Conference on role of organic matter and temperature in contaminant toxicity and global perspective within an ecosystem.
The focus of the first conference was on the role of organic matter and temperature in containment toxicity and a sub-theme was a global perspective within an ecosystem.
About the main theme, one particular presentation struck me. It was on the Sequestration of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants by Gadsosorbents. It examined the chemical interactions that occur between hydrophobic contaminants and the soil. It suggested that the sediments may lead to strong binding and release rate that is slow and therefore affect remediation rates and endpoints. However, the researchers submitted that the method of accessing exposure and toxicity and setting environmental quality criteria needs to be re-examined. The study utilized macroscopic observations about sorption mechanisms and factors affecting the sequestration of hydrophobic organic contaminants by gasosorbents in making its inferences. This is because, as the researchers put it, there was no direct observational data that indicate the locations, at the molecular level, in which hydrophobic organic compounds accumulate when associated with soil particles or sediments. Because of this, the researchers recommended that more research be done in the area of microscale characterizations, which would reveal the mode of real mode of sequestration of these compounds and in doing so, advance knowledge on hydrophobic organic contaminants with regards to their sequestration, release and the environmental risk they pose, with the aim of standardizing environmental quality criteria.
On the sub-theme of the conference which was Global Perspective with an Ecosystem, another presentation which I found interesting was one on 'A Global Perspective on environmental flow Assessment: Emerging trends in the development and application of environmental flow methodologies for rivers’. It stated that as a result of the increase in hydrological alteration of rivers on a global scale, there has been some level of environmental degradation. This has necessitated the setting up of environmental flow assessment for the assessment the quantitative and qualitative attributes of water needed for ecosystem conservation and protection of resource. The presentation was a review of the existing methodologies of carrying out this assessment. The method of assessments was subsequently classified into hydraulic rating, habitat simulation, holistic methodologies and hydrological methodologies.
References
R, Tharme (2003). A Global Perspective on Environmental Flow Assessment: Emerging Trends in the Development And Application of Environmental Flow Methodologies For Rivers. River Research and Applications. DOI: 10. 1002/rra.736. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rra.736/abstract>
Richard, Luthy (1997). Sequestration of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants by Gaosorbents. Environ. Sci. Technol., 1997, 31 (12), pp 3341–3347. DOI: 10.1021/es970512m <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es970512m>
Realities of our globalized economy
Focus on toxic trader and examples of the global ship breaking industry.
There was a paper presented by the conference chairman which was titled "Towards a ship recycling Industry Charter'. The paper recognized the increase in the number of ships that have been sailing in international waters towards the end of the last century and also at the turn of this century. With the average lifespan of vessels put at 26 years, it means that every year, thousands of ship needs to be recycled. However, the paper pointed out that the number of ships that have been reported recycled has been smaller than the actual number expected to be recycled, meaning that a lot of ships were being demolished and the number is not being reported. Right now, about 85% of ship breaking takes place in China, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This is due to the need of these countries to provide job for the masses and recycle the steel for use in the construction industry. However, questions about the safety of the practice have been raised, with workers being exposed to various workplace hazards. Also are the issues of environmental friendliness and occupation health. The paper proposed the need for regulation of the industry by international laws and charters so as to take care of the concerns raised in the area of environmental friendliness, workplace safety and the protection of the workers Mounting e-waste crisis that arises due to the ease by which current trade rules.
A paper was presented by a private research company on the worsening global e-waste crisis. The title was "Global e-waste crisis is worsening, but the tide will turn in 2015'. The presenter submitted that due to the revolution in the information technology in the last decade, there has also been an increase in the amount of obsolete electronic equipment being discarded by individuals. These toxic equipment, he said, was putting a strain on the solid waste management system in the world. The research firm is forecasting that this trend would begin to reverse by the year 2015 as there have been some e-waste initiatives put in place to stem the tide. Key initiatives include government regulation and initiatives by the electronic industry and increased awareness to consumers.
References
PikeResearch (2009). Global E-Waste Crisis is Worsening, but the Tide Will Turn in 2015. <http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/global-e-waste-crisis-is-worsening-but-the-tide-will-turn-in-2015>
Niko, Wijnolst (2001). Towards a Ship Recycling Industry Charter. <http://www.mareforum.com/shiprecycling_charter.htm>
