Marine Waste-Sources, Fate, Risks, Challenges and Research Needs.

The article presents a comprehensive and cross-cutting review of key marine waste issues, taking into account: sources, fate, risks, transport pathways, threats, legislation, current challenges, and knowledge gaps. The growing amount of both human-created waste in seas and oceans and waste reaching marine ecosystems from land is one of today's challenges for the global economy and the European Union. It is predicted that if no decisive steps are taken to limit the amount of this type of waste, there may be more plastic waste than fish in the oceans after 2050. The influence of microplastics and nanoplastics on living organisms remains undiagnosed. Within the international and EU law, solutions are being developed to properly manage waste on board ships and to reduce the impact of processes related to the recycling of the vessels on the environment. Currently, over 80% of ships are dismantled in the countries of South Asia, in conditions that threaten the environment and the safety of workers. After World War 2, large quantities of chemical weapons were deposited in the seas. Steel containers with dangerous substances residing in the sea for over 70 years have begun leaking, thus polluting water. For many years, radioactive waste had also been dumped into marine ecosystems, although since 1993 there has been a total ban on such disposal of radionuclides. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marine waste generation has also been presented as a significant factor influencing marine waste generation and management.

Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Mapping for Environmental and Flood Resilience Assessment: The Case of Ageing and Poverty in the City of Wroclaw, Poland.

The phenomena of urbanization and climate change interact with the growing number of older people living in cities. One of the effects of climate change is an increased riverine flooding hazard, and when floods occur this has a severe impact on human lives and comes with vast economic losses. Flood resilience management procedures should be supported by a combination of complex social and environmental vulnerability assessments. Therefore, new methodologies and tools should be developed for this purpose. One way to achieve such inclusive procedures is by incorporating a social vulnerability evaluation methodology for environmental and flood resilience assessment. These are illustrated for application in the Polish city of Wroclaw. Socio-environmental vulnerability mapping, based on spatial analyses using the poverty risk index, data on the ageing population, as well as the distribution of the areas vulnerable to floods, was conducted with use of a location intelligence system combining Geographic Information System (GIS) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. The new methodology allows for the identification of areas populated by social groups that are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of flooding. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:592-597. © 2018 SETAC.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal with metastases to lymph nodes and lungs--problematic diagnosis and treatment based on a case report.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the external auditory canal (EAC) is an exceedingly rare tumor. Despite the slow growth it is characterized by a high malignancy and infiltration of surrounding tissue. Differential diagnosis may be especially difficult if the tumor appears in an atypical localization as it can present with non-specific features. The optimal treatment of this malignancy has not been fully established. We present a case report of a 55-year-old man with ACC of EAC metastasizing to the lymph nodes, lungs and vertebrae, with intracranial involvement. The patient was initially diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of EAC based on MR imaging examinations and excisional biopsy from EAC. Current information about nomenclature, epidemiology, characteristic features and treatment possibilities of ACC are presented and difficulties in making diagnosis are discussed. ACC should be considered among the malignant tumors of EAC. Its natural behavior is probably more unpredictable than commonly thought. Similar cases are rare and our knowledge about the tumor's specificity and prognosis is limited.