Found 9990 publications. Showing page 27 of 400:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were analysed in a high number of terrestrial samples of soil, earthworm, bird eggs and liver from red fox and brown rat in an urban area in Norway from 2013 to 2020. PFOS and the long chain PFCAs were the most dominating compounds in all samples, proving their ubiquitous distribution. Other less studied compounds such as 6:2 FTS were first and foremost detected in earthworm. 8:2 FTS was found in many samples of fieldfare egg, sparrowhawk egg and earthworm, where the eggs had highest concentrations. Highest concentrations for both 6:2 FTS and 8:2 FTS were detected at present and former industry areas. FOSA was detected in many samples of the species with highest concentrations in red fox liver and brown rat liver of 3.3 and 5.5 ng/g ww.
PFAS concentrations from the urban area were significantly higher than from background areas indicating that some of the species can be suitable as markers for PFAS emissions in an urban environment. Fieldfare eggs had surprisingly high concentrations of PFOS and PFCA concentrations from areas known to be or have been influenced by industry. Biota-soil-accumulation factor and magnification calculations indicate accumulation and magnification potential for several PFAS.
Earthworm and fieldfare egg had average concentrations above the Canadian and European thresholds in diet for avian wildlife and predators. For earthworms, 18 % of the samples exceeded the European threshold (33 ng/g ww) of PFOS in prey for predators, and for fieldfare eggs, 35 % of the samples were above the same threshold. None of the soil samples exceeded a proposed PNEC of PFOS for soil living organisms of 373 ng/g dw.
2024
A method was developed to analytically distinguish between the ventilated (v) and nonventilated (nv) fractions of water-soluble ions in deposits of particle indoors. The indicative method was based on low-cost passive outdoor and indoor sampling of the particle and ion deposits and NO2 gas and analysis of the regression values and residuals of the correlations between these parameters. The method was applied to measurements in the Pieskowa Skała Castle Museum in Poland. A dominating source of “soil and building dust” was indicated all year round, probably partly from renovation works of the castle, with larger total infiltration in the winter–spring (W-S) but with a higher proportion of ventilation ingress in the summer–autumn (S-A). About 60%–80%, by mass, of the water-soluble ions in the soil and building dust were calcium and probably some magnesium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2, Mg(HCO3)2) and about 10%–20% sulfates (SO4−−) with calcium (Ca++) and several other cations. The other main source of the ion deposits was indicated to be air pollution, with chloride (Cl−), sulfate (SO4−−), and nitrate (NO3−), from outdoor combustion sources, like traffic, residential heating, and industry. These were mainly v from outdoors in the colder parts of the year, but also to the more open locations in the S-A. A small source of nv sulfate (SO4−−) was identified inside two showcases in the S-A. The study showed good enclosure protection of the museum objects against exposure to particle pollution, but also the need to avoid the trapping of particle pollution inside showcases or closed rooms. The identification of the probable different amounts and sources of v and nv ions in the castle aided preventive actions to reduce the pollution exposure.
2024
Environmental dose-response functions of silk and paper exposed in museums.
This paper reports 1 year of data of the environments and changes in the molecular weight of silk and the degree of polymerization of sensitive paper measured externally and indoors in 10 European museums, and the dose-response functions that were obtained by statistical analysis of this data. The measurements were performed in the EU FP5 project Master (EVK-CT-2002-00093). The work provides documentation of deterioration of silk by NO2 and O3, and alternatively in combination with UV radiation. The indoor deterioration of the silk was only observed in one location with high UV radiation. The indoor deterioration of sensitive paper correlated with the UV radiation, the concentrations of NO2 and O3, and in addition with an SO2 concentration of 4 µgm−3 and a formic acid concentration of 50 µgm−3 in two different locations. If the observed dose-response effects are linear to lower doses and longer exposure times, then the lifetime to intolerable deterioration of the paper and silk would be 6–7 times longer overall in the enclosures than in the galleries.
2024
Recently, chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14–17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight have been proposed for listing under the Stockholm Convention. To aid the process of determining the identification of sum polychlorinated alkanes ΣPCAs C14-17 under the regulation (i.e. number of chlorines), there is a need for data from environmental samples that specifies the homologue group profiles, not just ΣPCAs.
