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    Mekong dolphins 'almost extinct' + Pollution in the Mekong riverhas pushed freshwater dolphins in Cambodia and Laos to thebrink of extinction, the conservation group WWF has said.

    Pollution in the Mekong river has pushed freshwater dolphins in Cambodia and Laos to the brink of extinction,

    the conservation group WWF has said.

    news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8106323.stm

    Mekong dolphins 'almost extinct'Cambodian Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin ; pic courtesy WWF

    The WWF says fewer than 80 dolphins are left ( Image courtesy WWF)

    Pollution in the Mekong river has pushed freshwater dolphins in Cambodia and Laos to the brink of extinction,

    the conservation group WWF has said.

    Continua...www.flickr.com/photos/9183672/

    Only 64 to 76 Irrawaddy dolphins remain in the Mekong, it says, and calls for a cross-border plan to help the

    dolphins.

    Toxic levels of pesticides, mercury and other pollutants have been found in more than 50 calves that have died

    since 2003.

    The Mekong flows from China through Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.

    "These pollutants are widely distributed in the environment and so the source of this pollution may involve

    several countries through which the Mekong river flows," said WWF veterinary surgeon Verne Dove in a press

    statement.

    Critically endangered

    The group said it was investigating how contamination had entered the Mekong river.

    Since 2003, the dolphin population has suffered 88 deaths, of which more than 60% were calves under two

    weeks old, it said.

    "Necropsy analysis identified a bacterial disease as the cause of the calf deaths," Dr Dove said in the WWF

    report.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8106323.stmhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/9183672/http://www.flickr.com/photos/9183672/http://www.flickr.com/photos/9183672/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8106323.stm
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    "This disease would not be fatal unless the dolphin's immune systems were suppressed, as they were in these

    cases, by environmental contaminants," he said.

    Researchers found toxic levels of pesticides such as DDT and environmental contaminants such as PCBs

    during analysis of the dead dolphin calves.

    These pollutants may also pose a health risk to human populations living along the Mekong - who consume the

    same fish and water as the dolphins - the group suggested.

    High levels of mercury were also found in some of the dead dolphins, which directly affects the immune system

    making the animals more susceptible to infectious disease.

    "A trans-boundary preventative health programme is urgently needed to manage the disease affected animals

    in order to reduce the number of deaths each year," said Seng Teak, Country Director of WWF Cambodia.

    The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin, which inhabits a 190 km (118 mile) stretch in Cambodia and Laos, has

    been listed as critically endangered since 2004, the WWF said.

    The Irrawaddy dolphin is also seen in parts of South Asia.

    There too it has dwindled in numbers, although last year thousands of Irrawaddy dolphins were found in

    Bangladeshi waters when they were previously thought to be extinct in the area.

    Water pollution; textile industry (% of total BOD emissions) in Cambodia

    Industry shares of emissions of organic water pollutants refer to emissions from manufacturing

    activities as defined by two-digit divisions of the International Standard Industrial Classification

    (ISIC), revision 2: textiles (32). Emissions of organic water pollutants are measured by

    biochemical oxygen demand, which refers to the amount of oxygen that bacteria in water will

    consume in breaking down waste. This is a standard water-treatment test for the presence of

    organic pollutants.This page includes a historical data chart, news and forecats for Water

    pollution; textile industry (% of total BOD emissions) in Cambodia. Cambodia's GDP per capita

    has improved during the last few years. However, it is still relatively low when compared with

    other countries in the region. The main sectors of the economy are garment, construction,

    agriculture, and tourism. The garment industry contributes more than 70% of Cambodia's

    exports. Recently, oil deposits were discovered in territorial waters, which along with bauxite,

    gold, iron and gems mining may provide resources for future development.

    The problem

    Cambodia is undergoing rapid development and subsequent population and industrial growth. Air

    quality is deteriorating as a result of industrial and handicraft processes as well as fossil fuel

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    combustion. As of 2004, air quality monitoring activities were inadequate as there was no

    established technical guideline. While environmental conditions and human health are being

    threatened by poor air quality, setting technical monitoring guidelines was of utmost importance.

    Blacksmith Institute worked with the Cambodia Ministry of Environment's Department of Pollution

    Control on setting guidelines to help governments derive legally enforceable air quality standards.

    Moreover, the organizations devised action plans to carry out local control measures and to adviseenvironmental health authorities and professionals.

    Many scientific studies have linked breathing polluted air full of particulate matter to a series of

    significant health problems, including: aggravated asthma, coughing, painful breathing, chronic

    bronchitis, decreased lung function, and premature death. Acceptance and promotion of these

    guidelines was thus an extremely important step in developing a full air quality monitoring and

    enforcement system in Cambodia.

    Health Impact

    Many scientific studies have linked breathing polluted air full of particulate matter to a series of

    significant health problems, including: aggravated asthma, coughing, painful breathing, chronicbronchitis, decreased lung function, and premature death. Acceptance and promotion of these

    guidelines was thus an extremely important step in developing a full air quality monitoring and

    enforcement system in Cambodia.

    Current Activity

    The Cambodian Ministry of Environment's Department of Pollution Control started the process by

    monitoring and identifying the sources of air pollution, then followed by creating guidelines and

    regulations relevant to the problem. Lastly, they reviewed and updated the draft guidelines.

    Blacksmith Institute funded the process of setting these guidelines while the Department of

    Pollution Control was responsible for creating an inventory of air pollutants, drafting and

    implementing policies, enforcing the standards, and evaluating progress by way of publishingregular reports. To ensure the quality of the set guidelines, Blacksmith referenced similar

    standards from various other Asian countries such as Japan and Thailand, where such an approach

    had already proven effective. Blacksmith's technical experts assessed each individual industry's

    manufacturing practices, waste characteristics, and air pollution load. The important local

    industries include pulp and paper mills, glass manufacturing, oil and gas development, printing,

    sugar manufacturing, tanning and leather finishing. Other pollution sources include vehicle

    exhaust, and the open fires associated with logging and farming practices. In all cases, Blacksmith

    recommended appropriate methods for pollution prevention, control, and reporting.

    Outcome

    The creation and institutionalization of technical air quality standards have now made possible a

    precise and quantifiable monitoring of the human health impact of air pollution in Cambodia. This

    means that it will now also be possible to improve air pollution conditions based on sound science.

    From this point on, local regulatory agencies, government, and industries must work together to

    perform the necessary reporting and inventory measures. With appropriately trained experts

    enforcing Cambodia's new air pollution standards, public health conditions in that nation should

    improve significantly.

