Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 03/10/2006
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. You are
welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more
information on any of the articles listed here.
- Researchers Think Small to Find Safer Alloys
- Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992-2001: A Summary
- Alliance Teams with IFMA to Move Sustainability Practices Forward
- Increased Prevalence of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Near Superfund Toxic Waste Sites
- An International Architecture for the Post-Kyoto Era
- Integrated Assessment of Environment and Health: America’s Children and the Environment
- Clean Energy Trends 2006
- A New Method Using a Health Index (HI) to Screen Low Level Toxic Organic Substances in Consumer Products
- Following the Green: Bioplastics in Europe
- PAVE PAWS Epidemiology Study Reviewed by National Research Council; No Changes to Be Made to Previous Report
1. Researchers Think Small to Find Safer Alloys
SOURCE Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) News Office, http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/, February 15, 2006
ABSTRACT MIT researchers have devised a new method for
shrinking the size of crystals to make safer metal alloys. The new materials
could replace metal coatings such as chromium, which is dangerous for factory
workers to produce. The method, developed by Associate Professor Christopher
Schuh and graduate student Andrew Detor, both of the Department of Materials
Science and Engineering, involves making the crystals within an alloy (a
combination of two or more metals) smaller and thus harder. For the chromium
replacement, the two made crystals of nickel and tungsten small enough that the
resulting alloy is as hard as chromium. The trick is a new twist on
electroplating that involves manipulating -- on the nanoscale, or billionths of
a meter -- how the nickel and tungsten atoms are laid down as they are plated
onto another metal. In the new chromium replacement, each microscopic piece of
nickel is surrounded by even tinier bits of tungsten. The researchers control
how the tungsten fills in the spaces between the pieces of nickel, thus
creating a tighter and stronger crystal structure than metals and alloys with
larger crystals. In addition to producing safer alternative metal coatings, the
method also allows for manipulating the structure of metals to improve their
resistance to cracking, corrosion and other wear and tear, Schuh said. Schuh
already has tested steel coated with chromium and his new alloy, and the alloy
has held up better against some types of corrosion.
2. Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992-2001: A Summary
SOURCE United States Geological Survey (USGS)
DATE 2006
ABSTRACT The use of pesticides to control weeds, insects,
and other pests has resulted in a range of benefits, including increased food
production and reduction of insect-borne disease, but also raises questions
about possible adverse effects on the environment, including water quality. A
decadal assessment by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of
the United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides the most comprehensive
national-scale analysis to date of pesticide occurrence and concentrations in streams
and ground water, based on results from studies completed during 1992–2001.
Among the major findings are that pesticides are frequently present in streams
and ground water, are seldom at concentrations likely to affect humans, but
occur in many streams at concentrations that may have effects on aquatic life
or fish-eating wildlife. This Fact Sheet highlights national findings regarding
pesticide occurrence, distribution and sources, and the potential for effects
on humans, aquatic life, and fish-eating wildlife. It serves as a companion
product to the USGS Circular entitled "The Quality of Our Nation's
Waters—Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992–2001."
3. Alliance Teams with IFMA to Move Sustainability Practices Forward
SOURCE Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments, February 28, 2006
ABSTRACT Sustainability practices just got easier for the
facility management profession as the International Facility Management
Association has announced a collaborative agreement with the Alliance for
Sustainable Built Environments to develop and deliver sustainability
educational programs, as well as provide research and planning tools. Since
2003, the Alliance, which includes the international companies Johnson
Controls, Milliken & Company, Forbo Flooring, Philips Lighting,
JohnsonDiversey and Owens Corning, has been working to educate the marketplace
and top management on the benefits of reducing the overall impact facilities
have on the natural environment and on building occupants. This new partnership
will bring sustainability concepts and state of the art practices to a vital
division of all business organizations. Currently, more than 18,400 facility
management professionals are members of IFMA, managing nearly 23 billion square
feet of workspace combined. “Fifty-nine percent of IFMA’s North American
members are currently implementing some sustainable practices, often without a
plan, and another 17 percent plan to do so in the next two years,” said David
J. Brady, IFMA president and CEO. “The Alliance has become a focal point for
green building practices, with the right resources and unparalleled
commitment.”
4. Increased Prevalence of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Near Superfund Toxic Waste Sites
SOURCE Hepatology, v43 n3, March 2006, pp525-531
AUTHOR Ala, Aftab; Stanca, Carmen M.; Bu-Ghanim, Moueen; et al.
ABSTRACT Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary
sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are uncommon liver diseases of unknown etiology.
Reported clustering of PBC cases may be due to environmental factors.
