Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 12/17/04
Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 12/17/04
This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library, reporting a selection of recently published titles we have acquired. Our pledge is to keep the bulletin relevant to your work and brief -- no more than 10 titles. (usually)
Titles here, abstracts below them:- Environmental Health Disparities: A Framework Integrating Psychosocial and Environmental Concepts, December 2004
- Technology Hurdles Slow Market Introduction, November 2004
- Gene Flow from Transgenic Grass, September 2004
- Systems Biology: The Big Picture, November 2004
- Methylmercury and Children's Heart Function, November 2004
- Fighting Environmental Crime and Protecting the Environment: UNEP's Green Customs Initiative, April-September 2004
- Tough Times for Powder Coatings, October 2004
- Guide to Purchasing Green Power: Renewable Electricity, Renewable Energy Certificates and On-Site Renewable Generation, 2004
- "Green" Stabilizers for Wire and Cable, November 2004
- Formulating and Processing Pigmented UV Coatings - Latest Investigation, November 2004
1. TITLE Environmental Health Disparities: A Framework Integrating Psychosocial and Environmental Concepts
AUTHOR Gee, Gilbert C.; Payne-Sturges, Devon C.
SOURCE Environmental Health Perspectives, December 2004, vol. 112, no. 17, pp. 1645-1653
ABSTRACT
Although it is often acknowledged that social and environmental factors
interact to produce racial and ethnic environmental health disparities,
it is still unclear how this occurs. Despite continued controversy, the
environmental justice movement has provided some insight by suggesting
that disadvantaged communities face greater likelihood of exposure to
ambient hazards. The exposure-disease paradigm has long suggested that
differential "vulnerability" may modify the effects of toxicants on
biological systems. However, relatively little work has been done to
specify whether racial and ethnic minorities may have greater
vulnerability than do majority populations and, further, what these
vulnerabilities may be. We suggest that psychosocial stress may be the
vulnerability
factor that links social conditions with environmental
hazards. Psychosocial stress can lead to acute and chronic changes in
the functioning of body systems and also lead directly to illness. In
this article we present a multidisciplinary framework integrating these
ideas. We also argue that residential segregation leads to differential
experiences of community stress, exposure to pollutants, and access to
community resources. When not counterbalanced by resources, stressors
may lead to heightened vulnerability to environmental hazards.
2. TITLE Technology Hurdles Slow Market Introduction
AUTHOR Scott, Alex
SOURCE Chemical Week, November 3, 2004, vol. 166, no. 36, pp. 21-23
ABSTRACT
Market introduction of fuel cells has been delayed in the past couple
of years because of slow progress in getting them to perform at a
sufficient standard and at a low cost, industry executives say.
Portable electronic and stationary power-generation fuel cells are just
starting to enter the market, but commercial fuel cell vehicles are
still some years away, analysts say. Companies are confident that the
fuel cell sector will still be lucrative, however. The market could be
worth $45.6 billion in 2013, says Barbara Heydorn, technology analyst
at SRI Consulting versus about $5 billion in 2008 and just a few tens
of millions of dollars today.
3. TITLE Gene Flow from Transgenic Grass
AUTHOR Hileman, Bette
SOURCE Chemical & Engineering News, September 27, 2004, vol. 82, no. 39, p. 5
ABSTRACT
A new study finds that genes from Roundup Ready creeping bent grass can
travel at least 13 miles. The study validates the concerns of many
scientists and environmentalists that the genetic alteration of some
crops may not be contained and could thus spread widely to other
domestic or wild plants. The genetically engineered grass is being
developed by Monsanto and Scotts as a turf plant for golf greens and
fairways. Previous studies have found that crop genes flow only about
1,400 feet. The new work reveals the possibility that altered genes
can, in fact, spread great distances. In the case of bent grass, there
is a concern that herbicide resistance might spread to wild bent grass
and other related species.
4. TITLE Systems Biology: The Big Picture
AUTHOR Spivey, Angela
SOURCE Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2004, vol. 112, no. 16, pp. 938-A943
ABSTRACT
Genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have all vastly advanced our
understanding of human biology and disease. But the functioning of even
a simple system such as a single yeast cell or bacterium is much more
complicated than the sum of its genes or proteins or metabolites; it's
the activity of all those components and their relationships to one
another that add up to a living organism. Recognizing that complexity,
the emerging field of systems biology attempts to harness the power of
mathematics, engineering, and computer science to analyze and integrate
data from all the "omics" and ultimately create working models of
entire biological systems. "Traditionally, scientists - toxicologists
included - have relied on a reductionist approach to biology," says
William Suk, director of the NIEHS Center for Risk and Integrated
Sciences. Even now, many studies examine complex systems by looking at
cellular components in isolation. For instance, a common experiment
involves using DNA microarrays to observe the effect of a chemical
exposure on thousands of genes at once. This technique can quickly tell
a scientist which genes may be vulnerable to that exposure. But a
systems biology approach would attempt to model not only the chemical's
effect on gene expression but also how that expression will affect
protein function, and in turn how the exposure will affect cell
signaling.
