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RESEARCH WATCH Health Brain tumor risk. Recent findings suggest that chemicals in flea and tick products may increase risks of brain tumors in infants. (Pagoda, J. M.; Preston-Martin, S. "Household Pesticides and Risk of Pediatric Brain Tumors," Environ. Health Perspect. 1997, 105 (11), 1214-1220) Measurements Analysis of PAHs in soils. Factors are identified that affect the selectiv- ity of porous-layer solid-phase mi- croextraction for extracting PAHs from water. The technique is dem- onstrated through the analysis of contaminated soil samples. (Liu, Y.; Lee, M. L.; Hageman, K. J.; Yang, Y; Hawthorne, S. B. "Solid-phase Micro- extraction of PAHs from Aqueous Samples Using Fibers Coated with HPLC Chemically Bonded Silica Sta- tionary Phases," Anal. Chem. 1997, 69 (24), 5001-5005) Compound enrichment technique. A novel method is demonstrated for enrichment of trace concentrations of phenolic compounds in environ- mental aqueous samples. Factors affecting the efficiency and perfor- mance of the procedure are identi- fied. (Li, N.. Lee, H. K. "Trace Enrich- ment of Phenolic Compounds from Aqueous Samples by Dynamic Ion- exchange Solid-phase Extraction," Anal. Chem. .997, 69 ((4), 5193-5199) New technique for organics. A mass spectrometry system is described that can be used to quantitatively determine parts-per-billion solution concentrations of semivolatile or- ganic compounds such as caffeine in ground coffee and acetylsalicylic or phenoxyacetic acids. (Lauritsen, F. R.; Ketola, R. A. "Quantitative Deter- mination of Semivolatile Organic Compounds in Solution Using Trap- and-Release Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry," Anal. Chem. 1997, 69 (23), 4917-^1922) Risk Bioavailability of mercury. The bio- availability of mercury could be sig- nificantly less than that of mercuric chloride, and this has ramifications for assessment of risks and cleanup costs. (Paustenbach, D. J.; Bruce, G. M.; Chrostowski, R "Current Views on the Oral Bioavailability of Inor- ganic Mercury in Soil: Implications for Health Risk Assessments," Risk Analysis 1997, 27 (5), 533-543) GIS in risk analysis. Regional risk management strategies were devel- oped using GIS and individual ship- ment tracking records in conjunc- tion with four waste transport routing scenarios. (Lovett, A. A; Par- fitt, J. P.; Brainard, J. S. "Using GIS in Risk Analysis: A Case Study of Haz- ardous Waste Transport," Risk Analy- sis 1997, 17 (5), 625-633) Safety factor requirements. A review of current literature suggests key rec- ommendations for developing and using safety factors in evaluating en- vironmental risks posed by poten- tially hazardous substances. The pre- cautionary principle is analyzed. (Chapman, P. M.; Fairbrother, A.; Brown, D. "A Critical Evaluation of Safety (Uncertainty) Factors for Eco- logical Risk Assessment," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. .198,17(1)) 99-108) Soils Predicting biodegradation rates. An approach for predicting biodegrada- tion rates in soil-water systems, based on a study of sorption's influ- ence on biodegradation kinetics, is described. (Gamerdinger, A. R; Achin, R. S.; Traxler, R. W. "Approxi- mating the Impact of Sorption on Biodegradation Kinetics in Soil- Water Systems," Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1997, 61, 1618-1626) Solid-to-solution ratios. The opti- mal solid-to-solution ratio for linear and Freundlich-type solid-liquid partitioning is derived. (McDonald, L. M., Jr.; Evangelou, V. P. "Optimal Solid-to-Solution Ratios for Organic Chemical Sorption Experiments," Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1997, 61, 1655- 1659) Toxicology Pfiesteria piscicida impairs learn- ing ability. For the first time, the toxic marine dinoflagellate has been shown to persistently interfere with the learning process. (Levin, E. D.; Schmechel, D. E.; Burkholder, J. M.; Glasgow Jr., H. B.; Deamer-Melia, N. J.; Moser, V C; Harry, G. J. "Per- sisting Learning Deficits in Rats after Exposure to Pfiesteria piscicida,, Environ. Health Perspect. .197, ,05 (12), 1320-1325) Pollutant sequestration in soils Soil aging, the process by which the bioavailability and extractability of organic pollutants in soils decreases with time, is poorly understood. N. Chung and M. Al- exander studied the extent to which this effect depends on soil type for the pollut- ants phenanthrene and atrazine. The degradation by bacteria and extractability of these compounds was monitored for 200 days in 16 different soils. Results indicate that no simple relationship exists between the decrease in bioavailability and the reduction in extractability of these pollutants during that time. There was no signifi- cant correlation between the rate and extent of pollutant sequestration and soil organic matter content. These findings indicate a need for further research into the role played by soil properties during the sequestration of organic contaminants and the consequent impact on contaminant bioavailability and persistence. (Environ. Sci. Technol., this issue, pp. 855-860) 1 9 2 A • APRIL 1, 1998 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS 0013-936X/98/0932-192A$15.00/0 © 1998 American Chemical Society

Research Watch: GIS in risk analysis

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Page 1: Research Watch: GIS in risk analysis

