We Need a “Keeling Curve” Approach for Contaminants of Emerging Concern
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Cities, the world over, are fuelling economic growth. At the same time, rapid urbanization is a root cause of serious environmental damage. Recent WHO global air pollution guidelines highlight air pollution as a critical environmental threat along with climate change. To address these threats, smart cities and clean air programs are on a rise. In smart cities, data and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are major drivers of city transformations. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing have the potential to accelerate these transformations toward urban resilience. However, the success of smart cities and clean air programs depends on cohesive multi-sector stakeholder contributions. This study conducted interdisciplinary participative stakeholder analysis to understand the data, and sectorial challenges, to outline the technological opportunities to facilitate clean air programs in Indian smart cities. The research highlights gaps due to siloed stakeholder operations, lack of data calibration, non-alignment of smart city and air quality management services, non-availability of health exposure data, and difficulty in translating scientific data into implementable actions. Stakeholders expressed potential ‘fit for the purpose’ use of IoT devices, satellites, smartphones, and mobility data augmented by AI methods in bridging these gaps. In conclusion, the analysis points toward a need to develop an easily accessible and ubiquitous urban data governance ecosystem enabling seamless cross-sector data exchanges to build trusting relationships among the stakeholders across the air quality management value chain.
Studies have shown that reducing exposure to triggers such as air pollutants can reduce symptoms and the need for medication in asthma patients. However, systems that track asthma are generally not integrated with those that track environmental hazards related to asthma. Tlvs lack of integration hinders public health awareness and responsiveness to these environmental triggers. The current study is a collaboration between health and environmental professionals to utilize NASA-derived environmental data to develop a decision support system (DSS) for asthma prediction, surveillance, and intervention. The investigators link asthma morbidity data from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) with air quality data from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and remote sensing data from NASA. Daily ambient environmental hazard data for PM2.5 and ozone are obtained from the MDEQ air quality monitoring locations and are combined with remotely sensed data from NASA to develop a state-wide spatial and time series profile of environmental air quality. These data are then used to study the correlation of these measures of air quality variation with the asthma exacerbation incidence throughout the state over time. The goal is to utilize these readily available measures to allow real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbations. GeoMedStat, a DSS previously developed for biosurveillance, will integrate these measures to monitor, analyze and report the real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbation throughout the state.
Community solar is emerging as a popular way to deliver a range of economic and social benefits that go beyond clean energy. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has set a goal for America to deploy enough community solar projects to power the equivalent of five million households by 2025 and create $1 billion in energy bill savings. To reach the goal, DOE has created the Community Power Accelerator, as part of the National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP). The Accelerator is an online ecosystem bringing together developers, lenders, foundations, community organizations, and other stakeholders to support the deployment of mission-aligned community solar. The Accelerator is especially focused on projects that deliver "meaningful benefits" to customers and communities, including: access by low- to moderate-income households; greater bill savings; resilience and grid benefits; community ownership; and local workforce development. Many philanthropic organizations are looking at community solar as a way to capture these benefits in their grant-making and investment programs, while also reducing pollution and promoting environmental justice. To help community-based organizations (CBOs), non-profit organizations, and mission-aligned developers seeking philanthropic support, Berkeley Lab and the National Renewable Energy Lab prepared Are You Philanthropy-Ready? How to Work with Foundations on Mission-Aligned Community Solar. The guide provides an overview of how foundations work, gives tips on what they seek in a fundable project, and provides guidance on crafting effective proposals. In short, this guide aims to help the fund-seeker become philanthropy-ready.
Background: Short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. Supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) has shown protection against exposure to fine particulate matter. This study aims to investigate whether habitual omega-3 PUFA intake differentially modify the associations between respiratory and cardiovascular responses and short-term exposure to ambient NO 2 . Methods: Sixty-two healthy participants were enrolled into low or high omega-3 groups based on their habitual omega-3 PUFA intake. Each participant was repeatedly assessed for lung function, blood lipids, markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis, vascular function, and heart rate variability (HRV) in up to five sessions, each separated by at least 7 days. This study was carried out in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, USA between October 2016 and September 2019. Daily ambient NO 2 concentrations were obtained from an area air quality monitoring station on the day of outcome assessment (Lag0), 4 days prior (Lag1-4), as well as 5-day moving average (5dMA). The associations between short-term exposure to NO 2 and the measured indices were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models stratified by omega-3 levels and adjusted by covariates including relative humidity and temperature. Results: The average concentration of ambient NO 2 during the study periods was 5.3±3.8 ppb which was below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In the high omega-3 group, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in short-term NO 2 concentrations was significantly associated with increased lung function [e.g. 1.2% (95%CI: 0.2%, 2.2%) in FVC at lag1, 2.6% (95%CI: 0.4%, 4.8%) in FEV1 at 5dMA], decreased blood lipids [e.g. -2.6% (95%CI: -4.4%, -0.9%) in total cholesterol at lag2, -3.1% (95%CI: -6.1%, 0.0%) in HDL at 5dMA, and -3.1% (95%CI: -5.5%, -0.7%) in LDL at lag2], improved vascular function [e.g. 8.9% (95%CI: 0.6%, 17.2%) increase in FMD and 43.1% (95%CI: -79.8%, -6.3%) decrease in endothelin-1 at 5dMA], and changed HRV parameters [e.g. -7.2% (95%CI: -13.6%, -0.8%) in HFn and 13.4% (95%CI: 0.2%, 28.3%) in LF/HF ratio at lag3]. In the low omega-3 group, an IQR increase in ambient NO 2 was associated with elevations in coagulation markers (von Willebrand Factor, D-dimer) and a decrease in HRV (very-low frequency); however, null associations were observed between short-term NO 2 exposure and changes in lung function, blood lipids, and vascular function. Conclusions: The results in this study imply that dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption may offer respiratory and vascular benefits in response to short-term exposure of healthy adults to NO 2 levels below the NAAQS.
