July 21, 1999A Publication of the Internet Scout Project The target audience of the new Scout Report for Science & Engineering is faculty, students, staff, and librarians in the life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Each biweekly issue offers a selective collection of Internet resources covering topics in the sciences, and related fields such as math and engineering, that have been chosen by librarians and content specialists in the given field of study. The Scout Report for Science & Engineering is also provided via email once every two weeks. Subscription information is included at the bottom of each issue.
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R-HydroNET: A Regional, Electronic, Hydrographic Data Network for South America, Central America, and the Caribbean [.zip, .tar, ascii, .ps]
http://www.R-hydronet.sr.unh.edu/
The Global Hydrology Research Group at the University of New Hampshire provides this excellent resource on regional hydrometeorological data for South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Available in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, the data are organized by geographic location. Two large data sets are available to the general public: Monthly Time Series and Climatological (site-specific resolution) Hydrometeorological Data Sets; and Monthly Temperature and Precipitation Data Sets (30-minute spatial scale resolution). Data may be downloaded by country/ region (.zip, .tar, ascii, or .ps formats). Given the general paucity of publicly available, baseline information for this important region, R-HydroNET is a solid template upon which future data may be added. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Geosource
http://www.library.uu.nl/geosource/
Geosource, a metasite resource for geographers, planners, geoscientists, and environmental scientists, is updated almost daily and contains over 2,400 Web resources. Most substantial among these resources are approximately 1,000 academic journal sites and 300 recent and forthcoming conferences. Provided by the Library Centre Uithof (BCU) of Utrecht University (Netherlands), Geosource is also an excellent source for listings of national and international organizations and national statistical agencies. Many options exist to browse listings, including a recent additions link. This is a must-visit resource for researchers in the geosciences. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Environmental Research Information Exchange
http://www.cnie.org/exchange.htm
The National Library for the Environment has launched its new Environmental Research Information Exchange (ERIE) service, to provide "a forum for researchers, educators, resource managers, agency decision-makers, foundation representatives, journalists and others in all environmental fields to share information and discuss issues." The site will include postings of research needs (identified by researchers and managers), research opportunities (for students and established researchers), funding opportunities, and a wealth of scientific information about the environment. In addition, a bulletin board will be available for posting messages, questions, and answers. This site aims to fill an important and much-needed role in facilitating communication between researchers, managers, journalists, and funding agencies; skeptics and interested participants should check out the examples of how ERIE might be useful ... and take it from there! [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Section
http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fib.html
In 1202, the mathematician Fibonacci investigated the problem of how fast rabbits could breed under ideal circumstances. This problem and many more are detailed at the Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Section Website, made available by Dr. Ron Knott of the University of Surrey (UK). A new addition to the site is a link to a reference page of over 100 formulas and equations demonstrating the properties of Fibonacci, Phi, and Lucus numbers series. The site's many links are categorized in the following sections: Fibonacci Numbers and Golden sections in Nature; The Intriguing Mathematical World of Fibonacci and Phi; The Puzzling World of Fibonacci Numbers; The Golden String; Fibonacci: the Man and His Times; and More Applications of Fibonacci Numbers and Phi. This site, through its extensive listings of links, contains a plethora of mathematical theories, equations, and proofs based on Fibonacci numbers. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Society for General Microbiology: Online Journals
http://www.sgmjournals.org/
International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology
http://ijs.sgmjournals.org
Microbiology
http://mic.sgmjournals.org/
Journal of General Virology
http://vir.sgmjournals.org
HighWire Press
http://highwire.stanford.edu/
The Society for General Microbiology, which promotes and supports "the art, science and significance of microbiology and associated subjects" has placed online its three journals, International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology,Microbiology, and Journal of General Virology. All three journals may be accessed at the main site or individually. Online, full-text content (searchable, with figures and tables) begins with January 1997 issues; abstracts begin with January 1994 issues. The free trial period for these journals will end "on or after 1 September, 1999." All three online publications are produced in conjunction with Stanford University's HighWire Press. [LXP]
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The WWW NMR Spectrometer [Felix]
http://m110.ifas.ufl.edu/