Individuals with PBC have a high prevalence of thyroid disease and thyroid
disease is reportedly more prevalent near Superfund toxic waste sites (SFS).
The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and potential
clustering of individuals with PBC and PSC near SFS. De-identified clinical and
demographic data were used to determine the observed prevalence for each New
York City zip code and borough of patients with PBC (PBC-OLT) or PSC (PSC-OLT)
who were listed for liver transplantation. The expected prevalence was
calculated using Organ Procurement and Transfer Network (OPTN) and U.S. Census
data. Both PBC-OLT patients and patients not listed for liver transplantation
(PBC-MSSM) were included in the cluster analysis. Prevalence ratios of PBC-OLT
and PSC-OLT cases were compared for each zip code and for each borough with
regard to the proximity or density of SFS, respectively. SaTScan software was
used to identify clusters of PBC-OLT cases and PBC-MSSM cases. Prevalence ratio
of PBC-OLT, not PSC-OLT, was significantly higher in zip codes containing or
adjacent to SFS (1.225 vs. 0.670, respectively). The borough of Staten Island
had the highest prevalence ratio of PBC-OLT cases and density of SFS.
Significant clusters of both PBCOLT and PBC-MSSM were identified surrounding
SFS. In conclusion, toxin exposure may be a risk factor influencing the
clustering of PBC cases.
5. An International Architecture for the Post-Kyoto Era
SOURCE Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
DATE 2006
AUTHOR Olmstead, Sheila M.; Stavins, Robert N.
ABSTRACT In February, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change came into force, but
without participation by the United States. Its impacts on emissions of greenhouse
gases — including carbon dioxide (CO2) , the primary anthropogenic driver of
climate change — will be trivial; but scientific and economic analyses point to
the need for a credible international approach. Because the Kyoto Protocol's
ambitious targets apply only to the short term (2008-2012) and only to
industrialized nations, the agreement will impose relatively high costs and
generate only modest short-term benefits while failing to provide a real
solution. For these reasons, most economists see the agreement as deeply
flawed, although some see it as an acceptable first step. Virtually all agree,
however, that the Protocol is not sufficient to the overall challenge. We
describe the basic features of a post-Kyoto international global climate
agreement, which addresses three crucial questions: who, when, and how. The
respective elements are: first, a means to ensure that key nations —
industrialized and developing — are involved; second, an emphasis on an
extended time path of action (employing a cost-effective pattern over time);
and third, inclusion of market-based policy instruments.
6. Integrated Assessment of Environment and Health: America’s Children and the Environment
SOURCE Environmental Health Perspectives, v114 n3, March 2006, pp447-452
AUTHOR Kyle, Amy d.; Woodruff, Tracey J.; Axelrad, Daniel A.
ABSTRACT The significance of the environment for health
is increasingly being recognized. There is a need for systematic approaches to
assessment of environmental factors most relevant to health, health outcomes
most influenced by the environment, and the relationships between them, as well
as for approaches to representing the results of such assessments in policy
deliberations. As a step in the development of such methods, we used findings
and data from the environmental protection and public health sectors to develop
a set of measures representing topics relevant to children’s environmental
health. We used a definition of the environment that emphasized contaminants
and a process that involved both analytic and deliberative elements. The steps
in this process were to a) develop a conceptual framework to depict
relationships between environment and health with relevant types of data and
information, b) select topic areas of significance for children, c) identify
best available data sources and devise measures, d) assess possible surrogate
data sources and measures when needed, e) design and implement metrics for
computation of measures using specified data elements, f ) select graphical
representations of measures, g) identify related measures, and h) identify data
gaps. Representatives of policy and stakeholder audiences participated in this
process. The measures are presented in three groups that reflect contaminants
in the environment, contaminants in human tissues, and diseases and disorders.
The measures present scientifically based representations of data
understandable to stakeholders and policy makers that integrate key information
from the health and environment sectors in a consistent format.
7. Clean Energy Trends 2006
SOURCE Clean Edge, Inc.
DATE 2006
AUTHOR Makower, Joel; Pernick, Ron; Wilder, Clint
ABSTRACT Markets
for biofuels, photovoltaics, wind energy, and fuel cells are poised to expand
four-fold in the next decade, growing from $40 billion in global revenues in
2005 to $167 billion by 2015, according to a report released March 7, 2006 by
Clean Edge, Inc. The 2006 report tracks the burgeoning biofuels market (ethanol
and biodiesel), which hit $15.7 billion globally in 2005 and is projected to grow
to $52.5 billion by 2015. Up more than 15 percent from 2004, biofuels exceeded
wind or solar in 2005 global revenues. Clean Edge projects that markets for
solar photovoltaics (modules, system components, and installations) will grow
from $11.2 billion in 2005 to $51.1 billion by 2015; wind power installations
will expand from $11.8 billion last year to $48.5 billion in 2015; and fuel
cells and distributed hydrogen will grow from $1.2 billion in 2005 to $15.1
billion by 2015. The report examines factors that are influencing clean-energy
market growth and tracks five key trends:* Clean Energy Becomes a U. S.