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    Success StoriesContamination of drinking waterPROBLEM: Heavy metals contaminated the groundwater and soil in East RussiaSOLUTION: Water filtration system

    READ MORE

    Blacksmith NewsChina's 2015 Plan

    China: New Focus on Heavy Metals Pollution

    Tackling India's 8 Million Ton Problem

    Filipino Reporter Looks at Efforts to Clean One of World's Most Polluted Rivers

    Q&A with Blacksmith President/UNEP Expert on Pollution

    Russian President meets with Blacksmith/NGOs about 'dangerous' waste in Russia

    Blacksmith Receives Award for Work in Environmental Emergencies

    Reclaiming Paradise - Miami Herald features Blacksmith cleanup project

    Blacksmith Golf Benefit - Tee off for a good cause on Oct. 3

    Cambodia: Details are SketchyA blog about all things Cambodia

    Air pollutionApril 3, 2009

    Page One of The Cambodia Daily (no web site) today carries an unsettling report about Phnom Penh air quality.

    The story is based on a 2006 study by Kanazawa University of Japan. Researchers found that in Phnom Penh

    the airborne concentration of PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was six times higher than that of

    Bangkok, a city once notorious for its smog.

    The story goes on to detail measures taken by Bangkok authorities compared to those of PhnomPenh.

    Authorities in Bangkok cited human health as the driving force behind the push to improve their citys air

    quality, but its difficult to discern what Cambodias government is doing to improve the quality of the air in

    Phnom Penh.

    No, its not. The Cambodian government is doing nothing. Thats not hard to discern at all.

    http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/success-stories.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/success_stories/display/41http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/newsletter/september-newsletter.html#lookinghttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/newsletter/august-2011-indonesia-miracle-mercury-machine.html#chinahttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8244027/tackling_indias_growing_toxic_waste.html?cat=48http://www.philstar.com/ArticlePrinterFriendly.aspx?articleId=720304&publicationSubCategoryId=64http://www.unep.org/experts/Default.asp?Page=home&ExpertID=2601&SessionID=3039http://www.france24.com/en/20110609-medvedev-alarmed-over-tonnes-dangerous-waste-russiahttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/green-star-award.htmlhttp://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/17/2221443_p2/dominican-republic-lead-polluter.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithgolf.org/view_journal.php?journal_id=300http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/air-pollution/http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/charity-navigator-awards-blacksmith-its-highest-rating.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/richard-fuller-profiled-in-time-magazine.htmlhttp://www.worstpolluted.org/http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/nominate.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/success-stories.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/success_stories/display/41http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/newsletter/september-newsletter.html#lookinghttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/newsletter/august-2011-indonesia-miracle-mercury-machine.html#chinahttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8244027/tackling_indias_growing_toxic_waste.html?cat=48http://www.philstar.com/ArticlePrinterFriendly.aspx?articleId=720304&publicationSubCategoryId=64http://www.unep.org/experts/Default.asp?Page=home&ExpertID=2601&SessionID=3039http://www.france24.com/en/20110609-medvedev-alarmed-over-tonnes-dangerous-waste-russiahttp://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/green-star-award.htmlhttp://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/17/2221443_p2/dominican-republic-lead-polluter.htmlhttp://www.blacksmithgolf.org/view_journal.php?journal_id=300http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/air-pollution/
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    In related news,a recent letter to the editor in the Bangkok Posthints at what the future holds for cities that

    mismanage their air quality.

    Chiang Mai has no organised mass transit bus system. No government has ever tried to set up an alternative to

    the use of private cars by massively funding a transportation agency and ensuring it has the powers to cut

    through the morass of different agencies and areas of administration within the city and the surrounding

    districts. Thus, attempts to reduce traffic flow into the city and consequentially toxic emissions, have beenalmost non-existent, and the City Planning Department officials can only propose more road widening.

    Micro-particles (particles of less than 10 microns) thought to seriously affect respiratory health, are

    increasingly reaching levels over 4 times the European safety standard of 50 microgrammes (per cubic

    metre/24 hours; the Thai standard is 120mg) during the dry and hot seasons.

    With tens of thousands confirmed sick with respiratory problems and the numbers thought to be suffering from

    breathing ailments in excess of 100,000 people, and with lung cancer running at rates more than twice that of

    Bangkok and increasing, the medical facts speak for themselves.

    In the future, maybe the CPP will start building cancer wards like it builds primary schools. Samdech Akka

    Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Lung Cancer Center does have a nice ring to it, doesnt it?

    Tuesday, 2 November 2010

    Environment In Cambodia ( In Phnom Penh )

    What is environment ? Environment is everything around us . It is where we live eat sleep and work .

    Here in Cambodia , have a lot of pollution like air pollution soil pollution and water pollution .

    In Phnom Penh have a lot of road but have a lot of traffic jam too . A lot of traffic jam can make an air

    pollution and the problem with our health when we breath in to our body .

    In Phnom Penh have a lot of water pollution too because some poor people build and live on the

    river they sleep eat work have a bath and toilet there .

    Soil pollution have to many too some people unknown the rule throw the rubbish to the road

    everyday when have a lot of rubbish the city not beautiful and when the rain coming the rubbish will

    give in to pipe and this problem can make a lot of flood in the city .

    All pollution in Phnom Penh is not good for health .

    Now in Phnom Penh is better because of prime minster of Cambodia said have to repair those

    problem . Now Cambodia is better than before a lot

    http://friskodude.blogspot.com/2009/03/air-pollution-in-chiang-mai.htmlhttp://friskodude.blogspot.com/2009/03/air-pollution-in-chiang-mai.htmlhttp://friskodude.blogspot.com/2009/03/air-pollution-in-chiang-mai.htmlhttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJE4QgpBOzlRiBd8UfxnTOUouqXPA6pQTlIv9XxFB2gUopX_E&t=1&usg=__Hiao5R_oY0I1MgSDnoAHh7Wlcjg=http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000TCqK1q7Wp54/shttp://friskodude.blogspot.com/2009/03/air-pollution-in-chiang-mai.html
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    3.9. Threats to marine environment

    3.9.1. Waste from Residential Areas

    The government was concerned with rebuilding the economy after a few

    decades of civil war and decided to designate Sihanoukville as an economic

    and industrial zone for development. Increasing the population will increase

    the consumption of goods, which in turn influences waste disposal issues.

    Garbage and sewage are major problems in waste disposal, which must be

    taken care of immediately. Poor management of these matters will cause

    destruction of the marine environment.