Last week, researchers at the University of Florida made an educational and technological breakthrough by linking a powerful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system to the Internet, providing students and scientists with a free insider's view of real-time laboratory experiments in microbiology and cell science. Formerly, NMR instruments could be used by only one individual at a time, and other online technology required access fees. NMR imaging allows scientists to measure and observe biological and chemical processes at an incredible level of detail (for example, using NMR, scientists can observe the growth of prostate cancer cells in living tissue). The site serves as a virtual gateway into the NMR laboratory; at the site, users may read about NMR, access the NMR data repository, view the current NMR experiment, or run an NMR experiment of their own. Note that data/ viewing requires Felix, which may be downloaded at the site. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Chemists' Net
http://www.chemists-net.demon.co.uk/
Maintained by Keith Wilkinson of Edgehill College in England, the Chemists' Net is a non-commercial resource for chemistry teachers in Europe. Currently, 400 chemistry teachers are using the Chemists' Net to discuss chemistry education and, in particular, Internet resources for chemistry education. Since Chemists' Net is a collaborative project between schools and universities, anyone can join (free registration) and begin sharing ideas and questions. The links provided by the Chemists' Net are recommended by members and include software, databases, molecule libraries, and other chemistry-related resources such as mechanisms, environment, liquid crystals, and analytical chemistry. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]The EU Tropical Forestry Sourcebook (EC/ODI) [.pdf]
http://www.oneworld.org/odi/tropics/Sourcebook/index.html
The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and the European Commission (EC) provide the EU Tropical Forestry Sourcebook, intended for people "in developing countries who deal with European donors; those in non-EU donor countries seeking insights into the breadth of the EU's investment in tropical forests; and those living in the EU who have an interest in the forestry activities of the EC and individual member states." The book's 22 chapters (.pdf) cover the history of European involvement in tropical forestry and provide an overview of "the ways in which Europe offers support to tropical forests through aid and research." Current programs are examined for each member state, with a detailed chapter dedicated to each member state. For those interested in learning more about the EU economics behind tropical forest management and research, this book will serve as an interesting gateway. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Calculus on the Web (COW)
http://www.math.temple.edu/~cow/
Designed by Gerardo Mendoza and Dan Reich of Temple University, Calculus on the Web, better known as COW, is an "Internet utility for learning and practicing calculus." COW provides practice problems in an interactive format whereby users submit answers to find out if they are correct. "Hands on modules" allow students to "change values or parameters in a function or graph and then see the effect." This is an excellent educational resource for students and teachers seeking an additional approach to understanding calculus. [JJS]
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Landsat 7 -- USGS
http://landsat7.usgs.gov/
Landsat 7, the latest satellite in a series of earth remote sensing satellites, was launched into orbit on April 15, 1999. Of great importance to science, Landsat 7 gathers remotely sensed images of the land surface (and surrounding coastal regions) across the entire globe; using these images, researchers monitor "important small-scale processes on a global scale, such as the inter- and intra-annual cycles of vegetation growth; deforestation; agricultural land use; erosion and other forms of land degradation; snow accumulation and melt and the associated fresh-water reservoir replenishment; and urbanization." The Landsat 7 site provides general information on the satellite, including how images are taken and examples of satellite images. Additionally, several sections describe data (including acquisition), products (with links to examples of recent satellite images), and other applications. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Two on Physics
Fundamental Physical Constants
http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Constants/index.html
Physics Limericks -- APS
http://www.aps.org/apsnews/limericks.html
Provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Fundamental Physical Constants Website is an extensive resource for physics researchers, educators, and students. The Website offers values for physics constants, conversion factors for energy equivalents, a searchable bibliography of physics constants, and background information on constants. On a lighter note, the American Physical Society (APS) maintains the second Website, dedicated entirely to physics limericks. At APS site, visitors can access an archive of all submitted limericks and a more specific list of the winning limericks of APS's First Physics Limerick Contest. Besides showing that physics is fun, most of the physics limericks are focused on a specific concept and would work well in undergraduate physics courses. If users are feeling creative, they may also submit physics limericks through an online form. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Biological Indicators of Watershed Health -- EPA
http://www.epa.gov/ceisweb1/ceishome/atlas/bioindicators/
