Ecological Risk Assessment

To assist risk assessors at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS), a Geographic Information System (GIS) application was developed to provide relevant information about specific receptor species of resident wildlife that can be used for ecological risk assessment. Information was obtained from an extensive literature review of publications and reports on vertebrate- and contaminant- related research since 1954

The behaviour and fate of pesticides in the environment will determine their impact on both humans and non-target organisms. Biochemical biomarkers are increasingly used in ecological risk assessment to identify the incidence of exposure to and effects caused by xenobiotics. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential toxic effect of a locally produced insect powder called "Rambo" (which contain

Abstract–An ecological risk assessment (ERA; also known as productivity and susceptibility analysis, PSA) was conducted on eleven species of pelagic elasmobranchs (10 sharks and 1 ray) to assess their vulnerability to pelagic longline fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean. This was a level-3 quantitative assessment consisting of a risk analysis to evaluate the biological productivity of these species and a susceptibility analysis to assess their propensity to capture and mortality in pelagic longline fisheries. The risk analysis estimated productivity ...

Paint manufacturing use in their process pigments, which contain mineral elements such as: mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn). Some of those elements have been measured in wastewater generated by this industry. Indeed, concentrations of 1670 g/L of Pb and 105 g/L of Hg have been found in wastewater coming from paint manufacturing in Port-au-Prince. At high concentration, metallic pollutants could provoke a biological imbalance in the aquatic ecosystems. The lack of threshold values for the discharge of industrial wastewater into the urban sewage network and the absence of wastewater treatment plant put in evidence the existence of an important hazard for the ecosystem of the Port-au-Prince bay. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecological risk of heavy metals in Port-au-Prince paint manufacturing effluents. The marine ecosystem has been considered as the target to protect. The effects of Pb, Cu and Hg, containing in these wastewater, have been studied on the embryonic development and the growth of two levels of the marine food chain: algae (Asterionella glacialis and Asterionella japonica) and crustacean (Cancer anthonyi). Five wastewater samples have been collected, from 22 nd to 29 th June 2004, on the collector of a paint manufacturing. A maximal concentration of 500 gCu/L has been measured and 700 gPb/L. An approach based on single action of the considered pollutants has been applied to characterize their effects on the selected organisms by using toxicological information available in the international data bases. A very high risk for the exposed organisms was calculated by using PEC/PNEC method. In the future, it will be interesting to set up on the wastewater collector of paint manufacturing a biosensor system in order to control the emissions of metallic pollutants and consequently to manage the ecological risk of these effluents.

This paper was prepared as a part of the graduate course offered by Middle East Technical University Department of Environmental Engineering, ENVE 510 "Principles of Risk Assessment and Management", instructed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Alp.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (fish, mussels, algae etc.) in both coastal and inland areas. According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)  aquaculture is probably fastest growing food production sector which currently corresponds for nearly 50% of the world’s food fish. Modern aquaculture has a relatively short history in Turkey with first attempts starting in the late 1960s with trout (alabalık) farming. And it was followed by seabass (levrek) and seabream (çipura) in the later years. Now, Turkey’s annual total marine finfish aquaculture production capacity is around 134,000 tons  and it is expected to increase in the coming years, which implies that the risks such as reduced dissolve oxygen by respiration, increased nutrients and organic matter in the vicinity of the farms, interaction of escapees with natural stocks, occurrences of storms and freezes and diseases  that exist will be amplified as years pass. Hence, the aim of this research is to identify and assess the major risks posed by marine finfish aquaculture in Turkey, with a particular emphasis on the Aegean region, which hosts most of the marine aquaculture production facilities in Turkey.

Conflict over the management of outdoor cats has contributed to debate between animal welfare and wildlife advocates and stymied efforts to control outdoor cats. We distributed a mail survey to a random sample of participants in Trap-Neuter-Return programs for outdoor cats, Audubon Society members and the public across four counties in Florida (N = 1363) to identify differences between these stakeholders’ perceptions and support for the management of outdoor cats. We used a perception of risk framework to evaluate group differences in attitudes and beliefs about outdoor cats, perceptions of positive and nega- tive impacts, ecological risk perceptions, and support for management options. Multivariate Analysis of Variance results indicated significant differences between groups across all of our measured scales. Dis- criminant Function Analysis helped identify two distinct groups; explaining 79% and 21% of the variance between groups. Group membership was predicted by cat ownership, attitudes toward and beliefs about outdoor cats, perceived impacts, risk perceptions, and management attitudes. This research is the first to explore differences in cognitions and preferences related to outdoor cat management with three impor- tant stakeholder groups. To reduce response bias, our survey included both positive and negative impact items and neutral terminology. Our findings suggest that surveys, based solely on public opinions about outdoor cats, do not reflect the diversity of opinion of all relevant stakeholder groups.

