scholarly journals Marine Litter in Transitional Water Ecosystems: State of The Art Review Based on a Bibliometric Analysis

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monia Renzi ◽  
Valentina H. Pauna ◽  
Francesca Provenza ◽  
Cristina Munari ◽  
Michele Mistri

Transitional water ecosystems (TWEs), despite their ecological and economic importance, are largely affected by human pressures that could be responsible for significant inputs of litter in the marine environment. Plastic input in coastal ponds, lagoons, river deltas and estuaries, could be driven by a wide range of human activities such as agriculture, waste disposal, municipal and industrial wastewater effluents, aquaculture, fishing and touristic activities and urban impacts. However, it remains unknown what the impact of plastic input in these TWEs could have on natural capital and, therefore, the ability for an ecosystem to provide goods and services to human beings. Given the large interest with regards to the conservation of transitional water ecosystems and the clear exposure risk to plastic and microplastic pollution, this study aims to perform: (i) a bibliometric analyses on existing literature regarding the levels of marine litter in such environments; (ii) a selection among the available literature of homogeneous data; and (iii) statistical analyses to explore data variability. Results suggest that: (i) research on microplastics in these ecosystems did not begin to be published until 2013 for lagoons, 2014 for river mouths and 2019 for coastal ponds. The majority of articles published on studies of microplastics in lagoons did not occur until 2019; (ii) sediments represent the matrix on which sampling and extraction variability allow the statistical analyses on data reported by the literature; (iii) the Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM) test two-way evidenced that the level of protection of marine and terrestrial areas produced similar values while the habitat type showed low significance in terms of its effect on microplastic levels, shape and size in sediments.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 987-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Agamuthu ◽  
SB Mehran ◽  
A Norkhairah ◽  
A Norkhairiyah

Marine debris, defined as any persistent manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment, has been highlighted as a contaminant of global environmental and economic concern. The five main categories of marine debris comprise of plastic, paper, metal, textile, glass and rubber. Plastics is recognised as the major constituent of marine debris, representing between 50% and 90% of the total marine debris found globally. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tonnes of consumer plastics end up in the world oceans annually, resulting in the presence of more than 100 million particles of macroplastics in only 12 regional seas worldwide, and with 51 trillion particles of microplastic floating on the ocean surface globally. The impacts of marine debris can be branched out into three categories; injury to or death of marine organisms, harm to marine environment and effects on human health and economy. Marine mammals often accidentally ingest marine debris because of its appearance that can easily be mistaken as food. Moreover, floating plastics may act as vehicles for chemicals and/or environmental contaminants, which may be absorbed on to their surface during their use and permanence into the environment. Additionally, floating plastics is a potential vector for the introduction of invasive species that get attached to it, into the marine environment. In addition, human beings are not excluded from the impact of marine debris as they become exposed to microplastics through seafood consumption. Moreover, landscape degradation owing to debris accumulation is an eyesore and aesthetically unpleasant, thus resulting in decreased tourism and subsequent income loss. There are a wide range of initiatives that have been taken to tackle the issue of marine debris. They may involve manual removal of marine debris from coastal and aquatic environment in form of programmes and projects organised, such as beach clean-ups by scientific communities, non-governmental organizations and the removal of marine litter from Europe’s four regional seas, respectively. Other initiatives focus on assessment, reduction, prevention and management of marine debris under the umbrella of international (the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan, the Oslo/Paris Convention) and regional organisations – that is, the Helsinki Commission. There are also a number of international conventions and national regulations that encourage mitigation and management of marine debris. However, it is argued that these initiatives are short-term unsustainable solutions and the long-term sustainable solution would be adoption of circular economy. Similarly, four of the sustainable developmental goals have targets that promote mitigation of marine debris by efficient waste management and practice of 3R. As evident by the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics meeting, tackling the marine debris crisis is not a straightforward, one-size-fits-all solution, but rather an integrated and continuous effort required at local, regional and global level.