This recently launched site on biological indicators, from the Environmental Protection Agency, is a gem, offering basic yet critical information on the what, where, why, and how of biological indicators. Presented in straightforward language, the site sets out to educate viewers about the importance of biological indicators -- those organisms that, because of their sensitivity to changes in the environment, "can provide accurate information about the health of a specific river, stream, lake, wetland, or estuary." The site is organized into seven main sections: Why use Indicators?, Key Concepts, Learn About State Programs, Biocriteria Resources, Fish as Indicators, Invertebrates as Indicators, and Periphyton as Indicators. In each section, a series of brief statements (with accompanying color photographs) leads the viewer through the logic, techniques, and methods used to assess watershed health. A collection of links rounds out the site. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]XRayTelescope.com
http://www.xraytelescope.com
On July 20, 1999, Science@NASA released XRayTelescope.com, which features science news and information about x-ray astronomy and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The Chandra X-ray Observatory was to be launched with Space Shuttle Columbia on July 20th, but technical concerns have delayed the launch until July 22nd. XRayTelescope.com is meant to be a hub for all information and resources pertaining to Chandra, thus the site features articles, a multimedia library, and an Essential Web-Link List. Among the essential Web links are the Chandra X-ray Observatory Education and Public Outreach Page and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Scientific User Support Page. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Discover Engineering
http://www.discoverengineering.org
The opening quote on the Discover Engineering Homepage reads: "Engineering has been called the invisible profession or the stealth profession because most people have no clue what engineers do. This Website, provided by the National Engineers Week and Discover Engineering team, is a Website dedicated to showing just what engineers do. Sections at the site include About Engineers, Cool Stuff!, Games, Idea Center, FAQs, Downloads, and Links. The Idea Center contains various forums where users can post open-ended questions and reply to posted messages. While the content of this site is intended for non-engineers, engineers will find this a good resource, as well. [JJS]
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(For links to additional current awareness on tables of contents, abstracts, preprints, new books, data, conferences, etc., visit the The Scout Report for Science & Engineering Current Awareness Metapage: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sci-engr/metapage/).ScienceWeek: SW BULLETIN
http://scienceweek.com/
SW BULLETIN, a recently launched free news service offered by ScienceWeek (mentioned in the November 13, 1998 Scout Report), distributes short news items of interest to the scientific community three times per week via email (only). These news summaries are well written and detailed, and cover a wide array of topics in physics, chemistry, and biology. For those wishing to keep abreast of research discoveries at the cutting edge of science, this ScienceWeek bulletin will serve the purpose handsomely. To subscribe to SW BULLETIN, scroll down to the SW BULLETIN heading on the ScienceWeek homepage, or simply send an email message to: request@scienceweek.com with SUB BULLETIN in the subject line. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Apollo 11 30th Anniversary
http://www.nasm.edu/apollo30th/
On July 20, 1969, humans took their first steps on the moon. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing through this Website. The site is divided into three main sections: Anniversary Events, Exhibitions, and Apollo Online. The latter is a great source for information on the history and significance of the mission. Also through the Apollo Online link, users may send questions to Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin or take an online tour of the landing at Dateline Moon: The Media and the Space Race Website. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Ribbon of Life: An Agenda for Preserving Transboundary Migratory Bird Habitat on the Upper San Pedro River [.pdf]
http://www.cec.org/english/resources/publications/sanped-e.cfm?format=2
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has released this report "to foster cooperative efforts to ensure the continued health of the San Pedro Watershed." Over the past century, the ecological integrity of the Upper San Pedro River has declined substantially; the loss of riparian habitat has important implications for migratory birds. The report (.pdf format), which may be downloaded at the site, calls for coordinated management of the watershed, further research in certain key areas, greater collaboration among stakeholders, and increased public education efforts. [LXP]RCRA Cleanup Reforms [.pdf]
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/factsheet1.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/factsht.txt
Concerns over the progress in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) cleanup efforts since 1984 have prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to publish "RCRA Cleanup Reforms," which describes the implementation process of these administrative reforms. The report may be viewed as either an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) or an ASCII text file. [JJS]Recent Publications of the Southern Research Station [.pdf]
Announcement of Publications: June 1999
http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs/9906_publications.htm
The USDA Forest Service's Southern Research Station has posted several dozen scientific reports for June 1999. The articles, some of which have recently been published in peer reviewed journals, cover forest inventory systems, natural regeneration, root respiration, trout use of managed forest streams, ecotoxicology, and the development of wood composites, among a host of other topics. All reports may be downloaded from the site (.pdf format). [LXP]Introduction to Cybernetics [.pdf]
