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Problem definition: Whether information dissemination about chemical hazards drives managers at facilities to undertake corresponding environmental actions, remains an open question that has not been adequately examined in the literature. Academic/practical relevance: We fill this gap in the literature by empirically investigating reductions in chemical emissions by facilities in relation to changes in the assessed hazard levels of chemicals evidenced in periodically-updated public information. We also examine the moderating effects of operational leanness—an attribute that prior studies have shown to be associated with better environmental performance—in our setting wherein the assessed hazard levels of chemicals change over time. Methodology: We draw data from four U.S. sources—the Substance Priority List from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Toxics Release Inventory from the EPA, the National Establishment Time-Series, and Compustat. We employ a panel model with facility-chemical- and time-fixed effects. Results: We find that public information dissemination on chemical hazards is effective, as indicated by the significant association between increases in the assessed hazard levels of chemicals and greater subsequent emissions reductions. Specifically, we find that facilities reduce emissions by an additional 4.28% on average, and their use of source reduction increases by 3.07% on average when the relative assessed hazard level of a chemical increases compared to when it decreases. We find that, overall, leaner facilities outperform less lean facilities with respect to emissions reductions. However, when the assessed hazard level increases, less lean facilities increase their emissions reductions more than leaner facilities. Managerial implications: Our findings provide insights for managers prioritizing environmental actions, including the extent of emissions reductions achievable by practicing lean. Our results can also be leveraged by governmental/nongovernmental organizations to anticipate responses to informational updates on chemical hazards, depending on characteristics of the affected facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic approach will ensure an exhaustive identification of hazards. Unlike a systematic methodology, a brainstorming-only approach can miss the identification of major hazards through omission. A very important aspect of identifying hazards is to take into account preventive measures that will reduce the frequency of occurrence of an accident due to process deviations as much as possible. Appropriate methodologies can be "Checklist" and "HAZOP". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have suggested that understanding soil metal speciation, rather than relying solely on total metal content, can improve the accuracy and utility of contaminated site risk assessments. Because soil properties and reaction time can alter metal speciation, speciation should influence metal bioaccessibility. For example, under gastrointestinal conditions, it is expected that metal species will differ in bioaccessibility depending on their stability in acidic pH environments. We studied the links between metal speciation and bioaccessibility. A combination of synchrotron‐based X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) was used to identify the zinc (Zn) speciation in spiked and smelter‐affected soils. After conducting in vitro digestion tests on the soil samples, XANES and linear combination fitting were carried out on the residual pellets to identify the species of Zn that remained after digesting the soils in the simulated gastric and duodenal fluids. The metal species that were not present in the residual pellets were inferred to have been dissolved and, thus, more bioaccessible. Sphalerite (ZnS), ZnO, and outer‐sphere Zn contributed more to Zn bioaccessibility than franklinite (ZnFe2O4) and Zn incorporated into a hydroxy interlayer mineral (Zn‐HIM). The bioaccessibility of Zn‐aluminum layered double hydroxides (Zn‐Al‐LDH) was found to be inversely proportional to its residence time in soil. It was also observed that the relatively high pH of the duodenum favors metal reprecipitation and readsorption, leading to a reduction in bioaccessible metal concentration. These results imply that metal speciation mainly controls metal bioaccessibility. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:448–459. © 2018 SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In vitro studies using target and effecter cells of mineral-induced cancers have been critical in determining the mechanisms of pathogenesis as well as the properties of elongated mineral particles (EMPs) important in eliciting these responses. Historically , in vitro models of 'mutagenesis' and immortalized cell lines were first used to test the theory that EMPs were mutagenic to cells, and 'genotoxicity', as defined as damage to DNA often culminating in cell death, was observed in a dose-dependent fashion as responses of many cell types to a number of EMPs. As two-stage and multi-step models of cancer development emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, differentiated 3D organ cultures and monolayers of lung epithelial and mesothelial cells were used to probe the mechanisms of cancer development. These studies demonstrated a spectrum of pre-neoplastic changes, including hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia, in response to long (>5 μm in length) needlelike EMPs whereas long, curly chrysotile fibers caused acute cytotoxicity. Shorter fibers of many types were taken up by cells and encompassed in phagolysosomes. Comparative studies using chemical carcinogens showed that chemical agents interacted directly with DNA whereas long EMPs appeared to be promoters of cancers via a number of mechanisms such as inflammation, generation of oxidants, and instigation of cell division. The multitude of these signaling cascades and epigenetic mechanisms of both lung cancers and mesotheliomas have been most recently studied in normal or telomerase immortalized human cells. Importantly, many of these pathways are elicited by long, straight amphibole asbestos fibers or carbon nanotubes in rodents and not by short (<5 μm) EMPs, fragments, or nonfibrous particles. However, the chemistry and surface properties of long fibers are also critical in cell responses to minerals. Highlights • Importance of epigenetics and microenvironment in asbestos carcinogenesis. • Fiber length and type determine carcinogenic potential. • Threshold responses occur for short fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We analyzed the mesothelioma mortality in cohorts of workers exposed to crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile to estimate asbestos fiber potency for mesothelioma, using the method of Hodgson and Darnton (2000). We relied on the original 17 cohort studies in their analysis, along with 3 updates of those studies and 3 new asbestos cohort studies published since 2000. We extended the analyses to examine the mesothelioma potency of tremolite in vermiculite from Libby, Montana, and for non-asbestiform elongate mineral particles (EMPs) in taconite iron ore, talc, and South Dakota gold mining. Mesothelioma potency (R Meso) was calculated as the percent of all expected deaths that were due to mesothelioma per fiber/cc-year of exposure.The R Meso was 0.0012 for chrysotile, 0.099 for amosite, and 0.451 for crocidolite: thus, the relative potency of chrysotile:amosite:crocidolite was 1:83:376, which was not appreciably different from the estimates by Hodgson and Darnton in 2000. The R Meso for taconite mining fibers was 0.069 which was slightly smaller than that for amosite. The R Meso for Libby fibers was 0.028 which was greater than that for chrysotile and less than that for amosite. Talc and gold mining EMPs were non-potent for mesothelioma. Although there are a number of methods for estimating fiber potency of asbestos and non-asbestiform EMPs, the method of Hodgson and Darnton provides a uniform method by which fiber potency can be compared across many fiber types. Our estimates of R Meso provide a useful addition to our knowledge of mesothelioma potency for different asbestos and non-asbestiform EMP fibers. Highlights • Updated mesothelioma potency from asbestos is similar to Hodgson and Darnton. • Elongate mineral particles from taconite mining are 58 times more potent than chrysotile. • Libby fibers are 23 times more potent than chrysotile. • Talc and gold mining are non-potent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Human autopsied lung sections from a resident in the Quebec asbestos region were examined. The study utilized high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM/STEM) with the analytical capabilities of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) detectors. We report the first analytical ultrastructural characteristics of EMPs, detailing chemical concentration gradients inside the iron-protein coatings and lateral elemental gradients in the local tissue regions. It is shown that the EMPs are subjected to bioprocessing which involves physicochemical transformations and also an elemental transport mechanism that alters the inhaled EMP as well as the surrounding cellular matrix. At high resolution imaging the iron-rich coating around the EMP was observed to have a distinct channel-like nanostructure with some parallel aligned nanofibrils that are reminiscent of tooth enamel which consists of biomineralized nanocomposites with alternating organic/inorganic matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A growing number of workers are exposed to engineered nanomaterials. • Exposure to some engineered nanomaterials may cause health effects in workers. • There is a rich literature on biomarkers of exposure and effect from exposure to engineered nanomaterials. • Biomonitoring of workers may ultimately be of utility as tool for exposure assessment and risk management. • Further research is needed to validate biomarkers for biomonitoring nanomaterial workers. Abstract As the number of nanomaterial workers increase there is need to consider whether biomonitoring of exposure should be used as a routine risk management tool. Currently, no biomonitoring of nanomaterials is mandated by authoritative or regulatory agencies. However, there is a growing knowledge base to support such biomonitoring, but further research is needed as are investigations of priorities for biomonitoring. That research should be focused on validation of biomarkers of exposure and effect. Some biomarkers of effect are generally nonspecific. These biomarkers need further interpretation before they should be used. Overall biomonitoring of nanomaterial workers may be important to supplement risk assessment and risk management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stand-off detection of airborne chemical compounds has proven to be a useful method that is gaining popularity following technical progress. There are obvious advantages compared to in situ measurements when it comes to the security aspect and the ability to measure at locations otherwise hard to reach. However, an inherent limitation in many of the stand-off detection techniques lies in the fact that the measured signal from a chemical depends nonlinearly on the distance to the detector. Furthermore, the measured signal describes the summation of the responses from all chemicals spatially distributed in the line of sight of the instrument. In other words, the three dimensional extension of the chemical plume is converted into a two-dimensional image. Not only is important geometric information per se lost in this process, but the measured signal strength itself depends on the unknown plume distribution which implies that the interpretation of the observation data suffers from significant uncertainty. In this paper we investigate different and novel approaches to reconstruct the original three-dimensional distribution and concentration of the plume by implementation of atmospheric dispersion models and numerical retrieval methods. In particular our method does not require a priori assumptions on the three-dimensional distribution of the plume. We also strongly advocate the use of proper constraints to avoid unphysical solutions being derived (or post-process 'adjustments' to correct unphysical solutions). By applying such a reconstruction method, both improved and additional information is obtained from the original observation data, providing important intelligence to the analysts and decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concern for mine safety continues as, regardless of significant measures taken by Directorate General of Mines Safety, Dhanbad to reduce the mining fatalities, the number of accidents remains high. Hazard identification and risk assessment is the process by which mine management identify hazards present in mines, analyses the risks and assess the risks associated with the hazards in order to determine and implement controls to maintain risk to an acceptable level. The aim of the paper is to identify and evaluate mine hazards and risks using different risk assessment techniques like Failure Mode and Effect Analysis(FMEA) and Workplace Risk Assessment and Control (WRAC) in order to improve mine safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently classified straight-run bitumens and associated emissions during road paving as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), owing to potential exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We examine existing chemistry, exposure, epidemiology, and animal toxicity data to explore quantitative cancer risk implications for paving workers exposed to asphalt emissions from the data used in identifying this qualitative hazard. Epidemiology studies show no consistent cancer risk elevation. One skin-painting mouse study of paving asphalt emission condensate found a single tumor at only the highest tested dose, as did one rat inhalation study. These studies were used to develop an upper bound on possible carcinogenic potency of emissions that are inhaled or dermally deposited. Extending earlier work on roofing asphalt, we conducted time-to-tumor modeling using the dose-time-response shape for several dose levels of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in concurrent bioassay controls to infer presumed parallel dose-time-response curves for paving-asphalt-emission condensate. In addition, we developed a scientific rationale, based on general scaling considerations and on dermal uptake, for the chosen means to scale observed dermal cancer potencies in mice to apply to dermal exposures in humans. The results indicate that paving asphalt emissions have a reduced dermal cancer potency compared to roofing asphalt, consistent with the lower levels of the multi-ringed PAHs implicated in cancer risks. Based on existing occupational exposure studies, cancer risks to pavers from both dermal and inhalation exposure to asphalt emissions is within a range typically acceptable within regulatory frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric dispersion modelling is always encumbered by errors and uncertainties originating from different aspects of the weather description as well as the source and dispersion models. Even so, the typical results from these kinds of studies are limited to one realization with no measure of uncertainties in either the temporal or spatial dimensions. This result is then to be interpreted as the most probable outcome given the current information. However, in many situations this limited result and the presentation thereof are far from satisfying and in the worst case even dangerously misleading. To address this shortcoming, this work presents a well‐established method for uncertainty investigation in simulations called Latin hypercube sampling in combination with a weather ensemble which results in an alternative way of estimating the resulting risk area as a function of weather forecast time from a statistical perspective. The main idea with this approach is to use the entire probability distribution of the simulation parameters instead of only one value as is the case in traditional methodology. This is a useful concept that provides additional and valuable information for decision makers. By applying weather ensembles a probabilistic field of risk area, following the atmospheric release of a hazardous substance, can be obtained, in contrast to a traditional deterministic field. This figure illustrates the profound difference that may occur when the risk area is estimated a few days in advance. A methodology to address this issue in combination with other sources of uncertainties is proposed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information about the second round of Congressional hearings on radioactive fallouts by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in the U.S. The comment of taking a risk in behalf of implementing national defense by Congressman Chet Holifield alarmed the committee members. One of the uncertainty in the scope of the 1959 fallout hearings is concerned in the existing geographical and biological conditions. Charles L. Dunham presented the "Radioactive Fallout: A Two-Year Summary Report" which compares fallout hazards and risks associated with other activities. It is predicted that in 1966, there will be a maximum permissible concentration of strontium hazard.

