| 1. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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Precaution and Ethics: Handling risks, uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the regulation of new biotechnologies
- 2017
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Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This volume outlines and analyses ethical issues actualized by applying a precautionary approach to the regulation of new biotechnologies. It presents a novel way of categorizing and comparing biotechnologies from a precautionary standpoint. Based on this, it addresses underlying philosophical problems regarding the ethical assessment of decision-making under uncertainty and ignorance, and discusses how risks and possible benefits of such technologies should be balanced from an ethical standpoint. It argues on conceptual and ethical grounds for a technology neutral regulation as well as for a regulation that not only checks new technologies but also requires old, inferior ones to be phased out. It demonstrates how difficult ethical issues regarding the extent and ambition of precautionary policies need to be handled by such a regulation, and presents an overarching framework for doing so.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Sanli, Kemal, et al.
(author)
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Metagenomic Sequencing of Marine Periphyton: Taxonomic and Functional Insights into Biofilm Communities
- 2015
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In: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-302X. ; 6:1192
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Periphyton communities are complex phototrophic, multispecies biofilms that develop on surfaces in aquatic environments. These communities harbor a large diversity of organisms comprising viruses, bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoans and metazoans. However, thus far the total biodiversity of periphyton has not been described. In this study, we use metagenomics to characterize periphyton communities from the marine environment of the Swedish west coast. Although we found approximately ten times more eukaryotic rRNA marker gene sequences compared to prokaryotic, the whole metagenome-based similarity searches showed that bacteria constitute the most abundant phyla in these biofilms. We show that marine periphyton encompass a range of heterotrophic and phototrophic organisms. Heterotrophic bacteria, including the majority of proteobacterial clades and Bacteroidetes, and eukaryotic macro-invertebrates were found to dominate periphyton. The phototrophic groups comprise Cyanobacteria and the alpha-proteobacterial genus Roseobacter, followed by different micro- and macro-algae. We also assess the metabolic pathways that predispose these communities to an attached lifestyle. Functional indicators of the biofilm form of life in periphyton involve genes coding for enzymes that catalyze the production and degradation of extracellular polymeric substances, mainly in the form of complex sugars such as starch and glycogen-like meshes together with chitin. Genes for 278 different transporter proteins were detected in the metagenome, constituting the most abundant protein complexes. Finally, genes encoding enzymes that participate in anaerobic pathways, such as denitrification and methanogenesis, were detected suggesting the presence of anaerobic or low-oxygen micro-zones within the biofilms.
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| 4. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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The Price of Precaution and the Ethics of Risk
- 2011
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Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Since a couple of decades, the notion of a precautionary principle plays a central and increasingly influential role in international as well as national policy and regulation regarding the environment and the use of technology. Urging society to take action in the face of potential risks of human activities in these areas, the recent focus on climate change has further sharpened the importance of this idea. However, the idea of a precautionary principle has also been problematised and criticised by scientists, scholars and policy activists, and been accused of almost every intellectual sin imaginable: unclarity, impracticality, arbitrariness and moral as well as political unsoundness. In that light, the very idea of precaution as an ideal for policy making rather comes out as a dead end. On the basis of these contrasting starting points, Christian Munthe undertakes an innovative, in-depth philosophical analysis of what the idea of a precautionary principle is and should be about. A novel theory of the ethics of imposing risks is developed and used as a foundation for defending the idea of precaution in environmental and technological policy making against its critics, while at the same time avoiding a number of identified flaws. The theory is shown to have far-reaching consequences for areas such as bio-, information- and nuclear technology, and global environmental policy in areas such as climate change. The author argues that, while the price we pay for precaution must not be too high, we have to be prepared to pay it in order to act ethically defensible. A number of practical suggestions for precautionary regulation and policy making are made on the basis of this, and some challenges to basic ethical theory as well as consumerist societies, the global political order and liberal democracy are identified
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| 5. |
- Cutas, Daniela, 1978, et al.
(author)
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Legal imperialism in the regulation of stem cell research and therapy: the problem of extraterritorial jurisdiction
- 2010
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In: Capps BJ & Campbell AV (eds.). CONTESTED CELLS: Global Perspectives on the Stem Cell Debate. - London : Imperial College Press. - 9781848164376 ; , s. 95-119
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Countries worldwide have very different national regulations on human embryonic stem (ES) cell research, informed by a range of ethical values. Some countries find reason to extend the applicability of their regulations on such research to its citizens when they visit other countries. Extraterritorial jurisdiction has recently been identified as a potential challenge towards global regulation of ES cell research. This chapter explores the implications and impact of extraterritorial jurisdiction and global regulation of ES cell research on researchers, clinicians and national health systems, and how this may affect patients. The authors argue that it would make ethical sense for ES cell restrictive countries to extend its regulations on ES cell research beyond its borders, because, if these countries really consider embryo destruction to be objectionable on the basis on the status of the embryo, then they ought to count it morally on par with murder (and thus have a moral imperative to protect embryos from the actions of its own citizens). However, doing so could lead to a legal situation that would result in substantial harm to central values in areas besides research, such as health care, the job market, basic freedom of movement, and strategic international finance and politics. Thus, it seems that restrictive extraterritorial jurisdiction in respect to ES cell research would be deeply problematic, given that the ethical permissibility of ES cell research is characterised by deep and wide disagreement.
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| 6. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962, et al.
(author)
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The Return of Lombroso? Ethical Aspects of (Visions of) Preventive Forensic Screening
- 2015
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In: Public Health Ethics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1754-9973 .- 1754-9981. ; 8:3, s. 270-283
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The vision of legendary criminologist Cesare Lombroso to use scientific theories of individual causes of crime as a basis for screening and prevention programmes targeting individuals at risk for future criminal behaviour has resurfaced, following advances in genetics, neuroscience and psychiatric epidemiology. This article analyses this idea and maps its ethical implications from a public health ethical standpoint. Twenty-seven variants of the new Lombrosian vision of forensic screening and prevention are distinguished, and some scientific and technical limitations are noted. Some lures, biases and structural factors, making the application of the Lombrosian idea likely in spite of weak evidence are pointed out and noted as a specific type of ethical aspect. Many classic and complex ethical challenges for health screening programmes are shown to apply to the identified variants and the choice between them, albeit with peculiar and often provoking variations. These variations are shown to actualize an underlying theoretical conundrum in need of further study, pertaining to the relationship between public health ethics and the ethics and values of criminal law policy.
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| 7. |
- Rämö, Robert, et al.
(author)
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Sediment Remediation Using Activated Carbon: Effects of Sorbent Particle Size and Resuspension on Sequestration of Metals and Organic Contaminants.