Author(s):  
Chuan Du ◽  
Handong Liang ◽  
Zhanping Li ◽  
Jie Gong

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that exist in different environmental media. Because of their wide range and large potential environmental hazards, they have attracted widespread attention in recent years. At present, the research on MP is mostly concentrated on the water ecosystems, and the impact on soil ecosystems is less studied. In this study, 12 typical soil samples from southeastern suburbs of Baoding city were investigated and characterized by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) combined with mass high resolution mode and positive and negative ion imaging mode. Four types of MPs, poly (propylene) (PP), poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and poly (amide 6) (PA6), were quickly identified, of which PET and PA6 accounted for the largest proportion of both up to 30.2%; the particle size of the obtained MPs ranged from 0 to 35 μm, of which the proportion of <10 μm MPs was more than 26.3%, while that of 20–25 μm and 25–35 μm MPs was relatively small (17.83% and 9.3%, respectively). Risk assessment results of the MP in the soil showed that the risk level of MPs in the non-ferrous metal industrial parks and in concentrated with small workshops areas is relatively high, and attention should be paid to such areas. In addition, the study provides a reference method for the investigation and risk assessment of MPs in terrestrial soils, coastal beaches, and sediments.


Author(s):  
Maija Ušča ◽  
Ivo Vinogradovs ◽  
Agnese Reķe ◽  
Dāvis Valters Immurs ◽  
Anita Zariņa

Ecosystem services (ES) are defined as the benefits that human beings derive from ecosystem functions. Assessment and mapping of these benefits are crucial for sustainable environmental planning and future natural capital. Green infrastructure (GI) is natural or semi-natural territories that provide wide range of ES. Human affected ecosystems tend to fail to provide certain sets of ES due to the trade-offs among those services, which could be mitigated through implementation of GI. Mapping of ES, as well as assessing the interactions among various ES and analysing their supply potential’s cold/hot spots considerably enhances and substantiates the planning process of GI, particularly at the regional scale and for the territories with diverse landscape potential. The aim of this paper is to discuss the assessment of ES supply potential and analyse its spatial distribution to reveal cold/hot spots of ecosystem capacity to provide wide range services and functions for GI. The study presents GIS based assessment of ES in a case study of Zemgale Planning Region. ES supply potential was assessed for 27 Corine land use classes (CLC2018) together with 10 regulatory, 12 provisioning and 6 cultural ES. An expert-based ranking approach using a two-dimensional ES matrix and a geospatial analysis was applied to determine total ES supply potential, spatial patterns and relations among multiple ES. Additional statistical analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) was performed on spatial distribution of regulatory ES to disclose statistically significant capacity of ecosystems to function as GI in given surroundings. Preliminary results show uneven distribution of ES, trade-offs between regulatory and provisioning ES and landscape dependent spatial clustering of these trade-offs supported by result of Getis-Ord Gi* analysis, thus laying a foundation for further planning of GI at the regional scale.


Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Jannes Stolte ◽  
Gudrun Schwilch

As soil formation is an extremely slow process, soil can be considered a non-renewable resource. Soils should thus be adequately protected and conserved to ensure that soil functions are not lost or diminished. Soil functions are, however, threatened by a wide range of processes. Europe’s soil resources may continue to degrade due to changes in climate, land use and other human activities. The challenge is to prevent degradation and its adverse effects on soil functions and ecosystem services, and even improve the ability of soil to perform its functions. The soil degradation processes are complex and all parts of Europe are affected by one or more soil threats to some degree. There is a lack of knowledge on, a large uncertainty in, and lack of quantitative information on understanding the interrelationships between soil threats, soil threat and soil functions, and soil and ecosystem services. A major challenge in clarifying these relationships is how to integrate information and to analyse the key interactions. To bridge this gap, we have made an approach based on a review and expert knowledge to understand and describe those interrelations. This has been described in qualitative terms, and showed that the soil functions ‘biomass production’ is affected by almost all threats, whereas the threat ‘biodiversity decline’ has a major negative impact on all functions. It also showed that both soil biodiversity and soil erosion are more or less affected by almost all other soil threats. In the RECARE project, various prevention and remediation measures were trialed. Changes in manageable soil and other natural capital properties were measured and quantified, and a methodology to assess changes in ecosystem services was developed. Overall, the results showed positive on the impacts of the measures on ecosystem services. Although methodological challenges remain, the assessment served as an input to a stakeholder valuation of ecosystem services at local and sub-national levels. Although these activities are steps towards a soil remediation strategy, there is a need for further research on the mentioned issues in order to achieve an improved overview of existing information on soil degradation at the European scale, their interactions, and effects on ecosystem services. In addition, the lack of legally binding targets limits the impact that existing policies have on reducing soil threats and protecting soil function, although various EU policy instruments have shown positive impacts even in absence of binding targets for Member States.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Panida Navasumrit ◽  
Krittinee Chaisatra ◽  
Mathuros Ruchirawat

