Letteratura scientifica selezionata sul tema "Terrestrial ecotoxicity"

Industrial agriculture results in environmental burdens due to the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. Fungicides is a class of pesticides whose application contributes (among others) to human toxicity and ecotoxicity. The European Union aims to increase organic agriculture. For this reason, this work aims to analyze climate change, freshwater ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, human toxicity, (terrestrial) acidification, and freshwater eutrophication impacts of fungicides and calculate expected benefits to human health (per European citizen) and ecosystem quality (terrestrial) with life cycle assessment (LCA) during crop production. The Scopus database was searched for LCA studies that considered the application of fungicides to specific crops. The analysis shows how many systemic and contact fungicides were considered by LCA studies and what was the applied dosage. Furthermore, it shows that fungicides highly contribute to freshwater ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, human toxicity, and freshwater eutrophication for fruits and vegetables, but to a low extent compared to all considered environmental impacts in the case of cereals and rapeseed. Expected benefits to human health and ecosystem quality after fungicides elimination are greater for fruits and vegetables, ranging between 0 to 47 min per European citizen in a year and 0 to 90 species per year, respectively.

This research aims to analyze the environmental impact of six fibers in the textile industry: conventional and organic cotton, silk, jute, flax, and polyester. The study used a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology with a cradle-to-gate system boundary and analyzed the stages of agriculture, spinning, weaving, and dyeing. In agriculture production, five impact categories (i.e., fossil resource scarcity, global warming, land use, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and water consumption) have the most significant differences across these fibers. Polyester production significantly impacted the terrestrial ecotoxicity impact category, while stratospheric ozone depletion had a minor impact. In yarn preparation and spinning, silk has the most significant impact in most categories, followed by conventional cotton, while jute had the most minimal impact. In weaving, the most visible differences were in fossil resource scarcity, global warming, land use, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and water consumption. Conventional cotton dyeing showed significant impacts on global warming potential and terrestrial ecotoxicity. This study contributes to the limited literature on existing LCA research in the textile industry. Adding updated information will help increase the comprehension of LCA research and guide stakeholders in transitioning fashion supply chains more sustainably.

There was performed test of ecotoxicity with using earthworm Eisenia Fetida as chief representative of terrestrial organisms in the study. Soil matrix LUFA 2.3 was selected as a model of natural soil environment. Tested FEAs were follows: Sthamex F-15, Moussol-APS F-15 and Finiflam F-15. For experimental purposes, laboratory installation for infiltration was designed and compiled. Infiltration of three FEAs solutions was done before the ecotoxicity testing. Contaminated soil after infiltration was tested for semi-chronic ecotoxicity and reproduction ecotoxicity then. Introductory results indicates differences between each FEA, caused by various composition. Sthamex F-15 was determined as the most ecotoxic agent at all. Whilst Moussol-APS F-15 was evaluated as the agent with least ecotoxicity effect.

This study presents a life cycle impact assessment of OPC concrete, recycled aggregate concrete, geopolymer concrete, and recycled aggregate-based geopolymer concrete by using the mid-point approach of the CML 2001 impact-assessment method. The life cycle impact assessment was carried out using OpenLCA software with nine different impact categories, such as global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, ozone depletion potential, photochemical oxidant formation, human toxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, and freshwater and terrestrial aquatic ecotoxicity potential. Subsequently, a contribution analysis was conducted for all nine impact categories. The analysis showed that using geopolymer concrete in place of OPC concrete can reduce global warming potential by up to 53.7%. Further, the use of geopolymer concrete represents the reduction of acidification potential and photochemical oxidant formation in the impact categories, along with climate change. However, the potential impacts of marine aquatic ecotoxicity, freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity, human toxicity, eutrophication potential, ozone depletion potential, and terrestrial aquatic ecotoxicity potential were increased using geopolymer concrete. The increase in these impacts was due to the presence of alkaline activators such as sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. The use of recycled aggregates in both OPC concrete and geopolymer concrete reduces all the environmental impacts.