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Many unsafe behaviors in construction are associated with workers’ insufficient vigilance and misperception of risks. Safety signs are designed to provide warning and raise worker’s attention in hazardous environments. Many researchers conducted interviews and questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of various safety sign designs; however, the results are deemed subjective and biased due to personal differences such as experience, age, attitude, and working environment. This study intends to develop an objective measurement paradigm to assess the cognitive loads of different design features. The proposed method adopts response time and reported accuracies as the metrics to reflect the perceptional efficiency of safety signs under selective, sustained, and divided attention tasks. Statistical analyses are also included to mitigate personal bias. As a demonstration, three design features (color, shape, and content) are examined and the results suggest that the red color and graphic content do not contribute to higher reported accuracies but are faster to be recognized and understood in visual search and scanning activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After 40 years, the 1976 US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was revised under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. Its original goals of protecting the public from hazardous chemicals were hindered by complex and cumbersome administrative burdens, data limitations, vulnerabilities in risk assessments, and recurring corporate lawsuits. As a result, countless chemicals were entered into commercial use without toxicological information. Few chemicals of the many identified as potential public health threats were regulated or banned. This paper explores the factors that have worked against a comprehensive and rational policy for regulating toxic chemicals and discusses whether the TSCA revisions offer greater public protection against existing and new chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides the comparative risk assessment for the case in related paper Design of Procedures for Rare, New or Complex Processes: Part 1 - An Iterative Risk-Based Approach and case study (2017), where the optimization of the pressure testing procedure for an LPG storage sphere is discussed. Both the ‘Original’ and the ‘Optimized’ procedure alternatives were the subject of a double comparative risk assessment using two different methods, namely, Bayesian Belief Networks using the HUGIN programme and Integrated Dynamic Decision Analysis (IDDA) using the SPACCO programme. Results suggest that the outputs from both methods/programmes were essentially the same, while the differences are mainly related to the results visualization and their subsequent use. In addition, the adoption of the methods has shown a reduction of the overall failure probabilities considering the ‘Original’ and ‘Optimized’ procedural alternatives respectively. The results of the comparative cost effectiveness analysis between both alternatives suggest that the initial investment on developing and optimizing the procedure is easily compensated by direct savings in implementation costs, as well as by the further savings in delay risks, occupational safety risks and process safety risks. Pertaining uncertainties in the analysis are also discussed. The results were found valuable for the site management on the “how and why” of developing a rare and potentially hazardous test procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2016 ML 6.6 Meinong earthquake struck southern Taiwan and caused serious damage due to the strong ground shaking. Anomalous seismicity spatiotemporal signature changes were identified prior to the 2016 Meinong event. We investigate the seismicity rate changes associated with the 2016 Meinong mainshock by applying the region-time-length (RTL) algorithm. The temporal result reveals a long obvious seismic quiescence stage soon after the 2012 Wutai event lasting until the 2016 Meinong mainshock. The spatial pattern of different background period lengths all exhibit that the 2016 Meinong event occurred near the abnormal seismic quiescence patch. Our study shows that the spatiotemporal information of the seismicity change could be a useful indication for potential seismic-hazard assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is a set of complex neurodevelopment disorders that is prevalent in children and is increasing at a steady rate in recent years. However, the etiology of autism is still poorly understood. Humans are at higher risk of chemical exposure than in the past as a result of the increasing usage of chemicals in various fields, including food preservation, agriculture, industrial production, etc. A number of environmental agents have been suggested as contributing factors to ASD pathogenesis, which includes heavy metals (Hg and Pb), persistent organic pollutants (DDT, PBDEs and PCBs) and emerging chemicals of concern (phthalates and BPA). These three main categories of toxicants could be the cause of ASD in children. Recent research into the causes of ASD that have been linked to environment factors are reviewed in this paper. There are evidence supporting the etiological link between exposure to environmental toxicants and the development of ASD. Children exposed to these toxicants in the environment exhibit signature traits of ASD and have been reported with high body burdens of these chemicals and/or their metabolites, which may provide an explanation for the observed relation, yet comprehensive evidence in humans is limited, highlighting the need for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern societies, living organisms are exposed daily to multiform pollution from industrial chemical products. Some of these substances have been shown to affect the endocrine system, and have been termed endocrine disruptors (EDs). Bisphenol A (BPA), which can leach from plastics, and parabens, used in cosmetic products, are among the most well-studied. Prenatal development is a vulnerable phase of human life, and disruptions during this period may have lifelong consequences. Since EDs are known to cross the placental barrier and BPA may accumulate in the fetus, "BPA-free" products have been introduced to the market. However, such products often contain alternative bisphenols (e.g. BPS, BPF) that have not yet been extensively examined or regulated. Moreover, alternative bisphenols often occur together with BPA. The human organism is thus exposed to a mixture of EDs, some of which can have additive or synergic effects. Recent findings have also shown that paraben exposure can alter bisphenol pharmacokinetics. Taking into account the widespread occurrence of various EDs and the potential multiplicity of their effects, doses of EDs currently considered safe may not actually be as safe as they appear, especially during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute systemic toxicity testing provides the basis for hazard labeling and risk management of chemicals. A number of international efforts have been directed at identifying non-animal alternatives for in vivo acute systemic toxicity tests. A September 2015 workshop, Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing, reviewed the state-of-the-science of non-animal alternatives for this testing and