    3.9.2. Waste from industries

    In late 1998, the government signed a memorandum on free trade zone

    investment in Sihanoukville. This memorandum concerns port rehabilitation,

    and other developing industrial fields including zone for wood production and

    processing sectors, electronic sectors, food and non-food sectors, light

    industry sectors, and marine production processing sectors

    Concerns about wastewater treatment have not yet been taken into account

    for these industries. Therefore, wastewater released from these industries

    may be directly discharged into the sea. If so, there would be damage to the

    marine environment including fauna, flora and the quality of seawater and

    beaches.

    3.9.3. Waste from recreation areas

    The fast growing tourism sector is attracting investors to improve recreational

    facilities, including hotels, transportation, food, souvenirs, and others. Up to

    now, many hotels, guesthouses, restaurants are being operated inShihanoukville City. Environmental management at recreational areas has

    being improved by stakeholders.

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    3.9.4. Waste from agricultural activities

    Agricultural waste including residues from pesticides and chemical fertilisers

    for cultivation and waste from marinculture in Cambodia affects the marine

    water quality. The total cultivated area in Cambodia is about 1.9 millionhectares (World Bank, 1997). Cambodian farmers encouraged the use

    chemical fertilisers and pesticides to increase their agricultural production

    yield.

    The upward trend of indiscriminate use of these chemical compounds is of

    increasing concern as residues from these substances are carried out by

    surface run off from cultivated areas to water bodies, which causes water

    pollution.

    The main aquaculture activity discharging high amounts of toxic waste into

    water bodies is shrimp farming. Most marinculture farms are located in Koh

    Kong Province, where people carry out shrimp farming by clearing the

    mangrove forest. The number of shrimp farms within this province is about 2.7

    percent of the total mangrove forests in the Koh Kong Province, and are

    increasing about 1.9 percent every year.

    3.9.5. Pollution from port activities and development

    The project on Sihanoukville seaport rehabilitation was considered and

    approved by government in 1998. This proposal requests the construction of

    port facilities including a container cargo berth and its handling equipment

    installation. To construct this container port, about 1,312,000m of soil will be

    removed from the berth area and an additional 465,000m will be removed

    from the canal.

    There are two main problems to consider when removing soil from the sea.

    First, there are particles that may be released during the removal of this large

    amount of soil. If there are many particles and debris generated and

    suspended in the water, the current will transfer them to other places. In this

    case, these particles will pollute the seawater and may affect other places

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    including fishing grounds, sensitive areas and recreational beaches, which

    must be protected from any kind of pollution. Secondly, proper dumping

    places are required for disposal of the removed soil. Otherwise, it may cause

    pollution in the sub-soil in the ground and underground water. However, the

    impact from removing this soil does not have permanent or a long-term effect

    ob environment.

    3.9.6. Pollution from maritime activities

    The number of ships movement at Sihanoukville Port is increasing every year;

    it interesting to note that the international community is concerned with new

    types of marine environmental pollution cause by ballast water discharged

    from ships.

    Another type of marine pollution that may have an impact on Cambodia water

    are ship accidents such as oil and other harmful substances (some chemical

    substances) released from ships.

    Additionally, another problem is maritime navigation; abandoned ships can

    disturb maritime transport and fishing activities.

    Small scale pollution can be found in ports in terms of sewage, garbage, andoil spills, which are caused during normal operations of ships, ports, and

    accidents when loaded and charging goods.

    3.9.7. Pollution from offshore development

    Oil and gas exploration within the Gulf of Thailand is becoming possible.

    There are about ten exploration blocks, which are located in Cambodia

    waters. These platform installations and oil exploitation may have some

    impact on the environment that can be classified into four main categories,

    namely physical present, operational discharge effects (solid and liquid

    waste), accidental loss, and accidental spill.

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    3.9.8. Effects from charcoal production

    It is noticeable that charcoal production has also affected the coastal

    environment. So far, people have produced charcoal from mangrove trees for

    domestic use. Nowadays, mangroves charcoal production has moved fromdomestic use to commercial purposes (for export).

    3.9.9. Effects from illegal fishing

    The use of dynamite and poisonous substances by fishermen may not only kill

    fish but also destroy the marine environment. Electricity devices are very

    rarely used for fishing at sea. Fishermen use this in shallow waters particularly

    in nesting and feeding grounds. The impact of this is very high because it

    makes live fish escape from their habitat and never return.

    3.9.10. Pollution hotspots

    As mentioned earlier in this report, it is understood that many environmental

    problems occur along the coastline including destruction of the natural

    environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and pollution from

    recreation areas, residential zones, and industries, as well as pollution from

    port and maritime activities. However, , negative effects occur in differentplaces. Therefore, hotspots along the coastline can be divided into four areas

    according to the geographical governance namely: Koh Kong Province,

    Sihanoukville City, Kep City, and Kampot Province.

    With regard to environmental problems and human activities along the

    coastline, three main hotspots will be highlighted in this report including

    Sihanoukville City, Koh Kong and Kampot Provinces.

    next

    Table of contents > 3. Sea Area

    3.1. Introduction

    Soil pollution has many sources, from agriculture to industry to human activity. Polluted soilsaffect harm life and, in turn, wildlife. Depending upon the polluting agent, pollutants can persist

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    in the environment. Solutions, therefore, involve not just removing a source of pollution but alsocleaning up and restoring the polluted area. Adding to the complexity of soil pollution is nonpointsource pollution (NSP), which enters the environment through runoff. Take any action at yourdisposal to reduce soil pollution, as you may not always find a clearly defined source.

    Reduction of Acid Rain

    o Sulfur dioxide emissions can cause acid rain and forest destruction. Fortunately,the introduction of scrubbers on smokestacks of coal-burning power plants hasproduced some progress in this arena. The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) reports a 71 percent decrease in sulfur dioxide concentrationsfrom 1980 to 2008. Help solve the problem by contacting your legislators andasking them to encourage development of alternative fuel sources. In the home,conserve energy use; the less you use, the less pollution ends up in the air andsoil.

    Reduce Waste

    o Consider the amount of needlessly generated waste. According to the Clean AirCouncil, almost one-third of the waste in the U.S. comes from packaging, with anadditional five million tons generated during the holiday season. Chemicals usedin paper manufacturing can end up in the soil. Choose wisely when shopping;avoid purchasing products with excessive packaging. Reuse holiday wrap, or cutdown on the amount you use.