Thailand has a strategic national policy to increase organic rice farming. This study firstly applied Life Cycle Assessment for evaluating the quantitative environmental impacts at the regional and national levels to facilitate the national policy decision on the expansion of organic rice cultivation areas. The impact categories of interest included global warming, terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and freshwater ecotoxicity, and the life cycle impact assessment method applied was ReCiPe. The results showed that the life cycle environmental impacts from organic rice cultivation in the nine provinces in the North were lower than those from the 12 provinces in the Northeast, due mainly to the higher yields and lower use of fertilizers in the former. The methane emissions in the North (11,147 kg CO2e/ha) were similar to those in the Northeast (11,378 kg CO2e/ha). However, nitrous oxide emissions in the Northeast were higher than in the North due to the higher amounts of fertilizer used. If Thailand expands the rice farming by 50% in the North and by 50% in the Northeast, the greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced from 11,400 to 11,100 kg CO2e/ha, but the impacts of terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and freshwater ecotoxicity could be increased by 0.0257 kg PO4e (95%), 0.508 kg 1,4-DBe (53%), and 33.1 kg 1,4-DBe (17%), respectively. To reduce the global warming as well as other environmental impacts, Thailand should expand rice farming areas to the North. This information could be useful for supporting the policy decisions on which areas the organic rice farming should be expanded in to minimize the potential life cycle environmental impacts.

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sudden and abrupt change in global energy landscape. Traditional fossil fuels that serve as the linchpin of modern civilization have found their consumption has rapidly fallen across most categories due to strict lockdown and stringent measures that have been adopted to suppress the disease. These changes consequently steered various environmental benefits across the world in recent time. The present article is an attempt to investigate these environmental benefits and reversals that have been materialized in this unfolding situation due to reduced consumption of fossil fuels. The life cycle assessment tool was used hereby to evaluate nine environmental impacts and one energy based impact. These impacts include ozone formation (terrestrial ecosystems), terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, land use, mineral resources scarcity, and cumulative exergy demand. Outcomes from the study demonstrate that COVID-19 has delivered impressive changes in global environment and life cycle exergy demand, with about 11–25% curtailment in all the above-mentioned impacts in 2020 in comparison to their corresponding readings in 2019.

A cost combined life cycle environmental assessment was carried out to estimate the economic and environmental impact of wastewater treatment in the pulp production site of China. Results showed that the impact seen from abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, and marine aquatic ecotoxicity categories represented an important contribution to the overall environmental impact, while the impact seen from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and photochemical oxidation categories played relatively small role. Specifically, the machine, electricity, coagulant production processes had the highest contribution to the overall environmental and economic impact. Improving electricity and chemicals applications efficiency are the efficient way to minimize overall environmental and economic impacts.

The introduction of lux genes, able to express bioluminescence, into terrestrial bacteria enabled the optimisation of a bioluminescence-based bioassay that was environmentally relevant. Individual assay parameters such as growth phase, cell washing, lyophilisation, pH tolerance and temporal response to a range of metal and xenobiotic pollutants were evaluated. The effects of a range of pollutants upon the metabolic response of the lux-marked organisms were assessed using declines in bioluminescence. The lux -based bioassay proved more sensitive to the sub-lethal effects of metal pollutants than tests relying on culturability. Uncontaminated soils were spiked with metal and xenobiotic solutions both as single pollutants and in combination with other contaminants. Relative toxicity of metal and xenobiotic pollutants in soil systems were investigated using ecotoxicity assays based upon lux-marked constructs of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii (an important associative nitrogen fixer) and the respiration of the microbial community. The lux-marked bioassay proved to be more sensitive than the community microbial assay to the presence of multiple contaminants at sub-lethal concentrations. The relative toxicities of metal and organic xenobiotic compounds were shown to be time dependent and better represented using chronic assaying of lux-marked microorganisms. Following a field trial involving the application of paper mill sludge to land and subsequent crop failure a rapid diagnosis of soil pollutants was required. A suite of ecotoxicity assays including lux-based bioassays, respirometry and enzyme activity were used to assess the toxicity of paper mill sludge to the soil microbial biomass. The selected lux-marked soil bacteria showed potential for use as rapid, field-based screening techniques to provide early warning of the potential hazards of waste application.

