title: Examination of pulp and paper effluent-hypoxia interactions in fish

authors: Landman, Michael J.

abstract: Recent concerns have focused on the adverse effects of low dissolved oxygen (DO) combined with the potential chronic effects of pulp and paper mill effluent exposure on fishes in the Tarawera River, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. A degassing system for the removal and control of dissolved oxygen (DO) capable of producing water with-0.5 mg L⁻¹ DO to saturation and two series of five separate DO concentrations each was first constructed. Because the Tarawera River receives effluent discharges from a chemithermomechanical (CTMP) tissue mill and an integrated thermomechanical (TMP)/bleached kraft pulp and paper mill (BK), these effluents were studied. Using the DO control system, the effects of simultaneous effluent and hypoxia exposure on the 48-h DO LC50 (median lethal concentration) were examined in fry and juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and common bully (Go_biomorphus cotidianus). TMPIBK mill effluent (ME) was diluted to 15 % v/v to reflect the upper concentration in the receiving environment, while CMTP effluent was extracted directly from the river. The presence of either effluent did not significantly increase the lethality of low DO for either species and life stage differences were not detected. Preexposure of juvenile trout to 15 and 70 % TMP/BKME also showed no significant effect on the DO LC50. No significant difference in the oxygen consumption of juvenile trout tested in 15 % v/v effluent were evident, but significant increases in oxygen consumption were observed for fish pre-exposed to 15 and 70 % effluent when tested in reference water. Four-week exposures were performed with juvenile trout to determine the chronic effects ofTMP/BKME (15 % v/v) and CTMP effluent combined with non-lethal DO concentrations (2.5 mg L⁻¹ to fully saturated), revealing excellent survival of fish in the combined effluent/hypoxia exposures, but marred by poor survival of reference water-exposed fish. Relationships for growth were observed for fish exposed to DO and effluent in the CTMP experiment. Several DO dose-response effects were also observed on general hematology in both effluent experiments, but were generally considered minor and typical of hypoxia exposure in fish. Four-week exposures using juvenile trout in 0, 10, 30 and 70 % TMP/BKME and 0, 35, 110 and 250 μg L⁻¹dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) were performed, where swimming performance, oxygen consumption and hematology were investigated. The chief finding was that of reduced swimming performance, indicated by lower critical swimming (Ucrit) speeds, for fish exposed to 70 % TMP/BKME. Other moderate effects on various hematological parameters were also observed. However, all observed effects are considered relatively small in magnitude and at effluent concentrations well above those found in the receiving environment. Forty eight-hour DO LCSOs were determined for juvenile inanga (Galaxias maculatus), common smelt (Retropinna retropinna), shortfin eel elvers (Anguilla australis), rainbow trout, common bully and the freshwater shrimp (Paratya curvirostris). Juvenile inanga were the most sensitive fish species, while eel elvers were the most tolerant fish species tested.

text: Examination of pulp and paper effluent-hypoxia interactions in fish Recent concerns have focused on the adverse effects of low dissolved oxygen (DO) combined with the potential chronic effects of pulp and paper mill effluent exposure on fishes in the Tarawera River, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. A degassing system for the removal and control of dissolved oxygen (DO) capable of producing water with-0.5 mg L⁻¹ DO to saturation and two series of five separate DO concentrations each was first constructed. Because the Tarawera River receives effluent discharges from a chemithermomechanical (CTMP) tissue mill and an integrated thermomechanical (TMP)/bleached kraft pulp and paper mill (BK), these effluents were studied. Using the DO control system, the effects of simultaneous effluent and hypoxia exposure on the 48-h DO LC50 (median lethal concentration) were examined in fry and juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and common bully (Go_biomorphus cotidianus). TMPIBK mill effluent (ME) was diluted to 15 % v/v to reflect the upper concentration in the receiving environment, while CMTP effluent was extracted directly from the river. The presence of either effluent did not significantly increase the lethality of low DO for either species and life stage differences were not detected. Preexposure of juvenile trout to 15 and 70 % TMP/BKME also showed no significant effect on the DO LC50. No significant difference in the oxygen consumption of juvenile trout tested in 15 % v/v effluent were evident, but significant increases in oxygen consumption were observed for fish pre-exposed to 15 and 70 % effluent when tested in reference water. Four-week exposures were performed with juvenile trout to determine the chronic effects ofTMP/BKME (15 % v/v) and CTMP effluent combined with non-lethal DO concentrations (2.5 mg L⁻¹ to fully saturated), revealing excellent survival of fish in the combined effluent/hypoxia exposures, but marred by poor survival of reference water-exposed fish. Relationships for growth were observed for fish exposed to DO and effluent in the CTMP experiment. Several DO dose-response effects were also observed on general hematology in both effluent experiments, but were generally considered minor and typical of hypoxia exposure in fish. Four-week exposures using juvenile trout in 0, 10, 30 and 70 % TMP/BKME and 0, 35, 110 and 250 μg L⁻¹dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) were performed, where swimming performance, oxygen consumption and hematology were investigated. The chief finding was that of reduced swimming performance, indicated by lower critical swimming (Ucrit) speeds, for fish exposed to 70 % TMP/BKME. Other moderate effects on various hematological parameters were also observed. However, all observed effects are considered relatively small in magnitude and at effluent concentrations well above those found in the receiving environment. Forty eight-hour DO LCSOs were determined for juvenile inanga (Galaxias maculatus), common smelt (Retropinna retropinna), shortfin eel elvers (Anguilla australis), rainbow trout, common bully and the freshwater shrimp (Paratya curvirostris). Juvenile inanga were the most sensitive fish species, while eel elvers were the most tolerant fish species tested.

