Enantiomers of chiral contaminants can significantly differ in environmental fate as well as in effects. Despite this fact, such differences are often ignored in regulation and in practice, injecting uncertainty into the estimation of risk of chiral compounds. We review the unique challenges posed by stereochemistry to the ecological risk assessment of chiral contaminants and existing regulatory guidance for chiral pharmaceuticals and pesticides in the United States. We identify the advantages of obtaining data on fate and effects of each individual enantiomer of chiral contaminants that are either distributed as or may end up as enantiomer mixtures in the environment due to enantiomerization. Because enantiomers of the same compound are highly likely to coexist in the environment with each other and can result in nonadditive effects, we recommend treatment of enantiomers as components of a mixture using widely accepted mixture models from achiral risk assessment. We further propose the enantiomer hazard ratio for retrospectively characterizing relative enantiomer risk and examine uncertainty factor magnitudes for effects analysis.

Many consumer products contain lipophilic, poorly soluble ingredients representing large-volume substances whose aquatic toxicity cannot be adequately determined with standard methods for a number of reasons. In such cases, a recently developed approach can be used to define an aquatic exposure threshold of no concern (ETNC_aq; i.e., a concentration below which no adverse affects on the environment are to be expected). A risk assessment can be performed by comparing the ETNC_aq value with the aquatic exposure levels of poorly soluble substances. Accordingly, the aquatic exposure levels of substances with water solubility below the ETNC_aq will not exceed the ecotoxicological no-effect concentration; therefore, their risk can be assessed as being negligible. The ETNC_aq value relevant for substances with a narcotic mode of action is 1.9 μg/L. To apply the above risk assessment strategy, the solubility in water needs to be known. Most frequently, this parameter is estimated by means of quantitative structure/activity relationships based on the log octanol–water partition coefficient (log K_OW). The predictive value of several calculation models for water solubility has been investigated by this method with the use of more recent experimental solubility data for lipophilic compounds. A linear regression model was shown to be the most suitable for providing correct predictions without underestimation of real water solubility. To define a log K_OW threshold suitable for reliably predicting a water solubility of less than 1.9 μg/L, a confidence limit was established by statistical comparison of the experimental solubility data with their log K_OW. It was found that a threshold of log K_OW = 7 generally allows discrimination between substances with solubility greater than and less than 1.9 μg/L. Accordingly, organic substances with a baseline toxicity and log K_OW > 7 do not require further testing to prove that they have low environmental risk. In applying this concept, the uncertainty of the prediction of water solubility can be accounted for. If the predicted solubility in water is to be below ETNC_aq with a probability of 95%, the corresponding log K_OW value is 8.

Although many studies deal with the distribution and mobility of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) metals in soil, the ecotoxicity of CCA-contaminated soils is rarely studied. The Triad approach was applied to determine the ecological risks posed by a CCA mixture at a decommissioned wood impregnation mill in southern Finland. A combination of (1) chemical analyses; (2) toxicity tests with plants (aquatic: Lemna minor; terrestrial: Lactuca sativa), earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus), and enchytraeids (Enchytraeus albidus) conducted on contaminated soils, their aqueous extracts, and well water collected from the site; and (3) determination of the abundance of enchytraeids and nematodes and the bioaccumulation of metals in plants (horsetail) collected from the field were used to assess the actual risk. Although metal concentrations were low, L. minor growth appeared to be reduced by As contamination of the well water. In soil, metals were heterogeneously distributed with total concentrations of 14.8 to 4360 mg As/kg, 15.2 to 1740 mg Cr/kg, and 4.83 to 790 mg Cu/kg. In several samples, concentrations were above Finnish regulatory guideline values and exceeded the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) or 50% lethal concentration (LC50) values for the toxicity of the individual metals to earthworms and enchytraeids, indicating hazards to the ecosystem. (Bio)availability of metals was high, as indicated by weak electrolyte extractions and body residues in L. rubellus and E. albidus exposed in bioassays. Earthworm survival correlated significantly with body metal concentrations, but not with soil total metal concentrations. Enchytraeid responses in the soil bioassays were less sensitive to CCA metal exposure. Plant growth was affected by CCA pollution, with L. sativa root elongation correlating significantly with total and available As concentrations and L. minor development being significantly reduced in H₂O extracts of the most contaminated soil sample. Abundance of enchytraeids and nematodes in the field was much lower than in nonpolluted Finnish soils but did not significantly correlate with CCA contamination. Arsenic accumulation in horsetail did not correlate with As concentrations in soil. Overall, the results of the 3 lines of evidence of the Triad approach indicate possible increased risks to the ecosystem at the most contaminated sites of the CCA treatment area.