    Agriculture Best Practices

    o The EPA has identified agricultural runoff as the primary source of waterpollution. Runoff contains pesticides, fertilizers, and agricultural waste that canhave harmful effects on soils. Excessive amounts of phosphates, phosphorus

    and nitrogen found in fertilizers can cause fish and plant kill, resulting incontaminated soils. Use organic herbicides when gardening, or none at all. Plantnative plants, which thrive in local conditions, often making pesticide useunnecessary.

    Wetland Restoration

    o Help restore polluted wetlands. A single acre of wetlands can hold more than ofone and a half million gallons of water, which runoff can taint, eventually leadingto soil pollution. Work to restore wetlands and reduce NSP. Support localconservation efforts by donating to or volunteering with organizations such asThe Nature Conservancy that purchase land for restoration.

    Reduction of Human Impact

    o Finally, simply reduce your negative impact on the environment. Despiteeducational efforts, the average American generates more than four pounds oftrash daily, more than seventy percent of which ends up in landfills, where toxinsleach into the soil. Recycle whenever possible to help ease soil pollution. Usecloth bags instead of paper or plastic at the grocery store, and substitutepolycarbonate bottles for plastic water bottles.

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    Read more: Solutions for Soil Pollution |

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    pollution.html#ixzz1al9bQaeP

    Soil contaminationFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Excavation showing soil contamination at a disused gasworks.

    Soil contamination orsoil pollutionis caused by the presence ofxenobiotic (human-made) chemicals

    or other alteration in the natural soil environment.

    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  • 8/3/2019 Mekong Dolphins

    12/27

    This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture ofunderground storage tanks, application

    ofpesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel dumping,

    leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil. The most common

    chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons,solvents, pesticides, lead and otherheavy metals. This

    occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensities of

    chemical usage.

    The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, from direct contact with the

    contaminated soil, vapors from the contaminants, and from secondary contamination of water supplies

    within and underlying the soil[1]. Mapping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting cleanup are time

    consuming and expensive tasks, requiring extensive amounts ofgeology,hydrology, chemistry, computer

    modelingskills, and GIS in Environmental Contamination.

    It is in North America and Western Europethat the extent of contaminated land is most well known, with

    many of countries in these areas having a legal framework to identify and deal with this environmental

    problem; this however may well be just the tip of the iceberg with developing countries very likely to be

    the next generation of new soil contamination cases.

    The immense and sustained growth of the People's Republic of China since the 1970s has exacted a

    price from the land in increased soil pollution. The State Environmental Protection Administration believes

    it to be a threat to the environment, to food safety and to sustainable agriculture. According to a scientific

    sampling,150 million mi (100,000 square kilometers) of Chinas cultivated land have been polluted, with

    contaminated water being used to irrigate a further 32.5 million mi (21,670 square kilometers) and another

    2 million mi (1,300 square kilometers) covered or destroyed by solid waste. In total, the area accounts for

    one-tenth of Chinas cultivatable land, and is mostly in economically developed areas. An estimated 12

    million tonnes of grain are contaminated by heavy metals every year, causing direct losses of 20 billion

    yuan (US$2.57 billion).[2]

    [edit]Causes

    This type of contamination or pollution typically arises from the rupture ofunderground storage tanks,

    application ofpesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel

    dumping, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil. The most

    common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons,solvents, pesticides, lead and otherheavy

    metals. This occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industrialization and

    intensities of chemical usage.

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    Treated sewagesludge, known in the industry as biosolids, has become controversial as a fertilizer to the

    land. As it is the byproduct of sewage treatment, it generally contains contaminants such as organisms,

    pesticides, and heavy metals than other soil.[3]

    [edit]Health effects

    Contaminated or polluted soil directly affects human health through direct contact with soil or via

    inhalation of soil contaminants which have vaporized; potentially greater threats are posed by the

    infiltration of soil contamination into groundwateraquifersused for human consumption, sometimes in

    areas apparently far removed from any apparent source of above ground contamination.

    Health consequences from exposure to soil contamination vary greatly depending on pollutant type,

    pathway of attack and vulnerability of the exposed population. Chronic exposure to chromium, lead and

    other metals, petroleum, solvents, and many pesticide and herbicide formulations can be carcinogenic,

    can causecongenital disorders, or can cause other chronic health conditions. Industrial or man-madeconcentrations of naturally-occurring substances, such as nitrate and ammonia associated with livestock

    manure from agricultural operations, have also been identified as health hazards in soil and groundwater.

    [4]

    Chronic exposure to benzene at sufficient concentrations is known to be associated with higher incidence

    of leukemia. Mercury and cyclodienes are known to induce higher incidences of kidney damage, some

    irreversible. PCBs and cyclodienes are linked to liver toxicity. Organophosphates and carbamates can

    induce a chain of responses leading to neuromuscular blockage. Many chlorinated solvents induce liver

    changes, kidney changes and depression of the central nervous system. There is an entire spectrum offurther health effects such as headache, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash for the above cited

    and other chemicals. At sufficient dosages a large number of soil contaminants can cause death by

    exposure via direct contact, inhalation or ingestion of contaminants in groundwater contaminated through

    soil.[5]

    [edit]Ecosystem effects

    Not unexpectedly, soil contaminants can have significant deleterious consequences for ecosystems[6].

    There are radical soil chemistry changes which can arise from the presence of many hazardous

    chemicals even at low concentration of the contaminant species. These changes can manifest in the

    alteration ofmetabolismof endemic microorganismsandarthropodsresident in a given soil environment.

    The result can be virtual eradication of some of the primary food chain, which in turn have major

    consequences forpredatoror consumer species. Even if the chemical effect on lower life forms is small,

    the lower pyramid levels of the food chain may ingest alien chemicals, which normally become more

    concentrated for each consuming rung of the food chain. Many of these effects are now well known, such

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    as the concentration of persistent DDT materials for avian consumers, leading to weakening of egg shells,

    increased chick mortalityand potential extinction of species.

    Effects occur to agricultural lands which have certain types of soil contamination. Contaminants typically

    alter plant metabolism, most commonly to reduce crop yields. This has a secondary effect upon soil

    conservation, since the languishing crops cannot shield the Earth's soil mantle from erosion phenomena.

    Some of these chemical contaminants have long half-livesand in other cases derivative chemicals are

    formed from decay of primary soil contaminants.

    What Is Soil Pollution?By Jennn Fusion, eHow Contributor

    Print this articleRelated Searches:

    Indoor Air Pollution Contaminated Soil Removal

    What Is Soil Pollution?

