The 10 day period for making a determination on a request will begin...

Granular Activated Carbon Performance Capability and Availability.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

services were surveyed to determine availability of data and to develop a strategy for later computerized searches: * Chemical Abstracts; * Engineering ...Chemical Abstracts; * Engineering Abstracts; * Environmental Abstracts; * Selected Water Resources Abstracts; * Pollution Abstracts; and * the U.S...chemicals addressed, and scientific and engineering methods used. Publications were also reviewed for quality and consistency with the bulk of available data

One Teacher, 20 Preschoolers, and a Goldfish Environmental Awareness, Emergent Curriculum, and Documentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewin-Benham, Ann

2006-01-01

Teaching Preschoolers about the environment is hard. Many complex concepts are involved: the interactions among everything on the planet--air, land, water, and all living things; the systems that determine weather and climate, food supply, energy resources, and the quality of life for every plant and animal; systems operating on a planetary scale…

77 FR 64748 - National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan; National Priorities List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-23

... Sands Tailings parcel of Operable Unit 1 (OU1) of the Torch Lake Superfund Site (Site), located in... Michigan through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), because EPA has determined that... parcels of OU3 and the Mason Sands Tailings parcel of OU1. The following land parcels will remain on the...

Implications of nutritional stress as nestling or fledgling on subsequent attractiveness and fecundity in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

PubMed

Honarmand, Mariam; Krause, E Tobias; Naguib, Marc

2017-01-01

The conditions an organism experiences during early development can have profound and long lasting effects on its subsequent behavior, attractiveness, and life history decisions. Most previous studies have exposed individuals to different conditions throughout development until nutritional independence. Yet under natural conditions, individuals may experience limitations for much shorter periods due to transient environmental fluctuations. Here, we used zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ) in captivity to determine if conditions experienced during distinctly different early developmental phases contribute differently to male and female attractiveness and subsequent reproduction. We conducted a breeding experiment in which offspring were exposed to food regimes with (a) low quality food provided only during the nestling period, (b) low quality food provided only during the fledgling period, or (c) high quality food throughout early development. We show that despite short-term effects on biometry and physiology, there were no effects on either male or female attractiveness, as tested in two-way mate choice free-flight aviary experiments. In a subsequent breeding experiment, the offspring from the initial experiment were allowed to breed themselves. The next generation offspring from mothers raised under lower quality nutrition as either nestling or fledging were lighter at hatching compared to offspring from mothers raised under higher quality nutrition whereas paternal early nutrition had no such effects. The lack of early developmental limitations on attractiveness suggests that attractiveness traits were not affected or that birds compensated for any such effects. Furthermore, maternal trans-generational effects of dietary restrictions emphasize the importance of role of limited periods of early developmental stress in the expression of environmentally determined fitness components.

3 CFR 101.5 - Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Council on Environmental Quality. 101.5 Section 101.5 Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT § 101.5 Council on Environmental Quality. Freedom of Information regulations for...

3 CFR 101.5 - Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Council on Environmental Quality. 101.5 Section 101.5 Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT § 101.5 Council on Environmental Quality. Freedom of Information regulations for...

3 CFR 101.5 - Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Council on Environmental Quality. 101.5 Section 101.5 Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT § 101.5 Council on Environmental Quality. Freedom of Information regulations for...

3 CFR 101.5 - Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Council on Environmental Quality. 101.5 Section 101.5 Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT § 101.5 Council on Environmental Quality. Freedom of Information regulations for...

3 CFR 101.5 - Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Council on Environmental Quality. 101.5 Section 101.5 Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT § 101.5 Council on Environmental Quality. Freedom of Information regulations for...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

Annual changes in bioactive contents and production in field-grown blackberry after inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens.

PubMed

Ramos-Solano, B; Garcia-Villaraco, A; Gutierrez-Mañero, F J; Lucas, J A; Bonilla, A; Garcia-Seco, D

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was two-fold: first, to characterize blackberry fruits from Rubus sp. var. Lochness along the year, and secondly, to evaluate the ability of a Pseudomonas strain (N21.4) to improve fruit yield and quality under field conditions in production greenhouses throughout the year. The strain was root or leaf inoculated to blackberry plants and fruits were harvested in each season. Nutritional parameters, antioxidant potential and bioactive contents were determined; total fruit yield was recorded. Blackberries grown under short day conditions (autumn and winter) showed significantly lower °Brix values than fruits grown under long day conditions. Interestingly, an increase in fruit °Brix, relevant for quality, was detected after bacterial challenge, together with significant and sustained increases in total phenolics and flavonoids. Improvements in inoculated fruits were more evident from October through early March, when environmental conditions are worse. In summary, N21.4 is an effective agent to increase fruit quality and production along the year in blackberry; this is an environmentally friendly approach to increase fruit quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of Sewage Discharge on Trophic State and Water Quality in a Coastal Ecosystem of the Gulf of California

PubMed Central

Vargas-González, Héctor Hugo; Arreola-Lizárraga, José Alfredo; Mendoza-Salgado, Renato Arturo; Méndez-Rodríguez, Lía Celina; Lechuga-Deveze, Carlos Hernando; Padilla-Arredondo, Gustavo; Cordoba-Matson, Miguel

2014-01-01

This paper provides evidence of the effects of urban wastewater discharges on the trophic state and environmental quality of a coastal water body in a semiarid subtropical region in the Gulf of California. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic matter from urban wastewater primary treatment were estimated. La Salada Cove was the receiving water body and parameters measured during an annual cycle were temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. The effects of sewage inputs were determined by using Trophic State Index (TRIX) and the Arid Zone Coastal Water Quality Index (AZCI). It was observed that urban wastewater of the city of Guaymas provided 1,237 ton N yr−1 and 811 ton P yr−1 and TRIX indicated that the receiving water body showed symptoms of eutrophication from an oligotrophic state to a mesotrophic state; AZCI also indicated that the environmental quality of the water body was poor. The effects of urban wastewater supply with insufficient treatment resulted in symptoms of eutrophication and loss of ecological functions and services of the coastal ecosystem in La Salada Cove. PMID:24711731

DEMONSTRATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The demonstration of technologies for determining the presence of dioxin in soil and sediment is being conducted under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in Saginaw, Michigan, at Green Point Environmental Learning Center from approximately April 26 to May 6, 2004. The primary purpose of the demonstration is to evaluate innovative monitoring technologies. The technologies listed below will be demonstrated. .AhRC PCRTM Kit, Hybrizyme Corporation .Ah-IMMUNOASSY@ Kit, Paralsian, Inc. .Coplanar PCB Immunoassay Kit, Abraxis LLC .DF-l Dioxin/Furan Immunoassay Kit, CAPE Technologies L.L.C. .CALUX@ by Xenobiotic Detection Systems, Inc- .Dioxin ELISA Kit, Wako Pure Chemical Industries LTD. This demonstration plan describes the procedures that will be used to verify the performance and cost of these technologies. The plan incorporates the quality assurance and quality control elements needed to generate data of sufficient quality to document each technology's performance and cost. A separate innovative technology verification report (ITVR) will.be prepared for each technology. The ITVRs will present the demonstration findings associated with the demonstration objectives. The objective of this program is to promote the acceptance and use of innovative field technologies by providing well-documented performance and cost data obtained from field demonstrations.