Building sector stakeholders need compelling metrics, tools, data, and case studies to support major investments in sustainable technologies. Proponents of green building widely claim that buildings integrating sustainable technologies are cost effective, but often these claims are based on incomplete, anecdotal evidence that is difficult to reproduce and defend. The claims suffer from 2 main weaknesses: 1) buildings on which claims are based are not necessarily “green” in a science-based, life cycle assessment (LCA) sense and 2) measures of cost effectiveness often are not based on standard methods for measuring economic worth. Yet, the building industry demands compelling metrics to justify sustainable building designs. The problem is hard to solve because, until now, neither methods nor robust data supporting defensible business cases were available. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building and Fire Research Laboratory is beginning to address these needs by developing metrics and tools for assessing the life cycle economic and environmental performance of buildings. Economic performance is measured with the use of standard life cycle costing methods. Environmental performance is measured by LCA methods that assess the “carbon footprint” of buildings, as well as 11 other sustainability metrics, including fossil fuel depletion, smog formation, water use, habitat alteration, indoor air quality, and effects on human health. Carbon efficiency ratios and other eco-efficiency metrics are established to yield science-based measures of the relative worth, or “business cases,” for green buildings. Here, the approach is illustrated through a realistic building case study focused on different heating, ventilation, air conditioning technology energy efficiency. Additionally, the evolution of the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability multidisciplinary team and future plans in this area are described.

A site-specific ecological risk assessment procedure for a qualitative evaluation of impairment occurring at the ecosystem level, as a result of soil contamination, was developed to integrate and visualize impairment in both terrestrial biodiversity and functional diversity and to support the decision maker in the contaminated site assessment. An Ecosystem Impairment Matrix (EcoIM) was proposed to identify the relationships between the applied measurement endpoints and the taxonomic groups living in the terrestrial system and between these taxonomic groups and the fundamental ecological processes. A specific impairment analysis procedure that used expert judgment allowed for the linking of impairment highlighted by the measurement endpoints with the terrestrial ecosystem's structure and functionality. Impairment occurring on each ecological element (i.e., biodiversity aspects and ecological functions and processes) was visualized by colored cells—1 for each relationship among measurement endpoint, taxonomic group, and ecological element—to support the expert in the ecosystem impairment evaluation. These results were then reported by the expert into the Global Ecosystem Impairment Evaluation Matrix (GEM) to summarize the obtained information and formulate a final judgment on ecosystem quality status. EcoIM and GEM were implemented in Module 2 of the decision support system DSS-ERAMANIA and are presented in this paper. The tools have been preliminarily applied to the Acna di Cengio (Italy) contaminated site; the results of this application are also presented and discussed.

The use of pesticides is a potential threat to local groundwater. Once groundwater is contaminated, it is very difficult to clean. Thus, it is of importance to assess the risk of contaminating local groundwater at an early stage when pesticides are found in soils. This knowledge will also help in remediation strategies. Traditional methods of deterministic analysis cannot explicitly account for the sometimes large uncertainties that exist at this stage in the work, whereas probabilistic analyses are better suited for dealing with these problems. In this paper, we have combined contaminant transport with a 1st-order reliability approach. Pesticide concentrations in soil have been studied to estimate the probability of failure—that is, of pesticides exceeding established critical levels in groundwater. Results indict that failure probability increases rapidly within a certain range of pesticide concentrations in soil for different critical levels. In given aquifer conditions and contaminants, probabilities of contaminants exceeding particular critical levels can easily be obtained according to various water usage scenarios. The distribution of importance factors among variables indicates the contribution their relative weights make to the failure probability. Hence, authorities can easily form sensitivity factors to take action and reduce the risk of contaminating the groundwater.

Ambient concentrations of metals in surface waters have become an important consideration when establishing water quality criteria and conducting risk assessments. This study sought to estimate amounts of zinc that may be released into freshwater considering ambient concentrations, toxicity thresholds, and bioavailability. Cumulative distribution functions of ambient zinc concentrations were compared statistically for streams and lakes in Europe, North America, and South America to identify differences among mean distribution variables (e.g., slopes, intercepts, and inflection points). Results illustrated that most of the distributions among sites differed significantly. These differences illustrate the variability in ambient zinc concentrations in surface waters because of geographic location, regional geology, and anthropogenic influence. Additionally, water quality data were used to estimate bioavailable zinc concentrations in ambient surface waters (based on predictions using biotic ligand models). The amount of dissolved metal that could be added to surface waters without exceeding toxicity thresholds was calculated by subtracting ambient surface water concentrations from chronic no observable effect concentrations (NOEC; reproduction for Daphnia magna) or 10% effective concentrations (EC10; growth rate for Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata). Because ambient dissolved-zinc concentrations were, on average, below predicted effects thresholds, an average of 57.1 ± 175 μg/L (±SD) of zinc could be added before exceeding the D. magna chronic NOEC or the P. subcapitata chronic EC10. However, numerous sites (17%) were identified as having ambient zinc concentrations in excess of these toxicity thresholds. This article uses existing biotic ligand models for zinc to estimate the potential magnitudes and variabilities of bioavailable zinc concentrations in fresh surface waters from different regions of the world.

