{"title":"Sediment assessment, management, and regulation in the 21st century","authors":"Richard J. Wenning, Sabine E. Apitz","doi":"10.1002/ieam.4949","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ieam.4949","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nearly 20 years ago, SETAC published the results of a Pellston Workshop on methods for assessing and setting sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and associated tools (Wenning et al., <span>2004</span>). This was done to compile the state of science describing the harmful effects of chemical contaminants in sediments on freshwater and marine aquatic life. Since then, there have been significant advances in sediment ecotoxicology, monitoring methods, and risk assessment practices, as well as management strategies. The definition of “sediment quality” has also evolved and now encompasses more than just toxicity. It considers the chemical and physical characteristics of sediment that contribute to the health of aquatic ecosystems, including the quality of overlying waters and aquatic food chains. Advances have been made in the interpretation of the ecosystem services both provided and affected by sediments (Apitz, <span>2012</span>), as well as environmental baseline values used to identify the nature and extent of environmental changes outside the range of natural variability (Brown et al., <span>2022</span>).</p><p>While sediment sampling methods have changed little over the years, the methods for analyzing and interpreting various biological, chemical, and physical parameters used to evaluate sediment risk have advanced considerably (Bruce et al., <span>2021</span>). Broader and smarter sediment screening methods and advanced analytical chemistry and assessment methodologies capable of providing insights into the drivers of sediment toxicity offer some relief to traditional limitations of sediment quality investigations (Brennan et al., <span>2021</span>; de Baat et al., <span>2019</span>; Feiler et al., <span>2013</span>). Nanosensors and new analytical methods are available for assessing biological contamination, nanopollution, and new and/or emerging chemical substances in sediments and surface waters to support management activities that protect aquatic life and human health (Hairom et al., <span>2021</span>). Passive sampling, toxicity identification evaluation methods, and omics-based eco-surveillance tools have matured considerably and provide data that inform sediment assessment, regulation, and management (Heise et al., <span>2020</span>; Li et al., <span>2018</span>; Shah et al., <span>2019</span>). New methods involving measurements of e-DNA and e-RNA and other molecular biomonitoring tools, less intrusive passive samplers to measure contaminants in sediment porewater, and the determination of metrics of biotic and ecological integrity (e.g., taxonomic richness, composition, and tolerance and/or intolerance indices) provide indispensable information for managing aquatic ecosystems more effectively (Anaisce et al., <span>2023</span>; Giroux et al., <span>2022</span>).</p><p>At the same time, climate change and a relatively new suite of “emerging” contaminants, such as microplastics, nanoparticles, substances in personal care and pharma","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":"20 4","pages":"905-907"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ieam.4949","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Books and Other Reviews","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/ieam.4951","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4951","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":"20 4","pages":"1196-1203"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141430259","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}
Federico Sinche Chele, Louise Stevenson, Christian Mark Salvador, Fred Dolislager, Teresa Mathews
{"title":"Toward a life cycle approach for classifying the toxicity of refrigerants","authors":"Federico Sinche Chele, Louise Stevenson, Christian Mark Salvador, Fred Dolislager, Teresa Mathews","doi":"10.1002/ieam.4964","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ieam.4964","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) classifies the safety of refrigerants based on their flammability and toxicity. Toxicity classifications are based on Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL), which estimate industry workers' exposure conditions and frequency (ASHRAE, <span>2013</span>, <span>2019</span>). Using these exposure limits and acute toxicity exposure limit values set to prevent danger to life or health, the toxicity classifications are based on a threshold, where Class A (lower toxicity) is assigned when the OEL is higher than 400 ppm while Class B (higher toxicity) refrigerants have OELs below this threshold (ASHRAE, <span>2013</span>). In general, refrigerants are not considered to be highly toxic compounds. Table 1 shows that the most commonly used hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants are in Class A1, which is an indication of lower toxicity for mammals (“A”) and no flame propagation (“1”) (ASHRAE, <span>2013</span>). Nevertheless, it is important to point out that this toxicity classification only pertains to the parent compound and not necessarily to the precursors used in refrigerant manufacturing or the degradation products resulting from refrigerant emissions or use. Furthermore, the fully fluorinated methyl group (-CF3) in HFOs has prompted their classification as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the United States and Europe (Table 1).