Relations Between Environmental and Water-Quality Variables and Escherichia coli in the Cuyahoga River With Emphasis on Turbidity as a Predictor of Recreational Water Quality, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.; Plona, Meg B.

2009-01-01

During the recreational season of 2008 (May through August), a regression model relating turbidity to concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was used to predict recreational water quality in the Cuyahoga River at the historical community of Jaite, within the present city of Brecksville, Ohio, a site centrally located within Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Samples were collected three days per week at Jaite and at three other sites on the river. Concentrations of E. coli were determined and compared to environmental and water-quality measures and to concentrations predicted with a regression model. Linear relations between E. coli concentrations and turbidity, gage height, and rainfall were statistically significant for Jaite. Relations between E. coli concentrations and turbidity were statistically significant for the three additional sites, and relations between E. coli concentrations and gage height were significant at the two sites where gage-height data were available. The turbidity model correctly predicted concentrations of E. coli above or below Ohio's single-sample standard for primary-contact recreation for 77 percent of samples collected at Jaite.

Optimal implementation of green infrastructure practices to reduce adverse impacts of urban areas on hydrology and water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Collingsworth, P.; Pijanowski, B. C.; Engel, B.

2016-12-01

Nutrient loading from Maumee River watershed is a significant reason for the harmful algal blooms (HABs) problem in Lake Erie. Although studies have explored strategies to reduce nutrient loading from agricultural areas in the Maumee River watershed, the nutrient loading in urban areas also needs to be reduced. Green infrastructure practices are popular approaches for stormwater management and useful for improving hydrology and water quality. In this study, the Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment-Low Impact Development 2.1 (L-THIA-LID 2.1) model was used to determine how different strategies for implementing green infrastructure practices can be optimized to reduce impacts on hydrology and water quality in an urban watershed in the upper Maumee River system. Community inputs, such as the types of green infrastructure practices of greatest interest and environmental concerns for the community, were also considered during the study. Based on community input, the following environmental concerns were considered: runoff volume, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Phosphorous (TP), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), and Nitrate+Nitrite (NOx); green infrastructure practices of interest included rain barrel, cistern, green roof, permeable patio, porous pavement, grassed swale, bioretention system, grass strip, wetland channel, detention basin, retention pond, and wetland basin. Spatial optimization of green infrastructure practice implementation was conducted to maximize environmental benefits while minimizing the cost of implementation. The green infrastructure practice optimization results can be used by the community to solve hydrology and water quality problems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Streets, W.E.

As the need for rapid and more accurate determinations of gamma-emitting radionuclides in environmental and mixed waste samples grows, there is continued interest in the development of theoretical tools to eliminate the need for some laboratory analyses and to enhance the quality of information from necessary analyses. In gamma spectrometry the use of theoretical self-absorption coefficients (SACs) can eliminate the need to determine the SAC empirically by counting a known source through each sample. This empirical approach requires extra counting time and introduces another source of counting error, which must be included in the calculation of results. The empirical determinationmore » of SACs is routinely used when the nuclides of interest are specified; theoretical determination of the SAC can enhance the information for the analysis of true unknowns, where there may be no prior knowledge about radionuclides present in a sample. Determination of an exact SAC does require knowledge about the total composition of a sample. In support of the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Survey Program, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) at Argonne National Laboratory developed theoretical self-absorption models to estimate SACs for the determination of non-specified radionuclides in samples of unknown, widely-varying, compositions. Subsequently, another SAC model, in a different counting geometry and for specified nuclides, was developed for another application. These two models are now used routinely for the determination of gamma-emitting radionuclides in a wide variety of environmental and mixed waste samples.« less

The influence of sand mining towards the sustainability of power support and capacity of Lambidaro River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniah, Restu; Rahmi, Hisni

2017-11-01

Activities of sand mining on the surface stream (river) conducted by Panji Mahakarya company potentially cause various environmental issues. These problems include the destruction of the river ecosystem, decreased the quality of river water quality, increased water pollution load, and another effect on capacity and power support river. The Lambidaro River is one of the rivers found in Palembang, where the inhabitants who live around it take advantage of the existence of this river to meet their daily needs such as bathing, washing, and latrines. The purpose of this research is to know the influence of mining activities towards sustainability of the power support and capacity of the river. The method used in this research is to compare the availability of water and water needs of the population in determining the status of environmental power support based on regulation of the state minister of the environment number 17 in 2009 about the determination of the power guidance support environment in spatial regions, as well as using the index method of pollution based on the decision of the State Minister of the environment number 115 in 2003 about the determination of the status of water quality guidelines with parameters measured are TDS, TSS, pH, DO, COD, dan BOD5. The results of the calculation of the power support river are deficit where SA (34,200,655.64 m3/year) < DA (253,105,600 m3/year). The result of pollution index calculation at 5 water sampling locations shows that the condition of a river is in good condition (uncontaminated) and mild pollutant.

Documenting Environmental Degradation and Its Consequences Using Visual Methods as Pedagogical Tools in Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moxley, David P.

2018-01-01

Environmental degradation, including the depletion of natural resources, the distortion of environmental aesthetics, diminished physical infrastructure, and the poisoning of essential environmental supplies involving air, water, and soil abridge environmental quality, particularly for those who are impoverished, possess qualities that do not fit…

77 FR 14473 - Final Guidance on Improving the Process for Preparing Efficient and Timely Environmental Reviews...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 40 CFR Parts 1500, 1501, 1502, 1503, 1505, 1506, 1507, and 1508 Final Guidance on Improving the Process for Preparing Efficient and Timely Environmental Reviews Under the National Environmental Policy Act AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of...

Real-time GIS data model and sensor web service platform for environmental data management.