explored ways to facilitate implementation of alternatives. Workshop attendees included representatives from international regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. Resources identified as necessary for meaningful progress in implementing alternatives included compiling and making available high-quality reference data, training on use and interpretation of in vitro and in silico approaches, and global harmonization of testing requirements. Attendees particularly noted the need to characterize variability in reference data to evaluate new approaches. They also noted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of acute toxicity, which could be facilitated by the development of adverse outcome pathways. Workshop breakout groups explored different approaches to reducing or replacing animal use for acute toxicity testing, with each group crafting a roadmap and strategy to accomplish near-term progress. The workshop steering committee has organized efforts to implement the recommendations of the workshop participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the potential adverse effects from longterm exposure to complex mixtures at low doses, close to health-based reference values. Traditional chemical-specific risk assessment based on animal testing may be insufficient and the lack of toxicological studies on chemical mixtures remains a major regulatory challenge. Hence, new methodologies on cumulative risk assessment are being developed but still present major limitations. Evaluation of chemical mixture effects requires an integrated and systematic approach and close collaboration across different scientific fields, particularly toxicology, epidemiology, exposure science, risk assessment and statistics for a proper integration of data from all these disciplines. Well designed and conducted epidemiological studies can take advantage of this new paradigm and can provide insight to support the correlation between humans low-dose exposures and diseases, thus avoiding the uncertainty associated with extrapolation across species. In this regard, human epidemiology studies may play a significant role in the new vision of toxicity testing. However, this type of information has not been fully considered in risk assessment, mainly due to the inherent limitations of epidemiologic studies. An integrated approach of in vivo, in vitro and in silico data, together with systematic reviews or meta-analysis of high quality epidemiological studies will improve the robustness of risk assessment of chemical mixtures and will provide a stronger basis for regulatory decisions. The ultimate goal is that experimental and mechanistic data can lend support and biological plausibility to the human epidemiological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EFSA is committed to assess and communicate the risks occurring in the food and feed chain from farm to fork and to provide other forms of scientific advice. This work, carried out by EFSA since its inception, has resulted in the adoption of thousands of scientific assessments. EFSA is obliged to re-assess past assessments in specific regulatory contexts such as those on food and feed additives, active substances in plant protection products and genetically modified food and feed. In other sectors, the consideration for updating past EFSA scientific assessments is taken on an ad hoc basis mainly depending on specific requests by risk managers or on EFSA self-tasking. If safety is potentially at stake in any area within EFSA's remit, the readiness to update past scientific assessments is important to keep EFSA at the forefront of science and to promote an effective risk assessment. Although this task might be very complex and resource demanding, it is fundamental to EFSA's mission. The present EFSA Scientific Committee opinion deals with scientific motivations and criteria to contribute to the timely updating of EFSA scientific assessments. It is recognised that the decision for updating should be agreed following careful consideration of all the relevant elements by the EFSA management, in collaboration with risk managers and stakeholders. The present opinion addresses the scientific approaches through which it would be possible for EFSA to increase the speed and effectiveness of the acquisition of new data, as well as, to improve the consequent evaluations to assess the relevance and reliability of new data in the context of contributing to the better definition of whether to update past scientific assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA has reviewed the maximum residue levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance chlorpyrifos. To assess the occurrence of chlorpyrifos residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC, the MRLs established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (including the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out. Some information required by the regulatory framework was missing and possible chronic and acute risks to consumers were identified. Hence, the consumer risk assessment is considered indicative only, some MRL proposals derived by EFSA still requires further consideration by risk managers and measures for reduction of the consumer exposure should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental regulation of hazardous projects with risk-based decision-making processes can lead to a deficient management of human exposure to technological hazards. Such an approach for regulation is criticized for simplifying the complexity of decisions involving the economic, social, and environmental aspects of the installation and operation of hazardous facilities in urban areas. Results of a Brazilian case study indicate that oil and gas transmission pipelines may represent a threat to diverse communities if the relationship between such linear projects and human populations is overlooked by regulatory bodies. Results also corroborate known challenges to the implementation of EIA processes and outline limitations to an effective environmental and risk management. Two preliminary topics are discussed to strengthen similar regulatory practices. Firstly, an effective integration between social impact assessment and risk assessment in EIA processes to have a more comprehensive understanding of the social fabric. Secondly, the advancement of traditional management practices for hazardous installations to pursue a strong transition from assessment and evaluation to management and control and to promote an effective interaction between land-use planning and environmental regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six alternatives assessment frameworks have been reviewed for specific features that might affect the implementation of alternatives assessment and cause regrettable substitution. These features are: the assessments included, the assessment flowchart structure, the inclusion of the assessors with limited resources (e.g., SMEs) in terms of resource intensity, the tools and methods included or guided to, and the indicators. The purpose of this review was to point out the existing important differences among the frameworks and also to stress the possibility of future improvements for the application of frameworks in SMEs. In general, it has been determined that, although there are similar features (e.g., hazard assessment methods) among the reviewed frameworks, there are also serious differences that might affect the assessment outcome, such as the use of physicochemical properties, the scope of life cycle thinking, and decision methods. These differences are caused by the exclusion of particular assessments, as well as the differences among the assessment methods used and the flowchart structure of the framework that incorporates these assessments. Ideally, the frameworks should give the same results under the same circumstances. Also, frameworks usually ignore the follow-up stage of the alternatives assessment, which is an important shortcoming of the frameworks. Common approaches, such as the exclusion of assessments or the use of the sequential elimination method seem to be a temporary solution to the existing problem of the implementation of these frameworks by SMEs. Common principles and methods should be in place to be able to minimize those differences