AbstractEarly life exposure to inorganic arsenic is associated with a wide range of malignant and chronic disease outcomes in humans. Prenatal arsenic exposure may give rise to adverse effects on child health and development as arsenic readily passes through the placenta in human beings. The impact of maternal arsenic exposure on fetal gene expression was conducted in pregnant women living in Southern Thailand. Arsenic exposed newborns had significantly higher levels of arsenic in cord blood, and a set of genes associated with numerous biological pathways, including cell signaling, apoptosis, inflammatory and stress response. A slight increase in promoter methylation of


Parasitology ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 106 (S1) ◽  
pp. S93-S107 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.R. Phillips

SUMMARYUrbanization involves a physical change in which increasing proportions of populations live in urban settings, however defined. It also implies considerable changes in the ways in which these people live, how they earn their livelihoods, the food which they eat, and the wide range of environmental factors to which they are exposed. There is another underlying assumption that, increasingly, urban populations will be more healthy than their rural counterparts and that higher levels of urbanization will equate with better health status. This paper discusses some of the assumptions underlying this contention. It takes issue with certain of them, particularly the assumption that urbanization affects the health of all residents equally. It is manifestly evident that in many cities, particularly in the developing world, the poor are exposed to greater risks and have much lower health status than their richer neighbours. In addition, whilst urban residents may theoretically have a better access to health care and services than do residents in many rural areas, and whilst many indicators of health do appear better in more highly urbanized societies than ones less so, there are caveats. The paper introduces the concept of epidemiological transition, which suggests that, whilst life expectancy might be higher in many urbanized countries and in certain cities, the inhabitants are often merely suffering from different forms of ill-health, often chronic or degenerative, rather than infective. In certain cities in middle-income countries, residents, particularly the poor, are exposed to a double risk of both infection and chronic degenerative ailments. The paper concludes with a consideration of more general recent statements from the World Health Organization among others, on the impact of urbanization on health. The ‘Healthy Cities’ project is also discussed. WHO identifies a range of general determinants of urban health: physical, social, cultural and environmental. Many represent the by-products of modernization and especially industrialization. It is emphasized that urbanization, and the concentration of human beings into new areas in particular, can bring exposure to new risk factors for large numbers of people. The growth of infectious and parasitic disease in some urban settings must therefore be recognized, as must the emergence of chronic diseases, with the concomitant need for investment in new types of health and social care. However, a number of constraints militate against the achievement of improved urban health, especially in developing countries. The paper concludes by considering some important constraints: the very scale of urban health problems; the impacts of structural adjustment programmes which cut public expenditure on environmental health, health services and nutrition, thereby increasing the vulnerability of the poor; urban management problems; lack of political will; and the difficulties of measuring change in health and effects of policies.


