Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management最新文献

{"title":"Perceptions about the use of Behavioral (Eco)Toxicology to protect human health and the environment.","authors":"Alex T Ford, Marlene Ågerstrand, Natasja Börjeson, Tomas Brodin, Bryan W Brooks, Gerd Maack, James M Lazorchak, Minna Saaristo, Bob B M Wong","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/inteam/vjaf123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The One Health concept strongly brings into focus the important connections for human and ecosystem health. However, the incorporation of behaviour method guidelines in risk assessment and regulation/policy is not equal between human and ecological disciplines. A survey was conducted on the perceptions and role of behavioural (eco)toxicology in the protection of the human and ecosystem health. Those surveyed include scientists working in the field of environmental toxicology and behavioural ecology, representing industry, government, non-government organizations and academia/research centres. The respondents (n = 166) agreed that contaminants can (97%) and are (77%) impacting wildlife, and can (84%) and are (62%) impacting humans. Overall respondents believed behavioural experiments to be repeatable (60%), reliable (61%) and relevant (84%), although those not studying behaviour (43%) were more cautious in their answers. Respondents were more likely to be neutral when asked whether behavioural endpoints are more sensitive (43%) but agreed (80%) that they provide important alternative information to standard endpoints. The largest group disagreed (42%) with the statement that behavioural endpoints are currently used in risk assessment but agreed they were essential (55%). The majority of respondents disagreed (63%) that we understood the risks of contaminants to human and ecosystem health, but agreed (68%) that regulatory authorities should consider behavioural endpoints. When comparing answers between sectors (Academia, Government or Industry), industry scientists were more likely to be negative or neutral in their responses to the application of behavioural toxicology. We discuss how these data could be used to further support our understanding and confidence in the effects of contaminants on human and ecosystem health.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatially referenced environmental exposure model for down-the-drain substance emissions across european Rivers for aquatic safety assessments.","authors":"Susan A Csiszar, Chiara Maria Vitale, Raghu Vamshi, Kyle S Roush, Brenna Kent, Ryan Heisler, Heather Summers, Emily E Burns, Iain Davies, Darius Stanton","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf119","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/inteam/vjaf119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A spatially referenced environmental exposure model for down-the-drain substance emissions was developed for Europe including the 27 European Union member states, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The model builds upon the global modeling framework that leverages the well-established iSTREEM model for the United States and further expands global coverage of the framework. The data is parameterized using European Union data on waste water treatment plants, locations, infrastructure, and global spatial datasets on population and river flow rates and routing. The model provides substance concentration distributions based on spatial variability of these parameters across Europe while taking into account river connectivity, chemical routing between rivers, and in-stream decay. Chemical-specific model inputs include wastewater treatment removals, in-stream decay rates, and emissions. The model is demonstrated for four case study chemicals that are used in consumer products with down-the-drain disposal routes: linear alkylbenzene sulfonate and alkyl sulfate are common surfactants used in laundry detergents, and oxybenzone and octinoxate are UV-filters used in personal care products. Monitoring data were collected to represent spatial variability across Europe as a comparison to modeled values. Modeled concentrations were found to be predictive while still being conservative, with 90th percentile modeled concentrations agreeing with monitored concentrations within a factor of 2-8 across the case study substances. We further demonstrate how the model can be applied in prospective safety assessments by comparing modeled concentrations to previously established predicted no-effect concentrations, and also demonstrate how the model is consistent with tiered risk assessment approaches when compared to the monitoring data assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144992267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green gutter as a Nature-based Solution for mitigation and adaptation strategy in urban environments.","authors":"Ludovica Bellani, Lineker Max Goulart Coelho, Ole Schultz, Fulvio Boano","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/inteam/vjaf122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The goal of this paper is to conduct an experimental study to evaluate the efficiency of an innovative green infrastructure named green gutter made of mineral wool as a prospective green wall to delay stormwater. The pilot is formed by an unplanted prismatic vertical column of metal filled with mineral wool with 4 meters in height, width 0,6 m, and depth 0,15 m. Along its elevation, 8 moisture sensors divided in 2 lines of 4 are embedded within the filling material to assess saturation levels, flow meters are installed in the inlet and outlet of the system. The system was tested with different flows and durations to simulate distinct rain events. The monitored parameters were peak flow reduction and, peak flow delay. From the results, it could be noted that the system's performance shows a consistent capacity to delay peak flows, on average in 15 min, but a limited capacity for peak flow reduction. Higher peak flow reductions ranging from 30% to 50% were obtained only for design rains of 10 min duration and 0.5 and 5 year return period, respectively. By effectively delaying peak flow the green gutter showed to be a promising solution to be used in stormwater strategies, focused on creating time lags of peak flows among subwatersheds.