Description:    Pesticides are widely used in modern agriculture to minimize financial losses and maintain food supplies. In southeast Asia, where agriculture is the principal economic activity, pesticides are considered essential, particularly in tropical regions seeking to enter the global economy by providing off-season fresh fruits and vegetables. The absence of a strong legal framework for pesticides facilitated a significant increase in the use of low-quality pesticides. Farmers ignore the risks, safety instructions, and protective directives when using pesticides. They are only concerned about the effectiveness of the pesticides for killing pests, without paying attention to the effects on their health and the environment. The improper usage of pesticides and the incorrect disposal of pesticide wastes contributed to the pollution of groundwater, surface water, and soil, and induced health problems in local communities. This paper describes the impact of the exposure of pesticides on human health and water resources in connection with the usage of pesticides and their management. Because of availability, the data are mainly taken for Northern Vietnam, and applied to the water quality in the delta; nevertheless, the problem relates to all countries in the delta, and similar situations may be found in other regions, particularly in Asia. Content Type Journal Article Category ORIGINAL ARTICLE Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10163-012-0081-x Authors Pham Thi Thuy, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, K.U. Leuven, W. de Croylaan 46, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Steven Van Geluwe, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, K.U. Leuven, W. de Croylaan 46, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Viet-Anh Nguyen, Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, 55 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam Bart Van der Bruggen, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, K.U. Leuven, W. de Croylaan 46, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Journal Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Online ISSN 1611-8227 Print ISSN 1438-4957

Description: Introduction   The paper analyses the environment pollution state in different case studies of economic activities (i.e. co-generation electric and thermal power production, iron profile manufacturing, cement processing, waste landfilling, and wood furniture manufacturing), evaluating mainly the environmental cumulative impacts (e.g. cumulative impact against the health of the environment and different life forms). Materials and methods   The status of the environment (air, water resources, soil, and noise) is analysed with respect to discharges such as gaseous discharges in the air, final effluents discharged in natural receiving basins or sewerage system, and discharges onto the soil together with the principal pollutants expressed by different environmental indicators corresponding to each specific productive activity. The alternative methodology of global pollution index ( I GP * ) for quantification of environmental impacts is applied. Results and discussion   Environmental data analysis permits the identification of potential impact, prediction of significant impact, and evaluation of cumulative impact on a commensurate scale by evaluation scores (ES i ) for discharge quality, and global effect to the environment pollution state by calculation of the global pollution index ( I GP * ). Conclusions   The I GP * values for each productive unit (i.e. 1.664–2.414) correspond to an ‘environment modified by industrial/economic activity within admissible limits, having potential of generating discomfort effects’. The evaluation results are significant in view of future development of each productive unit and sustain the economic production in terms of environment protection with respect to a preventive environment protection scheme and continuous measures of pollution control. Content Type Journal Article Category Short Research and Discussion Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11356-012-0883-3 Authors Carmen Zaharia, Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ Technical University of Iasi, 73 Prof. Dr. docent D. Mangeron Blvd, 700050 Iasi, Romania Journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research Online ISSN 1614-7499 Print ISSN 0944-1344

Description: The need for an integrated approach to the global challenge of POPs management Content Type Journal Article Category Editorial Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s11356-012-1247-8 Authors Roland Weber, International HCH and Pesticide Association, Elmevej 14, 2840 Holte, Denmark Gulchohra Aliyeva, International HCH and Pesticide Association, Elmevej 14, 2840 Holte, Denmark John Vijgen, International HCH and Pesticide Association, Elmevej 14, 2840 Holte, Denmark Journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research Online ISSN 1614-7499 Print ISSN 0944-1344