PubMed

Gong, Jianya; Geng, Jing; Chen, Zeqiang

2015-01-09

Effective environmental data management is meaningful for human health. In the past, environmental data management involved developing a specific environmental data management system, but this method often lacks real-time data retrieving and sharing/interoperating capability. With the development of information technology, a Geospatial Service Web method is proposed that can be employed for environmental data management. The purpose of this study is to determine a method to realize environmental data management under the Geospatial Service Web framework. A real-time GIS (Geographic Information System) data model and a Sensor Web service platform to realize environmental data management under the Geospatial Service Web framework are proposed in this study. The real-time GIS data model manages real-time data. The Sensor Web service platform is applied to support the realization of the real-time GIS data model based on the Sensor Web technologies. To support the realization of the proposed real-time GIS data model, a Sensor Web service platform is implemented. Real-time environmental data, such as meteorological data, air quality data, soil moisture data, soil temperature data, and landslide data, are managed in the Sensor Web service platform. In addition, two use cases of real-time air quality monitoring and real-time soil moisture monitoring based on the real-time GIS data model in the Sensor Web service platform are realized and demonstrated. The total time efficiency of the two experiments is 3.7 s and 9.2 s. The experimental results show that the method integrating real-time GIS data model and Sensor Web Service Platform is an effective way to manage environmental data under the Geospatial Service Web framework.

Does overall environmental quality affect end-stage renal disease survival?

EPA Science Inventory

Prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the U.S. increased by 74% from 2000 to 2013, with a 5-year survival of only 42%. To investigate associations between environmental quality and ESRD survival time, we used the Environmental Quality Index (EQI), an aggregate measure o...

Racial/ethnic disparities in the associations between environmental quality and mortality in the contiguous U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

Introduction: Understanding racial/ethnic disparities in mortality is an important goal for public health in the U.S. We examined the role environmental quality may have on mortality across race/ethnicity. Methods: The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) and its domain indices (air...

Application of ion chromatography for the determination of inorganic ions, especially thiocyanates in human saliva samples as biomarkers of environmental tobacco smoke exposure.

PubMed

Demkowska, Ilona; Polkowska, Zaneta; Namieśnik, Jacek

2008-11-15

Environmental tobacco smoke is a major factor influencing the indoor air quality. Various toxic compounds emitted during tobacco smoking into the environment have a significant influence on the chemical composition of human biological fluids. The thiocyanate concentration in saliva is a biochemical measure, frequently used as an objective indicator of tobacco consumption. The goal of this study was to find significant relationships between salivary thiocyanates and other inorganic ions, which are constituents of natural saliva (Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Cl(-), PO(4)(3-)) and to present the effectiveness of the proposed sample preparation procedure combined with ion chromatography technique for the determination of inorganic ions in human saliva samples collected from passive, moderate and heavy smokers.

[Aquatic insects and water quality in Peñas Blancas watershed and reservoir].

PubMed

Mora, Meyer Guevara

2011-06-01

The aquatic insects have been used to evaluate water quality of aquatic environments. The population of aquatic insects and the water quality of the area were characterized according to the natural and human alterations present in the study site. During the monthly-survey, pH, DO, temperature, water level, DBO, PO4 and NO3 were measured. Biological indexes (abundance, species richness and the BMWP-CR) were used to evaluate the water quality. No relation between environmental and aquatic insects was detected. Temporal and spatial differences attributed to the flow events (temporal) and the presence of Peñas Blancas reservoir (spatial). In the future, the investigations in Peñas Blancas watershed need to be focused on determining the real influence of the flows, sediment release and the possible water quality degradation because of agriculture activities.

40 CFR 52.1987 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... quality. 52.1987 Section 52.1987 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality (provisions of OAR Chapter 340, Divisions 200, 202...

40 CFR 52.1987 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... quality. 52.1987 Section 52.1987 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality (provisions of OAR Chapter 340, Divisions 200, 202...

40 CFR 52.1987 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... quality. 52.1987 Section 52.1987 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality (provisions of OAR Chapter 340, Divisions 200, 202...

40 CFR 52.1987 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... quality. 52.1987 Section 52.1987 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality (provisions of OAR chapter 340, Divisions 200, 202...

Design and Objectives of the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study.

PubMed

Carvalho, Heráclito Barbosa; Moreno, Luis Alberto; Silva, Andrew Mello; Berg, Gabriela; Estrada-Restrepo, Alejandro; González-Zapata, Laura Inés; De Miguel-Etayo, Pilar; Delgado, Carlos Alberto; Bove, María Isabel; de Sousa, Maria da Luz Rosario; Torres-Leal, Francisco Leonardo; Forjaz, Claudia L M; De Moraes, Augusto César Ferreira

2018-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the overarching study design of the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) study, which is an observational multicenter feasibility study held in seven South American cities: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Peru), Medellin (Colombia), Montevideo (Uruguay), Santiago (Chile), and São Paulo and Teresina (Brazil). Children and adolescents (3-17 years of age) were studied. The data management systems, quality assurance monitoring activities, standardized operating procedure manuals, and training and study management are addressed in this paper. Various quality controls to ensure the collection of valid and reliable data are also discussed. Data were obtained from 237 preschoolers and schoolchildren and 258 adolescents during the validation phase measurements. The results of the SAYCARE study are expected to provide higher accuracy in the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including eating behaviors, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, lipid profiles and cardiovascular health biomarkers, oral health, social conditions, environmental factors and home environment, and their determinants in children and adolescents from ages 3 to 17 in seven South American cities. © 2018 The Obesity Society.

Environmental assessment: Kotzebue Wind Installation Project, Kotzebue, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-05-01

The DOE is proposing to provide financial assistance to the Kotzebue Electric Association to expand its existing wind installation near Kotzebue, Alaska. Like many rural Alaska towns, Kotzebue uses diesel-powered generators to produce its electricity, the high cost of which is currently subsidized by the Alaska State government. In an effort to provide a cost effective and clean source of electricity, reduce dependence on diesel fuel, and reduce air pollutants, the DOE is proposing to fund an experimental wind installation to test commercially available wind turbines under Arctic conditions. The results would provide valuable information to other Alaska communities experiencingmore » similar dependence on diesel-powered generators. The environmental assessment for the proposed wind installation assessed impacts to biological resources, land use, electromagnetic interference, coastal zone, air quality, cultural resources, and noise. It was determined that the project does not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required, and DOE has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact.« less

'On the street where you live': Neighbourhood deprivation and quality of life among community-dwelling older people in Edinburgh, Scotland.