Risk assessments and risk management decisions concerning risks to wild fish populations resulting from exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related chemicals have been based primarily on observations of effects of chemicals on individual organisms. Although the development and application of population-level ecological risk-assessment methods is proceeding at a rapid pace, the organism-level approach is still being justified by arguments that population-level ecological risk assessment is in an early stage of development and has not been shown to be reliable. This article highlights the importance of including population-level effects in risk-management decision-making, by examining the effects of exposures to PCBs on fish populations inhabiting the Hudson River, New York, USA, a system in which data have been collected for approximately 30 y concerning both concentrations of PCBs in sediment and fish tissue and the abundance and reproduction of exposed fish populations. We previously tested hypotheses concerning the effects of PCBs on the striped bass population of the Hudson River, and found that the available data conflicted with all of these hypotheses. Here, we report results of similar analyses of effects of historic PCB exposures on the Hudson River white perch population, using an extended data set that recently became available. As with striped bass, we found no correlation between maternal PCB tissue concentrations and any measure of reproductive success in Hudson River white perch during the 30-y period covered by the data set. Together with results of studies performed on fish populations exposed to PCBs at other sites, our results clearly demonstrate that physiological and genetic adaptation, biological compensation, and other ecological processes influence responses of fish populations to PCB exposures and should be considered in risk management decision-making.

Development planning and implementation is a multifaceted and multiscale task mainly because of the involvement of multiple stakeholders across sectors and disciplines. Even though top-down sectoral planning is commonly practiced, bottom-up cross-sectoral planning involving all relevant stakeholders in a transdisciplinary learning environment has been recognized as a better option, especially if the goal is to drive development projects toward sustainable implementation (Rowe and Fudge 2003; Müller et al. 2005; Global Development Research Center 2008). Even though many planning approaches have this goal, there are limited decision frameworks that are suitable for achieving consensus among stakeholders from multiple disciplines with sectoral objectives and priorities. In most instances, the upstream and downstream effects of development decisions are not thoroughly investigated or communicated with the relevant stakeholders, strongly affecting cross-sectoral integration in the real world (Wiek, Brundiers, et al. 2006). This article presents methodological aspects of developing a stakeholder based life cycle assessment framework (SBLCA) for upstream–downstream decision analysis in a multistakeholder development planning context. The applicability of the framework is demonstrated using simple examples extracted from a pilot case study conducted in Sri Lanka for sustainable posttsunami reconstruction at a village scale. The applicability of SBLCA in specific planning stages, how it promotes transdisciplinary learning and cross-sectoral stakeholder integration in phases of project cycles, and how local stakeholders can practice life cycle thinking in their village development planning and implementation are discussed.

We describe herein a conceptual selenium (Se) management model, directed toward coal mining in western Canada, but which can be applied to other coal mines and, with appropriate modification, to other industrial sources of Se to aquatic and terrestrial environments. This conceptual model provides a transparent means to integrate and synthesize existing information that can be used to provide an adaptive approach for managing ecological exposures and associated risk. It is particularly useful for visualizing and subsequently developing management interventions for Se control and risk reduction. The model provides a structured process by which critical information needs can be identified and addressed. It effectively provides the foundation for making management decisions related to Se discharges to aquatic and terrestrial environments by showing interrelationships of the various media and receptors as well as primary sources, release mechanisms, secondary sources, and exposure pathways.

Assessing the frequency and severity of larval fish deformities is a subjective exercise that is subject to considerable parameter uncertainty unless appropriate quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures are incorporated. This issue has received limited attention in the literature. Only one study was identified that contained adequate data to evaluate the reproducibility of larval deformity data. Parameter uncertainty was substantially larger than expected. There was poor reproducibility between observers for nearly all types and magnitudes of deformities, and there were particularly large differences in how mild deformities were assessed. The reproducibility of the edema endpoint was the poorest of the 4 types of deformity evaluated. Specific recommendations for improving the QA/QC aspects of larval deformity assessments include blind and nonsequential labeling; explicit effort on the development and application of an a priori framework; internal QC checks to quantify the influence of sample preservatives, observer drift, or multiple observers; and an external QC check of a minimum of 10% of all larval fish. Future selenium reproductive studies should include an explicit uncertainty analysis and disclose raw deformity data to facilitate recalculation of tissue residue guidelines as the science in this area advances.

The Apalta catchment is a wine-producing area of 1300 ha, lying south of Santiago, located in the Colchagua Valley, near Santa Cruz in the VI Region of Chile. The vineyards are planted on slopes of up to 22°, the rows being aligned mainly down the slope. This cropping system and its management lead to a potential contamination of natural resources. To assess the risk of environmental contamination due to the application of pesticides in different pest control strategies, indicators at a field level were derived according to a step-by-step procedure. Using these indicators, runoff was found to be the main process of impact. The different pest control strategies in this catchment caused different potential risks, though these in general were low.