Ear To The Ground

Glacial calving can be triggered by earthquakes thousands of miles away, but not the way you might imagine

Glacial calving brought about by the warming of the atmosphere and/or oceans is becoming all too common.  But, can earthquakes cause such events?

Researchers have found that glacial calving can be caused by earthquakes quite far away from the area in which calving takes place.  It is not the earthquake as such that causes the problem, but it is the tsunamis induced by the earthquakes that can shake the ice sheets that abut the ocean, inducing fractures and ruptures.

Researchers analyzed 42 Antartic seismographs and found a dozen sets of signals from "icequakes" triggered precisely at the moment that surface waves were passing by.

As global warming weakens ice sheets, questions arise regarding what other mechanisms might damage such ice sheets and induce calving.  Although the earthquakes identified by the researchers were modest at best and not a threat as such, their induction of icequakes, and the resulting calving, may pose a threat as ice sheets are further induced to disintegrate.

The study can be found at http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ngeo2212.html.

Flu "shot" is not a risk to pregnancy or fetus; getting flu is

Prior posts have noted the various ad hominem attacks on vaccination, and that such arguments utterly lack scientific merit.  The weight of scientific evidence unfortunately fails to deter the nuts and well intentioned from wailing against vaccinations, putting children and the populace in general at risk.

Getting the flu appears to nearly double a pregnant woman’s risk of having a miscarriage or stillbirth, data from Norway during the 2009-2010 global flu pandemic shows.  But getting vaccinated during pregnancy greatly reduces a woman’s risk of flu.  The study also finds that getting a flu shot during pregnancy is safe. Anecdotal reports had suggested that flu vaccination during gestation might have adverse effects on the fetus, but the new study — as well as two previous studies from Canada and Denmark — now show no such connection.

The mechanism connecting flu infection and increased fetal death risk is unknown, but researchers suspect high fever and systemic inflammation in the mother are the likely causes.

The report can be found at http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1207210.

Tributyltin affects gene function that regulates body fat production

Tributyltin (CAS 688-73-3) has in the past been added to PVC as a stabilizer and to marine paint as an antifouling agent. 

Researchers fed pregnant mice tributyltin in their drinking water at qualities allegedly similar to what people might ingest through house dust and other sources.  The mice gave birth to pups what developed more and larger fat cells and fattier livers, compared to unexposed pups.

The changes appear to be permanent in that the next two generations of the exposed mice had increased amounts of body and liver fat.

The findings confirmed earlier research indicating that tributyltin affects the function of a gene that regulates body fat production and reprograms certain stem cells to become fat cells rather than bone cells.

The study can be found at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1205701/.

Because of concern over the toxicity of Tributyltin compounds to aquatic organisms as anti-fouling agents [see, for example, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1160629&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all.jsp%3Farnumber%3D1160629], a worldwide ban on their use was instituted by the International Marine Organization in 2001.  The U.S. did not join the Convention until 2012.  See http://www.paintsquare.com/news/?fuseaction=view&id=8450.

A description of the environmental fate and transport of Tributyltin in aquatic environments can be found at http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~MjK4TX:1:enex.

Human exposure to Tributyltin and related organotins can occur in a variety of ways. Tributyltin may contaminate particles released by such products as shower curtains, vinyl flooring, carpet fibers, polyurethane foams, mold-resistant paints, and other consumer products, where it is used as an antifungal agent. As a result, noteworthy levels of Tributyltin have been reported in house dust, which may be particularly relevant for young children who can spend significant time on floors and carpets.

Although Tributyltin is now largely banned for use in marine hull paints, as noted, it remains pervasive in the environment, and people can be exposed by ingesting TBT-contaminated seafood. Organotins may also leach into liquids that come into contact with organotin-containing plastic pipes, containers, and packaging materials.  See http://news.uci.edu/press-releases/fetal-exposure-to-pvc-plastic-chemical-linked-to-obesity-in-offspring/.

Toxic algae threaten drinking water supplies

Prior posts have noted the Gulf of Mexico/Carribean dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River Delta.  Prior posts have discussed in detail the cause for such blooms, the overuse of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers by agricultural operations and the discharge of nitrogen and phosphorus wastes from sewage treatment plants.  Such adverse impacts are being seen not only in other U.S. locales, but worldwide.  See, for example, http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/dead-zone-the-source-of-the-gulf-of-mexicos-hypoxia/ and http://www.cep.unep.org/publications-and-resources/marine-and-coastal-issues-links/nutrients.

Recently, the City of Toledo was much in the news because toxic algae blooms, driven by the same nutrients (which are usually key to all such blooms), were proving hazardous to drinking water supplies.  Ironically, EPA does not require testing for such toxins, but the City fortunately had its own testing program.  See, for example, http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2014/08/17/toxic-algae-can-put-water-sources-risk/14061669/ and  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/08/04/toledo-ohio-water-toxin-explainer/13563805/.

But, the problem is more widespread.  The Shenandoah Riverkeeper has apparently be working with the Virginia DEQ and U.S. EPA to recognize and regulate such blooms in the Shenandoah River.  Because Riverkeeper views voluntary action as insufficient, it has filed a notice of intent to bring an action under the CWA.  See http://www.potomacriverkeeper.org/updates/shenandoah-riverkeeper-files-notice-intent-sue-epa-failure-address-algae-shenandoah-river.

Given the known potential for harm from such blooms, and given that the cause is widely understood, it would appear prudent for water providers (even when not required to do so by Federal or State regulation) to implement voluntary monitoring programs. 

Beneficial claims for nanoparticles may provoke EPA regulatory action

Prior posts have noted the significant potential for adverse human health impacts from nanoparticles.  Prior posts have also noted that silver nanoparticles are used in many hundreds of commercial products for which claims are made about the antimicrobial properties of the silver nanoparticles present.  Usually such claims imply disease and/or odor control "benefits" by killing or controlling microorganisms.

In a recent administrative enforcement action, EPA made manifest the extent to which it views such claims as illegal.  WalkFit, LLC, WalkFit Platinum, LLC, and Ideal Products, LLC claimed in their instruction sheets and advertising materials that the products would kill, repel or control bacteria, fungi, or "germs" due to the presence of silver nanoparticles.  EPA and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation noted that such claims are permitted only for registered pesticides, and that such products (containing silver nanoparticles) must be registered with EPA prior to sale.  [For a discussion of FIFRA and its requirements, see http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/lfra.html.]

The parties agreed to pay $210,316 in civil penalties and to correct their claims.

Given the hundreds of products containing silver nanoparticles and making similar claims, one can expect extensive enforcement actions in the future.

Information about the administrative action can be found at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/CC8BF8D3F4C6F5F385257D3200642A61.