The Rioni River is the largest and most waterlogged river in western Georgia. At the same time it is one of the main rivers that flow into the eastern part of the Black Sea. Analytical materials were collected and studied from river water, riverbed sediments, soil, and bioassays. The radiation condition of the valley was also assessed.(in Georgian)

The purpose of this study was to investigate and quantify trace metal concentrations in Commelina africana L. and psammitic sandflats from an intertidal coastal ecosystem in Niger Delta, Nigeria, and to evaluate their spatial distribution, degree of contamination, and source apportionment. The environmental risks associated with soil contamination were elaborately assessed using potential ecological risk index, sediment quality guidelines, and enrichment relative to background levels. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in sandflat soil samples are 0.76 ± 9.0 × 10 −2 , 7.39 ± 8.7 × 10 −1 , 2.28 ± 0.35, 0.024 ± 4.0 × 10 −3 , and 74.51 ± 2.55 mg/kg, respectively. Metal levels indicate strong variability with sampling sites. The order of trace metal concentrations in the Commelina africana L. samples is Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd. The concentrations varied with the sample locations; and the levels of Pb (0.05 to 0.08 mg/kg) at all locations are found to be significantly below permissible level of 0.3 mg/kg. Potential sources of metal loadings may be associated with localised or diffused anthropogenic activities. The average carcinogenic risks are below 1.0 × 10 −6 threshold values, and the sandflat soils are not considered to pose significant health effects to children and adult males and females. However, the carcinogenicity and noncarcinogenicity risks ranking decrease following the order children > adult males > adult females. Comparatively, the hazard quotient and hazard index indicate that the psammitic sandflats might pose a health risk to children in future.

Macroinvertebrate "assemblage" and its relationship with physicochemical variables in a mountain stream in Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Because of the influence of different human activities, rivers and their associated biodiversity are under stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates of the Jordán River and its relation to water quality. Mining, water harvesting, livestock, agriculture, recreation and illegal occupation of the territory; take place in the evaluated section (5 650 m). A sampling site was established at 1 173 m.a.s.l. (E1), here the river receives wastewater. The second, at 1 069 m.a.s.l. (E2) was set up before the intake of an aqueduct. And the third, at 1 019 m.a.s.l. (E3) after the inlet pipe. Concentrations of physicochemical variables (n = 15) were measured. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected in gravel, pebbles and macrophytes using Surber nets (0.36 m 2 , 500 µm), a screen net (1.6 m 2 , 350 µm) and a D-net (0.9 m 2 , 500 µm). The assemblage structure was assessed using abundance categories. The diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate and physicochemical variables were associated using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The physicochemical variables showed that E3 was the most contaminated site. There were 9 orders, 23 families and 31 taxa. E3 had the lowest richness and in E2 Rhagovelia was dominant. The CCA showed that variables that have the greatest influence on the diversity of macroinvertebrates are oxygen, BOD 5 , Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and turbidity. It is concluded that the diversity of macroinvertebrates decreases with increasing organic matter possibly due to sewage and flow decrease.