    Soil pollution results from the build up of contaminants, toxic compounds, radioactive materials,salts, chemicals and cancer-causing agents. The most common soil pollutants arehydrocarbons, heavy metals (cadmium, lead, chromium, copper, zinc, mercury and arsenic),herbicides, pesticides, oils, tars, PCBs and dioxins.

    Until the 1970s, there was little talk of soil pollution and its devastating effects. In the 1980s, theU.S. Superfund was created to set guidelines for the handling of hazardous material and soilcontamination cleanup. Today there are more than 200,000 sites awaiting EPA soil cleanup,which is very expensive and labor-intensive work. Even a small cleanup project can cost$10,000, while larger areas require millions of dollars to clean it up for future use.

    Causes of Soil Pollution

    o Following WWII and Vietnam, scientists discovered high incidences of mutation,miscarriage, mental defects, cancer and sickness in areas where nuclear

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    warheads had been dropped. Food shortages also alerted officials thatsomething was seriously wrong with the local soil. DDT and Dioxin were two ofthe worst pollutants from war aftermath.

    In some cases, agricultural processes cause soil pollution. High levels of radionuclides likenitrogen and phosphorus can be found surrounding farm centers containing high population

    densities of livestock. Pesticides applied to plants can also seep into the ground, leaving lastingeffects. Heavy metals can arrive in the soil by using polluted water to wet crops and by usingmineral fertilizers.

    Industry is to blame for some of the biggest soil-pollution disasters. Heavy metals come fromiron, steel, power and chemical manufacturing plants that recklessly use the Earth as a dumpingground for their refuse. Plants that burn their waste on-site are guilty of releasing heavy metalsinto the atmosphere, which come to settle in the soil, thus leaving behind lasting effects foryears to come. Even companies that try to dispose of their waste properly contribute to theproblem when faulty landfills and bursting underground bins leach undesirable toxins into thesoil.

    Mining leaves a tremendous impact on the surrounding communities. The 2001 West Virginia

    Geological and Economic Survey found that people living near mines have a 70 percent higherrisk of kidney disease, 64 percent higher risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a30 percent higher risk of high blood pressure. "People in coal-mining communities need betteraccess to health care, cleaner air, cleaner water, and stricter enforcement of environmentalstandards," concluded Michael Hendryx, Ph.D., associate director of the WVU Institute forHealth Policy Research.

    Testing for Soil Pollution

    o Photo by Ellis Vener

    Before purchasing land for development or inhabiting, it's important to have a soil testperformed to ensure a sound investment. A soil test can reveal the presence of nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron,molybdenum and aluminum. It can also analyze soil acidity, electrical conductivity, organicmatter, moisture content, and identify dangerous soil contaminants like benzene, petroleumhydrocarbons, xylene and toulene. Even if the soil is in fine condition for planting, landownerscan use their soil tests to make more informed decisions regarding fertilizers and crop growing.Most people call in a local professional to do the job, although stores like Home Depot andLowe's are now selling do-it-yourself mail-in kits as well.

    Case Studies of Soil Pollution

    o Love Canal is perhaps the most famous case study of soil pollution. In the snowywinter of 1976, chemical waste began to seep above ground in schoolplaygrounds and communities in Niagara Falls, New York. The area sufferedhigh incidences of stillborn births, miscarriages and birth defects. Officials soonrealized that there were over 400 toxic substances in the air, water and soil --many of them cancerous. As it turns out, the area had been used as a chemicaldumping ground for more than 22,000 tons of toxic waste at the turn-of-the-

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    century, when no one was aware of the hazardous impact it could have decadeslater.

    Another one of the most infamous cases of soil pollution happened in Chernobyl, a small townin Russia. A nuclear power plant exploded in April of 1986, which caused a sevenfold increasein birth defects, a marked increase in cancer that was passed down to future generations,

    livestock death and mutation and tainted agriculture. It's estimated that 40 percent of Chernobylis still uninhabitable due to radiation contamination that is ten times the normal level in someplaces.

    Ethiopia is filled with both air and soil pollution. The worst area is in Somalia's Ayaha valley nearHargeysa. To boost their economy, many farmers began using chemical fertilizers andpesticides to increase productivity without understanding the full ramifications. Over their war-torn years, metal drums holding 14,200 liters of chemicals like fenitrothion, malathion, diaziononand durban were punctured. As a result, land pollution has caused widespread famine andsickness.

    China is a nation that is developing rapidly -- perhaps faster than safety permits. "It is estimatedthat nationwide 12 million tons of grain are polluted each year by heavy metals that have found

    their way into soil," Zhou Shengxian, director of the State Environmental ProtectionAdministration, announced in July 2006. "Direct economic losses exceed 20 billion yuan (about2.5 billion U.S. dollars). Soil pollution has worsened. According to incomplete statistics, about150 million mu (10 million hectares) of arable land in China has been polluted."

    Impact of Soil Pollution

    o MorgueFile.com

    "When old factories are relocated, they just dismantle the houses, carry away the machines and

    nothing else is left to be done. The land that used to be a production site either is turned intofarmland or real estate. Few understand that this land has become sick," explains Zhao Qiguoof the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Soil Science.

    People living near polluted land have higher incidences of migraines, nausea, fatigue,miscarriage and skin disorders. Long-term effects of pollution include cancer, leukemia,reproductive disorders, kidney and liver damage, as well as central nervous system failure.Children often suffer from developmental problems and weakened immune systems.

    In addition to direct health effects, soil pollution also harms plants that feed Americans.Chemicals can sometimes absorb into food like lettuce and be ingested. Other times, thepollutants simply kill the plants, which has created widespread crop destruction and famine inother parts of the world. The entire ecosystem changes when new materials are added to thesoil, as microorganisms die off or move away from contaminants.

    Predators who feed off the microorganisms and worms in the polluted soil will also be affected.Researchers found that some species of birds -- like the Peregrine Falcon, the Brown Pelicanand the Bald Eagle -- fell prey to DDT poisoning, which caused egg shells of future generationsto thin. Mother birds would arrive home to omelets in their nests, as the thin shells could notsupport the weight of the incubating offspring. Mortality rates increased, nearly sending the birdsto extinction.

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    If nothing is done to clean up soil pollution, water supplies could become contaminated,threatening the human species. Sudden fires or explosions will occur from underground landfillgases, pipelines and building structures may corrode and once beautiful regions will turn intocesspools, experts warn.

    Treatment of Soil Pollution

    o The conventional methods of soil pollution are very time-consuming and verycostly. EPA officials excavate the soil to dispose of it elsewhere -- a band-aid forthe problem, no doubt, but essential for toxic disasters in highly populatedplaces. Soils can be aerated, heated up in a process called thermal remediation,contained with pavement or caps, extracted with an active electromechanicalsystem or propagating the soil with microbes that will digest organic pollutants.