Bioluminescent bacteria have been shown to offer a rapid, reproducible and inexpensive basis for ecotoxicity assessment. The ability to insert lux genes, responsible for bioluminescence, into terrestrial bacteria enabled the development for a bioluminescence-based bioassay that used environmentally relevant microgranisms. The metabolic response induced by the pollutant on the organisms was measured in terms of bioluminescence change. The ecotoxicity test was optimised and made highly reproducible. An ecotoxicity assay using lux-marked constructs of Pseudomonas fluroescens (a ubiquitious rhizosphere bacterium) and Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii (an important associative nitrogen fixer) was found to be more sensitive to a range of metals in aqueous solution than conventional microbial assays. The lux-based bioassay was also found to be valid over a wide pH range and in buffered and non-buffered samples. Soil water was extracted from a range of soils and spiked with metals. The results that extracts from a range of soils differed in their capacity to change the bioavailability of metals. The lux-based bioassay was found to be very sensitive to metal pollutants in soil water. The lux-based bioassay was used to study the effect of pollutants in three contrasting environments. The first study was the examination of Cu toxicity from a whisky distillery. There was a strong correlation between the bioluminescence response of lux-marked Ps. fluorescens and Cu concentration. The second study involved an assessment of soil extracts from the Lee Valley sewage sludge experiments. The third study was carried out in the USA, testing sediment samples from the Grand Calumet and Detroit Rivers.

Intrinsic to the many nano-enabled products are atomic-size multifunctional engineered nanomaterials, which upon release contaminate the environments, raising considerable health and safety concerns. This Ph.D. dissertation is designed to investigate (i) whether metals or oxide nanoparticles are more toxic than ions, and if MetPLATETM bioassay is applicable as a rapid nanotoxicity screening tool; (ii) how variable water chemistry (dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH, and hardness) and organic compounds (cysteine, humic acid, and trolox) modulate colloidal stability, ion release, and aquatic toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNP); and (iii) the developmental responses of crop plants exposed to Ag- or ZnO- (zinc oxide) nanoparticles. Results suggest that the MetPLATEcan be considered a high-throughput screening tool for rapid nanotoxicity evaluation. Detectable changes in the colloidal diameter, surface charge, and plasmonic resonance revealed modulating effects of variable water chemistry and organic ligands on the particle stability, dissolution, and toxicity of AgNPs against Escherichia coli or Daphnia magna. Silver dissolution increased as a function of DOC concentrations but decreased with increasing hardness, pH, cysteine, or trolox levels. Notably, the dissociated Ag+ was inadequate to explain AgNP toxicity, and that the combined effect of AgNPs and dissolved Ag+ under each ligand treatment was lower than of AgNO3. Significant attenuation by trolox signifies an oxidative stress-mediated AgNP toxicity; its inability to attenuate AgNO3 toxicity, however, negates oxidative stress as Ag+ toxicity mechanism, and that cysteine could effectively quench free Ag+ to alleviate AgNO3 toxicity in D. magna. Surprisingly, DOC-AgNPs complex that apparently formed at higher DOC levels might have led daphnids filter-feed on aggregates, potentially elevating internal dose, and thus higher mortality. Maize root anatomy showed differential alterations upon exposure to AgNPs, ZnONPs, or their ions. Overall, various metal-based nanoparticles revealed lower toxicity than their ions against multiple organisms. This study showed that particle size, surface properties, and ion release kinetics of AgNPs modify following release into aquatic environment, suggesting potential implications to ecosystem health and functions, and that caution be applied when extending one species toxicity results to another because obvious differences in organism biology—supporting species sensitivity paradigm—can significantly alter nanoparticle or ionic toxicity.

