New Approaches in Setting Drinking Water Standards

Approaches to setting organism-based ballast water discharge standards.

As a vector by which foreign species invade coastal and freshwater waterbodies, ballast water discharge from ships is recognized as a major environmental threat. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) drafted an international treaty establishing ballast water discharge standards based on the number of viable organisms per volume of ballast discharge for different organism size classes. C...

Setting Standards for Green Schools in Iran

Setting Standards for Green Schools in Iran H. Meybodi A. Laahijaaniyaan, Ph.D. S.M. Shobeyri, Ph.D. S.A. Joezi, Ph.D. R. Azizinejaad, Ph.D. Given the numerous environmental threats brought about by human activities, it is essential that school children be taught the values of environmental protection in order to make the continuity of life possible. Hence, green schools hav...

Drinking water standards in South American countries: convergences and divergences.

In this paper we present a comparative assessment of drinking-water standards from almost all South American countries, using the USA and the Canadian standards and the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines as references. Similarities and discrepancies between standards/guidelines were identified through descriptive analyses and, in the case of chemical standards, clustering techniques. In...

Water-sediment controversy in setting environmental standards for selenium.

A substantial amount of laboratory and field research on selenium effects to biota has been accomplished since the national water quality criterion was published for selenium in 1987. Many articles have documented adverse effects on biota at concentrations below the current chronic criterion of 5 microg/L. This commentary will present information to support a national water quality criterion fo...

Safe drinking water standards for First Nations communities.