Browsing by Subject "Environmental protection"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A Kuznets curve in environmental efficiency: an application on OECD countries
    (Springer Netherlands, 2000) Zaim, O.; Taskin, F.
    The role of the environment is an important issue in policy making and the accurate assessment of the environmental conditions is vital. In this paper, using nonparametric techniques, an environmental efficiency index is developed for each of the OECD countries. These indexes allow one both to do cross section comparisons on the state of each country's production process in its treatment of undesirable outputs and also to trace each country's modification of their production processes overtime. Furthermore in this study we investigate the factors underlying societies' environmental concerns that eventually lead to changes in the environmental efficiency. The results provide further empirical evidence for the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis.The role of the environment is an important issue in policy making and the accurate assessment of the environmental conditions is vital. In this paper, using nonparametric techniques, an environmental efficiency index is developed for each of the OECD countries. These indexes allow one both to do cross section comparisons on the state of each country's production process in its treatment of undesirable outputs and also to trace each country's modification of their production processes overtime. Furthermore in this study we investigate the factors underlying societies' environmental concerns that eventually lead to changes in the environmental efficiency. The results provide further empirical evidence for the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis.An environmental efficiency index for each OECD state is developed, using nonparametric techniques. The indices facilitate cross-section comparisons on the status of each nation's production processes in its treatment of waste and pollutants. Modifications of production processes over time can also be tracked. Factors underlying societal environmental concerns that eventually result in changes in environmental efficiency are also analyzed, and results provide additional empirical evidence for the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Toxicity of lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles in aquatic environments
    (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015) Balusamy, B.; Taştan, B. E.; Ergen, S. F.; Uyar, Tamer; Tekinay, T.
    This study demonstrates the acute toxicity of lanthanum oxide nanoparticles (La2O3 NP) on two sentinel aquatic species, fresh-water microalgae Chlorella sp. and the crustacean Daphnia magna. The morphology, size and charge of the nanoparticles were systematically studied. The algal growth inhibition assay confirmed absence of toxic effects of La2O3 NP on Chlorella sp., even at higher concentration (1000 mg L-1) after 72 h exposure. Similarly, no significant toxic effects were observed on D. magna at concentrations of 250 mg L-1 or less, and considerable toxic effects were noted in higher concentrations (effective concentration [EC50] 500 mg L-1; lethal dose [LD50] 1000 mg L-1). In addition, attachment of La2O3 NP on aquatic species was demonstrated using microscopy analysis. This study proved to be beneficial in understanding acute toxicity in order to provide environmental protection as part of risk assessment strategies.