    New processes are being developed to combat the problem in a natural, less laborious way. Bystudying plants that grew naturally in toxic mines, scientist Chen Tongbin discovered that certainplants loved to eat heavy metals like arsenic, bronze, lead, zinc, cobalt and cadmium. Thecontaminants can then be retrieved from the plant's leaves and used in industrial materials. Thissafe and effective method isn't perfect, but it's a start.

    Prevention of Soil Pollution

    o Naturally, prevention is the best cure for soil pollution. Most states have enactedtougher legislation to stop illegal dumping. For instance, one can expect fiveyears in jail and a fine of $100,000 for soil pollution in Texas.

    Educating consumers about the dangers of littering, while encouraging recycling programs, is agood way to ensure everyone does their part to keep debris where it belongs. Consumers canalso make a concerted effort to buy organic foods to demand that chemical pesticides aren'tused on their foods.

    People who grow their own food can keep excess nitrogen and phosphorus out of the soil bychoosing crops that do not need as many nutrients from the soil, by applying fertilizer during thegrowing season to replenish the soil, by shortening the grazing season / cattle density, by usingorganic compost, by keeping the surface moist and mulched, and by choosing fruiting crops liketomatoes, squash, peas and corn. Gardens should be situated away from old painted buildingsand roadways. Outer leaves of lettuce should be discarded and all vegetables should bewashed before eating.

    Over the years, stronger and more indestructible bins were created to store hazardousmaterials. Researchers will continue to look for ways to improve manufacturing and agriculturalprocesses to avoid the need for toxic byproducts. Business leaders, miners and communityofficials will work together to reduce wastefulness and contaminants to keep the world a cleanplace for future generations.

    Read more: What Is Soil Pollution? |

    eHow.comhttp://www.ehow.com/about_5107995_soil-pollution.html#ixzz1alAZc0GI

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    Air, Water, and Soils Pollution

    Air pollution has been a serious problem for the forests of the Northeast (especiallythose at high altitudes), which are downwind of the industrial heartland. The chiefagent of environmental damage is acid deposition, or acid rain as it is commonlyknown. This phenomenon occurs when emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of

    nitrogen (NOx) react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and oxidants to formvarious acidic compounds. These compounds then fall to the earth in either dry form(such as gas and particles) or wet form (such as rain, snow, and fog). Thus, polluted aircan damage trees directly in the dry form or indirectly through its affects on thechemistry of water and soils and by making trees more vulnerable to other biological

    and environmental stressors. More specifically, acid rain weaken trees by damagingtheir leaves, limiting the nutrients available to them, or exposing them to toxic

    substances slowly released from the soil. Acid rain that flows into streams, lakes, andmarshes also has serious ecological effects. In watersheds where soils do not have a

    buffering capacity, acid rain releases aluminum, which is highly toxic to many species ofaquatic organisms, from soils into lakes and streams. NRS scientists are study the

    problems of pollution at many levels, from cellular biochemistry to landscape-level

    ecology.Selected Research Studies

    Development of Improved Mycorrhizal Fungi for Use in Reforestation andReclamation of Mined LandsWe are testing several known mycorrhizal fungi for their ability and efficacy to supportsurvival and growth of seedlings planted in reclaimed sites. Every year we have beengenerating Virginia pine seedlings inoculated with various fungi and planting them inreclaimed abandoned mine site locations in Ohio. Qualitative and quantitativemeasurements are being made to assess fungi that aid survival and growth ofseedlings.

    Development of Improved Bacterial Based Water Treatment Systemsto Remove Heavy Metal and Other Hazardous Contents, and Increase the pH ofthe WaterAbandoned coal mine sites have often been responsible for the acid mine drainage(AMD), a serious polluter of ground water supplies. The materials released by AMDinclude heavy metals (such as iron, aluminum, and manganese), other hazardoussubstances, and acidity that is harmful to aquatic life. Improved economical methodsare needed to remove these substances from water to prevent detrimental effects on

    forest health.

    Air Pollution and Sustainable Forest EcosystemsIn our research, we monitor acidic deposition falling in the central Appalachians andstudy its effects as its moves through the forest, from tree canopy to the soil and soil

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    solution to streams. We are studying the effects on nutrient cycling, and tree growthand productivity, and on a number of other ecosystem components.

    Understanding Effects of Oil and Natural Gas Development onAppalachian ForestsRapidly increasing fuel prices have resulted in an economic climate that favors domesticenergy development. This is especially true in the mid- and northern-Appalachianregion where the Marcellus shale formation is found in the bedrock.

    Red Leaf Color as an Indicator of Environmental StressVistas of colorful fall foliage hold tremendous public and media interest, and associatedtourism to the Northern Forest is estimated to add billions of dollars to the regionaleconomy each year. This natural spectacle of diverse leaf coloration is based on thephysiology of leaf pigments. In addition to its aesthetic value, the biology of onepigment (anthocyanin) may provide insights to how some trees survive environmentalstress.

    Acid Rain and Calcium DepletionAcid rain and other anthropogenic factors can leach calcium (Ca) from forestecosystems and mobilize potentially toxic aluminum (Al) in soils. Considering theunique role Ca plays in the physiological response of cells to environmental stress, wepropose that depletion of biological Ca would impair basic stress recognition andresponse systems, and predispose trees to exaggerated injury following exposure toother environmental stresses.

    Salt Tolerance and Salinity Thresholds of Woody Energy CropsIrrigated with High-salinity Waste WatersThere is a need for environmental practices that merge intensive forestry with wastemanagement. Producing short rotation woody crops for energy, fiber, andenvironmental benefits requires adequate irrigation and fertilization, which can besupplied via waste waters including landfill leachate. Yet, leachate often contains

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    elevated levels of salts such as chloride and sodium that cause leaf chlorosis andnecrosis, decreased biomass accumulation, and increased mortality. Therefore, there isa pressing need to learn about the response of poplar energy crops when salts aretaken up into root, leaf, and woody (stem + branch) tissues, as well as identifyingthresholds of salt concentrations and salinity that can be recommended for these cropsin both field testing and production plantations.

    Using Short Rotation Woody Crops to Remediate Soils HeavilyContaminated with Petroleum HydrocarbonsOrganic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons are a major pollution source ofsurface water, groundwater, soil, and sediments throughout North America and the restof the world. The rhizosphere is the zone of soil surrounding plant roots. Utilization ofplants and their rhizospheric microorganisms to destroy, remove, and stabilizecontaminated soils is currently gaining global attention because such systems areefficient and effective from biological and economic standpoints.