PubMed

Mõttus, René; Gale, Catharine R; Starr, John M; Deary, Ian J

2012-05-01

It is well established that neighbourhood quality is related to various aspects of people's health and coping, especially in old age. There have also been a few reports on the links between self-reported neighbourhood quality and quality of life in older age. However, it is not clear which aspects of quality of life in particular are related to neighbourhood quality and whether these associations are independent of the roles of cognitive, socioeconomic or health status, or rating biases. Using a large sample of Scots from the Edinburgh area (N = 1091, of whom 548 were men) aged between 68 and 71 years, this study shows direct associations of objectively and comprehensively determined neighbourhood deprivation with self-perceived quality of life in physical and environmental domains, but not in psychological or social relationship domains. In a path model, these associations were independent of the roles of childhood cognitive ability and change in it to age 70, educational attainment, and occupational social class. The count of adverse health conditions (cardiovascular disease, stroke history, high blood pressure, diabetes, or arthritis) was associated with both quality of life and neighbourhood deprivation, and mediated the indirect links from neighbourhood deprivation to physical, psychological and environmental domains of quality of life. It is concluded that the neighbourhood in which older people live plays a role in one of the most important outcomes-how satisfied they are with various aspects of their life including physical functioning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When environmentally persistent pathogens transform good habitat into ecological traps.

PubMed

Leach, Clinton B; Webb, Colleen T; Cross, Paul C

2016-03-01

Habitat quality plays an important role in the dynamics and stability of wildlife metapopulations. However, the benefits of high-quality habitat may be modulated by the presence of an environmentally persistent pathogen. In some cases, the presence of environmental pathogen reservoirs on high-quality habitat may lead to the creation of ecological traps, wherein host individuals preferentially colonize high-quality habitat, but are then exposed to increased infection risk and disease-induced mortality. We explored this possibility through the development of a stochastic patch occupancy model, where we varied the pathogen's virulence, transmission rate and environmental persistence as well as the distribution of habitat quality in the host metapopulation. This model suggests that for pathogens with intermediate levels of spread, high-quality habitat can serve as an ecological trap, and can be detrimental to host persistence relative to low-quality habitat. This inversion of the relative roles of high- and low-quality habitat highlights the importance of considering the interaction between spatial structure and pathogen transmission when managing wildlife populations exposed to an environmentally persistent pathogen.

When environmentally persistent pathogens transform good habitat into ecological traps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leach, Clint; Webb, Colleen T.; Cross, Paul C.

2016-01-01

Habitat quality plays an important role in the dynamics and stability of wildlife metapopulations. However, the benefits of high-quality habitat may be modulated by the presence of an environmentally persistent pathogen. In some cases, the presence of environmental pathogen reservoirs on high-quality habitat may lead to the creation of ecological traps, wherein host individuals preferentially colonize high-quality habitat, but are then exposed to increased infection risk and disease-induced mortality. We explored this possibility through the development of a stochastic patch occupancy model, where we varied the pathogen’s virulence, transmission rate and environmental persistence as well as the distribution of habitat quality in the host metapopulation. This model suggests that for pathogens with intermediate levels of spread, high-quality habitat can serve as an ecological trap, and can be detrimental to host persistence relative to low-quality habitat. This inversion of the relative roles of high- and low-quality habitat highlights the importance of considering the interaction between spatial structure and pathogen transmission when managing wildlife populations exposed to an environmentally persistent pathogen.

Environmental Quality Index webinar

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental Quality index, data reduction approaches to help improve statistical efficiency, summarizing information on the wider environment humans are exposed to. air, water, land, built, socio-demographic, human and environmental health

Study protocol: Determinants of participation and quality of life of adolescents with cerebral palsy: a longitudinal study (SPARCLE2)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Children and adults with impairments such as cerebral palsy have lower participation in life situations than able-bodied people. Less is known about their subjective perception of their lives, called their quality of life. During adolescence, rapid physical and psychological changes occur; although these may be more difficult for disabled than for able-bodied adolescents, little research has examined the lives of disabled adolescents. In 2003-4 a European Union funded project, SPARCLE, visited 818 children aged 8-12 years with cerebral palsy, sampled from population-based registers in nine European regions. The quality of life reported by these disabled children was similar to that of the general population but their participation was lower; levels of participation varied between countries even for children with similar severity of cerebral palsy. We are currently following up these children, now aged 13-17 years, to identify (i) to what extent contemporaneous factors (pain, impairment, psychological health and parental stress) predict their participation and quality of life, (ii) what factors modify how participation and quality of life at age 8-12 years are associated with participation and quality of life in adolescence, and (iii) whether differences between European countries in participation and quality of life can be explained by variations in environmental factors. Methods/Design Trained researchers will visit families to administer questionnaires to capture the adolescents' type and severity of impairment, socio-demographic characteristics, participation, quality of life, psychological health, pain, environmental access and parental stress. We will use multivariable models (linear, logistic or ordinal) to assess how adolescent participation, quality of life, psychological health, pain, environmental access and parental stress, vary with impairment and socio-demographic characteristics and, where possible, how these outcomes compare with general population data. For participation and quality of life, longitudinal analyses will assess to what extent these are predicted by corresponding levels in childhood and what factors modify this relationship. Structural equation modelling will be used to identify indirect relationships mediated by other factors. PMID:20504349

Evaluation of Quality-Assurance/Quality-Control Data Collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from Wells and Springs between the Southern Boundary of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Hagerman Area, Idaho, 1989 through 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, L.M.; Bartholomay, R.C.; Campbell, L.J.

1998-10-01

The U.S. Geological (USGS) and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected and analyzed water samples to monitor the water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to the Hagerman area, Idaho. Concurrently, replicate samples and blank samples were collected and analyzed as part of the quality-assurance/quality-control program. Samples were analyzed from inorganic constituents, gross radioactivity and radionuclides, organic constituents, and stable isotopes. To evaluate the precision of field and laboratory methods, analytical results of the water-quality and replicate samplesmore » were compared statistically for equivalence on the basis of the precision associated with each result. Statistical comparisons of the data indicated that 95 percent of the results of the replicate pairs were equivalent. Blank-sample analytical results indicated th at the inorganic blank water and volatile organic compound blank water from the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory and the distilled water from the Idaho Department of Water Resources were suitable for blanks; blank water from other sources was not. Equipment-blank analytical results were evaluated to determine if a bias had been introduced and possible sources of bias. Most equipment blanks were analyzed for trace elements and volatile organic compounds; chloroform was found in one equipment blank. Two of the equipment blanks were prepared after collection and analyses of the water-quality samples to determine whether contamination had been introduced during the sampling process. Results of one blank indicated that a hose used to divert water away from pumps and electrical equipment had contaminated the samples with some volatile organic compounds. Results of the other equipment blank, from the apparatus used to filter dissolved organic carbon samples, indicated that the filtering apparatus did not affect water-quality samples.« less