Work this summer in the Office of Safety, Environment, and Mission Assurance began with a review of current initiatives and environmental projects at the Langley Research Center (LaRC). This involved researching many of the documents on file which detail problems which have occurred as well as various approaches which have been used to address these problems. A large portion of the time was spent interviewing and working with each of the engineers, industrial hygienists and other professionals connected with the Office of Environmental Engineering. A few of the projects I worked on include: Researching environmental compliance, and pollution prevention efforts; touring many of the facilities at LaRC to observe the environmental efforts in the work place; researching equipment needs for the recycling/reclamation center; writing scripts for in-house training videos; working with the video production department to produce a training video; developing e-mail distribution list; developing environmental coordinator's database; and working with others to research logistics of recycling and waste minimization efforts.
In 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Environmental Office at the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) developed an Environmental Geographic Information Systems (EGIS) database. NASA had previously developed a GIS database at SSC to assist in the NASA Environmental Office's management of the Center. This GIS became the basis for the NASA-wide EGIS project, which was proposed after the applicability of the SSC database was demonstrated. Since its completion, the SSC EGIS has aided the Environmental Office with noise pollution modeling, land cover assessment, wetlands delineation, environmental hazards mapping, and critical habitat delineation for protected species. At SSC, facility management and safety officers are responsible for ensuring the physical security of the facilities, staff, and equipment as well as for responding to environmental emergencies, such as accidental releases of hazardous materials. All phases of emergency management (planning, mitigation, preparedness, and response) depend on data reliability and system interoperability from a variety of sources to determine the size and scope of the emergency operation. Because geospatial data are now available for all NASA facilities, it was suggested that this data could be incorporated into a computerized management information program to assist facility managers. The idea was that the information system could improve both the effectiveness and the efficiency of managing and controlling actions associated with disaster, homeland security, and other activities. It was decided to use SSC as a pilot site to demonstrate the efficacy of having a baseline, computerized management information system that ultimately was referred to as the Emergency Environmental Response Tool (EERT).
SuiteGoo is a liquid product used to detect "undetectable" material traces. It is used when you need to improve detection limits, anywhere where cotton swiping is used, and anywhere where cotton swiping fails. It is also used by law enforcement to find DNA from fingerprints, used by health care to detect the presence of viruses and bacteria, used by emergency response to detect explosive traces, and used by environmental management to detect pollutant traces.
The twenty-first century is the first "urban century" according to the United Nations Development Program. The focus of cities reflects awareness of the growing percentage of the world's population that lives in urban areas. In environmental terms, cities are the original producers of many of the global problems related to waste disposal, air and water pollution, and associated environmental and ecological challenges. Expansion of cities, both in population and areal extent, is a relentless process. In 2000, approximately 3 billion people representing about 40% of the global population, resided in urban areas. Urban population will continue to rise substantially over the next several decades according to UN estimates, and most of this growth will Occur in developing countries. The UN estimates that by 2025, 60% of the world's population will live in urban areas. As a consequence, the number of"megacities" (those cities with populations of 10 million inhabitants or more) will increase by 100 by 2025. Thus, there is a critical need to understand urban areas and what their impacts are on environmental, ecological and hydrologic resources, as well as on the local, regional, and even global climate. One of the more egregious side effects of urbanization is the increase in surface and air temperatures that lead to deterioration in air quality. In the United States, under the more stringent air quality guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1997, nearly 300 counties in 34 states will not meet these new air quality standards for ground level ozone. Mitigation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect is actively being evaluated as a possible way to reduce ground ozone levels in cities and assist states in improving air quality. Foremost in the analysis of how the UHI affects air quality and other environmental factors is the use of remote sensing technology and data to characterize urban land covers in sufficient detail to quantifiably measure the impact of increased urban heating on air quality. The urban landscape impacts surface thermal energy exchanges that determine development of the UHI. This paper will illustrate how we are using high spatial remote sensing data collected over the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area in conjunction with other geographic information, to perform a detailed urban land cover classification and to determine the contribution of these land covers to the urban heat island effect. Also, the spatial arrangement of the land covers and the impact on urban heating from these selected patterns of development are evaluated. Additionally, this paper will show how these data are being used as inputs to improve air quality modeling for Atlanta, including potential benefits from UHI mitigation.
