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Policy coherence for the protection of water resources against agricultural pollution in the EU and Norway
Get PDFThroughout the European Union (EU), agricultural practices contribute significantly to the pollution of water resources by nitrates, phosphorus and pesticides. This article sheds light on the degree of horizontal legal coherence between the main EU legal and policy instruments applicable to the protection of water resources from agricultural pollution. After identifying key coherence challenges at the EU level, the article thoroughly assesses the regulatory and governance approach in Norway. The key question is how certain EU-level coherence challenges could be mitigated at a national level through mechanisms aimed at facilitating cross-sectoral coordination and policy coherence. Three types of mechanisms have been selected for this purpose: (i) legal mechanisms, including cross-referencing and joint institutional responsibility for implementation; (ii) the establishment of platforms for cross-sectoral policy coordination or actor participation; and (iii) the establishment of monitoring and reporting processes that ensure access to information and data sharing.publishedVersio
Mixing apples and oranges: Assessing ecological status and its confidence from multiple and diverse indicators
Get PDFEcosystem responses to increasing human pressures are complex and diverse, affecting organisms across all trophic levels. This has prompted the development of methods that integrate information across many indicators for environmental management. Legislative frameworks such as the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), specifically prescribe that integrated assessme nt (IA) of ecological status must consider indicators representing various biological and supporting quality elements. We present a general approach for an IA system based on a piece-wise linear transformation of indicator distributions to a standardized scale, allowing for integrating information from multiple and diverse indicators through a policy-dependent aggregation scheme. Uncertainties associated with monitoring data used for calculating indicators and their propagation throughout the integration scheme allow for confidence assessment at all levels of the hierarchical integration. Specific pressures leading to ecological impact can be identified through the most impaired indicators in the hierarchical and transparent aggregation scheme. The IA and its confidence are facilitated though the development of an online tool that accesses information from monitoring databases and presents the outcome at all levels of the assessment, ensuring consistency and transparency in the calculations for all potential stakeholders. We demonstrate the versality and applicability of the approach using indicators and aggregation principles from the Swedish national guidelines for assessing ecological status of rivers, lakes and coastal waters according to the WFD. Although the approach and the tool were developed specifically for the WFD ecological status assessment in Sweden, the generality of the approach implies that it can easily be adapted to the WFD assessment methods of other countries as well as other policies, where an integrated assessment is required.publishedVersio
Water Flow Requirements of Post-smolt Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) Reared in Intensive Seawater Flow-through Systems: A Physiological Perspective
Get PDFEnvironmental challenges related to open sea cage production of Atlantic salmon have sparked interest in developing commercial-scale semi-closed sea systems for post-smolt Atlantic salmon (100–1000 g). Determining the mass-specific water flow required by post-smolts will largely influence the design and dimensioning of such systems. In this experiment, post-smolts were exposed to four levels of specific water flow: 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 L kg fish−1 min−1. All treatments involved flow-through seawater with full oxygenation, a salinity of 34‰, and a mean temperature of 9.3 °C. The stocking density was kept stable at 75 kg m−3. Water pH decreased with reduced flow, while partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in the water increased. The increase in water CO2 was reflected in the blood with increased pCO2, HCO3−, and decreased Cl− in the lowest water flow treatment (0.2 L kg fish−1 min−1), indicating a typical regulatory response to increased water CO2 over the eight-week experimental period. No negative effects on osmoregulation, external macroscopic welfare, or performance indicators were observed, suggesting that within the time period of this experiment, post-smolts can compensate for reductions in water flow down to 0.2 L kg fish−1 min−1. However, to avoid activating and exhausting potentially energy-costly physiological regulatory mechanisms, it is suggested to keep specific water flow above 0.3 L kg fish−1 min−1 in large-scale operations with semi-closed sea systems at intermediate temperatures.publishedVersio
Kartlegging av sjøarealer i Moss