- 2022
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In: Environmental toxicology and chemistry. - : Wiley. - 1552-8618 .- 0730-7268. ; 41:4, s. 1096-1110
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Thin-layer capping using activated carbon (AC) has been described as a cost-effective in situ sediment remediation method for organic contaminants. In this study, we compare the capping efficiency of powdered AC (PAC) against granular AC (GAC) using contaminated sediment from Oskarshamn harbor, Sweden. The effects of resuspension on contaminant retention and cap integrity were also studied. Intact sediment cores were collected from the outer harbor and brought to the laboratory. Three thin-layer caps, consisting of PAC or GAC mixed with clay, or clay only, were added to the sediment surface. Resuspension was created using a motor-driven paddle to simulate propeller wash from ship traffic. Passive samplers were placed in the sediment and in the water column to measure the sediment-to-water release of PAHs, PCBs, and metals. Our results show that a thin-layer cap with PAC reduced sediment-to-water fluxes of PCBs by 57 % under static conditions and 91 % under resuspension. Thin-layer capping with GAC was less effective than PAC, but reduced fluxes of high-molecular weight PAHs. Thin-layer capping with AC was less effective in retaining metals, except for Cd, which release was significantly reduced by PAC. Resuspension generally decreased water concentrations of dissolved cationic metals, perhaps due to sorption to suspended sediment particles. Sediment resuspension in treatments without capping increased fluxes of PCBs with log Kow > 7 and PAHs with log Kow 5 6, but resuspension reduced PCB and PAH fluxes through the PAC thin-layer cap. Overall, PAC performed better than GAC, but adverse effects on the benthic community and transport of PAC to non-target areas are drawbacks that favor the use of GAC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.© 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Petersson, Jesper, 1974
(author)
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Blurring the shoreline: De- and re-infrastructuring and the changing colors of European flood policy
- 2021
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In: Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space. - : SAGE Publications. - 2514-8494 .- 2514-8494 .- 2514-8486. ; 4:2, s. 623-644
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper provides a genealogy of the emergence of a common EU flood policy, including the scope and direction of this policy. Noticing how EU policy proposes green infrastructure (associated with using nature as a buffer zone in managing floods) as an alternative to grey infrastructure (implying fixed installations of concrete and cement), this paper adopts the theoretical lens of the so-called infrastructural turn, which advocates a relational investigation of infrastructure. By engaging this approach, the paper shows how flood infrastructure can contain very different compositions of (unruly) water and (settled) land. A narrative of a historically strong focus on guarding society from the powerful forces of nature through a fixed line of defense is increasingly giving way to more muddy states—quite literally—where society is expected to learn to live with flooding and show ecological consideration. To capture the EU’s, and especially the European Commission’s efforts to establish a pan-European flood infrastructure that accommodates this turn, the concepts of de- and re-infrastructuring are developed. These concepts act as heuristic devices to capture how policy performs some combinations between water and land as constituting an attractive and functional flood infrastructure, but constitutes other infrastructural relations of the aquatic and the terrestrial as undesirable and, hence, as malfunctioning. This performative act of distinguishing between what constitutes “good and proper” versus “bad and undesirable” infrastructure is referred to as a politics of infrastructure.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Checinska, Aleksandra, et al.
(author)
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Microbiomes of the dust particles collected from the International Space Station and Spacecraft Assembly Facilities
- 2015
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In: Microbiome. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2049-2618. ; 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background - The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique built environment due to the effects of microgravity, space radiation, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and especially continuous human habitation. Understanding the composition of the ISS microbial community will facilitate further development of safety and maintenance practices. The primary goal of this study was to characterize the viable microbiome of the ISS-built environment. A second objective was to determine if the built environments of Earth-based cleanrooms associated with space exploration are an appropriate model of the ISS environment. Results - Samples collected from the ISS and two cleanrooms at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL, Pasadena, CA) were analyzed by traditional cultivation, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and propidium monoazide–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PMA-qPCR) assays to estimate viable microbial populations. The 16S rRNA gene Illumina iTag sequencing was used to elucidate microbial diversity and explore differences between ISS and cleanroom microbiomes. Statistical analyses showed that members of the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were dominant in the samples examined but varied in abundance. Actinobacteria were predominant in the ISS samples whereas Proteobacteria, least abundant in the ISS, dominated in the cleanroom samples. The viable bacterial populations seen by PMA treatment were greatly decreased. However, the treatment did not appear to have an effect on the bacterial composition (diversity) associated with each sampling site. Conclusions - The results of this study provide strong evidence that specific human skin-associated microorganisms make a substantial contribution to the ISS microbiome, which is not the case in Earth-based cleanrooms. For example, Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium (Actinobacteria) but not Staphylococcus (Firmicutes) species are dominant on the ISS in terms of viable and total bacterial community composition. The results obtained will facilitate future studies to determine how stable the ISS environment is over time. The present results also demonstrate the value of measuring viable cell diversity and population size at any sampling site. This information can be used to identify sites that can be targeted for more stringent cleaning. Finally, the results will allow comparisons with other built sites and facilitate future improvements on the ISS that will ensure astronaut health.
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| 12. |
- Beier, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
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Fisk och fiske i Mälaren
- 2015
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Reports (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Nära en tredjedel av Sveriges befolkning bor i Mälardalen. Mälaren är Sveriges tredje största sjö och en av de artrikaste beträffande fisk. Sjön är både flikig och mångsidig. Ömsom kantas den av slätter med intensivt jordbruk och stora vassområden, ömsom av karga klippor och grusstränder. Här finns omväxlande små och stora öar, grunda vikar, trånga sund och stora, djupa fjärdar. Mälaren har förorenats under århundraden och är fortfarande delvis övergödd. Trots det tjänar den som landets största dricksvattentäkt. Två miljoner människor får dricksvatten från Mälaren. Länge har fokus varit på sjöns vattenkvalitet, både för att dricka och bada i. Mälaren är också viktig som fiskesjö. Fiske i Mälaren innebär oftast rekreation men sjön försörjer också cirka trettio yrkesfiskare. Sist men inte minst - fisken i Mälaren är en viktig del i dess ekosystem. Genom näringsväven återkopplar fisken oundvikligen till vattnets kvalitet. I den här rapporten vill vi sätta Mälarens fisk i fokus. Vi ska berätta om fiskarter som är viktiga för ekosystemet och fisket samt om hur fisken i Mälaren undersöks.
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| 13. |
- Lundqvist, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Innovative drinking water treatment techniques reduce the disinfection-induced oxidative stress and genotoxic activity
- 2019
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In: Water Research. - : Elsevier. - 0043-1354 .- 1879-2448. ; 5, s. 182-192
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Disinfection of drinking water using chlorine can lead to the formation of genotoxic by-products whenchlorine reacts with natural organic matter (NOM). A vast number of such disinfection by-products(DBPs) have been identified, making it almost impossible to routinely monitor all DBPs with chemicalanalysis. In this study, a bioanalytical approach was used, measuring oxidative stress (Nrf2 activity),genotoxicity (micronucleus test), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation to evaluate an innovativewater treatment process, including suspended ion exchange, ozonation, in-line coagulation,ceramic microfiltration, and granular activated carbon. Chlorination was performed in laboratory scaleafter each step in the treatment process in order to investigate the effect of each treatment process to theformation of DBPs. Suspended ion exchange had a high capacity to remove dissolved organic carbon(DOC) and to decrease UV absorbance and Nrf2 activity in non-chlorinated water. High-dose chlorination(10 mg Cl2 L-1) of raw water caused a drastic induction of Nrf2 activity, which was decreased by 70% inwater chlorinated after suspended ion exchange. Further reduction of Nrf2 activity following chlorinationwas achieved by ozonation and the concomitant treatment steps. The ozonation treatment resulted indecreased Nrf2 activity in spite of unchanged DOC levels. However, a strong correlation was found betweenUV absorbing compounds and Nrf2 activity, demonstrating that Nrf2 inducing DBPs were formedfrom pre-cursors of a specific NOM fraction, constituted of mainly aromatic compounds. Moreover, highdosechlorination of raw water induced genotoxicity. In similarity to the DOC levels, UV absorbance andNrf2 activity, the disinfection-induced genotoxicity was also reduced by each treatment step of theinnovative water treatment technique. AhR activity was observed in the water produced by the conventionalprocess and in the raw water, but the activity was clearly decreased by the ozonation step inthe innovative water treatment process.
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| 14. |
- Eivazihollagh, Alireza, et al.