In this report we present data on PCAs with a focus on ΣPCAs C14-17 from the Norwegian Environment Agency’s monitoring programmes in more detail than available in the programmes reports, focusing on homologue group patterns and chlorination degree. The programmes are i) Environmental pollutants in the terrestrial and urban environment ii) Atmospheric contaminants iii) Environmental contaminants in an urban fjord. Data presented are from the 2022 (Halvorsen et al., 2023; Heimstad et al., 2023; Ruus, 2023) and 2023 (reports in prep) programmes.
NILU
2024
There is a need for baseline information about how much plastics are ingested by wildlife and potential negative consequences thereof. We analysed the frequency of occurrence (FO) of plastics >1 mm in the stomachs of five pursuit-diving seabird species collected opportunistically.
Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) found emaciated on beaches in SW Norway had the highest FO of plastics (58.8 %), followed by emaciated common guillemots (Uria aalge; 9.1 %) also found beached in either SW or SE Norway. No plastics were detected in razorbills (Alca torda), great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), and European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) taken as bycatch in northern Norway. This is the first study to report on plastic ingestion of these five species in northern Europe, and it highlights both the usefulness and limitations of opportunistic sampling. Small sample sizes, as well as an unbalanced sample design, complicated the interpretation of the results.
2024
In the framework of the Forum for Air Quality Modelling in Europe (FAIRMODE), a modelling intercomparison exercise for computing NO2 long-term average concentrations in urban districts with a very high spatial resolution was carried out. This exercise was undertaken for a district of Antwerp (Belgium). Air quality data includes data recorded in air quality monitoring stations and 73 passive samplers deployed during one-month period in 2016. The modelling domain was 800 × 800 m2. Nine modelling teams participated in this exercise providing results from fifteen different modelling applications based on different kinds of model approaches (CFD – Computational Fluid Dynamics-, Lagrangian, Gaussian, and Artificial Intelligence). Some approaches consisted of models running the complete one-month period on an hourly basis, but most others used a scenario approach, which relies on simulations of scenarios representative of wind conditions combined with post-processing to retrieve a one-month average of NO2 concentrations.
The objective of this study is to evaluate what type of modelling system is better suited to get a good estimate of long-term averages in complex urban districts. This is very important for air quality assessment under the European ambient air quality directives. The time evolution of NO2 hourly concentrations during a day of relative high pollution was rather well estimated by all models. Relative to high resolution spatial distribution of one-month NO2 averaged concentrations, Gaussian models were not able to give detailed information, unless they include building data and street-canyon parameterizations. The models that account for complex urban geometries (i.e. CFD, Lagrangian, and AI models) appear to provide better estimates of the spatial distribution of one-month NO2 averages concentrations in the urban canopy. Approaches based on steady CFD-RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes) model simulations of meteorological scenarios seem to provide good results with similar quality to those obtained with an unsteady one-month period CFD-RANS simulations.
2024
2024
2024
The 2023 Screening Programme aimed to investigate the presence of emerging environmental concerning substances 1) at so-called “hot spot” locations, and 2) in marine top predators. Part 1 covered emerging substances that were considered for EU regulation; persistent, mobile and toxic; identified as problematic (Sweden); and UV-stabilizers. Sampling sites were a wastewater treatment plant, indoor dust, agricultural soils, and consumer products. Part 2 covered substances found in the 2021 Screening Programme as well as selected through the LIfeAPEX project. Additionally, in part 2, several classical legacy contaminants were included. A unique sample set was assembled with different types of tissue from whales (killer whale, sperm whale, fin whale, humpback whale, white beaked dolphin, and harbor porpoise) and sharks (greenland shark, porbeagle shark, and spiny dogfish). Highlights from the results in part 1 covered a high detection frequency and concentrations of one phthalate (CAS 6422-86-2) and two UV-stabilizers (CAS 154702-15-5 and 103597-45-1). In part 2, only a small number of the emerging substances were identified, while many of the legacy substances were found at high levels.
Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA)
2024
Hulun Lake, the largest inland steppe lake in China, is encountering severe water quality degradation. Estuaries play important roles in material and energetic exchange between rivers and lakes. The water quality at the estuaries of Hulun Lake directly reflects the impact of both human activities and natural factors on the lake’s overall water quality, especially during rainfall events. From July 28, 2021, to August 4, 2021, water samples from 62 sites were collected in the three estuaries of Hulun Lake before and after a moderate rainfall event. 13 water parameters, including dissolved oxygen (DO), Turbidity (Tur), Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Organic Nitrogen (TON), and Total Organic Phosphorus (TOP) were measured. The spatio-temporal distribution of water quality in the estuaries was assessed based on water quality index (WQI). Besides, an improved approach integrating stepwise linear regression (SLR) and principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to construct a WQImin model for an effective assessment of water quality in these estuaries. Furthermore, the absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model was employed to identify and quantify the environmental drivers underlying the water quality in the estuaries. The results of WQI indicated that the water quality of the sites in the estuaries of Hulun Lake was “medium” or “poor”, both before and after the rainfall, with a general deterioration in water quality in response to the rainfall. The simplified WQImin model consisted of 5 crucial parameters (i.e., TN, TP, ammonium (NH4+-N), Tur, and permanganate index (CODMn)), and it performed well without parameter weights. Spatial differences in some water parameters among the estuaries were detected, which were attributed to the natural factors and human activities upstream. The principal environmental factors affecting the water quality in the estuaries consisted of hydrodynamic processes, internal phosphorus release, external phosphorus input, external nitrogen input, nitrification in the estuaries, and external organic input and internal organic release. Therefore, we propose basin management strategies such as limiting grazing pressure, adopting enclosed pasture, wetland restoration, optimizing water renewal cycle in Hulun Lake, and transboundary water quality management to tackle water contamination in Hulun Lake.
2024
This report gives an overview of annual statistics and results from the monitoring programme of ozone in EMEP 2022.
NILU
2024
This report documents the EMEP VOC monitoring carried out in 2022. The levels of the measured in 2022 are presented as well as the 2022-status and history of the VOC programme. The geographical pattern of the species in Europe is discussed as well as the long-term trend during the last 20 years.
NILU
2024
Negative correlation between soil salinity and soil organic carbon variability
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is vital for terrestrial ecosystems, affecting biogeochemical processes, and soil health. It is known that soil salinity impacts SOC content, yet the specific direction and magnitude of SOC variability in relation to soil salinity remain poorly understood. Analyzing 43,459 mineral soil samples (SOC < 150 g kg−1) collected across different land covers since 1992, we approximate a soil salinity increase from 1 to 5 dS m−1 in croplands would be associated with a decline in mineral soils SOC from 0.14 g kg−1 above the mean predicted SOC (= 18.47 g kg−1) to 0.46 g kg−1 below (~−430%), while for noncroplands, such decline is sharper, from 0.96 above = 35.96 g kg−1 to 4.99 below (~−620%). Although salinity’s significance in explaining SOC variability is minor (<6%), we estimate a one SD increase in salinity of topsoil samples (0 to 7 cm) correlates with respective declines of ~4.4% and ~9.26%, relative to and. The decline in croplands is greatest in vegetation/cropland mosaics while lands covered with evergreen needle-leaved trees are estimated with the highest decline in noncroplands. We identify soil nitrogen, land cover, and precipitation Seasonality Index as the most significant parameters in explaining the SOC’s variability. The findings provide insights into SOC dynamics under increased soil salinity, improving understanding of SOC stock responses to land degradation and climate warming.
2024
A Machine Learning Approach to Retrieving Aerosol Optical Depth Using Solar Radiation Measurements
Aerosol optical depth (AOD) constitutes a key parameter of aerosols, providing vital information for quantifying the aerosol burden and air quality at global and regional levels. This study demonstrates a machine learning strategy for retrieving AOD under cloud-free conditions based on the synergy of machine learning algorithms (MLAs) and ground-based solar irradiance data. The performance of the proposed methodology was investigated by applying different components of solar irradiance. In particular, the use of direct instead of global irradiance as a model feature led to better performance. The MLA-based AODs were compared to reference AERONET retrievals, which encompassed RMSE values between 0.01 and 0.15, regardless of the underlying climate and aerosol environments. Among the MLAs, artificial neural networks outperformed the other algorithms in terms of RMSE at 54% of the measurement sites. The overall performance of MLA-based AODs against AERONET revealed a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.97), MAE of 0.01, and RMSE of 0.02. Compared to satellite (MODIS) and reanalysis (MERRA-2 and CAMSRA) data, the MLA-AOD retrievals revealed the highest accuracy at all stations. The ML-AOD retrievals have the potential to expand and complement the AOD information in non-existing timeframes when solar irradiances are available.
2024
Monitoring of environmental contaminants in air and precipitation. Annual report 2023
This report presents air monitoring data from 2023 for the Norwegian monitoring programme "Atmospheric contaminants". The results covers 16 groups comprising of 260 organic compounds (regulated and non-regulated) as well as 14 heavy metals, and a selection of organic chemicals of concern.
NILU
2024