Author(s):  
Dale W Jorgenson ◽  
Richard Goettle ◽  
Mun S Ho ◽  
Daniel T Slesnick ◽  
Peter J Wilcoxen

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology for evaluating the distributional impacts of climate policy. This methodology builds directly on the framework introduced by Jorgenson, Slesnick, and Wilcoxen (1992), but generalizes it by including leisure time, as well as goods and services, in the measure of household welfare. We provide detailed results for 244 different types of households distinguished by demographic characteristics. In addition, we evaluate the overall impact of a cap-and-trade system, as represented in Energy Modeling Forum 22. While there is a wide range of outcomes for different demographic groups, the impact on economic welfare is regressive and generally negative but relatively small.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Apap Nazihah ◽  
Bambang Samsul Arifin

Islam is a religion that regulates all aspects of human beings. Muslims in Indonesia generally focus on the discussion about fiqh ibadah, but less concern on many aspects of fiqh muamalah. If it is not understood correctly, doubtful (syubhat) goods and services leading to haram might be consumed by the muslims and influenced their spiritual development. This study aims to explain the impact of food consumption on the spiritual development in Islam. The finding of this study indicates the influence of food consumed by humans might affect psychological aspects, such as emotion. The consuming habits without considering halal and haram, or anything materialistic will lead to temporary satisfaction. Whatever is developed by such people, whether science, technology, creativity, and any innovation, will bring damage or danger to the survival of humans, society, and the natural surroundings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 06046
Author(s):  
Tatiana Kharlamova ◽  
Andrey Kharlamov ◽  
Peter Lemeshchenko

The article examines the changes in the requirements for the development and implementation of innovations in the process of forming and improving supply chains in the face of increasing economic instability. Economic instability is presented as the most important trend in the modern economy and significant factor forming new requirements for supply chains. This, in turn, involves the improvement of applied technologies and development of new technologies, as well as the search for progressive technical and managerial solutions to meet the interests of a wide range of business entities and consumers of goods and services. A distinctive feature of this study is the fact that economic instability is viewed by the authors through the prism of both economic and non-economic processes having, inter alia, an impact on the economic system, including political, military, environmental, epidemiological and other processes. The article focuses on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as its impact on logistics solutions, and the specific demands on supply chains. It is substantiated that the introduction of technical and managerial innovations in this area will allow us to take into account the features and consequences of the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and to effectively influence the processes associated with improving supply chains. Thus, it will ensure compliance with the requirements and conditions determined by modern conditions associated with increased economic instability.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-85
Author(s):  
Irina V. Knyazeva ◽  
◽  
Nikolay N. Zaikin ◽  
Irina V. Bondarenko ◽  
◽  
...  

Antitrust law includes a number of evaluation norms in system of commodity market analysis and proofs of anti-competitive behavior, which provide for using wide range of economics and marketing methods. The widest field of discussing embedded in definition “price discrimination”. Specific research interest presents the making recommendations of regulation of shortage markets with unfounded differences in prices. This question we propose to consider in two articles: in first article we make theoretical analysis of price discrimination in situation of shortage markets, in second article (will be published in no. 4) we analyze marketing aspects and system of sales stimulation, which the seller accomplish on the shortage markets. In the focus of this research is price discrimination as a market mechanism and shortage markets as a market anomaly. The shortage markets in contrast of shortage on the market occurs not for reason that price is below the equilibrium level. The main reason of genesis of shortage markets is speculative demand on the markets and/or difficulties in producing goods and services. These difficulties often set by outside shocks. Price discrimination undergoing of effect of long-run shortage on markets transforming in phenomenon, which damages of consumer wealth and entrepreneurs benefits. In addition, this type of price discrimination decrease the social welfare too. The risks of price discrimination in the case of shortage markets needed new decisions and methods of regulation by state. However now we do not see some consensus in the issue of principles and instruments of state regulation of shortage markets. In the article we try to approbate some scientific results. These results are the hybrid definition of price discrimination; the legislative definitions of price discrimination as a acts which limiting competition; the criteria of functioning of shortage markets; proofs of transforming markets through the impact of long-run shortage; the difference between the case of shortage markets and the case of shortage on the markets in the classical demand-supply model; costs of price discrimination on the shortage markets; perspective antitrust regulation of price discrimination on the shortage markets.


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