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144952542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agroecological soil amendment in watermelon systems: synergistic effects of rock dust and poultry manure on nematode suppression and yield improvement.","authors":"Olaide Ayodele Oladeji, Jonathan Jeremiah Atungwu, Mariam Olugbemileke Otusanya, Florence Alaba Olowokere, Solabomi Olaitan Ayoade, Moses Akintayo Aborisade","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf074","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Watermelon is a globally important fruit threatened by plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs). Effective soil health management through agroecological amendments is crucial for sustainable watermelon production in nematode-infested fields. This study investigated the synergistic effectiveness of rock dust (RD) and poultry manure (PM) as sustainable soil amendments for suppressing PPNs and enhancing watermelon yield. A two-trial field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments included 2.5 t/ha of RD and PM applied alone or in combination, 5 t/ha of RD and PM applied alone or in combination, and 0 t/ha (unamended control). Observations were made regarding growth and yield characteristics, and nematode communities were assessed at both planting and harvest stages. The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS 2002 software, and means were differentiated using Fisher's LSD at p < 0.05. Nine genera of PPNs were identified in the watermelon fields, including Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Hemicycliophora, Helicotylenchus, Rotylenchus, Scutellonema, Longidorus, Aphelenchus, and Tylenchus. The results indicated significant (p < 0.05) reductions in the populations of the nine PPN genera under amended treatments, with population declines ranging from 73% to 100%. Moreover, the combined RD and PM treatment at 5 t/ha yielded the highest productivity per hectare (36,250 and 36,916 in Trials 1 and 2, respectively), significantly exceeding the control (12,500). This study demonstrates that the synergistic integration of RD and PM as soil amendments effectively suppresses PPNs and enhances yields by leveraging rock dust's mineral enrichment and PM's organic nutrient release, offering dual benefits for soil health and nematode suppression. These findings highlight RD+PM amendment as a sustainable approach to mitigate nematode damage, improve yields, and reduce reliance on synthetic nematicides, ensuring food security and enhancing farmer profitability in watermelon production systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1148-1159"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144274777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing enhanced natural recovery and enhanced natural recovery with activated carbon: a case study in the Lower Duwamish Waterway.","authors":"Victor S Magar, Jason M Conder, Lis Nelis, Debra Williston, Jeff Stern, David Schuchardt, Allison Crowley, Pete D Rude, Joanna Florer, Joseph Flaherty","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf040","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf040","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The use of activated carbon (AC) to augment enhanced natural recovery (ENR) is an increasingly recognized remedy to reduce the bioavailability of hydrophobic, bioaccumulative compounds. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) were interested in whether the performance of ENR with AC would enhance the effectiveness of ENR in the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW), a tidally influenced, salt-wedge estuary. In 2014, USEPA and Ecology directed the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG) to evaluate the potential effectiveness of using AC (Coconut Fine Mesh Activated Carbon graded 200-1,000 µm) with ENR (referred to herein as ENR+AC) to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic sediment in the LDW. This three-year pilot study established three one-acre areas within the LDW representing different site conditions (an intertidal area, an area prone to scour, and a subtidal area) where ENR+AC and ENR would be compared. The target ENR and ENR+AC thickness was 15-30 cm with 4% AC in the ENR+AC plots; actual thicknesses across all plots were 15-46 cm, with a mean depth of material across plots that ranged from 24 to 35 cm. Over the three-year study period, the ENR and ENR+AC placements were relatively stable, and AC remained stable within the ENR+AC plots. While final ENR applications were somewhat thicker than expected, benthic community results demonstrated substantial biological activity during the study, including the presence of organisms that burrow deeper than the ENR layer depth. Both treatments performed similarly at plots where the performance could be most accurately assessed (i.e., at the Intertidal and Subtidal Plots). For the Intertidal Plot, the average (±SD) Year 3 freely dissolved (Cfree) total PCB concentration in the ENR subplot was 1.6 ± 0.26 ng/L, compared with 0.78 ± 0.19 ng/L in the ENR+AC subplot; the difference in Year 3 Cfree concentrations, while small, was statistically significant (p = .011) and reflected 95% and 97% decreases from average baseline Cfree concentrations, respectively. The Subtidal Plot had a 96% decrease from baseline Cfree PCBs in Year 3 in the ENR+AC subplot compared to an 89% decrease in the ENR-only subplot. Average Year-3 Subtidal Plot Cfree concentrations were 4.3 ± 1.1 ng/L and 3.8 ± 0.42 ng/L, respectively; the difference between the subplot concentrations in Year 3 was not statistically significant (p = .588), suggesting that the larger decrease