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be:80//books/IntroCyb.pdf
W. Ross Ashby's classic book Introduction to Cybernetics is now available online through Principia Cybernetica, "a world-wide organization collaboratively developing a computer-supported evolutionary-systemic philosophy, in the context of the transdisciplinary academic fields of Systems Science and Cybernetics." The original version of Introduction to Cybernetics has been out of print for many years, and because this book is essentially the only real textbook on cybernetics, Principia Cybernetica has been allowed to offer an online version. Some cybernetics and system theory fundamental ideas presented in this book are the homeostat, the law of requisite variety, the principle of self-organization, and the principle of regulatory models. The basic principles are explained with examples, mathematics, and exercises. Note: because this is a complete online textbook, the 156 pages take some time to load. [JJS]Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, 1955-99 [.pdf]
http://www.fws.gov/r9mbmo/reports/trends/trend99.pdf
The US Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Migratory Birds Management has posted online this recent report, by K. Wilkins and others, on "preliminary information about the status of duck populations and their habitats during spring 1999." The entire report, including text, graphics, and tables, may be downloaded (.pdf format) at the site. [LXP]Speeds of Propagation in Classical and Relativistic Extended Thermodynamics [Frames]
http://www.livingreviews.org/Articles/Volume2/1999-1mueller/index.html
Ingo Muller of Technical University Berlin wrote "Speeds of Propagation in Classical and Relativistic Extended Thermodynamics," which tackles the topic of extended thermodynamics, a new theory that uses symmetric hyperbolic field equations to calculate finite pulse speeds. This paper covers four major topics: Scope and Structure, Characteristic Speeds; Finite Speeds in Non-Relativistic Extended Thermodynamics; Finite Speeds in Relativistic Extended Thermodynamics; and Relativistic Thermodynamics of Gases, 14-Field Theory. [JJS]Microbial Activities in Soils Under Scots Pine, Norway Spruce and Silver Birch [.pdf]
http://www.metla.fi/publish/mt/731/
This recently posted resource, by Outi Priha of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, describes Microbial Activities in Soils Under Scots Pine, Norway Spruce, and Silver Birch, and is part of the author's academic dissertation in Environmental Microbiology. The text and tables are available for download at the site in .pdf format. [LXP]A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Different Additives on the Expansion Behavior of Clays
http://geotech.civen.okstate.edu/ejge/Ppr9904/lopez9904.htm
Written by T. Lopez-Lara, J.A. Zepada-Garrido, and V.M. Castario of the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro (Mexico), this paper describes experiments in which scientists observed "the stabilization of volume changes due to oscillations of the humidity of a clay." The clay selected for the study was from the region of Jacarandas, Queretaro in Mexico. Different chemical agents were used in the experiment, and the properties of the clays and the characterization of the materials through X-ray diffraction were evaluated. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Job Openings in Science and Technology from the Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/free/jobs/faculty/scitech/links.htm
Although the Chronicle of Higher Education charges a fee to access the current week's job listings, extensive postings for the previous week are freely available. [LXP]SCIENCE: Current Job Advertisements
http://recruit.sciencemag.org/jobsearch.dtl
SCIENCE provides this job search engine for science related jobs. Searching is made easy by selecting specific criteria by subject. Disciplines listed range from agriculture to molecular biology to engineering. Users may also search for a job by region. The levels of positions fall into the following categories: BS/ MS, Clinical, Faculty, Legal/ Regulatory Affairs, Management, Manufacturing, Marketing, Post Doctoral, Research Assistant, Researcher/ Scientist, Technicians, and Other. Postings are also sorted by Academic, Government, Industry, Medical, and Research Organization/ Foundation jobs. Anyone in science will find this an excellent resource for job hunting because of the specific searching capabilities. [JJS]A Career Planning Center For Beginning Scientists and Engineers
http://www4.nas.edu/osep/cpc.nsf
Sponsored by the Sloan Foundation, the Career Planning Center (CPC) has guidance, information, and employment opportunities for the following disciplines: engineering, life sciences, medical sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. Registration is free, and the Career Planning Center offers much more than just job searching. The Bulletin Board and Advice Center are available for users to ask questions about career decisions. The Resource Center and Linkage Center provide listings of career planning resources. Additionally, the Career Planning Center also has current information on what's happening in each field and what are the trends in job markets. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]NABS Graduate Student Conservation Research Award
http://www.benthos.org/classified/index.cfm?task=Display&AdID=179
The North American Benthological Society (NABS) has announced the availability of a Graduate Student Conservation Research Award for support of "the best graduate student research addressing at least one of the following criteria: 1) advances knowledge of the biology or ecology of an endangered or threatened species; 2) advances knowledge of conservation of biodiversity at any or all levels (from genes to ecosystems); 3) develops a plan to conserve an aquatic habitat or species; and 4) supports or implements the conservation or restoration of an impaired or threatened species or habitat." Details are provided on-site. Note that applications must be postmarked no later than October 31, 1999. [LXP]NICE^3 Grants [.pdf, .wp]