    Sustainable Production of Woody Energy Crops with AssociatedEnvironmental BenefitsIncreasing human population levels at regional, national, and global scales haveheightened the need for proper management of residential and industrial waste.Contaminants from this waste stream have polluted water, air, and soil much faster

    than traditional technologies could remediate the problem. Therefore, we are combiningintensive forestry and waste management methods to increase the potential forproducing woody crops for energy and fiber, along with decreasing the environmentaldegradation associated with waste disposal and subsequent waste water production.

    Nitrogen deposition effects on symbiotic fungi in northern hardwoodforestsAtmospheric nitrogen deposition from fuel combustion and agriculture is falling from the

    air onto natural ecosystems, leading to changes in nutrient availability and acidificationof soils and waters. Symbiotic fungi, called mycorrhizal fungi, are essential to treenutrient uptake, and in some ecosystem types have been found to decline inabundances and diversity in response to nitrogen deposition, with possible negativeeffects on plant uptake of soil resources. We wanted to understand the impact ofnitrogen deposition on the mycorrhizal fungi associated with sugar maple dominatednorthern hardwood forests in Michigan. Sugar maple decline has become a seriousproblem in our region. Understanding whether nitrogen deposition effects on

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    mycorrhizal fungi might be contributing to this decline is critical to our ability to protectthese forests.

    Effects of CO2 and O3 on the communities of symbiotic fungiassociated with aspen and birch rootsElevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) affect tree photosynthesis and growth inlargely opposing ways, with CO2 increasing growth and O3 decreasing growth. Thesechanges in growth can affect the amount of carbon going to roots. Associated with rootsare a class of symbiotic fungi that provide nutrients and water in exchange for sugars.

    Fuels and Fire Behavior in Eastern HardwoodsAn ability to predict fuel loads and fire behavior are needed to improve prescriptions forprescribed fire and answer questions about smoke emissions and transport and fireeffects on flora and fauna. Our fuels and fire behavior research seeks to developprocess-based (mechanistic) approaches to predicting fuel characteristics and firebehavior, with particular focus on hardwoods in Appalachian topography.

    Adapting Forests to Climate Change

    Climate models have projected significant increases in temperature over the next

    century for the Northeast and Midwest. Climate change will also affect rainfall patterns,but scientists cannot yet predict how regional rainfall patterns will change. Growingseasons will lengthen further in both spring and fall. According to theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there is very high confidence that thevulnerability of North America depends on the effectiveness and timing of adaptationand the distribution of coping capacity, which vary spatially and among sectors. Climatechange will constrain North Americas over-allocated water resources, increasingcompetition among agricultural, municipal, industrial and ecological uses (very highconfidence).

    Atmospheric Disturbance Climatology SystemUnderstanding the spatial and temporal patterns of these and other climate variablesthroughout the region is important in developing effective land management strategiesthat can sustain our natural resources.

    http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/sustaining_forests/natural_disturbance/fuels_fire_behavior/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/adapting_forests_to_climate_changehttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/atmospheric_disturbance_climatologyhttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/pollution/carbon_dioxide_ozone_symbiotic_fungihttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/sustaining_forests/natural_disturbance/fuels_fire_behavior/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/adapting_forests_to_climate_changehttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/atmospheric_disturbance_climatology
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    Climatic Indicators of Forest HealthManagers often need frequent, updated assessments of current and developing

    conditions on which to base management decisions and respond to public concerns. Nomethodology has been developed to indicate when a forest population is at risk to

    specific local and regional climate and air pollution stressors.

    Foliar biochemical indicators of environmental change and theirrelationship with site productivityMethods are needed to assess the positive or negative impact of environmentalpollution on forest productivity in an asymptomatic forest stand. A goal of several

    research groups in the Northern Research Station (NRS) is to develop a set ofphysiological and biochemical markers that can assess the early onset of stress in

    forests due to environmental factors, before injury is visible.

    Greenhouse Gas Impacts on Forest MicroclimatesOur ability to predict the future impacts of increasing greenhouse gasconcentrations and associated changes in the climate system on forestecosystems requires an understanding of how vegetation responses toincreased greenhouse gas concentrations can further alter the local

    atmospheric environment within forest ecosystems. It is this local atmosphericenvironment that governs many of the basic physical and biological processes within

    forest ecosystems.

    Critical Loads Resources for Federal Land ManagersThe critical load is scientifically determined based on expected ecosystem response to agiven deposition level. The target load is set by policy makers, land managers, or airregulators to protect sensitive ecosystem components. The target load may be higher

    or lower than the critical load, and is based on the economic cost of emissionsreductions, timeframe, and other considerations.

    This website contains documents and information useful to Federal Land Managers andothers for understanding calculations of critical loads for nitrogen and sulfur deposition

    to forest ecosystems in theory and practice.

    http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/climate_indicators_forest_healthhttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/bioindicators/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/bioindicators/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/greenhouse_gas_forest_microclimateshttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/clean_water/critical_loads/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/climate_indicators_forest_healthhttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/bioindicators/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/bioindicators/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/climate_change/greenhouse_gas_forest_microclimateshttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/clean_water/critical_loads/
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    Hubbard Brook Experimental ForestEnvironmental concerns about pollution in New England forests and streams include

    nitrogen saturation, cation depletion (that is, the effects of acid rain), and salt loads(from winter road sanding) in spring run-off. NRS scientist are engaged in short- and

    long-term research on pollution effects on ecological processes at the Hubbard BrookExperimental Forest (HBEF) Research Watershed. Scientific research began at the HBEF

    in 1960 with the small-watershed model, which measures precipitation and many otherwater characteristics to study nutrient cycling. A joint research program with DartmouthCollege was established in 1963 and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).Then, in 1988 the HBEF was designated as a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) siteby the National Science Foundation. On-going cooperative efforts among diverseeducational institutions, private institutions, government agencies, foundations andcorporations have resulted in one of the most extensive and longest continuous databases on the hydrology, biology, geology, and chemistry of natural ecosystems. Theoccurrence of acid rain was first measured here. Now, almost 40 years later, thesemeasurements are still being taken and old samples are being studied by new methods.