</p><p>The newest classes of refrigerants, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and HFOs or halogenated olefins are currently in use due to their low global warming potentials (GWPs) and negligible ozone depletion potentials (ODPs). The addition of hydrogen in HFCs and a double bond in HFOs have helped lower their GWPs. For example, the double bond in HFOs is highly reactive with atmospheric hydroxyl (OH) radicals, which leads to their short atmospheric lifetimes and low GWP. However, because these compounds degrade quickly, they have the potential to create significant yields of various degradation products. One of the most well-known degradation products, particularly from HFCs (e.g., R-227ea) and HFOs (e.g., R-1234yf), is trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), whose classification as an ultrashort PFAS is under considerable debate (Table 1). This classification has policy implications as both the European Commission and the USEPA have signaled their commitments to systematically decrease the usage of PFAS compounds (Glüge et al., <span>2020</span>). Scientific arguments have been made to manage all PFAS compounds together as a chemical class because of their common characteristics of being highly persistent, bioaccumulative, and potentially hazardous (Kwiatkowski et al., <span>2020</span>). Trifluoroacetic acid is the simplest of the perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA) group of substances (Burkholder et al., <span>2015</span>) and is generally regarded to be highly persistent in the environment, toxic at elevated concentrations, and bioaccumulative dependin","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":"20 4","pages":"908-911"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ieam.4964","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Announcing the IEAM Best Paper Award 2023","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/ieam.4950","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ieam.4950","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The editors of <i>Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management</i> and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) are pleased to announce the selection of Best Papers Published in 2023. The IEAM editors and the SETAC Publications Advisory Committee are committed to recognizing annually the contributions of scientists and researchers from academia, business, and government. The authors of nominated papers are recognized by their peers in the field for innovative analysis, state-of-the-science considerations, and earnest focus on solutions to the world's most difficult environmental challenges.</p><p>Methods for assessing the bioaccumulation of hydrocarbons and related substances in terrestrial organisms: A critical review. <i>19</i>(6), 1433–1456. https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ieam.4756</p><p>Frank A. P. C. Gobas, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada</p><p>Yung-Shan Lee, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada</p><p>Katharine M. Fremlin, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada</p><p>Stephanie C. Stelmachuk, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada</p><p>Aaron D. Redman, ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Annandale, New Jersey, USA</p><p>Identifying chemical substances with high bioaccumulation potential is crucial for regulating their environmental release and protecting ecosystems and human health. However, the methods currently used for regulatory bioaccumulation assessments are not always suitable for evaluating air-breathing organisms. To address this gap, Gobas et al. (2023) investigate and review both existing and new approaches for assessing the terrestrial bioaccumulation potential of hydrocarbons and related organic substances. Their comprehensive critical review systematically presents the merits and limitations of various approaches to bioaccumulation assessment and their relevance to current regulatory practices. To further the field, Gobas et al. propose a four-tier evaluation scheme to minimize effort and costs while expediting the bioaccumulation assessment of the vast numbers of organic substances that are manufactured and subsequently in circulation. The authors state it best, “The findings of the review are meant to help navigate a path forward for bioaccumulation assessment of substances that is better positioned to assess the bioaccumulation of hydrocarbons and related organic compounds in terrestrial wildlife.”</p><p>Staveley, J. P., Freeman, E. L., McArdle, M. E., Ortego, L. S., Coady, K. K., Bone, A., Lagadic, L., Weltje, L., Weyers, A., Wheeler, J. R. Current testing programs for pesticides adequately capture endocrine activity and adversity for protection of vertebrate wildlife. <i>Integrated Environmental Assessment and Ma","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":"20 4","pages":"914"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ieam.4950","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/ieam.4974","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ieam.4974","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13557,"journal":{"name":"Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management","volume":"20 4","pages":"1191"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418793","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}