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An in-depth analysis of "entrepreneurs" in China and Vietnam, emphasizing the role played by entrepreneurs in the process of the astonishing political and economic change. The author argues that this strategic group has a strong desire for a true say in political decision-making.

The anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac are frequently found as residues in the aquatic environment and also in samples of ground and drinking water. For both compounds, their loads occurring in the effluents from a military hospital and in the combined (household and hospital) sewage of a sewage pumping station (SPS) and a large municipal sewage treatment plant (STP) were predicted and measured within a field trial by collecting and analyzing defined composite samples over a time period of 1 week. The use of pharmacokinetic data and precise information on the administration of the individual medicinal formulation was found to be essential for the validity of the predicted data. The measured data confirmed the validity of the predicted loads with recoveries between 63 and 102% for carbamazepine and around 35% for diclofenac in the hospital wastewater. A comparison of the weekly loads predicted and measured in the influents and effluents of a STP in Berlin (Germany) yielded a very low removal rate for diclofenac (less than 15%) and a removal rate of up to 40% for carbamazepine. In total, 2.0 kg of carbamazepine per week (105 kg/a) and 4.4 kg of diclofenac per week (226 kg/a) were discharged into Berlin's surface water by the municipal STP, which treats both household sewage from approximately one million inhabitants and large amounts of hospital effluents (approximately 12,060 hospital beds)

Residues of malachite green (MG), a veterinary drug illegally used for the treatment of aquacultured fish, have been found in wild eels caught from surface waters downstream from the sewers of different municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs). MG and its metabolite leucomalachite green (LMG) were detected with total concentrations up to 0.765 mu g kg(-1) fresh weight in the tissues of 25 out of 45 eels caught from different lakes, a river and a canal in Berlin, Germany. In all cases, the occurrence of the residues could directly be linked to the presence of discharges by municipal STPs into the receiving surface waters. MG is a multiple-use compound that is also used to color materials. Thus, it appears to be reasonable that the residues of MG found in the eel samples originate from such uses, e.g. by wash off from clothes or paper towels colored with MG. Additional loads from legal uses of MG as veterinary drug for the treatment of ornamental fish (private aquaria) are possible. The results obtained from this study are the first proof of background contaminations of a veterinary drug found in samples of fish not intentionally treated with such agents. MG and LMG are regarded as potential genotoxic carcinogens making it impossible to establish a tolerable daily intake. A margin of exposure (MOE) approach was applied to evaluate the human health risk associated with the consumption of the eels investigated in this study. With a MOE of 3.4 million the chronic risk was classified as being very low. Nevertheless, due to their potential to act as genotoxic carcinogens, any oral exposure to residues of MG and LMG should be avoided. According to European Union law, zero tolerance applies to all residues of MG and LMG found in food for human consumption as MG is not registered for use as veterinary drug. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Environmental context. Crystal violet (CV), also known as gentian violet, is a triphenylmethane dye used as a veterinary drug for the treatment of ornamental fish infected with the parasitic protozoa Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. CV is a suspected carcinogen not registered for use with food-producing animals in the European Union, Australia, the US and some other countries. The results from this study now demonstrate that residues of leuco CV, the main metabolite of CV, may occur as an organic contaminant in samples of wild eels caused by discharges of municipal sewage effluents. Abstract. Crystal violet (CV) and leucocrystal violet (LCV) were found in the tissues of wild eels caught from surface waters under the influence of effluents discharged by municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs). LCV was the dominant residue detected with total concentrations up to 6.7 μg kgâ_"1 fresh weight in tissues of eels caught from lakes, rivers and a canal in Berlin, Germany. The occurrence of the residues found in 35 out of 45 samples could directly be linked to the presence of discharges by municipal STPs into the receiving surface waters. CV is a multiple-use compound that is also used as a biological stain and to colour materials such as textiles, paints and printing inks. Thus, it seems very likely that the residues of CV found in the eel samples originate from such uses and from legal uses of CV as a veterinary drug for the treatment of ornamental fish. The results obtained from this study are the first report of background contamination by CV found in samples of fish not intentionally treated with this agent. Although the residues of CV and LCV measured in the tissues of the eels were very low, an oral exposure to residues of CV or LCV should be avoided with regard to their mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. According to European Union law, zero tolerance applies to all residues of CV and LCV found in food for human consumption, as CV is not registered for use as a veterinary drug