http://www.oit.doe.gov/nice3/grants/grants.shtml
The Department of Energy's NICE^3 program is providing funding for the "first commercial demonstration of energy efficient and clean production manufacturing and industrial technologies in industry." Funding will go to teams of state departments and industry. Focal areas for these grants are in the following industries: Agriculture, Aluminum, Chemicals, Forest Products, Glass, Metalcasting, Mining, Petroleum, and Steel. Application materials are available for download (.pdf, .wp) at this site. All required forms are due by September 1, 1999. [JJS]Pulling Together: A Public/ Private Partnership for Invasive and Noxious Plant Management
http://www.nfwf.org/pti_2000.htm
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in collaboration with several federal agencies, has announced funding for the initiative Pulling Together: A Public/ Private Partnership for Invasive and Noxious Plant Management. The goals of this Initiative are "1) to prevent, manage, or eradicate invasive and noxious plants through a coordinated program of public/ private partnerships; and 2) to increase public awareness of the adverse impacts of invasive and noxious plants." Grant proposals are due Tuesday, November 2, 1999; application information is provided at the site. [LXP]Alan T. Waterman Award
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1999/nsf99134/nsf99134.htm
The Alan T. Waterman Award committee invites nominations of outstanding young science and research candidates for the 25th Waterman Award to be presented in May 2000. Established in 1975 to recognize the 25th anniversary of the National Science Foundation and to honor its first director, the Alan T. Waterman Award is a "nonrestrictive grant of $500,000 over a 3-year period for scientific research or advanced study in the biological, mathematical, medical, engineering, physical, social or other sciences at the institution of the recipient's choice." The deadline for nominations and references is October 31, 1999. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]Tenth International Aquatic Nuisance Species and Zebra Mussel Conference
http://www.benthos.org/classified/index.cfm?task=Display&AdID=183
The North American Benthological Society (NABS) has posted this announcement for the Tenth International Aquatic Nuisance Species and Zebra Mussel Conference to be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada February 14-18, 2000. The conference will focus on "non-indigenous, exotic or invasive plants and animals occurring in marine, estuarine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats." The abstract submission deadline is August 16, 1999. Further information will be posted directly at the conference site (conference URL provided in the NABS announcement page), or interested participants may request information via email. [LXP]American Nuclear Society (ANS) International Topical Meeting
http://ans-pgh.commerce.wec.com/rp2000.htm
The American Nuclear Society (ANS) International Topical Meeting on "Advances in Reactor Physics and Mathematics and Computation into the Next Millennium" will be held May 7-11, 2000 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The meeting is sponsored by the Reactor Physics Division of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), the ANS Pittsburgh Section, and is co-sponsored by the Mathematics & Computation and Nuclear Criticality Safety Divisions of the ANS. Abstracts (1,000 words) are due August 31, 1999. [JJS]MMEM2000
http://www.monash.edu.au/eng/microengineering/mmem/
MMEM2000, the Microscopy & Microanalysis of Engineering Materials Conference, will be held February 14-16, 2000, at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. MMEM2000 is co-sponsored by a host of institutions and is intended "to feature microscopy and microanalysis as a key tool in understanding the relationship between processing, properties and microstructure of engineering alloys, ceramics and polymers." Abstracts of no more than 250 words must be submitted by August 31, 1999. [JJS]Innovative Clean-up Approaches: Investments in Technology Development, Results & Outlook for the Future
http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/innovate.htm#who
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sponsoring a conference, the Innovative Clean-up Approaches: Investments in Technology Development, Results & Outlook for the Future, to be held November 2-4, 1999, in Bloomingdale, Illinois. The conference will focus on "development and implementation of characterization and treatment technologies for hazardous waste site remediation." Researchers, scientists, developers, and vendors of characterization and remediation technologies; federal and state remediation officials; private cleanup contractors; and members of the environmental consulting industry are encouraged to attend. Registration is free and may be completed online. [JJS]
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Upper Mississippi Basin Loading Database (Sediment and Nutrients): Update [Shape, ascii, .xls, Lotus]
http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/data_library/sediment_nutrients/sediment_nutrient_page.html
The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) provides this updated database on sediments and nutrients of the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Included in the database are maps (Shape) showing the locations of monitoring stations; figures displaying rates of Nitrogen/ Phosphorus loadings and yields; and sediment and nutrient data by sub-area (ascii, .xls, Lotus). In addition, background information is provided on the monitoring sites. [LXP]