(author)
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On chelating surfactants : Molecular perspectives and application prospects
- 2019
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In: Journal of Molecular Liquids. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-7322 .- 1873-3166. ; 278, s. 688-705
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chelating agents, molecules that very strongly coordinates certain metal ions, are used industrially as well as in consumer products to minimize disturbances and increase performance of reactions and applications. The widely used sequestering agents, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) belong to this branch of readily water-soluble compounds. When these chemical structures also have hydrophobic parts, they are prone to adsorb at air-water interfaces and to self-assemble. Such bifunctional molecules can be called chelating surfactants and will have more extended utilization prospects than common chelating agents or ordinary ionic surfactants. The present review attempts to highlight the fundamental behavior of chelating surfactants in solution and at interfaces, and their very specific interactions with metal ions. Methods to recover chelating surfactants from metal chelates are also described. Moreover, utilization of chelating surfactants in applications for metal removal in environmental engineering and mineral processing, as well as for metal control in the fields of biology, chemistry and physics, is exemplified and discussed.
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| 15. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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A New Ethical Landscape of Prenatal Testing: Individualizing Choice to Serve Autonomy and Promote Public Health: A Radical Proposal
- 2015
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In: Bioethics. - : Wiley. - 0269-9702 .- 1467-8519. ; 29:1, s. 36-45
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A new landscape of prenatal testing (PNT) is presently developing, including new techniques for risk-reducing, non-invasive sampling of foetal DNA and drastically enhanced possibilities of what may be rapidly and precisely analysed, surrounded by a growing commercial genetic testing industry and a general trend of individualization in healthcare policies. This article applies a set of established ethical notions from past debates on PNT for analysing PNT screening-programmes in this new situation. While some basic challenges of PNT stay untouched, the new development supports a radical individualization of how PNT screening is organized. This reformation is, at the same time, difficult to reconcile with responsible spending of resources in a publicly funded healthcare context. Thus, while the ethical imperative of individualization holds and applies to PNT, the new landscape of PNT provides reasons to start rolling back the type of mass-screening programmes currently established in many countries. Instead, more limited offers are suggested, based on considerations of severity of conditions and optimized to simultaneously serve reproductive autonomy and public health within an acceptable frame of priorities. The new landscape of PNT furthermore underscores the ethical importance of supporting and including people with disabilities. For the very same reason, no ban on what may be analysed using PNT in the new landscape should be applied, although private offers must, of course, conform to strict requirements of respecting reproductive autonomy and what that means in terms of counselling.
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| 16. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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Precautionary Principle
- 2013
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In: International Encyclopedia of Ethics. - Chichester : Blackwell. - 9781444367072 ; , s. 4031-4039
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Following the statement in the United Nations' Rio Declaration of 1992 that countries should apply a “precautionary approach” in policymaking on environmental and technological issues, the notion of a precautionary principle (PP) has gained ground in worldwide policymaking and regulation, thus catching the interest of ethics scholars. Although seldom explained in much detail, and resulting in quite different policy results in different countries and areas (O'Riordan et al. 2001; Sandin 1999; Trouwborst 2002; Zander 2010), PP is generally understood as a norm urging or permitting policymakers to take preventive action in the face of unknown, uncertain, or probable dangers, motivated by the experience of how seemingly valuable and promising practices may lead to seriously adverse consequences in spite of lack of solid evidence to this effect (Sandin 1999). In ethics debate, this idea has been applied not only to matters regarding the large-scale introduction and use of technology (e.g., regarding energy production, transport and communication, nano- or biotechnology, and so on) (see Biotechnology; Nanotechnology, Ethics of) with possible ensuing impact on the natural environment connecting to the notion of sustainability (see Sustainability), but also, for example, to abortion (see Abortion), medical genetics, embryo experimentation (see Embryo Research), the treatment of animals (see Animal Experimentation), terrorism (see Terrorism), and general research ethics (see Research Ethics) (Munthe 2011). Many of these applications advocate strong conclusions in spite of the fact that PP or its normative justification have not been made very clear. At the same time, PP has been the subject of criticism, much of which boils down to three points: lack of clarity, lack of practicality, and/or ethical implausibility. Curiously, these critical points have often been made in conjunction, in spite of the fact that a clear sense of what PP means seems necessary for backing up the other two objections.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Åkesson, Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Characterizing natural degradation of tetrachloroethene (PCE) using a multidisciplinary approach
- 2020
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In: Ambio: a Journal of the Human Environment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 50, s. 1074-1088
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A site in mid-western Sweden contaminated with chlorinated solvents originating from a previous dry cleaning facility, was investigated using conventional groundwater analysis combined with compound-specific isotope data of carbon, microbial DNA analysis, and geoelectrical tomography techniques. We show the value of this multidisciplinary approach, as the different results supported each interpretation, and show where natural degradation occurs at the site. The zone where natural degradation occurred was identified in the transition between two geological units, where the change in hydraulic conductivity may have facilitated biofilm formation and microbial activity. This observation was confirmed by all methods and the examination of the impact of geological conditions on the biotransformation process was facilitated by the unique combination of the applied methods. There is thus significant benefit from deploying an extended array of methods for these investigations, with the potential to reduce costs involved in remediation of contaminated sediment and groundwater.
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| 20. |
- Strand, Malin, et al.
(author)
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The Bacterial (Vibrio alginolyticus) Production of Tetrodotoxin in the Ribbon Worm Lineus longissimus-Just a False Positive?