among frameworks toward an optimized framework that enables assessors with limited resources to conduct a comprehensive assessment that is necessary to avoid a regrettable substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT When performing screening-level and baseline risk assessments, assessors usually compare estimated exposures of wildlife receptor species with toxicity reference values (TRVs). We modeled the exposure of American robins ( Turdus migratorius) to 10 elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb, Se, Zn, and V) in spring and early summer, a time when earthworms are the preferred prey. We calculated soil benchmarks associated with possible toxic effects to these robins from 6 sets of published TRVs. Several of the resulting soil screening-level benchmarks were inconsistent with each other and less than soil background concentrations. Accordingly, we examined the derivations of the TRVs as a possible source of error. In the case of V, a particularly toxic chemical compound (ammonium vanadate) containing V, not normally present in soil, had been used to estimate a TRV. In the cases of Zn and Cu, use of uncertainty values of 10 in estimating TRVs led to implausibly low soil screening values. In the case of Pb, a TRV was calculated from studies demonstrating reductions in egg production in Japanese quail ( Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to Pb concentrations well below than those causing toxic effects in other species of birds. The results on quail, which were replicated in additional trials, are probably not applicable to other, unrelated species, although we acknowledge that only a small fraction of all species of birds has been tested. These examples underscore the importance of understanding the derivation and relevance of TRVs before selecting them for use in screening or in ecological risk assessment. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:352-359. © 2016 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For operations where application of standards, regulations, and/or Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices may not be sufficient to address a particular company's risk, several options exist. For qualitative assessment of process hazards, Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP) and What-If reviews are two of the most common petrochemical industry methods used. Up to 80% of a company's process hazard analysis (PHA) may consist of HAZOP and What-If reviews (Nolan, Application of HAZOP and What-If Safety Reviews to the Petroleum, Petrochemical and Chemical Industries, William Andrew Publishing/Noyes, 1994, p. 1). After the PHA, Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) is commonly used throughout industry to evaluate the required safety integrity level for instrumented protection layers in a semiquantitative manner (Dowell, International Conference and Workshop on Risk Analysis in Process Safety, CCPS/AIChE, 1997). HAZOP, What-If, and LOPA are all straightforward methods and are relatively easy to perform. However, much like a hammer, they are not always the best or most appropriate tool for a given job. At times, more advanced methodologies such as Fault Tree Analysis, Quantitative Risk Assessment, Event Tree, Failure Mode, and Effects Analysis and Human Reliability Analysis are necessary to properly assess risk. However, these more advanced tools come with a price. They are often more expensive, time consuming, and require a higher level of expertise. The decision to use these higher level methodologies is not taken lightly and different companies use different criteria for determining when to take this next step. This article will present approaches by four companies, BASF, Celanese, The Dow Chemical Company, and Eastman Chemical Company. Each company will outline criteria used to determine when to go beyond HAZOP, What-If, and LOPA and will present examples where more advanced techniques were used. The intent of this article is to provide readers with real world examples that demonstrate the appropriate application of the 'right' tool and to illustrate what criteria can be used to make informed decisions regarding selection of a PHA methodology. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 36: 38-53, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical compatibility is a key consideration throughout the chemical industry wherever two or more chemicals have the potential to mix, either inadvertently or by design. One of the most comprehensive tools available for determining chemical compatibility, the NOAA Chemical Reactivity Worksheet (CRW), has gained significant traction since the release of the third version (CRW3) in 2012. In 3 years, this free software has been downloaded >200,000 times and has become the chemical compatibility tool of choice at many organizations. As a result of an ongoing partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Dow Chemical Company, The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Materials Technology Institute (MTI) and other industrial/academic/government volunteers, a fourth version of the CRW (CRW4) has been developed. The expanded capabilities of this new version include a materials of construction section, improved import/exporting/data sharing capabilities, additional reactive groups to aid in determining compatibility decisions, several user interface enhancements, along with the correction of minor issues found in the CRW3. This article will describe past development, the new features included in the CRW4, followed by a brief discussion of future development plans for the software tool. Such developments should solidify this tool's position as the gold standard within the chemical industry for determining chemical hazards. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 36: 24-29, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of hazardous materials that can be used for civilian and military purposes (dual-use items) has led the U.S. government to impose export controls in order to prevent the proliferation of risky materials falling into the wrong hands -- a concern in this age of international terrorism. Export controls are prudent government responses to the emergence of a new and widely perceived threat to national security. However, existing controls have failed to keep up with rapid global economic and technological changes, and are likely to have adverse effects on firms' economic performance. This article suggests regulatory and policy reforms, as well as corporate strategies for dealing with U.S. export controls in order to make such controls effective and relevant to changing technological developments. Among the problems the article identifies are the negative effects of these export controls on firm innovation, market competitiveness, investment, and trade flows. These issues point to a pressing agenda for regulatory reform. Reforms can focus on limiting control lists, enhancing the bilateral or multilateral cooperation in export controls, improving the efficiency and transparency of the licensing system, improving resources and the outreach to small and medium-size exporters, and compensation for the loss of market share. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standardized bioassay using the predatory mite Hypoaspis aculeifer (TG 226; as reported by OECD 2008) has already proven its usefulness for the assessment of chemicals. While included in the regulatory assessment scheme of pesticides as a non-target arthropod, it has still been rarely used for the assessment of soils or complex matrices of unknown quality. For such an objective, the extraction of both adults and juveniles from soil is a necessary and crucial step to get reliable data, but may be influenced by the characteristics of the tested soils or matrices. This technical note focuses on this specific protocol point. Extraction ratios of adults and of different reproductive outputs were evaluated in soils of different textures. Recommendations on the extraction of H. aculeifer in the standardization process within ISO/TC 190 are here provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to assess the risk of operational safety for dangerous goods in airfreights. Based on the relevant literature, the risk factors (RFs) of operational safety were first investigated. A revised risk matrix based on fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) was then proposed to assess the risks of those RFs’ in operational safety. Finally, to validate the model, the airfreight operations of dangerous goods in Taiwan were empirically investigated. The results indicate the RFs with higher risk in shipper’s operations are inaccurate declaration, insufficient knowledge and insufficient packaging. For the results, theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed. The results can provide practical information for airfreight operators to improve the performance of safety management. Further, the revised risk matrix can provide methodological reference for risk assessment research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saudi Arabia has experienced frequent occurrences of biological disasters due to a wide range of generator factors, including natural disasters and epidemics. A national survey (n=1,164) was conducted across 13 regions of Saudi Arabia to examine public perceptions to the risk of a biological disaster. The primary results reveal: (a) a degree of knowledge about biological threats such as SARS and H5N1 flu, despite the lack of individual experience with disasters; (b) age, gender, education and faith are positively related to the perception of biological risk; and (c) a number of important community resilience factors exist, including faith, education and willingness. This study concludes that the development of adapted resilience strategies in disaster management can be achieved through public education and training involving cooperation with official organisations and religious authorities in the country to increase public awareness, knowledge and skills in mitigating biological threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left-censored concentration data are frequently encountered because measuring instruments cannot detect concentrations below the instrument detection limit. For statistical analysis of left-censored data, the environmental literature mainly refers to the following methods: maximum likelihood estimator, regression on order statistics using log-normal and gamma assumption (rROS and GROS, respectively), and Kaplan-Meier. A number of simulation experiments examined the performance of these methods in terms of bias and/or mean square error. However, no matter which method is adopted, some uncertainty is introduced into outcomes because all that is known about a left-censored observation is that the concentration falls between 0 and the detection limit. The data used in the present study come from analysis of soil samples collected for a site characterization in Montreal, Canada. Employing nonparametric bootstrap, the authors quantify the uncertainty and bias in the mean and standard deviation estimates obtained by the maximum likelihood estimation (under log-normal, Weibull, and gamma distributions), rROS, GROS, and Kaplan-Meier methods. First, the authors demonstrate that the highest uncertainty is associated with the maximum likelihood estimator under log-normality and Weibull assumptions, whereas a gamma assumption leads to estimates with less uncertainty. Second, the authors show that although an increase in sample size improves the uncertainty, it reduces the bias only in the rROS, GROS, and Kaplan-Meier methods. Finally, comparing percentage uncertainty in the mean of contaminant data, the authors illustrate that adopting an inappropriate estimator results in large uncertainties. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2623-2631. © 2016 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The mining of crocidolite at Wittenoom from 1943 to 1966 is infamous due to the adverse health outcomes in the mining and milling workforce and the non-mining residents and families. Proportional latency risk analysis provided estimates that 6% of the mine workforce along with 1.9% of women and 1.1% of children residents who were environmentally exposed, have or will die from mesothelioma. The absence of environmental exposure data relevant to the period restricts the extrapolation of these historical risk outcomes being applied to the low level exposures from natural contaminant crocidolite and other amphibole fibres experienced in contemporary mining practices in the Pilbara region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alert level frameworks advise agencies on a sequence of monitoring and management actions, and are implemented so as to reduce the risk of the public coming into contact with hazardous substances. Their effectiveness relies on the detection of the hazard, but with many systems not receiving any regular monitoring, pollution events often go undetected. We developed toxicological risk assessment models for acute and chronic exposure to pollutants that incorporate the probabilities that the public will come into contact with undetected pollution events, to identify the level of risk a system poses in regards to the pollutant. As a proof of concept, we successfully demonstrated that the models could be applied to determine probabilities of acute and chronic illness types related to recreational activities in waterbodies containing cyanotoxins. Using the acute model, we identified lakes that present a 'high' risk to develop Day Away From Work illness, and lakes that present a 'low' or 'medium' risk to develop First Aid Cases when used for swimming. The developed risk models succeeded in categorising lakes according to their risk level to the public in an objective way. Modelling by how much the probability of public exposure has to decrease to lower the risks to acceptable levels will enable authorities to identify suitable control measures and monitoring strategies. We suggest broadening the application of these models to other contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety Data Sheets are the primary source of hazard information on chemical substances and mixtures and are used to inform risk assessments. It is imperative to ascertain the quality of this primary source of information in informing risk based decision making. The content of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) is governed by regulatory requirements outlined under the Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). However, regulation in itself does not provide assurance of the quality of the content of the SDS. This study assesses and creates an awareness of the quality of Safety Data Sheets and establishes the criteria for ranking the quality of various sections in the SDS. 200 Safety Data Sheets have been selected from the aerospace sector and assessed for their quality. A review of the 200 SDS has identified significant statistical differences between the various sections of the SDS and the quality of information between hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals. The data analysis suggests a limited impact of GHS and REACH, Annex II Regulations on the overall quality of content of the Safety Data Sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great response variability caused by genetic and/or environmental factors has been observed among organisms exposed to hazardous chemicals. This subject has been a topic of intense discussion in the USA since President Obama announced support for an "era of precision medicine", which consists in the inclusion of genetic data of patients in the treatment design, imposing a new approach to risk assessment. Personalized evaluation must consider the phenotypic factors of an individual. Among the markers that have been developed to evaluate any alteration in the structure or function of organisms, biomarkers of susceptibility are of great importance because they indicate the natural characteristics of a given organism which make it more sensitive to a specific adverse effect or disease, or more responsive to exposure to a specific chemical/drug. The '-omics' technologies provide an insight into the relationship between chemical effects and molecular mechanisms of action. These technologies are the pillars for a personalized toxicology and precision medicine. Predictive toxicology requires a more comprehensive knowledge on specific individual factors or susceptibilities predisposing to diseases, enabling personalized