Description: Introduction   The Consolider-Ingenio 2010 project SCARCE, with the full title “Assessing and predicting effects on water quantity and quality in Iberian Rivers caused by global change” aims to examine and predict the relevance of global change on water availability, water quality, and ecosystem services in Mediterranean river basins of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their socio-economic impacts. Starting in December 2009, it brought together a multidisciplinary team of 11 partner Spanish institutions, as well as the active involvement of water authorities, river basin managers, and other relevant agents as stakeholders. Methods   The study areas are the Llobregat, Ebro, Jucar, and Guadalquivir river basins. These basins have been included in previous studies and projects, the majority of whom considered some of the aspects included in SCARCE but individually. Historical data will be used as a starting point of the project but also to obtain longer time series. The main added value of SCARCE project is the inclusion of scientific disciplines ranging from hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, chemistry, and ecotoxicology, to engineering, modeling, and economy, in an unprecedented effort in the Mediterranean area. The project performs data mining, field, and lab research as well as modeling and upscaling of the findings to apply them to the entire river basin. Results   Scales ranging from the laboratory to river basins are addressed with the potential to help improve river basin management. The project emphasizes, thus, linking basic research and management practices in a single framework. In fact, one of the main objectives of SCARCE is to act as a bridge between the scientific and the management and to transform research results on management keys and tools for improving the River Basin Management Plans. Here, we outline the general structure of the project and the activities conducted within the ten Work Packages of SCARCE. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 918-933 DOI 10.1007/s11356-011-0566-5 Authors Alícia Navarro-Ortega, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain Vicenç Acuña, ICRA, Edifici H2O, Emili Grahit, 101, 17003 Girona, Spain Ramon J. Batalla, UdL/CTFC, Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain Julián Blasco, ICMAN-CSIC, Campus Rio San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain Carlos Conde, UPM, Avda. Ramiro de Maeztu 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain Francisco J. Elorza, UPM, Avda. Ramiro de Maeztu 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain Arturo Elosegi, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain Félix Francés, UPV, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, Spain Francesc La-Roca, UV, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez 13, Valencia, Spain Isabel Muñoz, UB, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain Mira Petrovic, ICRA, Edifici H2O, Emili Grahit, 101, 17003 Girona, Spain Yolanda Picó, UV, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez 13, Valencia, Spain Sergi Sabater, ICRA, Edifici H2O, Emili Grahit, 101, 17003 Girona, Spain Xavier Sanchez-Vila, UPC, Carrer Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona, Spain Marta Schuhmacher, ETSEQ, URV, Campus Sescelades, 43007 Tarragona, Spain Damià Barceló, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain Journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research Online ISSN 1614-7499 Print ISSN 0944-1344 Journal Volume Volume 19 Journal Issue Volume 19, Number 4

Description:    Reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R) policies form the basis of waste management and global warming countermeasures globally, so we conducted a comparative study of 3R and waste management policies in the European Union (EU), USA, Korea, Japan, China, and Vietnam. An international workshop for 3R and waste management policymakers was held in Kyoto, Japan, and a bibliographic survey was also conducted to collect data. 3R policies are clearly given priority in the hierarchy of waste management in every country studied. Thermal recovery, which includes power generation from waste heat and methane gas collected from organic waste, is also a priority; this is consistent with the increased use of countermeasures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the EU, waste management is characterized by practical and effective 3R policies through the development of realistic regulations and by the policymakers’ desire to simplify management systems. The policy ideal in China, however, is the development of a circular economy that targets reductions in the amount and hazardousness of waste. Limits on the number of final disposal sites, strategies for procuring resources, and GHG emission countermeasures are closely linked with 3R policies, and further development of 3R policies in parallel with such issues is expected. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10163-011-0009-x Authors Shin-ichi Sakai, Environment Preservation Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan Hideto Yoshida, Japan Environmental Safety Corporation, Tokyo, Japan Yasuhiro Hirai, Environment Preservation Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan Misuzu Asari, Environment Preservation Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan Hidetaka Takigami, Research Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan Shin Takahashi, Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan Keijirou Tomoda, Towa Technology, Hiroshima, Japan Maria Victoria Peeler, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction, Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA, USA Jakub Wejchert, Sector in Unit G.4, Sustainable Production and Consumption, DG Environment, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium Thomas Schmid-Unterseh, Division of Product Responsibility, Avoidance, Recovery and Utilization of Product Waste, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Berlin, Germany Aldo Ravazzi Douvan, Italian Environmental Authority for EU Structural Funds, Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea, Rome, Italy Roy Hathaway, Waste Management Division, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, UK Lars D. Hylander, Department of Earth Sciences, Air and Water Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Christian Fischer, European Topic Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, Copenhagen, Denmark Gil Jong Oh, Resource Recirculation Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Korea Li Jinhui, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Ngo Kim Chi, Union for Scientific Research and Production on Chemical Engineering, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Hanoi, Vietnam Journal Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Online ISSN 1611-8227 Print ISSN 1438-4957