Environmental quality and evolutionary potential: lessons from wild populations

PubMed Central

Charmantier, Anne; Garant, Dany

2005-01-01

An essential requirement to determine a population's potential for evolutionary change is to quantify the amount of genetic variability expressed for traits under selection. Early investigations in laboratory conditions showed that the magnitude of the genetic and environmental components of phenotypic variation can change with environmental conditions. However, there is no consensus as to how the expression of genetic variation is sensitive to different environmental conditions. Recently, the study of quantitative genetics in the wild has been revitalized by new pedigree analyses based on restricted maximum likelihood, resulting in a number of studies investigating these questions in wild populations. Experimental manipulation of environmental quality in the wild, as well as the use of naturally occurring favourable or stressful environments, has broadened the treatment of different taxa and traits. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis on recent studies comparing heritability in favourable versus unfavourable conditions in non-domestic and non-laboratory animals. The results provide evidence for increased heritability in more favourable conditions, significantly so for morphometric traits but not for traits more closely related to fitness. We discuss how these results are explained by underlying changes in variance components, and how they represent a major step in our understanding of evolutionary processes in wild populations. We also show how these trends contrast with the prevailing view resulting mainly from laboratory experiments on Drosophila. Finally, we underline the importance of taking into account the environmental variation in models predicting quantitative trait evolution. PMID:16011915

Geospatial distribution modeling and determining suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation purpose using geospatial methods and water quality index (WQI) in Northern Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gidey, Amanuel

2018-06-01

Determining suitability and vulnerability of groundwater quality for irrigation use is a key alarm and first aid for careful management of groundwater resources to diminish the impacts on irrigation. This study was conducted to determine the overall suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation use and to generate their spatial distribution maps in Elala catchment, Northern Ethiopia. Thirty-nine groundwater samples were collected to analyze and map the water quality variables. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, ultraviolet spectrophotometer, titration and calculation methods were used for laboratory groundwater quality analysis. Arc GIS, geospatial analysis tools, semivariogram model types and interpolation methods were used to generate geospatial distribution maps. Twelve and eight water quality variables were used to produce weighted overlay and irrigation water quality index models, respectively. Root-mean-square error, mean square error, absolute square error, mean error, root-mean-square standardized error, measured values versus predicted values were used for cross-validation. The overall weighted overlay model result showed that 146 km2 areas are highly suitable, 135 km2 moderately suitable and 60 km2 area unsuitable for irrigation use. The result of irrigation water quality index confirms 10.26% with no restriction, 23.08% with low restriction, 20.51% with moderate restriction, 15.38% with high restriction and 30.76% with the severe restriction for irrigation use. GIS and irrigation water quality index are better methods for irrigation water resources management to achieve a full yield irrigation production to improve food security and to sustain it for a long period, to avoid the possibility of increasing environmental problems for the future generation.

Quality of major ion and total dissolved solids data from groundwater sampled by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 1992–2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gross, Eliza L.; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Rupert, Michael G.

2012-01-01

Field blank samples help determine the frequency and magnitude of contamination bias, and replicate samples help determine the sampling variability (error) of measured analyte concentrations. Quality control data were evaluated for calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, fluoride, silica, and total dissolved solids. A 99-percent upper confidence limit is calculated from field blanks to assess the potential for contamination bias. For magnesium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, and fluoride, potential contamination in more than 95 percent of environmental samples is less than or equal to the common maximum reporting level. Contamination bias has little effect on measured concentrations greater than 4.74 mg/L (milligrams per liter) for calcium, 14.98 mg/L for silica, 4.9 mg/L for sodium, and 120 mg/L for total dissolved solids. Estimates of sampling variability are calculated for high and low ranges of concentration for major ions and total dissolved solids. Examples showing the calculation of confidence intervals and how to determine whether measured differences between two water samples are significant are presented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haney, Thomas Jay

This report documents the Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) developed for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site ambient air surveillance program. The development of the DQOs was based on the seven-step process recommended “for systematic planning to generate performance and acceptance criteria for collecting environmental data” (EPA 2006). The process helped to determine the type, quantity, and quality of data needed to meet current regulatory requirements and to follow U.S. Department of Energy guidance for environmental surveillance air monitoring design. It also considered the current air monitoring program that has existed at INL Site since the 1950s. The development of themore » DQOs involved the application of the atmospheric dispersion model CALPUFF to identify likely contamination dispersion patterns at and around the INL Site using site-specific meteorological data. Model simulations were used to quantitatively assess the probable frequency of detection of airborne radionuclides released by INL Site facilities using existing and proposed air monitors.« less

[Trends in environmental risks in the context of the economic crisis. SESPAS report 2014].

PubMed

Ballester, Ferran; Llop, Sabrina; Querol, Xavier; Esplugues, Ana

2014-06-01

This article aims to analyze the impact of the economic and financial crisis on environmental determinants of health. The World Health Organization estimates that between 13% and 27% of the disease burden in countries could be prevented by improving the environment. These effects are larger in vulnerable populations, especially among the poorest. In the last decade, outdoor air pollution (the most significant environmental health risk in most European countries) has declined, mostly due to the European policy of reducing emissions and to the decrease in activity following the economic crisis. During the last few years, this improvement in air quality has occurred simultaneously with a reduction in investment in environmental protection and could therefore be offset in the medium-term. The economic crisis has not reduced the trend for higher temperatures in Spain and Europe because climate change is a global phenomenon that is not directly related to local emissions. To reduce the risk of an increase in the health impact of environmental factors, certain key aspects should be considered, such as the need to maintain or develop adequate monitoring and control systems and the opportunity to implement policies that help improve the quality of the environment and reduce the vulnerability of different population groups in a cross-disciplinary framework of transparency and citizen participation. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Promoting Environmental Justice Through Urban Green Space Access: A Synopsis

Treesearch

Viniece Jennings; Cassandra Johnson Gaither; Richard Schulterbrandt Gragg

2012-01-01

This article reviews literature on the connection between urban green space access and environmental justice. It discusses the dynamics of the relationship as it relates to factors such as environmental quality, land use, and environmental health disparities. Urban development stresses the landscape and may compromise environmental quality. Since some communities are...

Urban-rural status affects associations between domains of environmental quality and childhood cancer

EPA Science Inventory

Childhood cancer is associated with individual ambient environmental exposures such as hazardous air pollutants and pesticides. However, the role of cumulative ambient environmental exposures is not well-understood. An Environmental Quality Index (EQI) for 2000-2005 was construct...

Why Environmental Education? It Is Critical to Maintaining Our Quality of Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browner, Carol M.

1995-01-01

Traces the progress of environmental education and discusses its role in enhancing the quality of life on our planet. Describes several initiatives aimed at deepening environmental awareness among all Americans and enhancing participation in solving environmental problems. (JRH)

Correlates and Dimensions of Environmental Quality Concern among Residents of an African Subtropical City: Gaborone, Botswana.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chanda, Raban

1999-01-01

Examines the dimensions of environmental quality and socioeconomic concern among residents of a small but spatially and demographically dynamic city in southern Africa. Environmental quality issues compete with socioeconomic concerns for people's attention, and the issues are more recognized by better-educated and well-off residents. Concludes…

Environmental Quality Research and Development. A Review and Analysis of Federal Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Executive Office of the President, Washington, DC.