Security Issue * Innovation Stretches Silicon for Solar * Renewables Cross a
Tipping Point * Flex Fuels Gain Power and Speed * China and India Loom Large.
8. A New Method Using a Health Index (HI) to Screen Low Level Toxic Organic Substances in Consumer Products
SOURCE Environmental Science & Technology Research ASAP, March 7, 2006
AUTHOR Yanagida, Hidetaka; Yamasaki, Akihiro; Yanagisawa, Yukio
ABSTRACT To ensure selection of appropriate materials for
industrial use in terms of toxicity, a procedure to estimate a health index
(HI) that can be used for prioritizing less hazardous components of consumer
products is described. The HI is based on the occupational exposure limits
(OELs) of organic substances that compose the products. To calculate the HI of
a product, it is often necessary to predict OEL values for the substances for
which an OEL value has not yet been promulgated. We developed a method to
estimate the OEL values from median lethal dose (LD50) data of rodent. A good
correlation between known OEL values and the LD50 data was obtained by a
multivariate regression analysis by introducing organic compensation
coefficients, which were caluculated as 10 to the Bth power where B is the
regression coefficient of dummy variables denoting the characteristics of the
organic compounds such as functional groups, molecular structures, and so on.
We believe that the use of the present method should be limited to predicting
unknown OEL values for the HI and used for material prioritization. It should
not be extended to determinations of regulatory OELs.
9. Following the Green: Bioplastics in Europe
SOURCE Plastics Engineering Europe, v3 n3, Winter 2005, pp15-19
AUTHOR Mapleston, Peter
ABSTRACT The vote by the French parliament in October
2005 to ban all non-biodegradable plastics packaging by 2010 has set alarm
bells ringing across the plastics industry. Whatever the merits of the decision
(which at press time had yet to make it onto the statute books), it is the
latest and loudest signal of a new mood among the general public to take more
care of the environment. Plastics and agriculture are racing, sometimes
hand-in-hand, towards the commercially viable technologies for making
biodegradable plastics, or bioplastics. In most cases, develoeprs are working
with renewable resources, but crude-oil based chemicals also are being used.
Estimates for European consumption of bioplastics range from 25,000 tonnes to
close to 50,000 tonnes, with growth rates of 20-30 percent per year.
Biodegradable plastics packaging has found its way into supermarkets across
Europe. A large proportion of this packaging is dedicated to fruit and
vegetables, or for personal hygiene items.
10. PAVE PAWS Epidemiology Study Reviewed by National Research Council; No Changes to Be Made to Previous Report
SOURCE The National Academies News, March 9, 2006
ABSTRACT A draft study by the International Epidemiology Institute provides some new information for assessing potential health effects linked to the U.S. Air Force PAVE PAWS radar installation on Cape Cod, but it also contains several methodological flaws, according to a review by the National Academies' National Research Council. In a letter to the Air Force, the Research Council also said that it would make no changes to the conclusions of a report it issued last year, which did not find significant evidence of adverse health effects to Cape Cod residents from long-term exposure to radiofrequency energy from PAVE PAWS. The IEI draft study was not available when the Research Council committee wrote the report last year. The authors of the draft epidemiology study reported that their analyses "provided little evidence of adverse health effects resulting from exposure to PAVE PAWS radar." The Research Council committee said that the epidemiology study provides some useful information, such as a breakdown of data by census block and zip code as well as an analysis of diseases other than cancer. In particular, the study's analysis of birth weights suggests that researchers are unlikely to find an association between low birth weight and exposure to PAVE PAWS radar. But the committee's letter also cites a number of important methodological deficiencies in the study that make many of its results unclear. For example, the epidemiology study compares disease rates on Cape Cod with those in Worcester County, a historically more industrial and urban area where the population is likely to have different lifestyle characteristics than that on Cape Cod. The Research Council committee also retained the recommendations made in its 2005 report, while adding several others regarding future studies that might be useful. Additionally, if future epidemiological studies are pursued, the committee recommended that comparison counties not include Worcester County and that more data on confounding factors such as smoking and pesticide exposure be included. More data on annual changes in disease rates would be helpful as well.
Compiled by the TURI Library, University of Massachusetts Lowell
This page updated Friday March 31 2006