- 2016
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In: Marine Drugs. - Basel : MDPI AG. - 1660-3397. ; 14:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We test previous claims that the bacteria Vibrio alginolyticus produces tetrodotoxin (TTX) when living in symbiosis with the nemertean Lineus longissimus by a setup with bacteria cultivation for TTX production. Toxicity experiments on the shore crab, Carcinus maenas, demonstrated the presence of a paralytic toxin, but evidence from LC-MS and electrophysiological measurements of voltage-gated sodium channel-dependent nerve conductance in maleWistar rat tissue showed conclusively that this effect did not originate from TTX. However, a compound of similar molecular weight was found, albeit apparently non-toxic, and with different LC retention time and MS/MS fragmentation pattern than those of TTX. We conclude that C. maenas paralysis and death likely emanate from a compound <5 kDa, and via a different mechanism of action than that of TTX. The similarity in mass between TTX and the Vibrio-produced low-molecular-weight, non-toxic compound invokes that thorough analysis is required when assessing TTX production. Based on our findings, we suggest that re-examination of some published claims of TTX production may be warranted.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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Precaution, bioethics and normative justification
- 2015
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In: Monash Bioethics Review. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1321-2753 .- 1836-6716. ; 33:2, s. 219-225
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Review (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Daniel Steel’s new book on the precautionary principle illustrates the need to work ahead to fuse perspectives of epistemology and philosophy of science with those of ethics to accomplish progress in the debate on the proper role of precaution in a broad selection of bioethical areas. Steel advances the territory greatly with regard to conceptual clarity and epistemology, but from a bioethics standpoint he is mistaken in discounting the need for ethical underpinnings of a sound theory of the precautionary principle.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Kharazmi, Parastou, 1977-
(author)
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Evaluation of Innovative Rehabilitation Technologies Utilising Polymer Composites for Aging Sewer Systems
- 2019
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Water and wastewater sewer system maintenance is among the costliest aspects of infrastructure investment. The replacement of deteriorated lines is a difficult and expensive process that causes community disturbance and is generally not conducted fast enough to meet demand. To keep up with the rate of deterioration, the use of alternative rehabilitation technologies using polymer linings has increased significantly in recent years, both within Sweden and worldwide. Compared to the traditional pipe replacement method, these technologies are cost-effective, create less community disturbance, and offer a quick return to the service for the line. The main function of polymeric lining is to stabilise the condition of the pipeline, eliminate deterioration, and thereby extend the pipeline’s service life. Although rehabilitation technologies employing polymeric systems have been in use for over 30 years, there have been few technical assessments of either these technologies or the materials involved. Data gathered through the evaluation of these innovative technologies can make their benefits and limitations more widely understood, and can also be used to increase the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process in future.The main objective of this work was to contribute to an improved understanding of the most commonly used materials and methods employed in rehabilitation of wastewater and other applicable sewer lines in residential buildings in Sweden. The primary objective was not to prove that the emerging rehabilitation technologies work, but rather to increase knowledge of their weaknesses and strengths, identify any issues, and provide a technical assessment to support realistic expectations of pipeline rehabilitation. Gathering technical information in this way will help with the planning of future investigations; moreover, collecting extensive data will help to increase the effectiveness of the renewal works, aid progress in the field, and improve predictions regarding longevity and service life. As pipeline rehabilitation is still considered novel, and owing to the general lack of available data on the subject, a multi-approach study was carried out: this included evaluation of the polymeric materials’ performance in the presence of deteriorative factors, assessing the in-service state of the materials and lined sewers previously installed, monitoring the level of quality control implemented during previous rehabilitation works, and evaluating the environmental impacts of using pipe-lining technologies compared to pipe replacement. The techniques discussed included rehabilitation with epoxy and polyester resin-based lining materials, applied with brush-on and spray-on techniques, and cured-in-place pipe lining (installed by sending a resin-impregnated flexible tube inside the host pipe). Degradation of the resin-based lining materials was investigated via artificial aging involving immersion in water at elevated temperatures. The changes in materials that occurred during accelerated laboratory aging were tracked by means of various tests, including thermal and mechanical analyses, water absorption measurements and microscopy. The analysis focused on reinforced polyester-based and toughened epoxy-based lining materials in order to gain a better understanding of their performance as pipe lining. Moreover, the previously installed lined pipes and lining materials were also studied during laboratory examinations to evaluate the in-service performance of the materials and techniques under operating conditions over time, as well as to identify common defects. The state of the materials and the lined pipe were studied by means of different investigative methods, including visual inspection, microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thickness measurement, thermal and mechanical analyses. This PhD work also includes an investigation to determine the level of quality control carried during some previous rehabilitation works. Data on the quality evaluation of previous rehabilitation works were gathered during visits to the work sites, as well as by analysing lined pipes that had already been installed. Finally, a comparative life-cycle assessment was undertaken to compare the environmental impacts of pipe replacement with those of alternative innovative rehabilitations, such as CIPP and coatings with polyester and epoxy polymeric systems. Data obtained from an LCA tool were used to facilitate comparison from an environmental perspective.Results from artificial aging in the lab indicated that the properties of polymeric lining materials changed significantly when high temperatures were combined with water exposure. However, the aging testing conducted for this study also found that the materials performed relatively well at temperatures close to the average temperatures inside sewerage systems. The results revealed that the polyester-based lining material was less sensitive when compared with epoxy-based lining materials during stimulated aging. Moreover, results from the in-service field demonstration (involving examination of 12 samples with up to 10 years of service, including reinforced polyester and modified epoxy linings or cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining) showed minimal evidence that the materials underwent significant deterioration after installation; instead, a majority of the common defects were found to be related to poor-quality installation practices. Because very few field samples were available to study, conclusions regarding overall performance could not be drawn. However, there is no evidence that these materials will not perform as expected during their service life when properly installed.Evaluating quality control of previous rehabilitation work revealed a gap between theory and practice where the level of quality control and documentation was concerned; furthermore, it also emerged that quality control and documentation is crucial to both the prevention of common issues and the overall effectiveness of the rehabilitation. Accordingly, a series of recommendations regarding the development of comprehensive quality control and quality assurance procedures (QC/QA) are provided in this work. These recommendations highlight the aspects that are most important to consider at each of several key stages (before installation, during installation, and after rehabilitation work is completed).Results from comparative life-cycle assessment (LCA) showed that alternative technologies, including cured-in-place (flexible sleeve) and coating techniques, have some advantages over pipe replacement from an environmental perspective. However, the choice to use one rehabilitation technology over another is a multi-stage decision-making process that should not be based solely on a single factor.This PhD work promotes an improved understanding of the limitations and benefits of polymeric lining through the testing performed and analyses conducted. This work highlights the need for improved quality control, and further suggests that developing a detailed and comprehensive quality control plan for each technology would provide higher and more consistent quality overall. The study also demonstrates that the long-term strength of any rehabilitation work depends on various factors, and that selecting one method over another must be a process based on extensive knowledge and understanding of each rehabilitation technology. No evidence was found to indicate that the materials could not perform well under working conditions if selected and installed appropriately. However, a larger number of field samples with longer in-service time and a more detailed technical history, along with a more extended experimental plan for laboratory investigations based on the results of this PhD work, will allow for the gathering of the data required to answer questions regarding life expectancy with a higher degree of certainty.
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| 25. |
- Wu, Xue, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Ammonium recovery from reject water combined with hydrogen production in a bioelectrochemical reactor
- 2013
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In: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-8524 .- 1873-2976. ; 146, s. 530-536
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, a bioelectrochemical reactor was investigated for simultaneous hydrogen production and ammonium recovery from reject water, which is an ammonium-rich side-stream produced from sludge treatment processes at wastewater treatment plants. In the anode chamber of the reactor, microorganisms converted organic material into electrical current. The electrical current was used to generate hydrogen gas at the cathode with 96±6% efficiency. Real or synthetic reject water was fed to the cathode chamber where proton reduction into hydrogen gas resulted in a pH increase which led to ammonium being converted into volatile ammonia. The ammonia could be stripped from the solution and recovered in acid. Overall, ammonium recovery efficiencies reached 94% with synthetic reject water and 79% with real reject water. This process could potentially be used to make wastewater treatment plants more resource-efficient and further research is warranted.
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| 26. |
- Dymitrow, Mirek, et al.
(author)
-
Crossing dichotomies and breaking mental patterns: Green business development when all else fails?
- 2017
-
In: 8th International Scientific Conference “Rural Development 2017: Bioeconomy Challenges”, 23–24 November, 2017 Kaunas, Lithuania.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Obtaining sustainable and inclusive societal organization is not merely a simple matter of ‘doing it’ by subscribing to some winning formula. Given that conceptual frameworks always guide our thoughts, judgments and actions (Latour, 2013; Harvey, 1996; Dennett, 1993), the ways in which we relate to concepts chosen to serve as guiding forces for future development will eventually determine its outcome. As scholarly evidence continuously suggests the concepts ‘rural’ and ‘urban’ are increasingly recognized as artificial barriers for conducting sound and integrated development endeavors in a globalized reality of interconnectedness. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to eradicate poverty, shield the planet and safeguard prosperity for all, commitment to universal access to healthy food year round has become an important agenda point. This, however, has been exacerbated by binary thinking and separate ways of doing policy. This paper aims to share experiences from a unique project launched in the northern parts of Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city. While the area offers ample resources and immense opportunities for areal economies, it at the same time remains one of Gothenburg’s most segregated, with high levels of unemployment, ill health and crime. The uniqueness of the project lies not only in its way of abridging the rural-urban divide, but also by consciously deferring from the debilitating rhetoric of previous ‘immigrant policies’, and instead focusing on agricultural productivity, small-scale food producers and sustainable food strategies. Such exhortations to bridge between philosophical and material polarities, however, have not come without conceptual and practical challenges, something this paper aims to subsume and open up to debate.