This is the first interagency report on Federal environmental quality research and development programs that presents program descriptions, levels of funding, and analyses. Undertaken at the request of the Federal Council for Science and Technology, the study may be useful in identifying environmental quality research and development programs in…

METRO-APEX Volume 6.1: Environmental Quality Agency's Manual. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Southern California, Los Angeles. COMEX Research Project.

The Environmental Quality Agency's Manual is one of a set of twenty-one manuals used in METRO-APEX 1974, a computerized college and professional level, computer-supported, role-play, simulation exercise of a community with "normal" problems. Stress is placed on environmental quality considerations. APEX 1974 is an expansion of APEX--Air…

Data Call Response for NEPA Supplement Analysis of CMRR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Booth, Steven Richard

The Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) is proposing to provide analytical chemistry (AC) and materials characterization (MC) capabilities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) by using a combination of existing space in two existing buildings: the Radiological Laboratory/Utility/Office Building (RLUOB) and the Plutonium Facility, Building 4 (PF-4) in TA-55. This represents a change from decisions made by DOE as informed by previous National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses. In accordance with Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and DOE requirements, NNSA is preparing a Supplement Analysis (SA) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action. Themore » focus of this analysis is on determining whether the proposal to provide AC and MC laboratory capabilities in existing space in RLUOB and PF-4 rather than building a new nuclear facility (NF) is a substantial change that is relevant to environmental concerns or whether new circumstance or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts are significant. The end result of the analysis is a determination whether the existing Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Building Replacement Environmental Impact Statement (CMRR EIS) should be supplemented, a new EIS should be prepared, or no further NEPA analysis is necessary. This report provides data for incorporation into the Supplement Analysis being written by Leidos, Inc. under contract to NNSA. Responding to the data call requires several areas of expertise. Los Alamos subject matter experts estimate equipments lists, facility modifications, waste quantities, labor needs and radiological doses. Los Alamos NEPA experts assist Leidos in compiling existing data from the LANL Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) and CMRR EIS for public and other impacts. Bounding conditions are used to determine NEPA estimates.« less

40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. The following regulations as in effect on April 1, 2010, are also approved as...

40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. The introductory paragraph to 18 AAC 50.040(h) as in effect on December 9, 2010 is...

40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. The introductory paragraph to 18 AAC 50.040(h) as in effect on December 9, 2010 is...

40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. The following regulations as in effect on April 1, 2010, are also approved as...

40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. (b) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met...

Indexing the Environmental Quality Performance Based on A Fuzzy Inference Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iswari, Lizda

2018-03-01

Environmental performance strongly deals with the quality of human life. In Indonesia, this performance is quantified through Environmental Quality Index (EQI) which consists of three indicators, i.e. river quality index, air quality index, and coverage of land cover. The current of this instrument data processing was done by averaging and weighting each index to represent the EQI at the provincial level. However, we found EQI interpretations that may contain some uncertainties and have a range of circumstances possibly less appropriate if processed under a common statistical approach. In this research, we aim to manage the indicators of EQI with a more intuitive computation technique and make some inferences related to the environmental performance in 33 provinces in Indonesia. Research was conducted in three stages of Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System (MAFIS), i.e. fuzzification, data inference, and defuzzification. Data input consists of 10 environmental parameters and the output is an index of Environmental Quality Performance (EQP). Research was applied to the environmental condition data set in 2015 and quantified the results into the scale of 0 to 100, i.e. 10 provinces at good performance with the EQP above 80 dominated by provinces in eastern part of Indonesia, 22 provinces with the EQP between 80 to 50, and one province in Java Island with the EQP below 20. This research shows that environmental quality performance can be quantified without eliminating the natures of the data set and simultaneously is able to show the environment behavior along with its spatial pattern distribution.

Monitoring And Modeling Environmental Water Quality To Support Environmental Water Purchase Decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Null, S. E.; Elmore, L.; Mouzon, N. R.; Wood, J. R.

2016-12-01

More than 25 million cubic meters (20,000 acre feet) of water has been purchased from willing agricultural sellers for environmental flows in Nevada's Walker River to improve riverine habitat and connectivity with downstream Walker Lake. Reduced instream flows limit native fish populations, like Lahontan cutthroat trout, through warm daily stream temperatures and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Environmental water purchases maintain instream flows, although effects on water quality are more varied. We use multi-year water quality monitoring and physically-based hydrodynamic and water quality modeling to estimate streamflow, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentrations with alternative environmental water purchases. We simulate water temperature and dissolved oxygen changes from increased streamflow to prioritize the time periods and locations that environmental water purchases most enhance trout habitat as a function of water quality. Monitoring results indicate stream temperature and dissolved oxygen limitations generally exist in the 115 kilometers upstream of Walker Lake (about 37% of the study area) from approximately May through September, and this reach acts as a water quality barrier for fish passage. Model results indicate that low streamflows generally coincide with critically warm stream temperatures, water quality refugia exist on a tributary of the Walker River, and environmental water purchases may improve stream temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions for some reaches and seasons, especially in dry years and prolonged droughts. This research supports environmental water purchase decision-making and allows water purchase decisions to be prioritized with other river restoration alternatives.

Environmental Engineering in the Slovak Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevulova, N.; Balintova, M.; Zelenakova, M.; Estokova, A.; Vilcekova, S.

2017-10-01

The fundamental role of environmental engineering is to protect human population and environment from impacts of human activities and to ensure environmental quality. It relates to achieving the environmental sustainability goals through advanced technologies for pollutants removing from air, water and soil in order to minimize risk in ecosystem and ensuring favourable conditions for life of humans and organisms. Nowadays, a critical analysis of the environment quality and innovative approaches to problem solving in order to achieve sustainability in environmental engineering, are necessary. This article presents an overview of the quality of the environment and progress in environmental engineering in Slovakia and gives information regarding the environmental engineering education at Faculty of Civil Engineering at Technical University in Kosice.

40 CFR 131.31 - Arizona.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.31 Arizona. (a) [Reserved] (b) The following waters have... R18-11-101 (which is available from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality...

40 CFR 131.31 - Arizona.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.31 Arizona. (a) [Reserved] (b) The following waters have... R18-11-101 (which is available from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality...

40 CFR 131.31 - Arizona.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.31 Arizona. (a) [Reserved] (b) The following waters have... R18-11-101 (which is available from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality...

40 CFR 131.31 - Arizona.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.31 Arizona. (a) [Reserved] (b) The following waters have... R18-11-101 (which is available from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality...