Fourteen sediment samples were collected from three sites (Hub River, Hub River estuary and Gadani coast) for examining the concentrations and toxicity levels of heavy metals (Cadmium, Chromium, Copper Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, Manganese and Iron) and their concentrations. Furthermore, some factors and indexes, Contamination Factor, MERM-Q, Geo-accumulation Index, and Potential Ecological Risk Index were used for their environmental assessment and pollution status of surface sediments of the study area. The present data has also been compared with the sediment quality guideline. All the values of heavy metals of the study sites lie in the LEL (Lowest Effect Level) except for Cadmium but its values were also below the ERL (Effects Range Low). The results of the Geo-accumulation index of Cadmium indicate that the sediments in most studied stations of the three sites were moderately to strongly polluted (1.72-2.99). According to Geo-accumulation index all studied stations were found unpolluted with respect to Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe, while Pb was found up to moderate values. The contamination factor of each metal was found in the following order Cd>Pb>Cu>Mn>Zn. The contamination factor of the study area shows that this area has Moderate to Considerable contamination. In the present study, the MERM-Q values range 0.08-0.16 with average values 0.11 which indicates that metal concentrations are approximately with 9-21% probability of toxicity to the benthic organisms. The values of the Potential Ecological Risk Index in the studied stations show considerable to very high risk from metal contamination in the following order: Hub River estuary>Hub River>Gadani coast.

Mercury (Hg) and other heavy metals, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), were analyzed in coal (bituminous), roadside soil, reclaimed mine soil, core zone soil, and reference soil (agriculture soil) along three soil profiles (0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) in a coal mining area (Jharkhand, India) inhabited by economically marginalized dense population. Higher toxic metal concentrations in coal (0.47 mg Hg/kg, 2.81 mg As/kg, and 13 mg Pb/kg, 2.61 mg Cd/kg) can cause ecological hazard in the area. Roadside soil has the highest Hg (2.32 mg/kg), and core zone soil has the highest Pb (15.7 mg/kg) concentration. Hg concentration in roadside soil indicates high potential ecological risk, while Cd contamination in mining area can be put under moderate ecological risk. Roadside soils shows highest Ecological Risk Index (ERI) value of 339, indicating considerable ecological risk, and Hg alone contributes 64% of ERI value. Higher ERI and Efi (Hg)were due to the deposition of coal dust from mining activities and transportation.

Understanding the levels and associated ecological risk caused by heavy metals is important for the sustainable management and utilization of Lake Chilwa catchment, an important ecosystem in Malawi providing fertile lands for agriculture and a designated wetland ratified by the Ramsar convention in 1997. Concentrations of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) were analyzed from 22 soil sampling locations. Extraction and quantification were achieved by microwave digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer, respectively. Mean values were detected in the following order; Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > As. Strong correlations were observed between As and Pb (r = 0.85), Cr and Ni (r = 0.82), Cu and Ni (r = 0.81), Cr and Cu (r = 0.8), and Pb and Zn (r = 0.73) suggesting similar sources of input. Principal component analysis revealed that Cu, Pb, Zn and As originate from anthropogenic activities, while Cr and Ni were geogenic. The ecological risk caused by these metals, calculated by the Ecological Risk Index (RI) method, showed a low to moderate ecological risk. The wetland areas had higher overall concentrations and RI values compared to the rest of the catchment. It is therefore important to enforce measures to manage and control these levels to avoid their damaging effects

—Underwater sound is important for the underwater creatures. It is useful for the navigation, food finding, mating, and also predator detection. The natural phenomenons in the marine environment that produce noise include waves, wind, surf, lightning, precipitation, animals' sound and also the earthquakes. The frequency of the natural sound was usually below 100 Hz, but rain and waves sounds dominate higher frequencies. However, some human activities can cause the underwater noise pollution such as the sound produced by the ships, sonar, pile driving, dredging, oil and gas explorations and also military activities. The effect of man-made noise is a main threat to marine animals. Fish, in particular, was less attractive with the noisy environments and avoid areas where man-made noise levels are high.The presence of noise also could keep fish changes their way, behavior and reproduction. Our analysis has determined the cause, occurrence and the effect of the underwater noise pollution in the ocean towards marine animals. The overview from the results shows that shipping operation got the higher risk based on the evaluation of risk matrix rating which the identified risks are come from the high speed of the ships and sound emitted from the engine vibration in the hull of ships. Preliminary calculation involving the energy budget per year for anthropogenic noise shows that Underwater Noise Explosion emits higher energy per year which is 2.1 x 1015 J.

Описаны природные пределы, выход за которые ввергает биосферу в антропогенный экологический кризис. Показано, что многие из них уже превзойдены, к другим система стремится с ускорением. Анализируются экономические и другие причины, определяющие неблагоприятную динамику по конкретным ресурсам и областям производства, также как и возможности перелома тенденции.