RESEARCH WATCH

Health Brain tumor risk. Recent findings suggest that chemicals in flea and tick products may increase risks of brain tumors in infants. (Pagoda, J. M.; Preston-Martin, S. "Household Pesticides and Risk of Pediatric Brain Tumors," Environ. Health Perspect. 1997, 105 (11), 1214-1220)

Measurements Analysis of PAHs in soils. Factors are identified that affect the selectiv­ity of porous-layer solid-phase mi-croextraction for extracting PAHs from water. The technique is dem­onstrated through the analysis of contaminated soil samples. (Liu, Y.; Lee, M. L.; Hageman, K. J.; Yang, Y; Hawthorne, S. B. "Solid-phase Micro-extraction of PAHs from Aqueous Samples Using Fibers Coated with HPLC Chemically Bonded Silica Sta­tionary Phases," Anal. Chem. 1997, 69 (24), 5001-5005)

Compound enrichment technique. A novel method is demonstrated for enrichment of trace concentrations of phenolic compounds in environ­mental aqueous samples. Factors affecting the efficiency and perfor­mance of the procedure are identi­fied. (Li, N.. Lee, H. K. "Trace Enrich­ment of Phenolic Compounds from Aqueous Samples by Dynamic Ion-exchange Solid-phase Extraction," Anal. Chem. .997, 69 ((4), 5193-5199)

New technique for organics. A mass spectrometry system is described that can be used to quantitatively determine parts-per-billion solution concentrations of semivolatile or­ganic compounds such as caffeine in ground coffee and acetylsalicylic or phenoxyacetic acids. (Lauritsen, F. R.; Ketola, R. A. "Quantitative Deter­mination of Semivolatile Organic Compounds in Solution Using Trap-and-Release Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry," Anal. Chem. 1997, 69 (23), 4917-̂ 1922)

Risk Bioavailability of mercury. The bio­availability of mercury could be sig­nificantly less than that of mercuric chloride, and this has ramifications for assessment of risks and cleanup costs. (Paustenbach, D. J.; Bruce, G. M.; Chrostowski, R "Current Views on the Oral Bioavailability of Inor­ganic Mercury in Soil: Implications for Health Risk Assessments," Risk Analysis 1997, 27 (5), 533-543)

GIS in risk analysis. Regional risk management strategies were devel­oped using GIS and individual ship­ment tracking records in conjunc­tion with four waste transport routing scenarios. (Lovett, A. A; Par-fitt, J. P.; Brainard, J. S. "Using GIS in Risk Analysis: A Case Study of Haz­ardous Waste Transport," Risk Analy­sis 1997, 17 (5), 625-633)

Safety factor requirements. A review of current literature suggests key rec­ommendations for developing and using safety factors in evaluating en­vironmental risks posed by poten­tially hazardous substances. The pre­cautionary principle is analyzed. (Chapman, P. M.; Fairbrother, A.; Brown, D. "A Critical Evaluation of Safety (Uncertainty) Factors for Eco­logical Risk Assessment," Environ. Toxicol. Chem. .198,17(1)) 99-108)

Soils Predicting biodegradation rates. An approach for predicting biodegrada­tion rates in soil-water systems, based on a study of sorption's influ­ence on biodegradation kinetics, is described. (Gamerdinger, A. R; Achin, R. S.; Traxler, R. W. "Approxi­mating the Impact of Sorption on Biodegradation Kinetics in Soil-Water Systems," Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1997, 61, 1618-1626)

Solid-to-solution ratios. The opti­mal solid-to-solution ratio for linear and Freundlich-type solid-liquid partitioning is derived. (McDonald, L. M., Jr.; Evangelou, V. P. "Optimal Solid-to-Solution Ratios for Organic Chemical Sorption Experiments," Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1997, 61, 1655-1659)

Toxicology Pfiesteria piscicida impairs learn­ing ability. For the first time, the toxic marine dinoflagellate has been shown to persistently interfere with the learning process. (Levin, E. D.; Schmechel, D. E.; Burkholder, J. M.; Glasgow Jr., H. B.; Deamer-Melia, N. J.; Moser, V C; Harry, G. J. "Per­sisting Learning Deficits in Rats after Exposure to Pfiesteria piscicida,, Environ. Health Perspect. .197, ,05 (12), 1320-1325)

Pollutant sequestration in soils Soil aging, the process by which the bioavailability and extractability of organic pollutants in soils decreases with time, is poorly understood. N. Chung and M. Al­exander studied the extent to which this effect depends on soil type for the pollut­ants phenanthrene and atrazine. The degradation by bacteria and extractability of these compounds was monitored for 200 days in 16 different soils. Results indicate that no simple relationship exists between the decrease in bioavailability and the reduction in extractability of these pollutants during that time. There was no signifi­cant correlation between the rate and extent of pollutant sequestration and soil organic matter content. These findings indicate a need for further research into the role played by soil properties during the sequestration of organic contaminants and the consequent impact on contaminant bioavailability and persistence. (Environ. Sci. Technol., this issue, pp. 855-860)

1 9 2 A • APRIL 1, 1998 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS 0013-936X/98/0932-192A$15.00/0 © 1998 American Chemical Society