ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Environmental modeling
G.R. Puno; R.A. Marin; R.C.C. Puno; A.G. Toledo-Bruno
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 01 June 2020
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The study explored the capability of the geographic information system interface for the water erosion prediction project, a process-based model, to predict and visualize the specific location of soil erosion and sediment yield from the agricultural watershed of Taganibong. ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The study explored the capability of the geographic information system interface for the water erosion prediction project, a process-based model, to predict and visualize the specific location of soil erosion and sediment yield from the agricultural watershed of Taganibong. METHODS: The method involved the preparation of the four input files corresponding to climate, slope, land management, and soil properties. Climate file processing was through the use of a breakpoint climate data generator. The team had calibrated and validated the model using the observed data from the three monitoring sites. FINDINGS: Model evaluation showed a statistically acceptable performance with coefficient of determination values of 0.64 (probability value = 0.042), 0.85 (probability value = 0.000), and 0.69 (probability value = 0.001) at 95% level, for monitoring sites 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A further test revealed a statistically satisfactory model performance with root mean square error-observations standard deviation ratio, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, and percent bias of 0.62, 0.61, and 44.30, respectively, for monitoring site 1; 0.65, 0.56, and 25.60, respectively, for monitoring site 2; and 0.60, 0.65, and 27.90, respectively, for monitoring site 3. At a watershed scale, the model predicted the erosion and sediment yield at 89 tons per hectare per year and 22 tons per hectare per year, respectively, which are far beyond the erosion tolerance of 10 tons per hectare per year. The sediment delivery ratio of 0.20 accounts for a total of 126,390 tons of sediments that accumulated downstream in a year. CONCLUSION: The model generated maps that visualize a site-specific hillslope, which is the source of erosion and sedimentation. The study enables the researchers to provide information helpful in the formulation of a sound policy statement for sustainable soil management in the agricultural watershed of Taganibong.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Environmental health and ecotoxicology
R. Torres; N. Baker; G. Bernal; F. Peres; A. Maldonado; D.D. Caceres
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 12 June 2020
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study is to evaluate in a time-series study the short-term effects of particulate matter-2.5exposure on respiratory emergency visits in six central-southern Chilean cities highly contaminated by wood smoke. METHODS: Association was assessed using both distributed ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study is to evaluate in a time-series study the short-term effects of particulate matter-2.5exposure on respiratory emergency visits in six central-southern Chilean cities highly contaminated by wood smoke. METHODS: Association was assessed using both distributed lag linear and non-linear Poisson models constrained to a 7-day lag period, adjusting for temporal trends and meteorological variables and stratifying seasonally into cold and warm periods. FINDING: The results showed that the daily average concentrations of particulate matter-2.5in the cold period were 3 to 6 times those recorded in the warm period, exceeding the daily norm of 50 µg/m3 the 93.3% of the time versus 6.7%, respectively. The average daily number of respiratory emergency visits were between 30% and 64% higher in the cold period compared to the warm one. From linear models, cumulative relative risk ratios over 0-7 day lags per 10 mg/m3 of fine particle increase were between 1.004 (95% confidence Interval: 0.998 - 1.010) and 1.061 (95% confidence Interval: 1.049 - 1.074); these annual effects are attributable to the cold period impact where the cumulative risk ratios were between 1.008 (95% confidence Interval: 1.004 - 1.012) and 1.036 (95% confidence Interval: 1.026 - 1.047), since significant effects of fine particles on the studied risk were not found for the warm period. CONCLUSION: With non-linear models we observed strong increasing associations with the level of particles for the overall period. High levels of fineparticles from firewood are associated with respiratory effects observable several days after exposure. Health effects found in this study suggest that current policies tending to mitigate woodsmoke-related emissions should continue and reinforce.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Marine and coastal environmental pollution and management
F. Turan; M. Turgut
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 26 June 2020
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The eutrophication process is increased by anthropogenic or aquaculture facilities in marine ecosystems. DNA damage biomarkers for fish species detect genotoxic parameters for ecological risk assessment. The aim of the present study was to determine genotoxic potential induced ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The eutrophication process is increased by anthropogenic or aquaculture facilities in marine ecosystems. DNA damage biomarkers for fish species detect genotoxic parameters for ecological risk assessment. The aim of the present study was to determine genotoxic potential induced by marine cage culture in Iskenderun Bay on gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) using Comet assay. METHODS: This study was conducted at cage and reference stations of Iskenderun Bay, Northeastern Mediterranean in January 2017. The wild and cultured samples of S. aurata and water samples were collected from wild and fish farm. FINDING: The DNA damages at gill and liver cells of gilthead sea bream in the present study were observed with a higher level of DNA damage in gill cells compared to liver cells, and were determined at the low and minimal scale at the cage and reference stations, respectively. The present study demonstrated that the TP values were recorded at 0.020 and 0.016 mg/L in the cage and reference stations which are at border and below 0.020 mg/L. The DIN values were recorded at 0.097 and 0.075 mg/L in the cage and reference stations, which are at below 0.1 mg/L. The water bodies in the cage and reference stations exhibit Moderate/Mesotrophic water quality The correlations between physical-chemical parameters and DNA damage were shown that DIN, NH4-N, NO3-N and NO2-N in water revealed significant positive correlations with DNA damage levels in gill cells. CONCLUSION: The present study provides the first data set on genotoxic damage induced by marine cage culture in Iskenderun Bay on gilthead sea bream. The result of this research is an early warning for the marine system and further detailed research is needed to establish the source of the pollution and monitor environmental pollution.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Solid waste management
H.T.T. Nguyen; C.-H. Lee; R.-J. Hung
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 29 June 2020
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The sheer volume of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) has presently been generated in Vietnam, posing a growing concern regarding its impact can have on the environment and human health. Therefore, the need for developing policies and regulations towards the environmentally ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The sheer volume of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) has presently been generated in Vietnam, posing a growing concern regarding its impact can have on the environment and human health. Therefore, the need for developing policies and regulations towards the environmentally sound management of e-waste is becoming crucial. Although the municipalities play an important role in e-waste recycling program, there does not appear to be any study involving residents’ perceptions on e-waste management. This paper aims to examine the influencing factors of end users’ willingness to pay and their payment preferences toward e-waste recycling. METHODS: The logistic regression model was employed to analyze a qualified data set collected through a personal interview survey in Danang city, Vietnam. All analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (version 22.0). FINDINGS: The results revealed that the end users’ willingness to participate in recycling programs, laws and regulations, inconvenience of recycling and past experience were four key determinants significantly contributing to the willingness to pay for recycling e-waste. With regards recycling payment methods, most of the participants (36%) were in favor of deposit and refund scheme, while pre-disposal fees and advanced recycling fees came in second and third place (25.8% and 21%, respectively), making monthly payment of recycling fees the least preferred (10.2%). CONCLUSION: These findings may provide policy-makers with crucial information for better e-waste management policy development, which helps address the conflict between development and conservation, may be applicable in Vietnam and other countries as well.
EndNote