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| 27. |
- Beijer, Kristina, et al.
(author)
-
Removal of pharmaceuticals and unspecified contaminants in sewage treatment effluents by activated carbon filtration and ozonation : Evaluation using biomarker responses and chemical analysis
- 2017
-
In: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier BV. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 176, s. 342-351
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Traces of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and other chemicals are demonstrated in effluents from sewage treatment plants (STPs) and they may affect quality of surface water and eventually drinking water. Treatment of effluents with granular activated carbon (GAC) or ozone to improve removal of APIs and other contaminants was evaluated at two Swedish STPs, Kappala and Uppsala (88 and 103 APIs analyzed). Biomarker responses in rainbow trout exposed to regular and additionally treated effluents were determined. GAC and ozone treatment removed 87-95% of the total concentrations of APIs detected. In Kappala, GAC removed 20 and ozonation (7 g O-3/m(3)) 21 of 24 APIs detected in regular effluent. In Uppsala, GAC removed 25 and ozonation (5.4 g O-3/m(3)) 15 of 25 APIs detected in effluent. GAC and ozonation also reduced biomarker responses caused by unidentified pollutants in STP effluent water. Elevated ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in gills was observed in fish exposed to effluent in both STPs. Gene expression analysis carried out in Kappala showed increased concentrations of cytochrome P450 (CYP1A5 and CYP1C3) transcripts in gills and of CYP1As in liver of fish exposed to effluent. In fish exposed to GAC- or ozone-treated effluent water, gill EROD activity and expression of CYP1As and CYP1C3 in gills and liver were generally equal to or below levels in fish held in tap water. The joint application of chemical analysis and sensitive biomarkers proved useful for evaluating contaminant removal in STPs with new technologies.
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| 28. |
- Betsholtz, Alexander, et al.
(author)
-
Tracking 14C-labeled organic micropollutants to differentiate between adsorption and degradation in GAC and biofilm processes
- 2021
-
In: Environmental Science and Technology. - : The American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 55:16, s. 11318-11327
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters can be used to reduce emissions of organic micropollutants via municipal wastewater, but it is still uncertain to which extent biological degradation contributes to their removal in GAC filters. 14C-labeled organic micropollutants were therefore used to distinguish degradation from adsorption in a GAC-filter media with associated biofilm. The rates and extents of biological degradation and adsorption were investigated and compared with other biofilm systems, including a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and a sand filter, by monitoring 14C activities in the liquid and gas phases. The microbial cleavage of ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, and mecoprop was confirmed for all biofilms, based on the formation of 14CO2, whereas the degradation of 14C-labeled moieties of sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine was undetected. Higher degradation rates for diclofenac were observed for the GAC-filter media than for the other biofilms. Degradation of previously adsorbed diclofenac onto GAC could be confirmed by the anaerobic adsorption and subsequent aerobic degradation by the GAC-bound biofilm. This study demonstrates the potential use of 14C-labeled micropollutants to study interactions and determine the relative contributions of adsorption and degradation in GAC-based treatment systems.
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| 29. |
- Svensson, Henric, et al.
(author)
-
Treatment of wood leachate with high polyphenols content by peat and carbon-containing fly ash filters
- 2015
-
In: Desalination and Water Treatment. - 1944-3994 .- 1944-3986. ; 53:8, s. 2041-2048
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the present study, two combinations of filter materials in filter/columns were examined for removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and polyphenols (PP) found in storm water runoff from wood storage areas in a wooden floor industry. One filter/column was packed with peat mixed with carbon-containing fly ash, while another filter/column contained only peat (without ash). The mixture of peat and ash has shown faster and higher removal capacity for TOC and faster removal with the same final removal capacity for PP (in grams of pollutant per kg of sorbent) at the saturation point. The superiority observed for the peat and ash filter is presumably due to the unique characteristics of peat and ash, which enhanced the treatment efficiency when used together in a mixture. Based on the observed results, filters formed by peat and carbon-containing ashes proved to be a potentially low-cost option for the treatment of storm water generated at storage areas of wood materials such as logs, sawdust and wood chips.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Olsson, Joakim, 1988, et al.
(author)
-
Effects of geographical location on potentially valuable components in Ulva intestinalis sampled along the Swedish coast
- 2020
-
In: Applied Phycology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2638-8081. ; 1:1, s. 80-92
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Macroalgal biomass has the potential to become an important source of chemicals and commodities in a future biorefinery. Currently, production of macroalgal biomass is expensive and the content of high-value compounds is often low. Therefore, in this study the biochemical composition of Ulva intestinalis along the Swedish west coast and the east coast up to Stockholm was assessed with the aim of determining how the content of potentially valuable compounds, such as rhamnose, iduronic acid and PUFAs, could be maximized by utilizing natural variation in the choice of marine cultivation site. Along the investigated coastline, the salinity dropped from 19.4‰ at high latitudes along the west coast to 5.4‰ at Stockholm. Nitrogen and phosphorus availability varied, while temperature was similar at all locations. The two major components of biomass, carbohydrates and ash, varied inversely with the highest content of ash in the west and carbohydrates in the east. In addition, total fatty acids were significantly higher in west coast samples at 3.2 g 100 g–1 dw, with a higher proportion of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some health-beneficial fatty acids were found, including EPA and DPA, at 10–50 mg 100 g–1 dw, respectively. The metal content and elemental composition varied widely, probably due to the influence of specific local conditions. The P content was correlated with the phosphorus concentration in waters at the locations. In PCA analysis, the monosaccharides constituting the cell wall polysaccharide ulvan were found to vary by geographical location, with higher levels possibly associated with lower salinities. However, only glucuronic acid differed significantly between sites. These results show the considerable geographical variability in the composition of Swedish U. intestinalis and suggest that different salinities could be used to create a lipid- or carbohydrate-rich biomass.
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| 32. |
- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
-
Precautionary Principle
- 2015
-
In: Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. - Dordrecht : Springer. - 9783319055442
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Precautionary reasoning has deep historical and wide cross-cultural roots in the ethics of health, health care, and medical research. As in general ethics, however, this side of bioethical thinking has not been the subject of focused critical analysis until recently. The emergence of the precautionary principle (PP) in general environmental and technology policy debate has, after an initial period of confusion, resulted in a range of possible ideas about the value of precaution and what sacrifices it may be worth. This has indicated some need for developments in ethical as well as decision theory. In bioethical debates, this process has left only vague traces, however. Although many issues exist where precautionary reasoning has a place, this is either often left unnoticed or arguments developed suffer from elementary flaws. Environmental and general public health ethics, the ethics of evidence-based practice in research, as well as clinical decision-making, management of normative or factual uncertainty, and the nature of clinical ethical virtues are all areas where precautionary ideas seem to have a place. Such reasoning moreover has specific relevance for global approaches to bioethics and health policy issues in a number of ways.
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| 33. |
- Santos-Pereira, Graziely Cristina, 1983-, et al.