While the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is widely perceived as a space agency, since its inception NASA has had a mission dedicated to the home planet. Initially, this mission involved using space to better observe and predict weather and to enable worldwide communication. Meteorological and communication satellites showed the value of space for earthly endeavors in the 1960s. In 1972, NASA launched Landsat, and the era of earth-resource monitoring began. At the same time, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the environmental movement swept throughout the United States and most industrialized countries. The first Earth Day event took place in 1970, and the government generally began to pay much more attention to issues of environmental quality. Mitigating pollution became an overriding objective for many agencies. NASA's existing mission to observe planet Earth was augmented in these years and directed more toward environmental quality. In the 1980s, NASA sought to plan and establish a new environmental effort that eventuated in the 1990s with the Earth Observing System (EOS). The Agency was able to make its initial mark via atmospheric monitoring, specifically ozone depletion. An important policy stimulus in many respects, ozone depletion spawned the Montreal Protocol of 1987 (the most significant international environmental treaty then in existence). It also was an issue critical to NASA's history that served as a bridge linking NASA's weather and land-resource satellites to NASA s concern for the global changes affecting the home planet. Significantly, as a global environmental problem, ozone depletion underscored the importance of NASA's ability to observe Earth from space. Moreover, the NASA management team's ability to apply large-scale research efforts and mobilize the talents of other agencies and the private sector illuminated its role as a lead agency capable of crossing organizational boundaries as well as the science-policy divide.
Over the years, pollution prevention has proven to be a means to comply with environmental regulations, improve product performance and reduce costs. The NASA Acquisition Pollution Prevention (AP2) Program was created to help individual NASA Centers and programs work together to evaluate and adopt environmentally preferable technologies and practices. The AP2 Program accomplishes its mission using a variety of tools such as networking, information/technology exchange and partnering. Due to its extensive network of contacts, the AP2 Program is an excellent resource for finding existing solutions to problems. If no solution is readily known, the AP2 Program works to identify potential solutions and partners for demonstration/ validation projects. Partnering to prevent pollution is a cornerstone of NASA's prime mission and the One NASA Initiative. This annual newsletter highlights some of our program's collaborative efforts. I believe you will discover how the AP2 Program is responsive in meeting the Agency's environmental management strategic plans.
Pollution prevention (P2) opportunities and Greening the Government (GtG) activities, including the development of the Real-Time Environmental Monitoring System (RTEMS), are currently under development at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The RTEMS project entails the ongoing development of a monitoring system which includes sensors, instruments, computer hardware and software, plus a data telemetry system.Professor Kocher has been directing the RTEMS project for more than 3 years, and the implementation of the prototype system at GRC will be a major portion of his summer effort. This prototype will provide mulitmedia environmental monitoring and control capabilities, although water quality and air emissions will be the immediate issues addressed this summer. Applications beyond those currently identified for environmental purposes will also be explored.
The environmental effects are discussed of engine effluents of future large fleets of aircraft operating in the stratosphere. Topics discussed include: atmospheric properties, aircraft engine effluents, upper atmospheric measurements, global air sampling, and data reduction and analysis
Large-scale environmental remediation of polluted water requires an effective and recyclable adsorbent produced from an abundant, low-cost, and renewable feedstock via a simple processing procedure. In this work, we demonstrate that lignin-derived magnetic activated carbons (mACs) uniquely satisfy these five criteria for (i) high-performance adsorption, (ii) high regeneration efficiency, (iii) feedstock economic and environmental viability, (iv) single-step processing and (v) large-scale production. The mACs are synthesized via an efficient co-carbonization and activation with simultaneous impregnation of ferric sulfate. Here, the Langmuir model closely fits the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) by mACs within the temperature range of 298–323 K, where the adsorption capacity increases as temperature increases. This capacity increased from 55.0 mg g -1 to 220.2 mg g -1 with the presence of magnetic nanoparticles. In addition, the magnetite nanoparticles on the ACs surface significantly improve its recycling ability with the removal percentage above 95% after four cycles for 5:1 mAC.
The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Environmental Report 2019 are to record LLNL's compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore Site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.” The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL’s compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL’s compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL’s environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL’s environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2019: effluent and ambient air monitoring and dose assessment (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). The remaining two chapters discuss LLNL’s groundwater remediation program (Chapter 7), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 8). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A.