L’impact des NPs TiO2 manufacturées a été évalué par la méthodologie de l’analyse du cycle de vie à une échelle de site spécifique. Une première approche a été menée dans le but de les détecter dans l’environnement. Les données expérimentales collectées sur le terrain ont permis de caractériser ces nanoparticules pour l’écotoxicité terrestre à une échelle locale. Les NPs TiO2 ont été détectées dans l’eau et les sédiments de la rivière de la Thur ainsi que dans les sols de la zone d’étude jusqu’à 2,5 km d’un site de production. Le temps de résidence (facteur de devenir) des NPs TiO2 dans les sols de la région de Thann est d’environ 8500 ans. Un facteur d’effet spécifique (12,46 PAF.m3.kg-1) a également été élaboré à l’aide de données provenant d’une synthèse bibliographique sur la toxicité des NPs TiO2 pour les organismes de l’écosystème terrestre. La détermination de ces deux paramètres a permis de calculer le premier facteur de caractérisation des NPs TiO2 pour l’écotoxicité terrestre de la région de Thann (1,06.105 PAF.m3.an.kg-1)
The impact of engineered TiO2 NPs was assessed using the Life cycle assessment methodology at a site-specific scale. A first approach was carried out to detect them in the environment. Experimental data collected in the field were used to characterize these nanoparticles for terrestrial ecotoxicity at a local scale. TiO2 NPs were detected in the water and sediments of the Thur river and in soils of the study area up to 2,5 km from a production site. The residence time (fate factor) of TiO2 NPs in area soils of Thann is approximately 8500 years. A specific effect factor (12,46 PAF.m3.kg-1) was also developed using date from a bibliographic synthesis on the toxicity of TiO2 NPs for organisms in terrestrial ecosystem. The determination of these two parameters allows us to calculate the first characterization factor for TiO2 NPs for terrestrial ecotoxicity in the Thann region (1,06.105 PAF.m3.an.kg-1)