Get PDFProsjektleder: Gunhild BorgersenNIVA har gjennomført en kartlegging av sjøarealer i Moss kommune. Kartleggingen omfattet statussjekk på kartlagte grunne bløtbunnsområder av «viktig» verd og på ålegrasenger av «svært viktig» og «viktig» verdi. Kartlegging av fastsittende alger og dyr på hardbunn og bløtbunn ble gjennomført med videotransekter, i tillegg til kvantitativ prøvetaking av dyr som lever på bløtbunn (bløtbunnsfauna). Økologisk tilstand for bløtbunnsfauna ble klassifisert til «god». Det ble også gjenomført en kartlegging av forekomst av stillehavsøsters rundt verneområdene Rambergbukta, Eldøya og Taralden, i tillegg til at potensialet for hummerfredning rundt Gullholmsundet og effekten av hummerfredningsområdet i Mossesundet er vurdert.Moss kommunepublishedVersio
Vurdering av renseanlegg i Oslo- og Drammensfjorden Delrapport 1: Modellering av Oslofjorden
Get PDFProsjektleder: André StaalstrømRenseanleggene i Oslofjorden har i dag en betydelig positiv effekt på hele fjorden minst helt ut til Bastø. I Indre Oslofjord hadde det vært fra 2-4 ganger så høye konsentrasjoner av både nitrat og fosfat på sommeren uten renseanleggene. VEAS alene påvirker fjorden positivt, og det ville for eksempel vært 12 % eller mer planteplankton i Breiangen, hvis VEAS ikke hadde vært i drift. Ved overføring av avløpsvannet fra de fire største renseanleggene i Drammensfjorden til VEAS, så vil dette kunne gi en økning på rundt 10 % av nitrogen i overflatelaget på sommeren i Indre Oslofjord. Ut ifra en helhetlig vurdering av både forholdene i hele Oslofjorden, anbefales det å samle renseanleggene i Drammensfjorden til et sentralt renseanlegg med nitrogenfjerning og utslipp på 90 m dyp. Oksygenforholdene ville da bli svært mye bedre i Drammensfjorden, helt ned til det dypet hvor avløpsvannet slippes ut. Hvis det innføres nitrogenrensing så vil dette ha størst positiv effekt på vannkvaliteten områdene Drøbaksundet, Breiangen og Bastøbassenget, med reduksjon i mengden planteplankton i overflatelaget på minst 2-4 %.Fagrådet for avløpsteknisk samarbeid i indre OslofjordpublishedVersio
Untangling the role of biotic and abiotic ageing of various environmental plastics toward the sorption of metals
Get PDFPlastic particles can impact the environmental fate and bioavailability of essential inorganic micronutrients and non-essential (toxic) metals. The sorption of metals to environmental plastic has been demonstrated to be facilitated by plastic ageing, a phenomenon encompassing an array of physical, chemical, and biological processes. This study deploys a factorial experiment to untangle the role of different ageing processes in determining the sorption of metals. Plastics made of three different polymer types were aged both through abiotic (ultraviolet irradiation, UV) and biotic (through the incubation with a multispecies algal inoculum forming a biofilm) processes under controlled laboratory conditions. Pristine and aged plastic samples were characterized for their physiochemical properties through Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle measurements. Their sorption affinity toward aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) in aqueous solutions was then assessed as a response variable. All ageing processes (alone or combined) influenced plastic surface properties resulting in reduced hydrophobicity, changes in surface functional groups (i.e., increase of oxygen containing functional groups after UV ageing and the appearance of marked bands as amides and polysaccharides after biofouling), as well as in nanomorphology. The sorption of Al and Cu was instead statistically dependent (p < 0.01) on the degree of biofouling covering the specimens. Biofouled plastic displayed in fact substantial affinity for metal sorption causing the depletion of up to tenfold Cu and Al compared to pristine polymers, regardless of the polymer type and presence or absence of other ageing treatments. These results confirm the hypothesis that the accumulation of metals on plastic is substantially driven by the biofilm present on environmental plastics. These findings also highlight the importance of investigating the implications of environmental plastic for metal and inorganic nutrients availability in environments impacted by this pollution.publishedVersio
Berlin statement on legacy and emerging contaminants in polar regions