5. TITLE Methylmercury and Children's Heart Function
AUTHOR Tibbetts, John
SOURCE Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2004, vol. 112, no. 15, p. A870
ABSTRACT
Pregnant women who consume significant amounts of seafood may have a
new reason to take precautions against methylmercury, the most
hazardous form of mercury: a recent study suggests that when expectant
women consume fish containing high levels of the toxicant, their
children's future cardiovascular health may be jeopardized.
6. TITLE Fighting Environmental Crime and Protecting the Environment: UNEP's Green Customs Initiative
SOURCE Industry and Environment, April - September 2004, vol. 27, no. 2-3, 2004, pp. 58-60
ABSTRACT
Environmental crime is a big and increasingly lucrative business - a
multi-billion dollar global enterprise. Local and international crime
syndicates worldwide earn an estimated $22-31 billion per year from
hazardous waste dumping, smuggling of proscribed hazardous materials,
and exploitation and trafficking of protected natural resources.
Illegal trade in commodities such as ozone depleting substances (ODS),
toxic chemicals, hazardous waste and endangered species is an
international problem with serious consequences. It directly threatens
human health and the environment, contributes to species loss, and
results in decreased revenues for governments. Illegal trade in
environmentally sensitive commodities strengthens criminal
organizations that also traffic in drugs, weapons and prostitution. It
seriously undermines the effectiveness of multilateral environmental
agreements (MEAs) by circumventing agreed rules and procedures.
National and international regimes for integrated chemical management
rely on customs authorities to monitor and control flows of regulated
chemicals across borders. International agreements related to chemical
management often restrict specific chemicals' supply and demand at the
national level; some agreements concern phase-outs of harmful
substances. Where illegal trade occurs, incentives for chemicals
control and phase-outs established in MEAs are considerable weakened.
National customs authorities need the capacity to monitor the chemicals
covered by MEAs.
7. TITLE Tough Times for Powder Coatings
AUTHOR Ouellette, Jennifer
SOURCE Chemical Market Reporter, October 25, 2004, vol. 266, no. 14, pp. F8-F9
ABSTRACT The powder coatings market struggles with overcapacity and the movement of OEM manufacturers offshore.
8.
TITLE Guide to Purchasing Green Power: Renewable Electricity, Renewable
Energy Certificates and On-Site Renewable Generation
'CORP
AU OR PUBLISHER' U.S. Department of Energy; EPA Green Power
Partnership; World Resources Institute; Center for Resource Solutions
DATE 2004
ABSTRACT
The Guide to Purchasing Green Power is intended for organizations that
are considering the merits of buying green power as well as those that
have decided to buy it and want help doing so. It provides an overview
of green power markets and describes the necessary steps to buying
green power.
9. TITLE "Green" Stabilizers for Wire and Cable
SOURCE Plastics Engineering, November 2004, vol. 60, no. 11, p. 8
ABSTRACT
Therm-Chek RC 376P and Therm-Chek RC 377P are calcium-zinc powder
stabilizers designed to replace tribasic lead sulfate on a
part-for-part basis in general-purpose wire and cable-jacketing
applications. From the Polymer Additives Division of Ferro Corp., the
two new nonlead, mixed-metal heat stabilizers are reported to offer
environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional lead stabilizers
and "significantly" reduce formulation costs in finished compounds on a
volume basis. Previously, the company's family of nonlead stabilizers
for the wire and cable industry primarily served high-performance
applications, because lead has been comparatively low in cost.
According to Ferro, Therm-Chek RC 376P and 377P represent an advance in
making nonlead, mixed-metal stabilizers a cost-competitive, "green"
alternative to lead, thus affording manufacturers of wire and cable in
competitive markets such as construction the ability to use
environmentally friendly products and reduce exposure to lead in their
workplaces. While the specific gravity of tribasic lead sulfate is 6.4,
that of Therm-Chek 376P and 377P is less than one-third that amount,
and their correspondingly lower densities yield a lower cost per unit
volume in the overall formulation.
10. TITLE Formulating and Processing Pigmented UV Coatings - Latest Investigation
AUTHOR Menzel, K.; Biehler, M.; Grey, T.; Graf, K.
SOURCE Paint & Coatings Industry, November 2004, vol. 20, no. 11, pp. 58-62
ABSTRACT
Radiation curing technology is well established. This technology is
unique due to the combination of features such as clearcoats, which
cure within a fraction of a second, coatings formulated without any
organic solvent and the outstanding quality of these coatings.
Nonetheless, in order to enter into other market segments some
restrictions have to be overcome. One major challenge is the UV curing
of pigmented coatings. Raw material suppliers, coating producers and
end users are working together intensively to extend the UV technology
to the field of colored UV coatings. This paper provides an overview of
several ideas for producing pigmented, UV-polymerized films with both
good through-curing properties and excellent hiding power. The
presentation discusses the right choice of pigments as well as
different methods of processing a pigmented UV coating.
Please let me know if you wish to be removed from this service. You are welcome to send a message to if you would like more information. Also, please tell us what topics you are particularly interested in monitoring, and who else should see GREENLIST. An online search can be done at http://greenlist.turi.org/ for greater topic coverage.
COPYRIGHT © 2004 by the TURI Library University of Massachusetts Lowell
This page updated Thursday December 15 2005