Biochar application to soil as an agricultural amendment, as well as a carbon sink, is a focus of increasing interest, despite the underlying factors determining its behaviour, toxicity and fate in soil remaining poorly understood. The main aim of this study was to integratively evaluate the ecotoxicological potential of a wood chip biochar in soil at representative application rates, through combining the responses of multiple soil organisms, and structural and functional parameters, at relevant spatial and temporal scales. To achieve this, the specific objectives were defined and addressed within four experimental chapters. The effects on soil biota of biochar alone and a biochar-compost mixture from a commercial vineyard in Central Portugal, were monitored with laboratory bioassays. Both fresh and field-aged biochar and biochar-compost were tested by evaluating the endpoints survival and reproduction of the collembolan Folsomia candida and food consumption and biomass change of terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus. Freshly-amended soil did not induce significant changes on organisms’ performance, while the organisms’ fitness was reduced when exposed to the field-aged soil and amended-soil, which was subjected to various climatic factors and conventional pesticides. The results suggested that bioavailability of potentially toxic compounds, like pesticides, might not decrease over time by the presence of biochar and biochar-compost in vineyards that receive conventional plant protection products. Subsequently, research was conducted on the potential inherent toxicity of biochar on biota, as influenced by particle size and application rates, where the experimental design was based on a preliminary earthworm (Eisenia andrei) avoidance behaviour assay. The main experiment was conducted over 28 days in greenhouse microcosms in which survival, weight losses and vertical distribution of E. andrei and bait-lamina consumption were assessed, and combined the evaluation of leachates toxicity looking into endpoints luminescence inhibition of bacterium Vibrio fischeri and immobilisation of the cladoceran Daphnia magna. In addition, a laboratory feeding experiment was performed to address the weight change and the possible link with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)-type metabolites in the earthworms’ tissues. The results showed that smaller particles (<0.5 mm) of woodchip biochar might pose sub-lethal toxicity to soil biota, suggesting that there is a connection in behavioural (avoidance), individual (weight changes, naphthalene-type metabolites in earthworms’ tissue) and functional (bait-lamina consumption) endpoints. Next, the link was explored between the interaction of soil invertebrates from different functional groups, such as earthworms (E. andrei) and isopods (P. pruinosus), and activity of soil microbial enzymes in biochar-amended soil, alongside the main mechanisms of earthworm’ responses. The latter was investigated with biomarkers of effect. Microbial response was sampling time-, invertebrate presence-, and enzyme-dependent. Reproduction of E. andrei was not affected by the exposure to the woodchip biochar. Biomarkers responded as early warning tools, by showing an increase in lipid peroxidation and cellular energy allocation decrease in exposed earthworms. At last, higher tier testing was conducted in indoor small-scale terrestrial ecosystem models over 42 days, by assessing the effects of biochar, biochar-compost and inorganic fertilizer (NPK) and their combinations, on the earthworm E. andrei survival and weight loss, bait-lamina consumption and a morphological and production traits of rapid cycling plant Brassica rapa, as well as of their leachates on growth inhibition of aquatic macrophyte Lemna minor. The results revealed low-to-no effect on earthworms, and slight stimulations in production parameters in plants, namely in the treatment of combined biochar-compost with mineral fertilizer. L. minor growth was a sensitive endpoint. The study indicated that possibility of nutrients leaching stimulation might not be excluded, which could pose a hazard to aquatic systems. Together, the results demonstrate that biological responses to woodchip biochar varied from sub-lethal to neutral and/or stimulatory, depending on the test organism and endpoint, biochar treatment and application rate. Further, they highlight that for a comprehensive understanding of biochar effects on biota and associated mechanisms, it is paramount to evaluate various indicator species and endpoints, that include different exposure routes and levels of biological organisation and interactions, under representative exposure scenarios
A aplicação de biochar no solo como aditivo agrícola, bem como fonte de carbono, é um foco de crescente interesse, apesar de vários fatores subjacentes determinarem o seu comportamento, toxicidade e destino no solo, apesar de pouco compreendidos. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar de forma integrada o potencial ecotoxicológico de aplicações representativas de um biochar produzido de raspas e resíduos de madeira no solo, combinando respostas de vários organismos edáficos e parâmetros estruturais e funcionais, em escalas espaciais e temporais relevantes. Para isso, os objetivos específicos foram definidos e abordados em quatro capítulos experimentais. Os efeitos sobre a biota do solo deste biochar e de uma mistura de biochar com compostagem (biochar-composto) em vinhas com fins comerciais no centro de Portugal foram monitorizados em bioensaios de laboratório. O biochar e o biochar-composto foram testados através da avaliação da sobrevivência e reprodução do colêmbolo Folsomia candida e do consumo de alimento e biomassa do isópode terrestre Porcellionides pruinosus. O solo imediatamente modificado com a adição do biochar e biochar-composto não induziu mudanças significativas no desempenho dos organismos, enquanto a aptidão dos organismos foi reduzida quando expostos ao esse solo envelhecido em campo e ao solo retificado, que foi submetido a vários fatores climáticos e pesticidas convencionais. Os resultados sugerem que a biodisponibilidade de compostos potencialmente tóxicos, como pesticidas, pode não diminuir em termos temporais pela presença de biochar e biochar-composto em vinhas que recebem este tipo de produtos fitofarmacêuticos convencionais. Posteriormente, a toxicidade inerente do biochar foi avaliada na biota, tendo em conta a influência do tamanho das partículas e taxas de aplicação, onde o delineamento experimental foi baseado num ensaio preliminar de comportamento (evitamento) no lumbricídeo Eisenia andrei. A experiência principal foi conduzida durante 28 dias em microcosmos de estufas onde foram avaliadas a sobrevivência, perda de peso e distribuição vertical de E. andrei e o consumo de "bait-lamina", combinando a avaliação datoxicidade dos lixiviados com o objetivo de determinar a inibição de luminescência da bactéria Vibrio fischeri e a imobilização do cladócero Daphnia magna. Além disso, foi realizada uma experiência de alimentação em laboratório para abordar a alteração de peso e a possível ligação com m etabólitos de hidrocarbonetos poliaromáticos (HPAs) nos tecidos do s lumbricídeos. Os resultados mostraram que partículas pequenas (< 0.5 mm) de biochar de madeira podem causar toxicidade sub-letal no biota do solo, sugerindo que há uma relação com o comportamento (evitamento), ao nível individual (alterações de peso, metabólitos tipo naftaleno em tecido de lumbricídeos) e parâmetros funcionais (consumo de "bait-lamina"). Em seguida, explorou-se a interação entre invertebrados de solo de diferentes grupos funcionais, os lumbricídeos (E. andrei) e os isópodes (P pruinosus), e a sua relação com a atividade enzimática do solo, em solo biologicamente alterado, juntamente com os principais mecanismos de respostas dos lumbricídeos. Este último foi avaliado com biomarcadores de efeito. A resposta microbiana mostrou ser dependente do tempo de amostragem, da presença de invertebrados e da enzima em causa. A reprodução de E. andrei não foi afetada pela exposição ao biochar de madeira. Os biomarcadores responderam como ferramentas de alerta precoce, mostrando um aumento na peroxidação lipídica e diminuição da alocação de energia celular em lumbricídeos expostas. Finalmente, testes de complexidade mais elevada foram conduzidos em modelos de ecossistemas terrestres de pequena escala em 42 dias, avaliando os efeitos de biochar, biochar-composto e fertilizante inorgânico (NPK) e as suas combinações, na sobrevivência e perda de peso de E. andrei, consumo de "bait-lamina", assim como a componente morfológica e de produção da planta Brassica rapa (de ciclo de vida rápido), bem como a inibição do crescimento da macrófita aquática Lemna minor exposta aos respetivos lixiviados. Os resultados revelaram poucos ou nenhuns efeitos nos lumbricídeos e pequenas estimulações nos parâmetros de produção nas plantas, nomeadamente no tratamento de biochar-composto combinado com fertilizante mineral. O crescimento de L. minor foi um dos parâmetros sensível. O estudo indicou que a possibilidade de estímulo de lixiviação de nutrientes pode não ser excluída, o que pode representar um risco para os sistemas aquáticos. Assim sendo, os resultados demonstram que as respostas biológicas ao biochar de resíduos de madeira variaram de efeitos subletais a neutros e / ou de estímulo, dependendo do organismo e parâmetro do teste, do tratamento com biochar e da taxa de aplicação. Além disso, é de destacar que, para uma compreensão abrangente dos efeitos de biochar na biota e nos mecanismos associados, é fundamental avaliar várias espécies e parâmetros indicadores, que incluam diferentes vias de exposição e níveis de organização biológica e interações, sob cenários de exposição representativos
Programa Doutoral em Biologia