(author)
-
Evaluation of two different carriers in the biodegradation process of an azo dye
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering. - : Springer. - 2052-336X. ; 17:2, s. 633-643
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose The MBBR solution has been applied for the textile wastewater treatment. However, in order to develop cost-effectivesolutions, waste biomass can be used as carrier. Rice husks are agricultural waste which have been used as an adsorbent of dyes;besides, they can provide and sustain suitable microorganism communities for the degradation of dyes. This study aimed toevaluate the biodegradation of the azo dye Direct Red 75 in two treatment systems with different carriers.Methods Bioreactor Awas composed by an anaerobic bioreactor filled with Kaldnes K1 carriers employed in the MBBR technologyand the study was performed in 2 different temperatures, 30 ± 0.5 °C and 21 ± 2 °C. Biofilter B was composed by a sequencedanaerobic-aerobic system with rice husks as carriers and this study was performed at 21 ± 2 °C. The rice husks was also employed asa source of microorganisms in both systems. Decolourization, surface area of the carriers and other parameters were analysed.Results Biofilter B showed high rates of decolorization, mainly over 90% in all HRT tested (24, 48 and 12 h), presenting itself asa stable system, whereas Bioreactors A showed better performances with 48 h of HRT, about 85%for A at 30 ± 0.5 °C and 45%at21 ± 2 °C. With a similar amount of carriers, analyses showed that rice husks had a much larger surface for microorganisms togrow on than Kaldnes K1.Conclusion The Biofilter B is a worthwhile system to be investigated and applied for the decolourization of textile wastewatertreatment; for instance, in developing countries.
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| 34. |
- Beheshtinia, Mohammad Ali, et al.
(author)
-
Prioritizing healthcare waste disposal methods considering environmental health using an enhanced multi-criteria decision-making method
- 2023
-
In: Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 2639-5932 .- 2639-5940. ; 35:1, s. 250-269
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Healthcare Waste Disposal Method Selection (HCWDMS) is a complicated problem due to multiple and often contradictory criteria with different importance degrees. Thus, decision-makers are restored to multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods to prioritize and select the best HCW disposal methods. This study introduces an enhanced MCDM method to deal with the HCWDMS problem. To address the problem, a comprehensive list of criteria and HCW disposal methods are identified. All the criteria are categorized into four main criteria, and Fuzzy Analysis Hierarchy Process is used to determine the weights of considered criteria and sub-criteria. The study results show that environmental, economic, technical, and social criteria are the most important in selecting disposal methods, respectively. Moreover, the sub-criteria of ‘Health Risk’, ‘Release with health effects’, and ‘Capital cost’ have the highest importance, respectively. Additionally, the methods of ‘Microwave’, ‘Sterilization by autoclave’, and ‘Reverse polymerization’ have the highest priority, respectively.
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| 35. |
- Sandin, Per, et al.
(author)
-
Technology neutrality and regulation of agricultural biotechnology
- 2018
-
In: Professionals in food chains: ethics, rules and responsibility. EurSafe 2018, Vienna, Austria 13 – 16 June 2018 / edited by: Svenja Springer, Herwig Grimm. - Wageningen, Netherlands : Wageningen Academic Publishers. - 9789086863211
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Agricultural biotechnology, in particular genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is subject to regulation in many areas of the world, not least in the European Union (EU). A number of authors have argued that those regulatory processes are unfair, costly, and slow and that regulation therefore should move in the direction of increased ‘technology neutrality’. The issue is becoming more pressing, especially since new biotechnologies such as CRISPR increasingly blur the regulatory distinction between GMOs and non-GMOs. This paper offers a definition of technology neutrality, uses the EU GMO regulation as a starting point for exploring technology neutrality, and presents distinctions between variants of the call for technology neutral GMO regulation in the EU.
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| 36. |
- Jiang, Tao, et al.
(author)
-
Influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics on dissolved mercury (Hg) species composition in sediment porewater of lakes from southwest China
- 2018
-
In: Water Research. - : Elsevier. - 0043-1354 .- 1879-2448. ; 146, s. 146-158
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The origin and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in porewater of lake sediments is intricate and decisive for fate of pollutants including mercury (Hg). While there are many reports on the relationship between dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in aquatic systems, there are few in which DOM compositional properties, that may better explain the fate of Hg, have been the focus. In this study, porewaters from sediments of three lakes, Caihai Lake (CH), Hongfeng Lake (HF) and Wujiangdu Lake (WJD), all located in southwest China, were selected to test the hypothesis that DOM optical properties control the fate of Hg in aquatic ecosystems. Porewater DOM was extracted and characterized by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. A two end-member (autochthonous and allochthonous DOM) mixing model was used to unveil the origin of DOM in porewaters of the three lakes. Our results show a higher input of terrestrial DOM in the pristine lake CH, as compared to lakes HF and WJD lakes, which were both influenced by urban environments and enriched in autochthonous DOM. While the relationships between the concentrations of DOC and the different chemical forms of Hg forms were quite inconsistent, we found important links between specific DOM components and the fate of Hg in the three lakes. In particular, our results suggest that allochthonous, terrestrial DOM inhibits Hg(II) availability for Hg methylating micro-organisms. In contrast, autochthonous DOM seems to have been stimulated MeHg formation, likely by enhancing the activity of microbial communities. Indeed, DOM biodegradation experiments revealed that differences in the microbial activity could explain the variation in the concentration of MeHg. While relationships between concentrations of DOC and Hg vary among different sites and provide little information about Hg cycling, we conclude that the transport and transformation of Hg (e.g. the methylation process) are more strongly linked to DOM chemical composition and reactivity.
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| 37. |
- Juul, Louise, et al.
(author)
-
Ulva fenestrata protein – comparison of three extraction methods with respect to protein yield and protein quality
- 2021
-
In: Algal Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-9264. ; 60
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Seaweed is gaining attention as a possible alternative and sustainable source of proteins. This study investigates three protein extraction methods and their effect on protein yield and quality when applied to Ulva fenestrata . Two of the methods included alkaline extractions (pH-shifts); one version solubilizing the proteins at pH 8.5 and one solubilizing them at pH 8.5 followed by pH 12 (pH 8.5+12). The third method was a mechanical pressing, using a double screw press. All extraction methods were followed by isoelectric precipitation to concentrate the proteins. Extraction at pH 8.5 gave the significantly highest total protein yield after the isoelectric precipitation, followed by extraction at pH 8.5+12 and lastly mechanical extraction gave the lowest yield. Proteins extracted with both alkaline methods had a significantly higher solubility at pH 7 and pH 9, compared to proteins from the mechanical pressing. There were no significant differences between the three methods in total D/L-amino acid ratio. Amino acid cross-links measured as lysinoalanine (LAL) and lanthionine (LAN) where found in significantly higher amounts in alkali-extracted proteins compared to mechanically extracted, however not to a degree that expect to compromise functional or nutritional quality. Further, no significant difference in protein in vitro digestibility was found between extraction methods. In conclusion, results indicated that protein extraction at pH 8.5 can be recommended, especially regarding total protein yield and solubility of the final protein extract.
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| 38. |
- Das, Oisik, et al.
(author)
-
Naturally-occurring bromophenol to develop fire retardant gluten biopolymers
- 2020
-
In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 243
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study was to impart fire retardancy in wheat gluten polymer through naturally-occurring additives such as lanosol. The fire properties of lanosol were compared with two other conventional brominated fire retardants (Tetrabromobisphenol A and Hexabromocyclododecane). Samples containing fire retardants and gluten were prepared through compression moulding process and then characterised for their fire and mechanical properties. All fire retardants enhanced the reaction-to-fire and thermal properties of gluten while generating V-0 (i.e. vertical position and self-extinguished) ratings in the UL-94 test. The presence of all the fire retardants increased the modulus of the gluten polymer but the fire retardant particles were detrimental for the tensile strength. Nevertheless, lanosol addition delayed ignition and lowered peak heat release rate of gluten by the maximum amount, thereby leading to relatively higher fire performance index (compared to the other fire retardants). Lanosol also allowed the gluten to create a dense char barrier layer during burning that impeded the transfer of heat and flammable volatiles. The fact that only 4 wt% lanosol was able to cause self-extinguishment under direct flame and reduce peak heat release rate by a significant 50% coupled with its inherent occurrence in nature, raises the question if lanosol can be a potential fire retardant in polymeric systems, although it is a bromophenol.