year: 2004

title: Book review: God, goodness and philosophy

authors: Pratt, Douglas

abstract: This article reviews the book “God, Goodness and Philosophy edited by Harriet A. Harris”

text: Book review: God, goodness and philosophy This article reviews the book “God, Goodness and Philosophy edited by Harriet A. Harris”

year: 2013

title: The Politics of Knowledge and the Reciprocity Gap in the Governance of Intellectual Property Rights

authors: Emett, Raewyn Anne

subjects: Knowledge

abstract: ABSTRACT
This study examines the politics of knowledge benefit-sharing within the re-regulatory framework of the Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement which entered into force in 1995 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The thesis argues that TRIPS both represents a mainstream legal mechanism for states and organisations to govern ideas through trade, and is characterised by a commercial direction away from multilateralism to bilateralism. In its post-implementation phase, this situation has seen the strongest states and corporations consolidate extensive markets in knowledge goods and services. Through analyses of the various levels of international and national governance within the competitive knowledge structure of international political economy (IPE), this study argues that the politicisation of intellectual property has resulted in the dislocation of reciprocity from its normative roots in fairness and trade equity. In conducting this enquiry the research focuses on the political manifestations of intellectual property consistent with long-standing epistemic considerations of reciprocity to test the extent to which the intrinsic public good value of knowledge and its importance to human societies can be reconciled with the privatisation of public forms of knowledge related to discoveries and innovations. 

This thesis draws on Becker's virtue-theoretic model of reciprocity premised on normative obligations to social life to ground its claim that an absence of substantive reciprocal requirements capable of sustaining equivalent returns and rewards is detrimental, both theoretically and practically, to the intrinsic socio-cultural foundation and public good value of knowledge. The conceptual framework of reciprocity defined and developed in this study challenges the materialist controlling authority and proprietary ownership vested in intellectual property law. A new conceptual approach proposed through reciprocity, and provoked by on-going debates about IP recognition, knowledge protection, access and distribution is advanced to counter strengthened and expanded IPRs. Theories of knowledge and property drawn from political philosophies are employed to test whether reciprocity is sufficiently robust enough, or even capable of, encompassing the gap between capital and applied science. This thesis argues that hyper-capitalism at global, national and local levels, accompanied by the boundless accumulation of technology, closes down competition both compromising IP as private rights and the viability of their governance. The political implications of the protection and enforcement of private rights through IP is examined in two key chapters utilising empirical data in relation to traditional knowledge (TK) and reciprocity; the first sets the parameters of TK and the second explores aspects of Māori knowledge systems and reciprocity directed at identifying national and local issues of significance to the debates on IP governance. As a viable direction for knowledge governance this thesis concludes that the gap between the re-regulatory trade framework of intellectual property on the one hand, and reciprocity on the other, requires closing to ameliorate the detrimental disruptions to democratic integrity, fairness and trade equity for significant numbers of communities and peoples around the world.

text: The Politics of Knowledge and the Reciprocity Gap in the Governance of Intellectual Property Rights ABSTRACT
This study examines the politics of knowledge benefit-sharing within the re-regulatory framework of the Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement which entered into force in 1995 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The thesis argues that TRIPS both represents a mainstream legal mechanism for states and organisations to govern ideas through trade, and is characterised by a commercial direction away from multilateralism to bilateralism. In its post-implementation phase, this situation has seen the strongest states and corporations consolidate extensive markets in knowledge goods and services. Through analyses of the various levels of international and national governance within the competitive knowledge structure of international political economy (IPE), this study argues that the politicisation of intellectual property has resulted in the dislocation of reciprocity from its normative roots in fairness and trade equity. In conducting this enquiry the research focuses on the political manifestations of intellectual property consistent with long-standing epistemic considerations of reciprocity to test the extent to which the intrinsic public good value of knowledge and its importance to human societies can be reconciled with the privatisation of public forms of knowledge related to discoveries and innovations. 

This thesis draws on Becker's virtue-theoretic model of reciprocity premised on normative obligations to social life to ground its claim that an absence of substantive reciprocal requirements capable of sustaining equivalent returns and rewards is detrimental, both theoretically and practically, to the intrinsic socio-cultural foundation and public good value of knowledge. The conceptual framework of reciprocity defined and developed in this study challenges the materialist controlling authority and proprietary ownership vested in intellectual property law. A new conceptual approach proposed through reciprocity, and provoked by on-going debates about IP recognition, knowledge protection, access and distribution is advanced to counter strengthened and expanded IPRs. Theories of knowledge and property drawn from political philosophies are employed to test whether reciprocity is sufficiently robust enough, or even capable of, encompassing the gap between capital and applied science. This thesis argues that hyper-capitalism at global, national and local levels, accompanied by the boundless accumulation of technology, closes down competition both compromising IP as private rights and the viability of their governance. The political implications of the protection and enforcement of private rights through IP is examined in two key chapters utilising empirical data in relation to traditional knowledge (TK) and reciprocity; the first sets the parameters of TK and the second explores aspects of Māori knowledge systems and reciprocity directed at identifying national and local issues of significance to the debates on IP governance. As a viable direction for knowledge governance this thesis concludes that the gap between the re-regulatory trade framework of intellectual property on the one hand, and reciprocity on the other, requires closing to ameliorate the detrimental disruptions to democratic integrity, fairness and trade equity for significant numbers of communities and peoples around the world.

year: 2007