40 CFR 131.31 - Arizona.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.31 Arizona. (a) [Reserved] (b) The following waters have... R18-11-101 (which is available from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality...

A Measure of Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1976

1976-01-01

Recent national surveys conducted by the Council on Environmental Quality and others uncovered inconsistencies and confusion in the manner environmental quality parameters were used and reported. A standard air pollution index, comparative guide to water quality indicators and biological monitoring information are being developed. (BT)

Determinants of performance failure in the nursing home industry☆

PubMed Central

Zinn, Jacqueline; Mor, Vincent; Feng, Zhanlian; Intrator, Orna

2013-01-01

This study investigates the determinants of performance failure in U.S. nursing homes. The sample consisted of 91,168 surveys from 10,901 facilities included in the Online Survey Certification and Reporting system from 1996 to 2005. Failed performance was defined as termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Determinants of performance failure were identified as core structural change (ownership change), peripheral change (related diversification), prior financial and quality of care performance, size and environmental shock (Medicaid case mix reimbursement and prospective payment system introduction). Additional control variables that could contribute to the likelihood of performance failure were included in a cross-sectional time series generalized estimating equation logistic regression model. Our results support the contention, derived from structural inertia theory, that where in an organization’s structure change occurs determines whether it is adaptive or disruptive. In addition, while poor prior financial and quality performance and the introduction of case mix reimbursement increases the risk of failure, larger size is protective, decreasing the likelihood of performance failure. PMID:19128865

Determinants of performance failure in the nursing home industry.

PubMed

Zinn, Jacqueline; Mor, Vincent; Feng, Zhanlian; Intrator, Orna

2009-03-01

This study investigates the determinants of performance failure in U.S. nursing homes. The sample consisted of 91,168 surveys from 10,901 facilities included in the Online Survey Certification and Reporting system from 1996 to 2005. Failed performance was defined as termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Determinants of performance failure were identified as core structural change (ownership change), peripheral change (related diversification), prior financial and quality of care performance, size and environmental shock (Medicaid case mix reimbursement and prospective payment system introduction). Additional control variables that could contribute to the likelihood of performance failure were included in a cross-sectional time series generalized estimating equation logistic regression model. Our results support the contention, derived from structural inertia theory, that where in an organization's structure change occurs determines whether it is adaptive or disruptive. In addition, while poor prior financial and quality performance and the introduction of case mix reimbursement increases the risk of failure, larger size is protective, decreasing the likelihood of performance failure.

Interaction between heterogeneous environmental quality domains (air, water, land, socio-demographic and built environment) on preterm birth.

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental exposures are often measured individually, though many occur in tandem. To address aggregate exposures, a county-level Environmental Quality Index (EQI) representing five environmental domains (air, water, land, built and sociodemographic) was constructed. Recent st...

Effect of economic growth and environmental quality on tourism in Southeast Asian Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firmansyah

2017-02-01

The tourism is an important sector in generating income for a country, nevertheless, tourism is sensitive toward the changes in economy, as well as changes in environmental quality. By employing econometric models of error correction on annual data, this study examines the influence of environmental quality, domestic and global economic growth on foreign tourist arrivals in selected Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Singapore. The findings of this study showed that all of countries long run model were proved statistically, indicated that world economic growth as well as environmental quality affect foreign tourism arrivals.

The Midwest Stream Quality Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2012-01-01

In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) and USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) will be collaborating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) to assess stream quality across the Midwestern United States. The sites selected for this study are a subset of the larger NRSA, implemented by the EPA, States and Tribes to sample flowing waters across the United States (http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/riverssurvey/index.cfm). The goals are to characterize water-quality stressors—contaminants, nutrients, and sediment—and ecological conditions in streams throughout the Midwest and to determine the relative effects of these stressors on aquatic organisms in the streams. Findings will contribute useful information for communities and policymakers by identifying which human and environmental factors are the most critical in controlling stream quality. This collaborative study enhances information provided to the public and policymakers and minimizes costs by leveraging and sharing data gathered under existing programs. In the spring and early summer, NAWQA will sample streams weekly for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. During the same time period, CERC will test sediment and water samples for toxicity, deploy time-integrating samplers, and measure reproductive effects and biomarkers of contaminant exposure in fish or amphibians. NRSA will sample sites once during the summer to assess ecological and habitat conditions in the streams by collecting data on algal, macroinvertebrate, and fish communities and collecting detailed physical-habitat measurements. Study-team members from all three programs will work in collaboration with USGS Water Science Centers and State agencies on study design, execution of sampling and analysis, and reporting.

Planning for the Future on Spaceship Earth. Environmental Ecological Education Project. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkway School District, Chesterfield, MO.

This unit, designed for upper elementary school students, examines the role of the individual in society in determining the status of the environment. Viewing the earth as an ecosystem, it looks at past and present human events that have influenced the quality of the environment and attempts to provide students with an awareness of the knowledge…

76 FR 6590 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determination of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-07

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R03-OAR-2010-1082; FRL-9262-6] Approval and... Number EPA- R03-OAR-2010-1082 by one of the following methods A. www.regulations.gov . Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. B. E-mail: [email protected] . C. Mail: EPA-R03-OAR-2010-1082...

Bioluminescence for determining energy state of plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ching, T. M.

1975-01-01

Bioluminescence produced by the luciferin-luciferase system is a very sensitive assay for ATP content in extracts of plant materials. The ATP test for seed and pollen viability and vigor is presented, along with prediction of high growth potential and productivity in new crosses and selections of breeding materials. ATP as an indicator for environmental quality, stresses, and metabolic regulation is also considered.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY CONSTITUTENTS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF ENTERIC VIRUSES IN GROUND WATER FROM SMALL PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES IN SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN

EPA Science Inventory

A study of small public ground-water-supply wells that produce water from discontinuous sand and gravel aquifers was done from July 1999 through July 2001 in southeastern Michigan. Samples were collected to determine the occurrence of viral pathogens and microbiological indicato...

Reference materials for the monitoring of the aquatic environment--a review with special emphasis on organic priority pollutants.

PubMed

Bercaru, Ofelia; Gawlik, Bernd Manfred; Ulberth, Franz; Vandecasteele, Carlo

2003-08-01

During recent years, the awareness of quality assurance and quality control in environmental analyses has constantly increased, especially due to the implementation of new guidelines and regulations at both the national and international level. Achieving comparable results by using certified reference materials is one of the primary concerns of the scientific community. As a result, there is a growing demand for certified reference materials to cover different matrices and pollutants. Moreover, these CRMs should be in close relationship to the determinants and target concentrations required by environmental bodies and European Directives as well. Supplementary information to this paper presents an inventory of reference materials available on the market from different suppliers against the priority pollutants listed in the Water Framework Directive. These CRMs cover matrices such as water, sediment and biota. The use of CRMs in relationship to appropriate analytical methods and relevant determinants is discussed and the need for matrix-CRMs, particularly for organic pollutants is emphasised. The use of proficiency testing schemes as an alternative for the lack of appropriate CRMs and future trends in the production of CRMs within the BCR framework are also discussed.

