Perchlorethen-Quellendifferenzierung mittels Kohlenstoff-Chlor-Isotopenanalyse: Felduntersuchungen zur Beurteilung der Variabilität der Isotopensignatur

Zusammenfassung: Bei der Untersuchung von belasteten Standorten stellt sich häufig die Frage, ob unterschiedliche Schadstoffquellen zu einer Grundwasserbelastung beitragen. Chlorierte Kohlenwasserstoffe (CKWs) von verschiedenen Produzenten können unterschiedliche Kohlenstoff- und Chlor-Isotopensignaturen (C-Cl-Isotopensignaturen) aufweisen, was eine Differenzierung von CKW-Quellen ermöglicht. Dazu muss aber die Variabilität der Isotopensignatur bekannt sein. Da die ursprünglich verwendeten Lösungsmittel meist nicht mehr zugänglich sind, werden in dieser Studie die Perchlorethen (PCE) C-Cl-Isotopensignaturen an belasteten Standorten in der Schweiz untersucht. Zehn Standorte wurden ausgewählt, die verschiedene Branchen und Landesregionen abdecken. Eine Variabilität der C-Cl-Isotopensignaturen zwischen einigen Standorten bestätigt die Anwendbarkeit dieser Methode zur Quellendifferenzierung. Gewisse Standorte zeigen jedoch ähnliche Isotopensignaturen. Deswegen ist der Erfolg dieser Identifikationsmethode standortspezifisch. Außerdem ist die Variabilität geringer als publizierte Isotopensignaturen von nordamerikanischen Herstellern. Es hat sich außerdem bestätigt, dass der biologische Abbau von PCE durch reduktive Dechlorierung bei der Identifikation der Kontaminationsquellen berücksichtigt werden muss

Morocco environmental performance reviews

In 1993, Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) were initiated at the second Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference, in Lucerne, Switzerland. They were intended to cover the ECE member States that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Subsequently, the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy decided to make them part of its regular programme. Since then, the Ministers affirmed their support for the EPR Programme, and decided in 2003 that the Programme should continue with a second cycle of reviews, and lately they formally endorsed the third cycle of reviews in 2011. Through the peer review process, EPRs also promote dialogue among ECE member States and the harmonization of environmental conditions and policies throughout the region. As a voluntary exercise, an EPR is undertaken only at the request of the country concerned. The studies are carried out by international teams of experts from the region working closely with national experts from the reviewed country. The teams also benefit from close cooperation with other organizations in the United Nations system, for instance the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as with the European Environment Agency (EEA), World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations. In 2010, the Government of Morocco requested ECE to conduct an EPR of Morocco. Although Morocco is not part of the ECE region, the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy agreed to carry out the environmental performance review of this country. This is the first EPR conducted by ECE beyond its region. In this regard, ECE sought the cooperation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which confirmed its willingness to cooperate in the implementation of the EPR process through its Sub-Regional Office for North Africa. This is the EPR of Morocco published by ECE. This EPR also covers 13 issues of importance to the country related to policymaking, planning and implementation, the financing of environmental policies and projects, and the integration of environmental concerns into economic sectors, in particular agriculture, energy, health, industry, biodiversity and protected areas, water and waste management. The Morocco review was notable as it is the first country outside the region to request an EPR from ECE, and the process was undertaken in cooperation with the ECA. I hope that this EPR will be useful in supporting policymakers and representatives of civil society in their efforts to improve environmental management and to further promote sustainable development in Morocco, and that the lessons learned from the peer review process will also benefit other countries of the ECE and ECA regions.peer-reviewe

Recommendations from a French-Swiss expert panel for improving the ecotoxicological quality assessment of sediments through the study of benthic communities

International audienceLes sédiments ont un rôle écologique essentiel pour de nombreuses espèces aquatiques.Toutefois, leur capacité à capter les polluants persistants peut participer à long termeà la contamination des milieux aquatiques. Aussi, afin de mieux prendre en compte les impactsécotoxicologiques de la contamination des sédiments et appréhender le risque écologiquequi en découle, il est important de disposer de méthodes d'évaluation robustes. Cet article présentela contribution d'un groupe franco-suisse réunissant chercheurs, gestionnaires et représentantsde bureaux d’études qui ont travaillé ensemble afin de dresser un état des lieux et formulerdes recommandations pour mieux caractériser la contamination des sédiments, les niveauxd’exposition des communautés benthiques et les effets possibles sur ces espèce