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| 39. |
- Cossio Grageda, Claudia, 1974, et al.
(author)
-
Impact of treatment plant management on human health and ecological risks from wastewater irrigation in developing countries–case studies from Cochabamba, Bolivia
- 2021
-
In: International Journal of Environmental Health Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0960-3123 .- 1369-1619. ; 31:4, s. 355-373
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wastewater irrigation is a common practice in developing countries due to water scarcity and increasing demand for food production. However, there are health risks and ecological risks associated with this practice. Small-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) intend to decrease these risks but still face management challenges. This study assessed how the management status of five small-scale WWTPs in Cochabamba, Bolivia affects health risks associated with consumption of lettuce and ecological risks due to the accumulation of nutrients in the soil for lettuce and maize crops. Risk simulations for three wastewater irrigation scenarios were: raw wastewater, actual effluent and expected effluent. Results showed that weak O&M practices can increase risk outcomes to higher levels than irrigating with raw wastewater. Improving O&M to achieve optimal functioning of small-scale WWTPs can reduce human health risks and ecological risks up to 2 log10 DALY person−1 year−1 and to 2 log10 kg nitrogen ha−1 accumulated in soil, respectively.
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| 40. |
- Shrivastava, Anamika, et al.
(author)
-
Arsenic Contamination in Soil and Sediment in India : Sources, Effects, and Remediation
- 2015
-
In: Current Pollution Reports. - : Springer. - 2198-6592. ; 1:1, s. 35-46
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Arsenic contamination is turning out to be a major problem these days with its area coverage and the number of people affected directly or indirectly. Now, the level of the contaminant has spread over the soil and sediments from groundwater and other natural sources. Arsenic poisoning in groundwater events is familiar to the world, but the consequences of soil contamination are still unrevealed to the community, specially the people of contaminated counties. Arsenic is a serious instantaneous concern for the people and other life forms regarding the poisoning through crops and vegetables. Many remediation technologies that mainly include physical, chemical, and a few biological methods have been evolved with time to check its effects. The physical and chemical methods for this purpose are often inefficient and/or very expensive, mainly limited to application in aqueous systems, and produce toxic sludge, which again becomes a matter of concern. But bioremediation relies on the fact that biological organisms have the ability to degrade, detoxify, and even accumulate harmful chemicals and offers attractive perspectives for biomonitoring (via biosensors), treatment of wastewater, and the recycling of polluted soils.
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| 41. |
- Wilen, Britt-Marie, 1966, et al.
(author)
-
The mechanisms of granulation of activated sludge in wastewater treatment, its optimization, and impact on effluent quality
- 2018
-
In: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0175-7598 .- 1432-0614. ; 102:12, s. 5005-5020
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Granular activated sludge has gained increasing interest due to its potential in treating wastewater in a compact and efficient way. It is well-established that activated sludge can form granules under certain environmental conditions such as batch-wise operation with feast-famine feeding, high hydrodynamic shear forces, and short settling time which select for dense microbial aggregates. Aerobic granules with stable structure and functionality have been obtained with a range of different wastewaters seeded with different sources of sludge at different operational conditions, but the microbial communities developed differed substantially. In spite of this, granule instability occurs. In this review, the available literature on the mechanisms involved in granulation and how it affects the effluent quality is assessed with special attention given to the microbial interactions involved. To be able to optimize the process further, more knowledge is needed regarding the influence of microbial communities and their metabolism on granule stability and functionality. Studies performed at conditions similar to full-scale such as fluctuation in organic loading rate, hydrodynamic conditions, temperature, incoming particles, and feed water microorganisms need further investigations.
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| 42. |
- Eriksson, Olivia, et al.
(author)
-
Uncertainty quantification, propagation and characterization by Bayesian analysis combined with global sensitivity analysis applied to dynamical intracellular pathway models
- 2019
-
In: Bioinformatics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1367-4803 .- 1367-4811. ; 35:2, s. 284-292
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Motivation: Dynamical models describing intracellular phenomena are increasing in size and complexity as more information is obtained from experiments. These models are often over-parameterized with respect to the quantitative data used for parameter estimation, resulting in uncertainty in the individual parameter estimates as well as in the predictions made from the model. Here we combine Bayesian analysis with global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in order to give better informed predictions; to point out weaker parts of the model that are important targets for further experiments, as well as to give guidance on parameters that are essential in distinguishing different qualitative output behaviours.Results: We used approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to estimate the model parameters from experimental data, as well as to quantify the uncertainty in this estimation (inverse uncertainty quantification), resulting in a posterior distribution for the parameters. This parameter uncertainty was next propagated to a corresponding uncertainty in the predictions (forward uncertainty propagation), and a GSA was performed on the predictions using the posterior distribution as the possible values for the parameters. This methodology was applied on a relatively large model relevant for synaptic plasticity, using experimental data from several sources. We could hereby point out those parameters that by themselves have the largest contribution to the uncertainty of the prediction as well as identify parameters important to separate between qualitatively different predictions. This approach is useful both for experimental design as well as model building.
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| 43. |
- Isaksson, Frida, et al.
(author)
-
Evaluating the Use of Alternative Normalization Approaches on SARS-CoV-2 Concentrations in Wastewater: Experiences from Two Catchments in Northern Sweden
- 2022
-
In: Environments. - : MDPI. - 2076-3298. ; 9:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments in feces has paved the way for wastewater-based epidemiology to contribute to COVID-19 mitigation measures, with its use in a public health context still under development. As a way to facilitate data comparison, this paper explores the impact of using alternative normalization approaches (wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) flow, population size estimates (derived using total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and census data) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV)) on the relationship between viral wastewater data and clinical case numbers. Influent wastewater samples were collected at two WWTPs in Luleå, northern Sweden, between January and March 2021. TN and TP were determined upon sample collection, with RNA analysis undertaken on samples after one freeze–thaw cycle. The strength of the correlation between normalization approaches and clinical cases differed between WWTPs (r ≤ 0.73 or r ≥ 0.78 at the larger WWTP and r ≤ 0.23 or r ≥ 0.43 at the smaller WWTP), indicating that the use of wastewater as an epidemiological tool is context-dependent. Depending on the normalization approach utilized, time-shifted analyses imply that wastewater data on SARS-CoV-2 RNA pre-dated a rise in clinical cases by 0–2 and 5–8 days, for the lager and smaller WWTPs, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 viral loads normalized to the population or PMMoV better reflect the number of clinical cases when comparing wastewater data between sewer catchments.
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| 44. |
- Hammarström, Thomas, 1974
(author)
-
Evaluation of different approaches to measure partial discharge characteristics within electric motor insulation
- 2022
-
In: 2022 International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, ICEMS 2022. - 9781665493024 ; , s. 1-6
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The demand to develop reliable electric motor design solutions stressed by resent development of semiconductor technologies and the need for higher voltage levels, become increasingly important. This paper compares different approaches of measuring and quantifying PD exposure in motor insulation material. In this context, both development and selection of suitable materials and test specimens employing diagnostics suitable for on- and off-line is of importance. To investigate this, electrical methods with a high-pass filter connection, the usage of current transformer as well as an antenna solution are compared for different rise times investigating two types of test objects. The different results are compared, the strength, disadvantages and limitations of each method are presented and implications of this discussed. The results presented constitute a base for development and selection of methods for on or off-line testing.