Get PDFPolar regions should be given greater consideration with respect to the monitoring, risk assessment, and management of potentially harmful chemicals, consistent with the requirements of the precautionary principle. Protecting the vulnerable polar environments requires (i) raising political and public awareness and (ii) restricting and preventing global missions of harmful chemicals at their sources. The Berlin Statement is the outcome of an international workshop with representatives of the European Commission, the Arctic Council, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), environmental specimen banks, and data centers, as well as scientists from various international research institutions. The statement addresses urgent chemical pollution issues in the polar regions and provides recommendations for improving screening, monitoring, risk assessment, research cooperation, and open data sharing to provide environmental policy makers and chemicals management decision-makers with relevant and reliable contaminant data to better protect the polar environments. The consensus reached at the workshop can be summarized in just two words: “Act now!” Specifically, “Act now!” to reduce the presence and impact of anthropogenic chemical pollution in polar regions by: • Establishing participatory co-development frameworks in a permanent multi-disciplinary platform for Arctic-Antarctic collaborations and establishing exchanges between the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) of the Arctic council and the Antarctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AnMAP) of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) to increase the visibility and exchange of contaminant data and to support the development of harmonized monitoring programs. • Integrating environmental specimen banking, innovative screening approaches and archiving systems, to provide opportunities for improved assessment of contaminants to protect polar regions.publishedVersio
Kartlegging og utredning av Fedafjorden i 2023 i forbindelse med etablering av hydrogenfabrikk
Get PDFProsjektleder: Hilde Cecilie TrannumI forbindelse med etablering av hydrogenfabrikk i Kvinesdal er det foretatt en kartlegging av det akvatiske miljøet. I bekkene var fokuset vandrende fisk, som potensielt kan bli påvirket av endret vannføringsregime. I det marine miljøet var fokuset flora og fauna på hardbunn, som potensielt kan bli påvirket av nye kaianlegg og skipsanløp. Det er også innhentet og sammenstilt eksisterende data fra området. Videre er det drøftet avbøtende tiltak. De viktigste tiltakene i bekkene er å sikre en viss minimumsvannføring og iverksette evt. vandringstiltak. I det marine miljøet er de viktigste tiltakene å unngå partikkelspreding og å sikre en mest mulig naturlig utforming av evt. utfyllinger og kaifronter. Det bør legges særlig vekt på å beskytte rødlistede og hensynskrevende arter, herunder ål og hummer.Kvina EnergypublishedVersio
Distinguishing between Sources of Natural Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) Based on Its Characteristics
Get PDFIncreasing levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in watercourses in the northern hemisphere are mainly due to reduced acid rain, climate change, and changes in agricultural practices. However, their impacts vary in time and space. To predict how DOM responds to changes in environmental pressures, we need to differentiate between allochthonous and autochthonous sources as well as identify anthropogenic DOM. In this study we distinguish between allochthonous, autochthonous, and anthropogenic sources of DOM in a diverse watercourse network by assessing effects of land cover on water quality and using DOM characterization tools. The main sources of DOM at the studied site are forests discharging allochthonous humic DOM, autochthonous fulvic DOM, and runoff from urban sites and fish farms with high levels of anthropogenic DOM rich in protein‐like material. Specific UV absorbency (sUVa) distinguishes allochthonous DOM from autochthonous and anthropogenic DOM. Anthropogenic DOM differs from autochthonous fulvic DOM by containing elevated levels of protein‐like material. DOM from fishponds is distinguished from autochthonous and sewage DOM by having high sUVa. DOM characteristics are thus valuable tools for deconvoluting the various sources of DOM, enabling water resource managers to identify anthropogenic sources of DOM and predict future trends in DOMDistinguishing between Sources of Natural Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) Based on Its CharacteristicspublishedVersio
Tackling the Challenging Determination of Trace Elements in Ultrapure Silicon Carbide by LA-ICP-MS
Get PDFThe goal of accurately quantifying trace elements in ultrapure silicon carbide (SiC) with a purity target of 5N (99.999% purity) was addressed. The unsuitability of microwave-assisted acid digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis was proved to depend mainly on the contamination induced by memory effects of PTFE microwave vessels and by the purity levels of acids, even if highly pure ones were used in a clean environment. A new analytical protocol for the direct analysis of the solid material by laser ablation coupled with ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) was then exploited. Different samples were studied; the best results were obtained by embedding SiC (powders or grains) in epoxy resin. This technique has the great advantage of avoiding any source of external contamination, as grinding, pressing and sintering pretreatments are totally unnecessary. Two different laser wavelengths (266 and 193 nm) were tested, and best results were obtained with the 266 nm laser. The optimized protocol allows the determination of elements down to the sub-mg/kg level with a good accuracy level.publishedVersio