Multicriteria decision analysis to assess options for managing contaminated sediments: Application to Southern Busan Harbor, South Korea.

Many years of untreated effluent discharge from residential areas, a shipyard, a marina, and a large fish market resulted in substantial contamination of bottom sediment in Southern Busan Harbor, South Korea. Contaminants in these sediments include heavy metals and organic compounds. Newly introduced regulations for ocean disposal of dredged material in South Korea pose significant challenges, because the previous practice of offshore disposal of contaminated dredged material was no longer possible after August 2008. The South Korean government has mandated that such sediments be assessed in a way that identifies the most appropriate dredged material management alternative, addressing environmental, social, and cost objectives. An approach using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) in combination with comparative risk assessment was used as a systematic and transparent framework for prioritizing several dredged sediment management alternatives. We illustrate how MCDA can recognize the multiple goals of contaminated sediment management. Values used in weighting decision criteria were derived from surveys of stakeholders who were sediment management professionals, business owners, or government decision makers. The results of the analysis showed that land reclamation was the preferred alternative among cement-lock, sediment washing, 3 contained aquatic disposal alternatives (one in combination with a hopper dredge), geotextile tubes, solidification, and land reclamation after solidification treatment. Land reclamation was the preferred alternative, which performed well across all MCDA objectives, because of the availability of a near-shore confined disposal facility within a reasonable distance from the dredging area.

A decision-analysis approach for contaminated dredged material management in South Korea.

To meet London Protocol requirements, South Korea is preparing to reduce the need for disposal of dredged material at sea. The new requirements controlling ocean disposal of dredged material pose significant challenges to the South Korean government, because the previous practice of offshore disposal of contaminated dredged material is no longer permitted. Hence, other alternatives for treating and disposing of contaminated dredged material are being evaluated and selected for implementation. A new management and decision approach is therefore needed for regulators and implementers to show what information and what decision-making processes were used to make the decision, to increase administrative transparency for such projects in the public domain. To address this need, an iterative approach was developed for dredged material management that includes the essential elements of process, people, and tools needed for successful environmental decision making. The approach has 6 steps: problem definition, developing objectives and criteria, identifying alternatives, performing the evaluation, comparing alternatives, and selecting the preferred alternative. The primary objective of the approach is to provide a systematic means of exploring contaminated dredged material management alternatives in South Korea using criteria that integrate risk with economic and stakeholder value information. The approach incorporates the desired decision-making attributes of transparency, comparative analysis, and inclusion of public input. Although it was developed for South Korea, the approach can be applied in any situation in which dredged material management alternatives are being considered to manage contaminated sediment risks.

Neurotoxicogenomic investigations to assess mechanisms of action of the munitions constituents RDX and 2,6-DNT in Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).

Munitions constituents (MCs) including hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and TNT derivatives are recognized to elicit aberrant neuromuscular responses in many species. The onset of seizures resulting in death was observed in the avian model Northern bobwhite after oral dosing with RDX beginning at 8 mg/kg/day in subacute (14 days) exposures, whereas affective doses of the TNT derivative, 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), caused gastrointestinal impacts, lethargy, and emaciation in subacute and subchronic (60 days) exposures. To assess and contrast the potential neurotoxicogenomic effects of these MCs, a Northern bobwhite microarray was developed consisting of 4119 complementary DNA (cDNA) features enriched for differentially-expressed brain transcripts from exposures to RDX and 2,6-DNT. RDX affected hundreds of genes in brain tissue, whereas 2,6-DNT affected few (

Assessment of lead uptake in reptilian prey species.

As part of an investigation determining the trophically available fraction of metals in a model terrestrial food web, i.e., invertebrate prey to Western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis), we evaluated the ability of several invertebrate prey to bioaccumulate lead and to form metals-rich granules, which are hypothesized to be non-available to predators. Crickets (Acheta domestica), tenebroid beetle larvae (Tenebrio molitor), and isopods (Porcellio scaber) were selected as model prey organisms. Lack of standard exposure methodologies for these species has presented a barrier to trophic transfer evaluations, as each species has particular requirements that create challenges for designing exposure conditions. We were able to devise exposure conditions for all three species that allow long-term exposure studies. All prey organisms accumulated lead from contaminated food, and for all species the majority of the accumulated Pb was associated with the exoskeleton (>50%), with metals-rich granules accounting for most of the remaining accumulated lead.

A cross-sectional study of high school males 12 - 17 years with regard to their sexual knowledge, sexual experience, and knowledge of, attitude to and practice of contraception

This study was conducted on 217 12-17 years old school boys attending two all male traditional high schools. The aim of the study was to determine their knowledge, attitude and practice with regard to sex related matters, including contraception and contraceptive methods. It also identified some of their unmet needs. Knowledge of sex related matters is at a fairly high level. Friend remains the most common source for information on sex related matters. Deeper and wider knowledge of sex related matters is needed by all age groups. AIDS and gonorrhoea are the two best known sexually transmitted diseases. Most of the younger of age group 12-14 was not aware of masturbation, but wet dreams were considered a normal male activity. The condom remains the best method of contraception for male. The condom and the pill are the best known methods of contraception. Multiple partners remains desirable for one third of the study sample. The school teachers are becoming more comfortable with sex related subjects and this augurs well for the younger ones. There is still poor knowledge about the menstrual cycle and this really needs to be addressed as one of the areas for improving the teenage pregnancy rate. The age of first coitus seems to have decreased from 14.3 yrs in the Young Adult Reproductive Health Survey to 11 years in this study. The majority (68 percent) said that abortion was wrong and two thirds of them had a Christian background. The majority (79 percent) agreed that contraception be a decision shared by both partners, and half of them said that they would use contraception with every coitus. Of the group, 27 percent of the 12-14 and 39 percent of the 15-17 were active now.(AU)