Description:    The conversion of biomass waste into resources as a recycling process is receiving increased interest due to the perceived need for a sustainable global carbon cycle and environmental considerations. Several treatment processes are being developed. Hydrothermal treatment is one of the most effective approaches, because water at high temperatures and high pressures behaves as a reaction medium with remarkable properties. In this work, the reaction behavior of guaiacol as a biomass model compound was studied in subcritical water at 483–563 K and in supercritical water at 653–673 K using a batch reactor. Guaiacol can be considered representative of the aromatic ring structures present in lignin, a major component of woody biomass. The chemical species formed in aqueous products were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The effect of pressure and reaction time on the conversion process of guaiacol is discussed. The results obtained indicate that this method has potential for efficient organic waste conversion. Content Type Journal Article Pages 68-79 DOI 10.1007/s10163-010-0309-6 Authors Wahyudiono, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555 Japan Mitsuru Sasaki, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555 Japan Motonobu Goto, Bioelectrics Research Center, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan Journal Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Online ISSN 1611-8227 Print ISSN 1438-4957 Journal Volume Volume 13 Journal Issue Volume 13, Number 1

Description: Background,   aim, and scope Fujian reservoirs in southeast China are important water resources for economic and social sustainable development, although few have been studied previously. In recent years, growing population and increasing demands for water shifted the focus of many reservoirs from flood control and irrigation water to drinking water. However, most of them showed a rapid increase in the level of eutrophication, which is one of the most serious and challenging environmental problems. In this study, we investigated the algae community characteristics, trophic state, and eutrophication control strategies for typical subtropical reservoirs in southeast Fujian. Materials and methods   Surface water samples were collected using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic bottles from 11 Fujian reservoirs in summer 2010. Planktonic algae were investigated by optical microscopy. Water properties were determined according to the national standard methods. Results and discussion   Shallow reservoirs generally have higher values of trophic state index (TSI) and appear to be more susceptible to anthropogenic disturbance than deeper reservoirs. A total of 129 taxa belonging to eight phyla (i.e., Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Chrysophyta, Cryptophyta, Cyanophyta, Euglenophyta, Pyrrophyta, Xanthophyta) were observed and the most diverse groups were Chlorophyta (52 taxa), Cyanophyta (20 taxa), Euglenophyta (17 taxa), Chrysophyta (14 taxa). The dominant groups were Chlorophyta (40.58%), Cyanophyta (22.91%), Bacillariophyta (21.61%), Chrysophyta (6.91%). The species richness, abundance, diversity, and evenness of algae varied significantly between reservoirs. TSI results indicated that all 11 reservoirs were eutrophic, three of them were hypereutrophic, six were middle eutrophic, and two were light eutrophic. There was a strong positive correlation between algal diversity and TSI at P  〈 0.05. Our canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results illustrated that temperature, transparency, conductivity, DO, TC, NH 4 -N, NO x -N, TP, and chlorophyll a were significant environmental variables affecting the distribution of algae communities. The transparency and chlorophyll a were the strongest environmental factors in explaining the community data. Furthermore, the degradation of water quality associated with excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in Fujian reservoirs may be impacted by interactions among agriculture and urban factors. A watershed-based management strategy, especially phosphorus control, should be developed for drinking water source protection and sustainable reservoirs in the future. Conclusion and recommendations   All investigated reservoirs were eutrophicated based on the comprehensive TSI values; thus, our results provided an early warning of water degradation in Fujian reservoirs. Furthermore, the trophic state plays an important role in shaping community structure and in determining species diversity of algae. Therefore, long-term and regular monitoring of Euglenophyta, Cyanophyta, TN, TP and chlorophyll a in reservoirs is urgently needed to further understand the future trend of eutrophication and to develop a watershed-based strategy to manage the Cyanophyta bloom hazards. Content Type Journal Article Category Urbanization in China and its Environmental Impact Pages 1432-1442 DOI 10.1007/s11356-011-0683-1 Authors Jun Yang, Aquatic Ecohealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021 China Xiaoqing Yu, Aquatic Ecohealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021 China Lemian Liu, Aquatic Ecohealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021 China Wenjing Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Marine Biodiversity and Global Change Center, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, 108 Daxue Road, Xiamen, 361005 China Peiyong Guo, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021 Fujian, China Journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research Online ISSN 1614-7499 Print ISSN 0944-1344 Journal Volume Volume 19 Journal Issue Volume 19, Number 5