risk assessment and adequate medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of parts of transportation infrastructure in terms of hazards to roadside territory is considered. It is suggested to assess individual segments of road and railway network by estimating risks posed by potential fires and explosions on road and rail. Boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion of tanker trucks and tank cars is identified as the most hazardous and likely high consequence accident in the land transport. It is proposed to express the risk to built roadside objects by means of an annual damage frequency. This frequency is considered to be a specific physical characteristic of the road or railway segment under analysis. It is shown that estimating the damage frequency requires assessing effects of a potential explosion on road or rail and developing a fragility function for the roadside object analysed as a potential target. An example case study is presented. It considers a potential thermal damage to a reservoir (stationary tank) built in the vicinity of a highway. The damage can be caused by an explosion of a propane tanker truck. Results of the risk assessment are expressed in terms of probabilities of specific damage events. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Children especially infants are particularly sensitive to contaminant exposure, they are exposed to toxic substances including heavy metals via multiple pathways, i.e. food, air, water, soil and childcare products. To date, determination of metal bioaccessibility in teethers and feeding teats is missing in the literature; therefore, it is vitally important to assess their metal bioaccessibility and characterise the risk for children. The aim of this study is to determine the migration levels of toxic elements in teethers and feeding teats of different brands as a measure of metal bioaccessibility and characterise the risk for children exposed to these products. The migration limits of several heavy metals (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, Zn) in different brands of teethers and feeding teats were determined simultaneously using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) adopting a protocol in the European standards for safety of toys. With the exception of Pb, the migration limits of all elements in all brands of teethers and feeding teats were below the specified limits. However, in the case of Pb, the migration was above the specified limits in all samples except one brand of feeding teats. Risk assessment expressed as hazard index (HI) was calculated for detected elements and all samples. Although HI was below 1.0 for all samples except one sample, the high Pb concentration would pose a considerable risk to children. Therefore, we recommend a more thorough research and risk characterisation taking into consideration the factors that affect HI values. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EFSA was requested to assess the safety of a broad range of biological agents in the context of notifications for market authorisation as sources of food and feed additives, enzymes and plant protection products. The qualified presumption of safety (QPS) assessment was developed to provide a harmonised generic pre-assessment to support safety risk assessments performed by EFSA's scientific Panels. The safety of unambiguously defined biological agents (at the highest taxonomic unit appropriate for the purpose for which an application is intended), and the completeness of the body of knowledge was assessed. Safety concerns identified for a taxonomic unit are, where possible and reasonable in number, reflected as 'qualifications' in connection with a recommendation for a QPS status. A total of 49 biological agents were notified to EFSA between March and September 2015. From these, 24 biological agents already had a QPS status and did not require further evaluation, and 16 were not included as they are filamentous fungi or enterococci, biological groups which have been excluded from the QPS activities since 2014. Three notifications for Streptomyces were not included because the genus have already been evaluated in the previous statement of December 2014 and found unsuitable for QPS. Two notifications belonging to the species Escherichia coli were not evaluated for QPS status, because this species was recently re-assessed and considered not suitable for QPS status. Therefore, there were four notifications related to four taxonomic units that were evaluated for QPS status. Pasteuria nishizawae may be recommended for the QPS status to be used in plant protection products to combat cyst nematodiasis. The other three units were not recommended for the QPS list: gen. nov. sp. nov. DSM 11798 of the Coriobacteriaceae family, Chromobacterium subtsugaeand Pseudomonas chlororaphis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental and socio-economic importance of coastal areas is widely recognized, but at present these areas face severe weaknesses and high-risk situations. The increased demand and growing human occupation of coastal zones have greatly contributed to exacerbating such weaknesses. Today, throughout the world, in all countries with coastal regions, episodes of waves overtopping and coastal flooding are frequent. These episodes are usually responsible for property losses and often put human lives at risk. The floods are caused by coastal storms primarily due to the action of very strong winds. The propagation of these storms towards the coast induces high water levels. It is expected that climate change phenomena will contribute to the intensification of coastal storms. In this context, an estimation of coastal flooding hazards is of paramount importance for the planning and management of coastal zones. Consequently, carrying out a series of storm scenarios and analyzing their impacts through numerical modeling is of prime interest to coastal decision-makers. Firstly, throughout this work, historical storm tracks and intensities are characterized for the northeastern region of United States coast, in terms of probability of occurrence. Secondly, several storm events with high potential of occurrence are generated using a specific tool of DelftDashboard interface for Delft3D software. Hydrodynamic models are then used to generate ensemble simulations to assess storms' effects on coastal water levels. For the United States’ northeastern coast, a highly refined regional domain is considered surrounding the area of The Battery, New York, situated in New York Harbor. Based on statistical data of numerical modeling results, a review of the impact of coastal storms to different locations within the study area is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical alternatives assessment is a method rapidly developing for use by businesses, governments, and nongovernment organizations seeking to substitute chemicals of concern in production processes and products. Chemical alternatives assessment is defined as a process for identifying, comparing, and selecting safer alternatives to chemicals of concern (including those in materials, processes, or technologies) on the basis of their hazards, performance, and economic viability. The process is intended to provide guidance for assuring that chemicals of concern are replaced with safer alternatives that are not likely to be later regretted. Conceptually, the assessment methods are developed from a set of three foundational pillars and five common principles. Based on a number of emerging alternatives assessment initiatives, in this commentary, we outline a chemical alternatives assessment blueprint structured around three broad steps: Scope, Assessment, and Selection and Implementation. Specific tasks and tools are identified for each of these three steps. While it is recognized that on-going practice will further refine and develop the method and tools, it is important that the structure of the assessment process remain flexible, adaptive, and focused on the substitution of chemicals of concern with safer alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection and use of chemicals and materials with less hazardous profiles reflects a paradigm shift from reliance on risk minimization through exposure controls to hazard avoidance. This article