seen in the ENR+AC subplot was influenced in part by a higher baseline Cfree PCB concentration in the ENR+AC subplot (108 ng/L) compared to the ENR subplot (36 ng/L). In the Scour Plot, low baseline Cfree PCB concentrations in the ENR (1.5 ng/L) and ENR+AC (11 ng/L) subplots made it difficult to statistically compare the Scour Plot performances. In the Intertidal and Subtidal Plots, ENR reduced PCB bioavailability so well that the additional improvements by AC were difficult to detect or very minor,","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1047-1061"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143692082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inside the divide: a stakeholder's perspective on formal vs. informal waste practices.","authors":"Maria Rizk, May A Massoud, Ali Chalak, Mohamad G Abiad","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf047","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Global solid waste mismanagement has reached unprecedented levels, leading to significant environmental and social challenges, including pollution, resource depletion, and labor exploitation. The circular economy's principle of reuse offers a potential solution, but more research is needed to facilitate this transition. The informal sector plays a key role in waste reuse, yet its integration with formal regulatory framework and waste management systems remains challenging. A study in Lebanon, using semistructured interviews with stakeholders, explored the informal sector's role in waste reuse. The findings reveal that while the reuse and repair market has grown due to the economic crisis, it remains underdeveloped. Informal workers create challenges by hindering the efficiency of formal waste management systems and undermining the economic sustainability of recycling projects. Their unregulated activities can lead to operational disruptions, reduced material value, and increased public health and environmental costs. The informal sector operates with little oversight, and the system's deficiencies-legal, technical, and economic-exacerbate these issues, including the absence of an effective cost-recovery mechanism. Formalizing or integrating the informal sector is a complex process that involves not only waste management issues but also political and regional challenges. The research suggests that regulating the waste management sector is the best approach to address these challenges, helping transition informal workers into a formalized system. This would improve overall waste management, making informal operations less financially viable over time.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1088-1097"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143784467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pesticide risk assessment for seed treatments: review of the updated EFSA bird and mammal guidance.","authors":"Dennis Sprenger, Manousos Foudoulakis, Jörg Hahne, Steven Kragten, Kai Ristau, Alan Lawrence","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf065","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Seed treatment technology allows a targeted application of plant protection products (PPPs) to protect crop seeds and emerging seedlings from soil-borne pests and diseases. This highly focused application of seed treatments highlights their potential as a precision application tool, resulting in reduced pesticide use and exposure to non-target organisms compared to overspray, while supporting efficient crop production. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published an updated risk assessment guidance for birds and mammals (EFSA, 2023), including a scheme for seed treatment uses. Here, we present illustrative risk assessment results according to EFSA (2023) based on active substance toxicity data and seed treatment specific commercial use patterns according to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). Our results demonstrate a high failure rate at Tier 1 and higher tiers, resulting in the need for weight of evidence for the majority of products to further refine the assumed risk to birds and mammals. We discuss these high failure rates in the context of an apparent mismatch between implicit assumptions of the EFSA (2023) risk assessment scheme and anticipated real-world field conditions, with agronomic practices linked to modern sowing technology and the ecology of species not being realistically reflected. Aiming toward a harmonized evaluation of seed treatment uses by different member states, we propose how the risk assessment scheme could be adapted by including more realism at Tier 1 and higher tiers. The development of precision agriculture and associated review of risk assessment procedures offers regulators and risk managers a timely opportunity to consider these proposals to the risk assessment scheme for crop seed treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1000-1010"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144173765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the spatial heterogeneity of trade-offs and synergies across ecosystem service bundles based on supply and demand relationships in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area.","authors":"Ying Chen, Ruolin Meng, Kejun Li","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf066","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) is crucial for multi-objective management and ecosystem sustainability. However, limited research has focused on identifying ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) through ES supply-demand relationships and analyzing the internal trade-offs and synergies within each bundle. To address this gap, this study used the Wuhan Metropolitan Area (WMA) in 2021 as a case study to evaluate the supply and demand of six ESs at both the raster and county scales, using the InVEST model and multisource data including geospatial and statistical datasets. The spatial distribution of ESB was identified at different