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
- Sandhi, Arifin, 1986-, et al.
(author)
-
Phytofiltration of arsenic by aquatic moss (Warnstorfia fluitans)
- 2017
-
In: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier BV. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This work investigates whether aquatic moss (Warnstorfia fluitans) originating from an arsenic (As)-contaminated wetland close to a mine tailings impoundment may be used for phytofiltration of As. The aim was to elucidate the capacity of W. fluitans to remove As from arsenite and arsenate contaminated water, how nutrients affect the As uptake and the proportion of As adsorption and absorption by the moss plant, which consists of dead and living parts.Arsenic removal from 0, 1, or 10% Hoagland nutrient solution containing 0–100 μM arsenate was followed over 192 h, and the total As in aquatic moss after treatment was analysed. The uptake and speciation of As in moss cultivated in water containing 10 μM arsenate or arsenite were examined as As uptake in living (absorption + adsorption) and dead (adsorption) plant parts.Results indicated that W. fluitans removed up to 82% of As from the water within one hour when 1 μM arsenate was added in the absence of nutrients. The removal time increased with greater nutrient and As concentrations. Up to 100 μM As had no toxic effect on the plant biomass. Both arsenite and arsenate were removed from the solution to similar extents and, independent of the As species added, more arsenate than arsenite was found in the plant. Of the As taken up, over 90% was firmly bound to the tissue, a possible mechanism for resisting high As concentrations. Arsenic was both absorbed and adsorbed by the moss, and twice as much As was found in living parts as in dead moss tissue. This study revealed that W. fluitans has potential to serve as a phytofilter for removing As from As-contaminated water without displaying any toxic effects of the metalloid.
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| 47. |
- Klingström, Tomas, et al.
(author)
-
Legal & ethical compliance when sharing biospecimen
- 2018
-
In: Briefings in Functional Genomics & Proteomics. - Oxford : Oxford University Press. - 2041-2649 .- 2041-2657. ; 17:1, s. 1-7
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- When obtaining samples from biobanks, resolving ethical and legal concerns is a time-consuming task where researchers need to balance the needs of privacy, trust and scientific progress. The Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure-large Prospective Cohorts project has resolved numerous such issues through intense ommunication between involved researchers and experts in its mission to unite large rospective study sets in Europe. To facilitate efficient communication, it is useful for onexperts to have an at least basic understanding of the regulatory systemformanaging biological samples. Laws regulating research oversight are based on national law and normally share core principles founded on international charters. In interview studies among donors, chief concerns are privacy, efficient sample utilization and access to information generated fromtheir samples. Despite a lack of clear evidence regarding which concern takes precedence, scientific as well as public discourse has largely focused on privacy concerns and the right of donors to control the usage of their samples. It is therefore important to roactively deal with ethical and legal issues to avoid complications that delay or prevent samples from being accessed. To help biobank professionals avoid making unnecessary mistakes, we have developed this basic primer covering the relationship between ethics and law, the concept of informed consent and considerations for returning findings to donors.
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| 48. |
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| 49. |
- Peters, Greg, et al.
(author)
-
LCA on fast and slow garment prototypes
- 2018
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This report summarises the environmental assessment work done in the Mistra Future Fashion program focussed on the potential to improve the environmental performance of garments and adapt them to a circular economy. The approaches examined in this report include reducing the environmental impacts from fast-fashion trends by making garments from paper-based materials, or by extending garment life cycles.This assessment considers two paper-based garments. One is made primarily from paper pulp but enhanced with a polylactic acid polymer. This garment is worn between two to five times before being recycled as newspaper. The other fast garment is made of paper pulp, polylactic acid and nanocellulose. It has a similar life cycle but is composted after use life. These garments are compared with a standard t-shirt. The report also considers a slow-paced scenario in which a polyester garment passes between several owners and is regularly changed to maintain its appeal. It is updated with a transfer sublimation overprint three times, making the garment darker each time. Later it is joined with an outer shell of new material using laser technology to make a cropped, box-cut jacket.The assessment was performed using environmental life cycle assessment. More particularly, the assessment was based on attributional process analysis with cutoff allocation procedures and comparison with a traditional reference garment life cycle. Key environmental effect categories considered here include climate change (greenhouse gas emissions), freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity and human toxicity (cancer and non-cancer).The results indicate that the environmental outcomes of the paper-based garments can be competitive with the reference garment, particularly when the user is assumed to throw away a fully functional reference garment after five uses. This assumption may be true for some users, but the number of uses is considerably lower than the typical or the potential lifespan of the reference garment. The main factor assisting the paper-based garments is the reduction in the impacts per mass associated with material manufacturing (fibres, spinning, knitting), and also their lighter masses. Avoided impacts in the use phase play a secondary role on account of their location in Sweden with its low-carbon energy mix. The long-life garments are also competitive compared with their reference garments. This is primarily a consequence of how extending garment life avoids the production of new garments. The environmental impacts associated with transfer sublimation dye reprinting and laser processing do not significantly impact the overall environmental performance of the extended longlife garments, though confidentiality of data prevents a full assessment of these.The garments in this report are pilot products and explorative scenarios rather than attempts to model existing business or behavioural patterns. The reader should therefore take care to keep the results in context when interpreting them. Nevertheless, the results suggest the value of pursuing the potential associated with these garment life cycles. We should also bear in mind that while the reference garments in this assessment are based on typical usage patterns, other more sustainable patterns are feasible.
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- Önneby, Karin
(author)
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Bioaugmentation for reduction of diffuse pesticide contamination : a bioprophylactic concept
- 2013
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Pesticides and their residues frequently contaminate surface waters and groundwater so consequently there is a great need to identify methods and practices that reduce such contamination. This thesis examined the potential of a 'bioprophylactic' concept based on the hypothesis that diffuse contamination after application in the field can be significantly reduced if pesticides are degraded as rapidly as possible after the intended effect has been achieved. This involves adding pesticide degraders together with the pesticide at the time of application. Such enhanced degradation is particularly important for pesticides used on non-agricultural soils with low degradation and high leaching potential (e.g. roadsides, railway embankments, paths, farmyards, urban land). The herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) was used as a model herbicide in this thesis, together with its degrader Sphingobium sp. T51. Soil inoculation with Sphingobium sp. T51 in microcosms significantly enhanced the degradation of MCPA compared with an uninoculated soil, without losing the herbicidal effect. In sand, 105 cells g-1 dry weight of soil reduced the MCPA concentration by 79-86% within one day, while only 0-31% reduction was observed in the uninoculated control after three days. However, Sphingobium sp. T51 needs to be formulated to retain its viability and degradation activity during prolonged storage and also for protection from the harsh environmental stresses associated with its application and functioning in the field. Both freeze drying and fluidised bed drying of Sphingobium sp. T51 resulted in high initial cell survival rates, of 67-85%. The storage stability of formulated Sphingobium sp. T51 was dependent on the formulation excipient/carrier used, storage temperature and atmospheric conditions. Sphingobium sp. T51 demonstrated approximately 50% survival in a freeze-dried sucrose formulation after six months of storage under partial vacuum at 25 °C. A fluidised bed-dried formulation with cottonseed flour as carrier resulted in the highest MCPA degradation in microcosms, but the storage stability was insufficient. Formulated and long-term stored Sphingobium sp. T51 reduced pesticide leaching by 85-94% of the total amount added in sand columns. Future research needs regarding practical implementation of the concept are discussed.
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