Defective spermatogenesis: Martin et al. respond

This is an Open Access article - Copyright @ National Institute of Environmental Health Science.BACKGROUND: Male reproductive tract abnormalities such as hypospadias and cryptorchidism, and testicular cancer have been proposed to comprise a common syndrome together with impaired spermatogenesis with a common etiology resulting from the disruption of gonadal development during fetal life, the testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). The hypothesis that in utero exposure to estrogenic agents could induce these disorders was first proposed in 1993. The only quantitative summary estimate of the association between prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents and testicular cancer was published over 10 years ago, and other systematic reviews of the association between estrogenic compounds, other than the potent pharmaceutical estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), and TDS end points have remained inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of the association between the end points related to TDS and prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents. Inclusion in this analysis was based on mechanistic criteria, and the plausibility of an estrogen receptor (ER)-α–mediated mode of action was specifically explored. RESULTS: We included in this meta-analysis eight studies investigating the etiology of hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism that had not been identified in previous systematic reviews. Four additional studies of pharmaceutical estrogens yielded a statistically significant updated summary estimate for testicular cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The doubling of the risk ratios for all three end points investigated after DES exposure is consistent with a shared etiology and the TDS hypothesis but does not constitute evidence of an estrogenic mode of action. Results of the subset analyses point to the existence of unidentified sources of heterogeneity between studies or within the study population

Water and sanitation provision in a low carbon society: The need for a systems approach

In the face of climate change threatening to cause major alterations to hydrological cycles and taking into account the relationship between water, energy use, and food production, water management challenges today prove more complex than ever to address. This paper, recognising the progress made through science and engineering in the last century, reflects on the need to manage water resources more sustainably. It proposes that a change in mindsets is required in order to reconsider our approach in applying established solutions and utilising current technologies and tools to deliver them, with a renewed focus on re-assessing what the real problems are from a systems perspective. Focusing on the water-energy-food nexus, water reuse using desalination processes as a management option is revisited. Findings demonstrate that interdisciplinary, integrated and holistic solutions have the potential to deliver benefits across different sectors, disciplines, and systems, with a real potential for taking us a bit closer to sustainability

Household Disposal of Pharmaceuticals as a Pathway for Aquatic Contamination in the United Kingdom

Pharmaceuticals are produced and used in increasingly large volumes every year. With this growth comes concern about the fate and effects of these compounds in the environment. The discovery of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has stimulated research in the last decade. A wide range of pharmaceuticals has been found in fresh and marine waters, and it has recently been shown that even in small quantities, some of these compounds have the potential to cause harm to aquatic life. The primary pathway into the environment is the use and disposal of medicines; although much of the research in the area currently focuses on the removal of pharmaceuticals during sewage treatment processes, disposal via household waste might be a significant pathway requiring further research. To investigate the household disposal of unused and expired pharmaceuticals as a source of pharmaceutical compounds in the environment, we carried out a survey and interviewed members of 400 households, predominantly from southeastern England. We used the information on when and how they disposed of unfinished pharmaceuticals to construct a conceptual model to assess the pathways of human pharmaceuticals into the environment. The model demonstrated that disposal of unused pharmaceuticals, either by household waste or via the sink or toilet, may be a prominent route that requires greater attention

Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome and the Estrogen Hypothesis: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Male reproductive tract abnormalities such as hypospadias and cryptorchidism, and testicular cancer have been proposed to comprise a common syndrome together with impaired spermatogenesis with a common etiology resulting from the disruption of gonadal development during fetal life, the testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). The hypothesis that in utero exposure to estrogenic agents could induce these disorders was first proposed in 1993. The only quantitative summary estimate of the association between prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents and testicular cancer was published over 10 years ago, and other systematic reviews of the association between estrogenic compounds, other than the potent pharmaceutical estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), and TDS end points have remained inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of the association between the end points related to TDS and prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents. Inclusion in this analysis was based on mechanistic criteria, and the plausibility of an estrogen receptor (ER)-–mediated mode of action was specifically explored. RESULTS: We included in this meta-analysis eight studies investigating the etiology of hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism that had not been identified in previous systematic reviews. Four additional studies of pharmaceutical estrogens yielded a statistically significant updated summary estimate for testicular cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The doubling of the risk ratios for all three end points investigated after DES exposure is consistent with a shared etiology and the TDS hypothesis but does not constitute evidence of an estrogenic mode of action. Results of the subset analyses point to the existence of unidentified sources of heterogeneity between studies or within the study population

A multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework: development and application in comparing two food waste management options using a UK region as a case study