Nanotechnology holds the promise of develop new processes for wastewater treatment. However, it is important to understand what the possible impacts on the environment of NMs. This study joins all the information available about the toxicity and ecotoxicity of NMs to human cell lines and to terrestrial and aquatic biota. Terrestrial species seems more protected, since effects are being recorded for concentrations higher than those that could be expected in the environment. The soil matrix is apparently trapping and filtering NMs. Further studies should focus more on indirect effects in biological communities rather than only on effects at the individual level. Aquatic biota, mainly from freshwater ecosystems, seemed to be at higher risk, since dose effect concentrations recorded were remarkable lower, at least for some NMs. The toxic effects recorded on different culture lines, also give rise to serious concerns regarding the potential effects on human health. However, few data exists about environmental concentrations to support the calculation of risks to ecosystems and humans.

The objective of this work was to assess the environmental impacts of producing biodiesel by heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. The raw material for the process was the waste cooking oil (WCO) generated at 27 food courts of Autonomous University of the State of Mexico. The study was conducted by applying Life Cycle Assessment methodology and the environmental impacts were calculated with the SimaPro 9.1.0.11 PhD software with the Ecoinvent database. The method was CML-IA base line C3.06/EU25. The assessed impact categories were: Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP, elements), Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP, fossil fuels), Global Warming Potential (100 years) (GWP), Ozone Layer Depletion (ODP), Human Toxicity (HT), Freshwater Aquatic Ecotoxicity (FWAE), Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity (MAE), Terrestrial Ecotoxicity (TE), Photochemical Oxidation (PO), Acidification (A) and Eutrophication (E). In addition, end point environmental indicators were also calculated (Ecosystems Quality, Human Health Damage and Resources Availability) by the method ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) V1.04 / World (2010) H/A. The system boundary enclosed three main stages, WCO collection, pre-treatment and reaction (to produce biodiesel). It was concluded that the reaction stage is the one with the highest environmental impact. In this sense, the highest impact categories were ADP (fossil fuels) (105.56 MJ), GWP (8.91 kg CO2 eq) and MAE (2387.89 kg 1, 4-DB eq). Nevertheless, it was also found that the GWP for the heterogeneous process is 82.52 % lower than that calculated for the homogeneous process. In addition, the human health damage of the homogeneous process is 1.77 points and is higher than the observed with the heterogeneous process.