[Back to Contents]Indices of Molecular Structures [Java]
http://saturn.chem.indiana.edu/dataindicies/indicies.html
The Indices of Molecular Structures database, provided by the Indiana University Molecular Structures Center (IUMSC), has been recently updated. Crystallographic data may be accessed either by year or by the following topics: typical organic compounds, organic superconductors, boranes and carboranes, image indices, directories, and structures. A file of a molecular structure may be viewed either as raw data (go to report and data files link) or with Java applets. The database only contains structures that have been accepted for publication and are copyrighted. Currently, 1,792 structures may be accessed through this database. [JJS]
[Back to Contents]TOMS: Ozone
http://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/ozone/ozone01.html
The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) database is provided by NASA and contains real-time measurements of ozone in the atmosphere from July 25, 1996 to the current date. The data may be viewed either as raw data (Data File) or as synthesized images (Global Image, North Pole Image, and South Pole Image). The goal of TOMS is to give scientists and the concerned public a better understanding of the link between atmospheric ozone distribution and the factors that alter it. Useful interpretive descriptions accompany the baseline images. [JJS]
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The Lasting Threat of Pesticides
1. Obsolete Pesticides Threaten Environment (Thursday, July 15, 1999) -- ENN
http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/1999/07/071599/obsoletepesticides_4345.asp
2. Cleaning Up the Pesticides Nobody Wants -- FAO
http://www.fao.org/news/1999/990504-e.htm
3. Prevention and Disposal of Obsolete Pesticides -- FAO [.pdf]
http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Disposal/default.htm
4. United Nations Environment Programme on Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants
http://irptc.unep.ch/pops/
5. EPA: Office of Pesticide Programs
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/
6. Society for Endocrinology: Three Journals
http://journals.endocrinology.org/index.htm
7. Our Stolen Future
http://www.osf-facts.org/
8. Global Initiative to Reduce the Use of Toxic Chemicals -- WWF
http://www.wwf.org/toxics/
9. Pesticide Site Locator
http://www.vtpp.ext.vt.edu:8080/catlist.html
Over the past several weeks, a plethora of news articles -- follow links from (1), above -- have featured pesticides: the recent findings that amniotic fluids (which surround a fetus in the womb) contain detectable levels of pesticides in 30% of tested women; the fact that, in addition to the already-established link to cancers, pesticide exposure during pregnancy may also be linked to child learning disabilities, such as Hyperactivity or Attention Deficit Disorder; and the initiation of a multi-agency proposal to impose a sales tax on agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides and insecticides. Despite continued controversy over the real health effects of pesticides, few argue about the global increase in pesticide use. With the increase in pesticide use, there is a concomitant increase in the amount of unused, stored (or more accurately, abandoned) pesticides. This week's In The News addresses the fate of unused pesticides -- the several hundred thousand tons of obsolete, dangerous pesticides that currently plague several countries around the globe. Many of these obsolete pesticides were banned from use after import, were oversupplied or sent as duplicate supplies by aid agencies, or were inappropriate for local use. The nine resource listed above provide background information and scientific resources on pesticides and the obsolete pesticide problem.
This news brief (1), from Environmental News Network (ENN), summarizes the threat due to obsolete pesticides. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) provides the second resource, describing the magnitude and urgency of the obsolete pesticide problem (2). Also from the FAO, this site (3) provides detailed information on the FAO projects addressing disposal of obsolete pesticides, and includes a multilingual (English, Spanish, French, Arabic) brochure on the topic (.pdf format). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants (POPs) offers this site (4) on the management and cleanup of international toxic chemicals. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides this educational Website (5) on the protection of "public health and the environment from the risks posed by pesticides." Researchers will find scientific results from pesticide-related studies in the three journals available at the Society for Endocrinology Website (6): the Journal of Endocrinology (free access to abstracts), the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology (free abstracts), and Endocrine-Related Cancer (free access to full-text of all articles). Our Stolen Future, the world-renown and controversial book by Theo Colborn and others, is summarized at this Website (7); researchers and skeptics should visit the New Science section of the site, providing results from recent scientific research. For those interested in eliminating and reducing the use of pesticides, World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Global Initiative to Reduce the Use of Toxic Chemicals site (8) is a useful resource. The Virginia Tech Pesticide Program provides this extensive, searchable database of pesticide-related Internet resources (9), and the site is an excellent gateway to further pesticide information and research. [LXP]
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