Found 2246 publications. Showing page 35 of 225:
This report presents the results from a screening study of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Quintero-Puchuncaví
region (Chile). Two different methods were selected, one quantitative (canisters samplers / analysis by Medusa/GC-MS) and a second semi-quantitative (Tenax TA/analysis by GC-MS). NILU evaluated the results of 4 compounds (methyl chloroform,
nitrobenzene, iso-butane and toluene), which were previously reported at very high concentrations and intensively
discussed in the media. NILU’s measurement results show much lower concentrations and it was concluded that the former
measurements were done with a significant error in the calibration. The average concentration of ambient benzene was 1.0 µg/m3 at industrial areas and 0.3 µg/m3 at the residential/background areas, both lower than international limit values. The main compounds emitted from the industrial areas are light hydrocarbons, which were detected at low concentration levels.
NILU
2019
Air Quality in Ny-Ålesund. Monitoring of Local Air Quality 2018.
The concentrations of the measured components are generally low and below national limit values for the protection of
human health and critical levels for the protection of vegetation.
Wind from northern sectors gave the highest average concentrations of nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, which
indicates the power station and the harbour as possible sources. The measurement results for CO2 show an annual variation with higher concentrations in the winter and lower in summer. Measured concentrations of CO were most likely caused by local snowmobile traffic.
NILU
2019
NILU’s Environmental Management Report 2018
One of NILU’s main goals is to study the impact of pollution and supply decision-makers with a sound scientific platform for choosing measures to reduce the negative impacts. Furthermore, it is very important for the institute to have control of the impact the institute’s own activities may have on the environment and to reduce negative impacts as far as possible.
NILU has for many years been working to improve the status of the environment and to reduce negative impacts. In order to
take this one step further, it was decided that the institute should restructure the work according to a relevant environmental standard and to seek certification according to the same standard.
The chosen standard is ISO 14001 (Environmental management systems—Requirements with guidance for use) and NILU
achieved certification according to this standard in October 2010. This report summarizes the results of the system in 2018.
NILU
2019
Monitoring of greenhouse gases and aerosols at Svalbard and Birkenes in 2018. Annual report.
The report summaries the activities and results of the greenhouse gas monitoring at the Zeppelin Observatory situated on Svalbard in Arctic Norway during the period 2001-2018, and the greenhouse gas monitoring and aerosol observations from Birkenes for 2009-2018.
NILU
2019
Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM)
2019
Plastic pollution is a global and increasing threat to ecosystems. Plastics in the oceans are unevenly distributed, are transported by currents and can now be found in the most remote environments, including Arctic sea ice. The entanglement of wildlife by large plastic debris such as ropes is an obvious and well documented threat. However, the risks associated with the ingestion of smaller plastic particles, including microplastics (< 5mm) have been largely overlooked. Recent studies show that microplastic accumulates in the food web. Even in the Arctic and the deep sea, fish frequently contain microplastics in their guts. This, together with the fact that small microplastic particles can pass from the gut into blood and organs and also leach associated toxic additives raises health concerns for wildlife that ingest microplastic.
Within the North Atlantic, plastic ingestion in seabirds has been studied systematically only in the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), for which plastic particles > 1mm found in the stomachs of dead (beached or bycaught) birds are quantified. With the origin of these birds being unknown, it is, however, impossible to assess how plastics affect populations even of this one monitored species, let alone for other seabird species that differ in their foraging behaviour and risk to ingest plastics.
This report sums up the results of a workshop which aimed to identify possibilities for long-term monitoring of (micro-) plastic ingestion by seabirds in the framework of SEAPOP, the basal programme monitoring the performance of Norwegian seabird populations (www.seapop.no). The key conclusions were: 1) There is a need for baseline information on plastic ingestion across all seabird species to identify which species and populations are most suitable for monitoring. To obtain this information, the best approach is to investigate the stomach contents of dead birds (i.e. comparable methodology across all species). For long-term monitoring, not only species with high plastic ingestion are of interest, but also those with low plastic prevalence. 2) In the absence of information from (1), eight species that are complementary in their foraging behaviour and have a wide distribution range were selected as preliminary species of interest to monitor plastic ingestion. 3) For minimally invasive monitoring, regurgitates, fresh prey items and faeces are most suitable; 4) More information on prevalence of plastic ingestion is needed to identify optimal sample sizes for long-term monitoring. We therefore highlight the need for several pilot studies before establishing a plastic monitoring protocol within SEAPOP.
Norsk institutt for naturforskning (NINA)
2019