Perennial biomass cropping and use: Shaping the policy ecosystem in European countries

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio-economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low-carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long-term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts

Organometal(loid) compounds associated with human metabolism

Ingestion expts. using gaseous samples, salvia, urine, blood, and feces were conducted to investigate human metab. of the metalloids selenium, mercury, arsenic, and bismuth. Some differences exist in the metab. of metalloids in the human body. Contrary to selenium, ingestion of arsenic and bismuth compds. increased the total amt. and speciation of these elements in urine and blood. Most of the ingested bismuth ends up in the colon, where hydride formation and methylation occurs, eventually leading to the presence of bismuthine and methylated bismuth species in blood and breath. The process of biol. element volatilization in the colon can also be demonstrated for antimony, and may be similar for mercury. In the latter case, highly neurotoxic methylated mercurials will be formed