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2479-

Estimating the removal of micropollutants and emerging contaminants from sewage treatment processes in preparation for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Public awareness on the impacts that micropollutants and emerging contaminants have on aquatic resources has increased in recent decades and has become a significant driver for reducing levels of contaminants in the environment. The most recent and comprehensive initiative of the European Union in the area of water protection is the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which entails the application of new technical standards for surface water quality. It has been reported that sewage treatment works (STWs) are a major source of micropollutants for receiving aquatic environments. As a result of this, STWs are increasingly becoming a target for regulatory and public pressure with regard to their discharges to the environment. The micropollutants and emerging contaminants considered in this thesis have been identified under the European Union as substances that are toxic, persistent, and likely to bioaccumulate. This thesis aimed to develop a model to estimate concentrations and loads of micropollutants and emerging contaminants at site specific STWs to aid the implementation of the WFD by 2015. The thesis also focused on a case study to evaluate the need for tertiary treatment to remove micropollutants and emerging contaminants using a detailed laboratory analysis to assess the removal ability of a selected tertiary treatment. The results of the model designed in this research were used as part of a risk assessment which focused on understanding the risk that site specific STWs posed to the environment, and on their removal efficiencies. The risk assessment enables the most at risk STWs to be prioritised for investment and will facilitate management options in seeking to satisfy the WFD. The thesis, through extensive research, also aimed to detail knowledge gaps present in the UK water industry regarding sources, pathways, fate, and behaviour of micropollutants and emerging contaminants. Finally, recommendations were outlined regarding future steps to help meet the requirements of the WFD.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceEngineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC)Yorkshire Water Plc.GBUnited Kingdo

The future of biodegradable waste management in the UK

The WRATE LCA model was used to compare the environmental impacts of incineration and MBT to landfilling residual household waste, using The London Borough of Barnet as a case study. Incineration performed best, followed by MBT processes that produced fuel. MBT that produced stabilised material for landfill showed little advantage over landfilling directly. The applicability of the internationally obtained WRATE dataset to the UK was assessed by analysing samples of UK MBT outputs for biological content. These results were used in GasSim to produce long-term gas emission profiles from a landfill. Total gas emissions were reduced, but the timescale of emissions was similar to untreated waste presenting a challenge to landfill management. The WRATE model assumes products resulting from MBT will be used for their intended purpose, however, an assessment of the potential UK market was lacking. Interviews with representatives from relevant industries and a literature review were conducted to fill this data gap. It was found that approximately half of the biodegradable household waste produced annually could be used as SRF, depending on reliability, and competition with other renewable fuels. The use of MBT outputs as a soil conditioner is less likely in the current regulatory framework, however, ongoing trials may prove that it's safe to use, significantly increasing the potential market. GHG emissions from application to land, which has been overlooked in previous research, was addressed using UK samples. A common flux chamber technique was successfully adapted for this new purpose. The dependence of the perceived environmental benefit of incineration and SRF use on the fuels used to generate electricity was modelled and found to be significant, especially for incineration, which in one case had a similar impact to landfilling. Limitations to using LCA for waste management decision-making are discussed and alternative approaches considered. Opportunities for prevention of biodegradable wastes are considered significant.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Cigarette smoking: an assessment of tobacco’s global environmental footprint across its entire supply chain, and policy strategies to reduce it.

Cigarette production and consumption have seen dramatic growth in recent decades and although the health effects of smoking are widely recognized, its impacts on the environment are largely overlooked. From tobacco cultivation and curing, to cigarette manufacturing, distribution, consumption and discarding, every stage in the global tobacco supply chain involves considerable resource inputs, and results in the production of wastes and emissions. Consequently, tobacco puts pressure on the planet’s already stressed natural resources and its fragile ecosystems, threatening the livelihoods and future development of communities around the world. Tobacco’s total environmental footprint is comparable to that of entire countries and its production is often more environmentally damaging than that of essential commodities such as food crops. For the six trillion cigarettes manufactured annually, 32.4 Mt of green tobacco are cultivated on 4 million ha of arable land and are then processed into 6.48 Mt of dry tobacco worldwide. Globally, the tobacco supply chain contributes almost 84 Mt CO2 eq emissions to climate change, 490,000 tonne 1,4-DB eq to ecosystem ecotoxicity levels, over 22 billion m3 to water and 21 Mt oil eq to fossil fuel depletion annually. As a result of the shift of tobacco production from richer to poorer regions, these environmental impacts are not felt equally around the world. Developing countries and the most vulnerable communities bear most of the burden. The environmental damage that tobacco causes, on top of its negative health, social and economic impacts, makes it incompatible with the global development agenda. Reducing and ultimately eliminating cigarette production and consumption should be an integral part of strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (including goals 12, 13, 14, and 15)

The EU Water Framework Directive: From great expectations to problems with implementation

AbstractThe Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) is widely accepted as the most substantial and ambitious piece of European environmental legislation to date. It has been referred to as a once in a generation opportunity to restore Europe's waters and a potential template for future environmental regulations. However, fifteen years since it was adopted, and with many problems and delays in its implementation, the WFD has not delivered its main objectives of non-deterioration of water status and the achievement of good status for all EU waters. Putting aside the daunting technical and organisational challenges of its implementation, this paper aims to shed light on why the great expectations that came with the WFD have not yet been fully realised. It reviews how the Directive has been interpreted, focusing on its intentions and how they were applied. The findings reveal the absence of the paradigm shift towards the systems (integrated) thinking that the WFD was grounded on, as a fundamental problem with its implementation. This is also evident in cases where the Directive has been criticised as a policy tool or when implementation efforts were reviewed, indicating misunderstandings even of its core principles. This inherent departure from the Directive's systemic intention and methodological approach needs further investigation, as it could be the reason behind many of its problems and delays. Unless current implementation efforts are reviewed or revised in light of this, enabling the paradigm shift required to ensure a more sustainable and holistic approach to water management, the fading aspirations of the initial great expectations that came with the Directive could disappear for good