introduces risk assessment and alternatives assessment frameworks in order to clarify a misconception that alternatives assessment is a less effective tool to guide decision making, discusses factors promoting the use of each framework, and also identifies how and when application of each framework is most effective. As part of an assessor's decision process to select one framework over the other, it is critical to recognize that each framework is intended to perform different functions. Although the two frameworks share a number of similarities (such as identifying hazards and assessing exposure), an alternatives assessment provides a more realistic framework with which to select environmentally preferable chemicals because of its primary reliance on assessing hazards and secondary reliance on exposure assessment. Relevant to other life cycle impacts, the hazard of a chemical is inherent, and although it may be possible to minimize exposure (and subsequently reduce risk), it is challenging to assess such exposures through a chemical's life cycle. Through increased use of alternatives assessments at the initial stage of material or product design, there will be less reliance on post facto risk-based assessment techniques because the potential for harm is significantly reduced, if not avoided, negating the need for assessing risk in the first place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging "prevention-based" approaches to chemical regulation seek to minimize the use of toxic chemicals by mandating or directly incentivizing the adoption of viable safer alternative chemicals or processes. California and Maine are beginning to implement such programs, requiring manufacturers of consumer products containing certain chemicals of concern to identify and evaluate potential safer alternatives. In the European Union, the REACH program imposes similar obligations on manufacturers of certain substances of very high concern. Effective prevention-based regulation requires regulatory alternatives analysis (RAA), a methodology for comparing and evaluating the regulated chemical or process and its alternatives across a range of relevant criteria. RAA has both public and private dimensions. To a significant degree, alternatives analysis is an aspect of product design; that is, the process by which private industry designs the goods it sells. Accordingly, an RAA method should reflect the attributes of well-crafted product design tools used by businesses. But RAA adds health and environmental objectives to the mix of concerns taken into account by the product designer. Moreover, as part of a prevention-based regulatory regime, it implicates important public values such as legitimacy, equity, public engagement, and accountability. Thus, an RAA should reflect both private standards and public values, and be evaluated against them. This article adopts that perspective, identifying an integrated set of design principles for RAA, and illustrating the application of those principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rod-shaped cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) are becoming increasingly important in many industrial fields, but their potential hazards remain unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the patterns and mechanisms of lung injury induced by CdS NPs. Methods: A549 cells and rats were exposed to two types of CdS NPs with a same diameter of 20–30 nm but different lengths, CdS1 (80–100 nm) and CdS2 (110–130 nm). The using doses were included 10 μg/ml and 20 μg/ml two types of CdS NPs for cellular experiments and five times dose of 20 mg/kg body weight for rats’ exposure. Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and trypan blue staining were used to detect the A549 cell mortality percentage. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined in A549 cell. The vigor of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the contents of catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected both in A549 cells and in rats’ serum and lung tissues. The cellular morphological changes were observed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the pathological changes were observed in rats’ lung tissue. Results: CdS NPs significantly increased A549 cell mortality percentage. The CdS NPs also increased the levels of ROS and MDA content, whereas they decreased SOD and CAT activities. In parallel, similar changes of the contents of MDA, SOD and CAT were also observed in the sera and lung tissues of CdS NP-treated rats. The cellular TEM detection revealed that two types of CdS nanorods appeared as orderly arranged rounded fat droplets separately and leading to nucleus condensation (CdS1). These cellular and rats’ tissues changes in the group treated with CdS1 were more significant than the CdS2 groups. Furthermore, CdS NPs induced many pathological changes, including emphysematous changes in rat lung tissue. Especially visible lung consolidation can be observed in the CdS1 group. Conclusions: CdS NPs induce oxidative injury in the respiratory system, and their toxic effects may be related to grain length. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of the present study was to assess the hazard potentials of contaminated suspended particulate matter (SPM) sampled during a flood event for floodplain soils using in vitro bioassays and chemical analysis. Sediment-contact tests were performed to evaluate the direct exposure of organisms to native soils and SPM at two different trophic levels. For comparison, acetonic extracts were tested using both contact tests and additionally two cell-based biotests for cytotoxicity and Ah receptor-mediated activity (EROD-Assay). The sediment-contact tests were carried out with the dehydrogenase assay with Arthrobacter globiformis and the fish embryo assay with Danio rerio. The results of this study clearly document that native samples may well be significantly more effective than corresponding extracts in the bacteria contact assay or the fish embryo test. These results question the commonly accepted concept that acetonic extracts are likely to overestimate the toxicity of soil and SPM samples. Likewise, the priority organic compounds analyzed failed to fully explain the toxic potential of the samples. The outcomes of this study revealed the insufficient knowledge regarding the relationship between the different exposure pathways. Finally, there is concern about adverse effects by settling suspended particulate matter and remobilized sediments in frequently inundated floodplain soils due to an increase of the hazard potential, if compared with infrequently inundated floodplain soils. We showed that the settling of SPM and sediments revealed a significant impact on the dioxin-like potencies of riparian soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution in marine fish has become an important worldwide concern, not only because of the threat to fish in general, but also due to human health risks associated with fish consumption. To investigate the occurrence of heavy metals in marine fish species from the South China Sea, 14 fish species were collected along the coastline of Hainan China during the spring of 2012 and examined for species- and tissue-specific accumulation. The median concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and As in muscle tissue of the examined fish species were not detectable (ND), 2.02, 0.24, 2.64, 0.025, and 1.13 mg kg wet weight, respectively. Levels of Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr were found to be higher in the liver and gills than in muscle, while Pb was preferentially accumulated in the gills. Differing from other heavy metals, As did not exhibit tissue-specific accumulation. Inter-species differences of heavy metal accumulation were attributed to the different habitat and diet characteristics of marine fish. Human dietary exposure assessment suggested that the amounts of both Cr and As in marine wild fish collected from the sites around Hainan, China were not compliant with the safety standard of less than 79.2 g d for wild marine fish set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Further research to identify the explicit sources of Cr and As in marine fish from South China Sea should be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]