Characterization and Potential Environmental Risks of Leachate from Shredded Rubber Mulches

PubMed Central

Kanematsu, Masakazu; Hayashi, Ai; Denison, Michael S.; Young, Thomas M.

2009-01-01

In order to determine whether shredded rubber mulches (RM) posed water quality risks when used in stormwater best management practices (BMPs) such as bioretention basins, batch leaching tests were conducted to identify and quantify constituents in leachates from RM such as metal ions, nutrients, total organic carbon (TOC), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity (determined by the chemically activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) bioassay) at varied temperature and initial pH values. The results indicate that aqueous extracts of RM contain high concentrations of zinc (Zn) compared with wood mulches (WM), and its concentration increased at lower pH and higher temperature. Although methanol extracts of RM displayed high AhR activity, none of the aqueous extracts of RM had significant activity. Hence, while unknown constituents that have significant AhR activity are present in RM, they appear to be not measurably extracted by water under environmental conditions relevant for stormwater (5 < pH < 9, 10 < T < 40°C). Our results suggests that organic constituents in water extracts of RM which have AhR activity may not be of significant concern while leaching of Zn from RM appears to be a potentially larger water quality issue for RM. PMID:19450864

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Yimin; Bhatt, Arpit; Heath, Garvin

Biorefineries are subject to environmental laws, including complex air quality regulations that aim to protect and improve the quality of the air. These regulations govern the amount of certain types of air pollutants that can be emitted from different types of emission sources. To determine which federal air emission regulations potentially apply to the sugars-to-hydrocarbon (HC) biorefinery, we first identified the types of regulated air pollutants emitted to the ambient environment by the biorefinery or from specific equipment. Once the regulated air pollutants are identified, we review the applicability criteria of each federal air regulation to determine whether the sugars-to-HCmore » biorefinery or specific equipment is subject to it. We then estimate the potential-to-emit of pollutants likely to be emitted from the sugars-to-HC biorefinery to understand the air permitting requirements.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhatt, Arpit; Zhang, Yimin; Heath, Garvin

Biorefineries are subject to environmental laws, including complex air quality regulations that aim to protect and improve the quality of the air. These regulations govern the amount of certain types of air pollutants that can be emitted from different types of emission sources. To determine which federal air emission regulations potentially apply to the fast pyrolysis biorefinery, we first identified the types of regulated air pollutants emitted to the ambient environment by the biorefinery or from specific equipment. Once the regulated air pollutants are identified, we review the applicability criteria of each federal air regulation to determine whether the fastmore » pyrolysis biorefinery or specific equipment is subject to it. We then estimate the potential-to-emit of pollutants likely to be emitted from the fast pyrolysis biorefinery to understand the air permitting requirements.« less

US EPA GEOSPATIAL QUALITY COUNCIL: ENSURING QUALITY IN GEOPSPATIAL SOLUTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Environmental Sciences Division, created the EPA Geospatial Quality Council (GQC) to fill the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geospatial communities. GQC participants inclu...

Determination of trigger levels for groundwater quality in landfills located in historically human-impacted areas.

PubMed

Stefania, Gennaro A; Zanotti, Chiara; Bonomi, Tullia; Fumagalli, Letizia; Rotiroti, Marco

2018-05-01

Landfills are one of the most recurrent sources of groundwater contamination worldwide. In order to limit their impacts on groundwater resources, current environmental regulations impose the adoption of proper measures for the protection of groundwater quality. For instance, in the EU member countries, the calculation of trigger levels for identifying significant adverse environmental effects on groundwater generated by landfills is required by the Landfill Directive 99/31/EC. Although the derivation of trigger levels could be relatively easy when groundwater quality data prior to the construction of a landfill are available, it becomes challenging when these data are missing and landfills are located in areas that are already impacted by historical contamination. This work presents a methodology for calculating trigger levels for groundwater quality in landfills located in areas where historical contaminations have deteriorated groundwater quality prior to their construction. This method is based on multivariate statistical analysis and involves 4 steps: (a) implementation of the conceptual model, (b) landfill monitoring data collection, (c) hydrochemical data clustering and (d) calculation of the trigger levels. The proposed methodology was applied on a case study in northern Italy, where a currently used lined landfill is located downstream of an old unlined landfill and others old unmapped waste deposits. The developed conceptual model stated that groundwater quality deterioration observed downstream of the lined landfill is due to a degrading leachate plume fed by the upgradient unlined landfill. The methodology led to the determination of two trigger levels for COD and NH 4 -N, the former for a zone representing the background hydrochemistry (28 and 9 mg/L for COD and NH 4 -N, respectively), the latter for the zone impacted by the degrading leachate plume from the upgradient unlined landfill (89 and 83 mg/L for COD and NH 4 -N, respectively). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Freshwater Resource Management in Southwestern Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, C.; Baroud, H.; Hornberger, G. M.

2016-12-01

Freshwater resources in coastal Bangladesh fluctuate with extreme periods of shortage and abundance. Bangladeshis have adapted to these alternating periods but are still plagued with scarce drinking water resources due to pond water pathogens, salinity of groundwater, and arsenic contamination. The success of attempts to correct the problem of unsafe drinking water have varied across the southern Bangladesh as a result of physical and social factors. We use a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to explore the various physical and social factors that influence decisions about freshwater technologies and management schemes in southern Bangladesh. To determine the best freshwater technologies and management schemes, we examine four alternatives, including managed aquifer recharge (MAR), pond sand filter (PSF), rain water harvesting (RWH), and tubewells (TW). Criteria are grouped into four categories (environmental, technical, social, and economic) and weighting of social factors will be determined by community surveys, non-governmental organizations (NGO) opinions, and academic interviews. Social data include regional water quality perceptions, perceptions of management/technology success, MAR community surveys, and interviews with NGO partners. Environmental and technical feasibility factors are determined from regional water quality data, geospatial information, land use/land change, and regional stratigraphy. Survey data suggest a wide range of criteria based on location and stakeholder perception. MAR and PSF technologies likely have the greatest environmental and technical potential for success but are highly influenced by community dynamics, individual perspective, and NGO involvement. RWH solutions are used frequently and are successful at reducing the water security threats of contamination by pathogens, arsenic, and salts. This MCDA informs us of community and stakeholder water resource decisions, specifically related to their objectives and preferences.