The presence of former brominated flame retardants and “emerging” brominated flame retardants (BFRs and e-BFRs) in soils is well documented, but the presence, metabolism and uptake of them in earthworm species are much less. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) are the most abundant “legacy” BFRs in soils. Earthworms are a good bioindicator, presenting an integrated view of soil chemical pollution. They bioaccumulate BFRs passively by dermal absorption, and actively through soil ingestion. However, such information is only available for a limited number of species, mostly for Eisenia fetida, which shows high bioaccumulation factors (>2). Most of the ecotoxicity studies on earthworms have been done using PBDEs or HBCDDs. PBDEs were reported to effect changes in enzyme activities, which induced oxidative stress and caused metabolic perturbations in some earthworm species. In E. fetida, contaminant bioaccumulation is influenced by the lipid and protein contents of tissues, but several different processes (uptake, depuration, metabolism and isomerization) also contribute to the observed tissue levels. To evaluate and manage the risks posed by these chemicals to terrestrial ecosystems, it is important to better understand the transfer processes of emerging brominated flame retardants in earthworms, as well as the potential trophic biomagnification.

Abstract A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study is presented for the comparative evaluation of environmental performance across different drilling scenarios, in the context of offshore oil and gas well operations. Particular emphasis is placed on offshore and land pathways for treatment and final disposal of drilling fluids and cuttings. The LCA model was developed in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044 standards, encompassing distinct life cycle stages: fluids manufacturing, inbound logistics, drilling operations, outbound logistics, and end-of-life treatment and disposal. Six scenarios, involving diverse combinations of water-based (WBDF) and non-aqueous (NADF) drilling fluids, and three end-of-life alternatives—offshore disposal, industrial landfill, and incineration—were systematically assessed and compared. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method employed was ReCiPe (H) Midpoint 2016, and the considered impact categories were climate change, particulate matter formation, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity. Among the lifecycle processes, logistic operations were found to have the lowest environmental impacts across all categories. The drilling phase exhibited significant influence, particularly in climate change and particulate matter formation. The fluid formulation phase, specifically in scenarios involving WBDF, prominently affected both freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, and freshwater ecotoxicity. Marine ecotoxicity was mostly influenced by the end-of-life stage in scenarios involving offshore disposal. For five of the six impact categories, the scenario with the best overall environmental performance was drilling with NADF and offshore cuttings disposal, due to the greater performance of this type of fluid in drilling processes and the reduction in environmental impacts associated with avoiding onshore treatment and final disposal. Conversely, the discharge of cuttings into the sea had a pronounced impact on the marine ecotoxicity category due to the potential toxicity of substances such as copper, barium, and zinc. Among terrestrial treatment options, scenarios involving incineration were consistently more environmentally impactful across all impact categories. The findings of this LCA study offer a robust technical-scientific foundation, facilitating informed discussions and aiding decision-making processes regarding the environmental impacts of oil well drilling operations. This pertains particularly to the choice of drilling fluids and the management of drilling waste within this industry sector.

Although engineered nanomaterials are active components in a wide variety of commercial products, there is still limited information related to the effects of these nanomaterials once released into the terrestrial environment. A high number of commercial applications use silver nanoparticles (nAg) due to its anti-microbial activity. This may be of concern for waste management since nAg could be applied to soil (e.g., biosolids) or disposed of in traditional landfills, which could lead to possible leaching into surrounding soil. This report aims to provide additional insight into the fate and effects of nAg in terrestrial systems. The studies in this report examine the leachability of nAg in field soil and compares the soil migration to bulk (i.e., micron-sized) silver; examine the ecotoxicity of nAg to earthworms in four field soils spanning several different soil orders; and examine the behavioral effects of earthworms when exposed to engineered nanoparticles in field soil. These data provide additional insight into engineered nanoparticle fate and effects to terrestrial receptors in field soils, an important distinction from laboratory-generated soils. These data will also assist ecological risk assessors to better determine the acute environmental risks of nAg in terrestrial ecosystems with different soil compositions.