Managing the risks of emerging contaminants-establishing a national strategy guided by Indigenous perspectives.

Chemicals play an important role in maintaining our quality of life. Unfortunately, inappropriate chemicals and waste management result in the accumulation of contaminants in our environment that pose a risk to exposed biota and humans. Being cognizant of Indigenous knowledge and values within the management of chemicals and waste represent key components of environmental justice, but they are not being included in current global programs.

Assessment of urban stream sediment pollutants entering estuaries using chemical analysis and multiple bioassays to characterise biological activities.

Stormwater contaminants are a major source of often neglected environmental stressors because of the emphasis placed on the management of municipal and industrial wastewaters. Stormwater-derived pollutants in sediments from two New Zealand estuaries was characterised by analytical chemistry and bioassays. Contaminants were extracted from sediment using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), recovered and concentrated by solid phase extraction (SPE), and analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), selected metals, and musk fragrances.

Assessment of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) induction in sediment extracts from New Zealand urban estuaries.

Sediments represent a major sink for contaminants resulting from industrial and agricultural activities - especially lipophilic substances. This study exclusively used in vitro methodologies to characterize specific toxicity effects of contaminants in sediment extracts from two urban New Zealand estuaries. Sediment extracts were prepared and tested for a range of biological endpoints.

Vertebrate pesticide risk assessment by indigenous communities in New Zealand.

In New Zealand, the vertebrate pesticide sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) is aerially applied in baits for control of the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr, 1792). Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have raised concerns about 1080 impacts on culturally-important species. Here, we outline two steps taken to help Maori assess 1080 risk.

Hepatic and immune biological effect assays in C57BL/6 mice to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioavailability under laboratory exposures with increasing environmental relevance.

Background: Monitoring biological responses that are mediated via the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in animals exposed to environmental contaminants can indicate both the presence of chemicals that act through this biochemical pathway and whether these chemicals are bioavailable.

Objectives: The use of an ex-situ method that incorporated biological responsiveness monitoring in mice for determining the presence of 'biologically active' hydrocarbons in contaminated soils was investigated.

Methods: The use of C57BL/6 as a test organism was validated by determining hepatic and immune responsiveness to two polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): 3,4 benz[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 1,2 benz (a)anthracene (BA) administered via intraperitoneal (i.

Uptake and persistence of the vertebrate pesticide, sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080), in plants of cultural importance.

Field research was undertaken to determine if naturally occurring plants utilised by a Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) community for food and medicine would take up the toxin sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) from baits used to control the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula. Single baits were placed at the base of individual plants of two species, pikopiko (Asplenium bulbiferum) and karamuramu (Coprosma robusta). Plants were sampled at various times up to 56 days, and samples analyzed for 1080 content.