Description:    This study uses a bibliometric approach in identifying global research trends related to the anaerobic digestion of biomass for methane production using related literature in the Science Citation Index Expanded database, retrieved from the ISI Web of Science. The data used covers the period 1994–2011. The articles acquired from such literature were concentrated on the general analysis by scientific output, the research performances by countries, institutes, and collaborations, and the research trends by the frequency of author keywords, words in title, words in abstract, and ‘KeyWords plus’. The research outputs of anaerobic digestion for methane had notably increased in the field of environmental sciences, biotechnology and applied microbiology, environmental engineering, energy and fuels, and microbiology, while increased slightly in water resources. The USA with most publications and China with the highest growth rate were compared. Finally, author keywords, words in title and ‘KeyWords plus’ were analyzed contrastively, with the recent hotspots provided. Content Type Journal Article Category REVIEW Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10163-012-0094-5 Authors Li-Hong Wang, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Qunhui Wang, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Xiao Zhang, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Weiwei Cai, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Xiaohong Sun, Beijing Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100089 People’s Republic of China Journal Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Online ISSN 1611-8227 Print ISSN 1438-4957

Description:    Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-, β- and γ- HCH [lindane]) were recently added to the list of persistent organic pollutants regulated by the Stockholm Convention, and therefore, the legacy of HCH and lindane production has become an issue of global relevance. The production of lindane with the much larger quantities of associated waste isomers has generated large waste deposits and contaminated sites. This article presents an overview of HCH-polluted sites in Brazil as a basis for further activities related to the Stockholm Convention. The locations of HCH stockpiles and contaminated sites in Brazil arising from production and formulation have been compiled and mapped. This shows that the measures taken over the past 25 years have not resulted in remediation of the HCH pollution. An exposure risk study has been summarised for one major site and is included to demonstrate the contemporary relevance of the contamination. Major site remediation efforts are planned at one site but people live close to several other sites, and there is an urgent need of further assessments and remediation to ensure the protection of human health and the environment. The Stockholm Convention requires a systematic approach and should be adopted for the assessment of all sites and appropriate isolation/remediation measures should be facilitated. The appropriate planning of these activities for the production site in Rio de Janeiro could be a positive contribution for Rio+20 highlighting that green economy and sustainable production also include the appropriate management of legacies of historic production of an industrial sector (here the organochlorine industry). Content Type Journal Article Category 11th Forum of the International HCH and Pesticide Association Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s11356-012-1089-4 Authors J. P. M. Torres, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil C. I. R. Fróes-Asmus, Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil R. Weber, POPs Environmental Consulting, Göppingen, Germany J. M. H. Vijgen, International HCH and Pesticides Association, Holte, Denmark Journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research Online ISSN 1614-7499 Print ISSN 0944-1344