The occurrence and fate of residues from the therapeutic use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug metamizole have been studied in investigations of sewage effluents from a military hospital, municipal sewers and a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Berlin, Germany. The loads of the metabolites aminoantipyrin (AA), 4-acetylaminoantipyrin (AAA) and 4-formyl-aminoantipyrin (FAA), rapidly formed after the application of metamizole, were predicted from pharmacokinetic data and based on the evaluation of extensive data sets of on the administration in hospitals and private households. In parallel, the actual concentrations were measured within three field trials. For the military hospital, the estimated average annual discharges of AA/AAA and FAA were 10.5 and 3.2 kg, respectively. For the STP, annual loads of 333 and 133 kg were determined for AA/AAA and FAA, respectively. During sewage treatment, an average decrease of 26% of the loads was measured for AA/AAA whereas no changes were observed for FAA. Generally, the prediction of the loads resulted in an overestimation of the residue levels compared to those measured in the respective sewers. Thus, modeling of predicted loads or concentrations alone will not be sufficient for a realistic assessment. Concerns for human or other mammals' health are not expected from the occurrence of metamizole residues in the aquatic system measured at concentrations up to 7 mu g l(-1) in STIR effluents. However, a rest of uncertainty remains as it was not possible to derive a no observed effect level for the induction of rare but potentially fatal toxicological side effects reported for metamizole. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

In military out of area missions of the Bundeswehr, it can be necessary to produce drinking water even from highly polluted surface waters containing a variety of organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminants, Thus, mobile drinking water purification systems must be able to remove such contaminants as far as possible to meet the requirements of the German and European drinking water regulation/directive, Presently, two novel drinking water purification units applying membrane filtration undergo intensive long-term trials carried out by the Bundeswehr. If these trials positively proof the functionality of these units and their ability to remove all possible contaminants they shall substitute so far available devices which use large amounts of chemicals and charcoal filtration for water purification. In the course of a research project, the functionality of the new devices and their efficacy to remove high amounts of algae, microbes, and organic and inorganic pollutants are additionally tested in "worst-case" field studies. In September 2000, the first mobile drinking water purification unit was tested at the Teltowkanal in Berlin, Germany. This canal was chosen because it carries high burdens of municipal sewage effluents. The results from the fatigue test confirmed the ability of the water purification unit to reduce the concentrations of all contaminants meeting the maximum tolerance levels set by the German/European drinking water regulation, The pre-filtration device was very effective in removing algae and solid particles to protect the membranes from clogging and to enable an almost maintenance-free operation, Residues of pharmaceuticals and some other organic contaminants have almost totally been removed from the surface water where they were detected at individual concentrations up to the mug/L-level

A number of zero tolerance provisions are contained in both food and animal feed law, e.g. for chemical substances whose occurrence is not permitted or is directly prohibited in food or animal feed. In the European Union, bans of this kind were introduced to give consumers and animals the greatest possible protection from substances with a possible hazard potential within the intendment of the hazard prevention principles and current precautionary measures. This also applies to substances for which an acceptable daily intake cannot be derived and a maximum residue limit cannot, therefore, be established, e.g. due to missing or inadequate toxicological data. Zero tolerances are also under discussion as trade barriers because their use has triggered numerous legal disputes. This paper draws together the results of an evaluation of alternative risk assessment methods to be used for the risk assessment of substances to which currently only zero tolerances apply. It will demonstrate that, depending on the available toxicological data, a scientifically sound risk assessment may still be possible. In this context, the two concepts - margin of exposure and threshold of toxicological concern - are very promising approaches. Until the scientific and sociopolitical discussions have been completed, it is essential that the principle of zero tolerances be upheld, especially for those substances which may be genotoxic carcinogens. In microbiology, there is no legal room for manoeuvre with regard to food safety criteria established for reasons of consumer health protection on the basis of scientific assessments