scales through agglomerative hierarchical clustering. Furthermore, the trade-offs and synergies among ES supply across ESBs were analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The conclusions indicated that, first, ES deficits were predominantly concentrated in urban core areas, whereas surplus areas were distributed variably. Provisioning service surplus areas were primarily located in the central and western parts of the WMA, regulating and maintenance service surplus areas were mainly distributed in the eastern forested mountainous regions, and cultural service surplus areas were typically distributed on the outskirts of urban built-up areas. Second, at both scales, ESB types were relatively similar, categorized as agricultural production bundles, urbanization control bundles, and forest protection bundles. The differences lie in that, due to cumulative effects, ES distribution differences at smaller scales were often spatially averaged, leading to diminished distinctions among ESBs. This underscores the significance of implementing ecosystem management at multiple scales. Third, trade-offs and synergies among ES supply across ESBs exhibited distinct spatial heterogeneity. In conclusion, this work provides an important reference for taking ESBs as the basic management unit in multi-objective ecosystem management.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1025-1038"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144181624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Arthropod assemblages in municipal solid waste landfills: decomposers or hidden hazards?","authors":"Nozipho Kheswa, Arun Gokul, Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe, Nontembeko Dube","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf058","DOIUrl":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Landfills represent a cost-effective method for waste disposal but pose significant environmental and public health risks, including the spread of arthropod-borne diseases, if not properly managed. This study investigated arthropod assemblages in two municipal solid waste landfills in Maluti-a-Phofung, Free State, South Africa, and compared them with adjacent control sites. Arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps deployed in active and dormant landfill sites, as well as in adjacent pristine grassland biotopes, during both wet and dry seasons. The study identified 11 arthropod groups in the landfills, including collembolans (48%), Diptera (25%), Hymenoptera (8%), Coleoptera (8%), and spiders (6%). Results showed that landfills support significantly higher arthropod abundance and diversity compared to control sites. In the wet season, landfills recorded a total of 9,354 individuals, compared to 3,684 in control sites, while in the dry season, 1,193 individuals were recorded in landfills vs. 788 in control areas. Detritivores and predatory arthropods were notably more abundant in landfills. Dipteran families such as Muscidae and Calliphoridae were particularly prevalent in landfills during the wet season, playing key roles as decomposers while also serving as potential disease vectors. The findings highlight that landfill conditions, including waste accumulation and seasonal variations, promote diverse arthropod communities crucial for waste degradation. However, the high abundance of arthropods, especially dipterans, may indicate inadequate landfill management. To mitigate potential health risks, improved waste containment, moisture control, and remediation practices are recommended. This study is the first documented investigation of arthropod assemblages in South African landfill sites, and future research should further explore the role of detritivores in waste degradation and pollution remediation in landfills.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":"1186-1198"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143978351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Statistical Summary and Visualization Tool for a 30-year Background Soil and Sediment Metals Data from North Carolina Superfund Sites.","authors":"Matthew C Ogwu, Frances M Nilsen, William F Hunneke, Landon Norris, Robert J Kelley, Paul P Goodwin, Matthew A Nichols, Alexis R VanVenrooy, James T Bateson","doi":"10.1093/inteam/vjaf120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/inteam/vjaf120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The remediation of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or Superfund sites is limited to cleanup to levels no lower than background concentrations. However, both anthropogenically induced and naturally occurring metal concentrations in soil and sediments often complicate this cleanup process. To support informed decisions on heavy metal cleanup and the development of soil heavy metal-related policies in North Carolina, a statewide dataset of background heavy metal data from Superfund site investigations was compiled. The dataset represents background concentrations at 326 Superfund sites found in North Carolina, USA from 1985 to 2015. This 30-year dataset comprises site location data and analytical measurement results for 18 heavy metals in 624 soil and 228 sediment samples, obtained using standard methods. The data are presented in an interactive dashboard, offering summary statistics and graphical representations that can be customized to support specific decision-making needs. The data and Dashboard serve two main goals: 1) to inform and support cleanup decisions and policy development regarding soil heavy metals, and 2) to increase public awareness of the levels of naturally occurring and anthropogenic background heavy metals in soil and sediments across the state. The publicly accessible and interactive dashboard offers a deeper understanding of background environmental conditions in relation to evolving anthropogenic contamination within a broader context.</p>","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144952441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}