The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2021 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore Site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.” The report is distributed electronically and is available at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning with 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website. Sampling location maps throughout this report were created using ArcGIS® software by Esri. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL’s compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL’s compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL’s environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL’s environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2021: effluent and ambient air monitoring and dose assessment (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). The remaining two chapters discuss LLNL’s groundwater remediation program (Chapter 7), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 8). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The report uses Système International units, consistent with the federal Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and Executive Order 12770, “Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs” (1991). For ease of comparison to environmental reports issued prior to 1991, dose values and many radiological measurements are given in both metric and U.S. customary units. A conversion table is provided in the glossary. The report is the responsibility of LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Monitoring data were obtained through the combined efforts of the Environmental Functional Area; Environmental Restoration Department; Physical and Life Sciences Environmental Monitoring Radiological Laboratory; and the Radiation Protection Functional Area.
ABSTRACT Extremophilic microorganisms are promising candidates for industrial and analytical biocatalysis.Haloferax volcanii, a halophilic archaeon that prefers glycerol over glucose, channels this substrate into central metabolism through glycerol kinase (GK). Here, we report the biochemical properties ofH. volcaniiGK and its potential for biotechnological applications. An N-terminal His-tagged GK was functionalin vivoand yielded 3 mg/L culture—4.5 times more enzyme than a C-terminal StrepII-tagged version. Size exclusion chromatography revealed a glycerol-induced oligomeric shift from homodimer to a dimer-dominant state with detectable tetramer. The purified enzyme showed robust activity across broad pH and salinity ranges, with optimal activity at 100 mM NaCl and 50°C–60°C. It retained catalytic activity in 5%–10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and crude glycerol containing methanol. His-GK was freeze-thaw stable and thermotolerant in 2 M NaCl buffers. In the absence of ligands, the enzyme’s melting temperature (T m ) was 80°C. Glycerol increased the T m to 85°C, and combinations with MgCl₂ (84°C) or ATP (88°C) provided further stabilization. The highest T m (89°C) occurred with all three ligands, suggesting a cumulative stabilizing effect. Kinetic analyses revealed positive cooperativity for glycerol, ATP, and Mg² + ; Mn² + and Co² + also supported the activity.H. volcaniiGK is the first known GK to exhibit positive cooperativity with glycerol and ATP. Its high stability and substrate flexibility support its use in biodiesel waste valorization,in vitrobiocatalysis, and biosensor development—applications demanding robust, specific, and stable enzymes. IMPORTANCE This study reveals thatH. volcaniiGK exhibits positive cooperativity for glycerol, ATP, and Mg² + , a kinetic feature not previously reported for glycerol kinases. This behavior enables steep, switch-like responses to small substrate changes, offering unique advantages for biosensor design. Importantly,H. volcaniiGK also maintains high activity under extreme salinity, temperature, broad pH, and solvent conditions that typically limit enzyme use in industrial and environmental applications. These traits make this GK an ideal candidate for enzyme-based biosensors, which often suffer from poor tolerance to pH, solvent, and thermal stress. Its robustness supports its use in cross-linked enzyme crystals, an immobilization method that enhances enzyme stability and reusability under harsh conditions. Moreover, GKs are already employed in Mg² + detection kits; however,H. volcaniiGK’s ability to tolerate and respond to diverse divalent cations (e.g., Co² + , Mn² + ) broadens their potential for pollutant detection and environmental monitoring. These features collectively positionH. volcaniiGK as a valuable biocatalyst for biosensing,in vitrodiagnostics, and biotechnological applications requiring both precision and durability.
Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is a valuable model in evolutionary toxicology to study how the interactions between genetic and environmental factors serve the adaptive ability of organisms to resist chemical pollution. Killifish populations inhabiting environmental toxicant-contaminated New Bedford Harbor (NBH) show phenotypes tolerant to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and differences at the transcriptional and genomic levels. However, limited research has explored epigenetic alterations and metabolic effects in NBH killifish. To identify the involvement of epigenetic and metabolic regulation in the adaptive response of killifish, we investigated tissue- and sex-specific differences in global DNA methylation and metabolomic profiles of NBH killifish populations, compared to sensitive populations from a non-polluted site, Scorton Creek (SC). The results revealed that liver-specific global DNA hypomethylation and differential metabolites were evident in fish from NBH compared with those from SC. The sex-specific differences were not greater than the tissue-specific differences. We demonstrated liver-specific enriched metabolic pathways (e.g., amino acid metabolic pathways converged into the urea cycle and glutathione metabolism), suggesting possible crosstalk between differential metabolites and DNA hypomethylation in the livers of NBH killifish. Additional investigation of methylated gene regions is necessary to understand the functional role of DNA hypomethylation in the regulation of enzyme-encoding genes associated with metabolic processes and physiological changes in NBH populations.