    Eastern Area Modeling Consortium

    The Eastern Area Modeling Consortium (EAMC) is a multi-agency coalition ofresearchers, fire managers, air-quality managers, and natural resource managers at thefederal, state, and local levels. As part of this group, NRS researchers are working to(1) increase understanding of fire behavior and smoke dispersion; (2) expand

    knowledge of the physics of fireatmosphere interactions; (3) enhance prediction andresponse to the dangers of prescribed fires and wildfires; and (4) develop products andtransfer new technologies related to national and regional fire-weather and air-qualitydynamics. In addition, the EAMC provides two types of weather products for firemanagers: maps showing current and future weather patterns over various regions ofthe United States and time series products indicating likely weather changes in at agiven location over a 48-hour period.

    Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollutionand solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biologicalprocesses affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution.Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources,

    transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquaticpollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution,sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish,aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology appliedto pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollutionand pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methodsused in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology,novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced bypollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation),environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments.

    http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/research/experimental-forest/hubbard-brook.shtmlhttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/fire/eamc/http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/research/experimental-forest/hubbard-brook.shtmlhttp://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/fire/eamc/
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    Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance internationalknowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicateknown knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally berejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correctexperimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significantcontribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your

    cooperation.Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; short communications (urgent andsignificant research, generally not exceeding two journal pages); letters to theeditor/comments/replies; review articles; mini-reviews; perspectives and book reviews.

    Special issues containing a collection of papers that are highly topical, innovative and/orpromote significant leading-edge science will be considered. Please see Guidelines for SpecialIssues/Sections in the list of author instructions for more details.

    Note that special and topical issues published from 2001-2009 are in the companionjournal Water, Air, & Soil Pollution: Focus (see ISSN 1567-7230). Special issues from 2010 forwardare published in the mother journal, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution.

    Related subjects Environmental Sciences - Global Change - Climate Change - Hydrogeology-

    Pollution and Remediation- Soil ScienceABSTRACTED/INDEXED IN:

    Academic OneFile, AGRICOLA, ASFA, Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CABInternational, Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), Chimica, CSA, Current Abstracts, CurrentContents/ Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences, Current Index to Statistics, EBSCO, EIEncompass, Ei Page One, EI-Compendex, Elsevier Biobase, EMBASE, EnCompassLit, EnvironmentIndex, Fluidex, Food Science and Technology Abstracts, Gale, GeoArchive, Geobase, GeoRef,Geotitles, Global Health, Google Scholar, IBIDS, INIS Atomindex, International Bibliography ofBook Reviews (IBR), International Bibliography of Periodical Literature (IBZ), Journal CitationReports/Science Edition, OCLC, PASCAL, ProQuest, Science Citation Index, Science Citation IndexExpanded (SciSearch), SCOPUS, Summon by Serial Solutions, Zoological Record

    Fire and Fuels Research at the Silas Little Experimental ForestThe Silas Little Experimental Forest was reinstated using National Fire Plan funding in2003 to conduct multi-disciplinary fire and atmospheric science research to provide fireand forest managers with better tools for predicting fire danger, fire risk, air quality,and ecosystem functioning under changing environmental conditions.

    Mid-Atlantic Forests and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

    Forest landscapes are changing as a consequence of climate andenvironmental change. These changes affect people and the forest

    ecosystems they depend on for clean water, clean air and forest products,and recreation. How can we best manage our forest resources to sustain this

    array of ecosystem services under increasing environmental stress and a changingclimate?

    http://www.springer.com/environment?SGWID=0-198-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/global+change+-+climate+change?SGWID=0-158402-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/earth+sciences+and+geography/hydrogeology?SGWID=0-40515-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/earth+sciences+and+geography/hydrogeology?SGWID=0-40515-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/pollution+and+remediation?SGWID=0-158802-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/pollution+and+remediation?SGWID=0-158802-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/soil+science?SGWID=0-10000-0-0-0http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/fire/silas_little/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/clean_water/midatlantic_forests_chesapeake_bay_watershedhttp://www.springer.com/environment?SGWID=0-198-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/global+change+-+climate+change?SGWID=0-158402-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/earth+sciences+and+geography/hydrogeology?SGWID=0-40515-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/pollution+and+remediation?SGWID=0-158802-0-0-0http://www.springer.com/environment/soil+science?SGWID=0-10000-0-0-0http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/fire/silas_little/http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/clean_water/midatlantic_forests_chesapeake_bay_watershed
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    MercuryAs a result of fossil fuel combustion, mercury pollution occurs across the globe, even in

    remote areas. Once mercury is released into the environment it changes intomethylmercury, a highly toxic compound that is easily taken up in living tissue. It builds

    up over time and causes serious neurological and reproductive disorders in humans andwildlife. Since mercury does not break down in the environment, it has become a

    significant health threat to humans and wildlife and 40 states have fish consumptionadvisories due to mercury contamination. Loons, bald eagles, and fish from the State ofMaine, for example, have some of the highest levels in the nation and the MaineDepartment of Health has issued warnings about eating ANY fish caught in the state.NRS research aims at understanding how mercury gets into surface waters and if thereare watershed management techniques that could reduce these inputs. Our mercurywork is focused on two main efforts, one to characterize the mercury cycle underincreased sulfate deposition and a second to understand the influence of prescribed fireon mercury cycling.

    Acid depositionRecently, this research has focused on understanding how acid deposition (aka acidrain), nitrogen pollution, and climate change may contribute to the declines ofimportant tree species such as red spruce, sugar maple, and yellow-cedar. However,studies also include basic research into the biochemistry and physiology of tree stressresponse mechanisms, including evaluations of the possible use of red fall leafcoloration as an indicator of stress exposure and response. Pollutant additions ofnitrogen (N) can lead to N-saturation (the accumulation of N in excess of plant andmicrobial demands), which has been linked with forest decline and is probablyassociated with N-induced imbalances in other nutrients (especially Ca, Al, and Mg).This work on nitrogen showed that the same mechanism of physiological disruption

    found for acid rain impairment (significant reductions in mCa, membrane stability, coldtolerance, and an increased rate of freezing injury) also applies to chronic N additions.

    These findings suggest that N additions can contribute to the same reduction ofbiological Ca reserves that acid rain depletes. New research on the broader significance

    of Ca depletion indicates that the same disruptions documented for red spruce canoccur for other tree species (e.g., eastern hemlock, balsam fir, and white pine), and

    that soil-based Ca manipulation can also alter critical mCa stocks.

    http://www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/4351/focus/mercury/sulfate_deposition/http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/durham/4352/index.shtmlhttp://www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/4351/focus/mercury/sulfate_deposition/http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/durham/4352/index.shtml
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    Using phytoremediation to restore brownfields in the Calumet regio