To evaluate BPA's potential risk to health, it is important to know human daily intake. This study describes a simple but effective method to estimate the levels of human BPA intake among four different populations based on urinary concentration data. Nationally, of the 30 countries examined, the top ten countries for adult intake were Italy, Sweden, Denmark, France, Cyprus, Australia, Israel, Ghana, Jamaica, and Belgium. When the urinary excretion sample size was large enough and over 1000, it was found that the national estimated BPA daily intakes in the child group among countries, showed a good linear relationship with those of their corresponding adult group. Except the infant group with limited data, the global estimated BPA daily intakes for children and pregnant women were 2 and 1.4 times that of the adult group. Although the national and global estimated BPA daily intakes were generally below the temporary tolerable daily intake (tTDI) recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), but some normal individuals' daily intakes exceeded the tTDI.

Over the past decade, development along the northern coast of Jamaica has accelerated, resulting in elevated levels of sedimentation on adjacent reefs. To understand the effects of this development on sponge community dynamics, we conducted surveys at three locations with varying degrees of adjacent coastal development to quantify species richness, abundance and diversity at two depths (8–10m and 15–18m). Sediment accumulation rate, total suspended solids and other water quality parameters were also quantified. The sponge community at the location with the least coastal development and anthropogenic influence was often significantly different from the other two locations, and exhibited higher sponge abundance, richness, and diversity. Sponge community composition and size distribution were statistically different among locations. This study provides correlative evidence that coastal development affects aspects of sponge community ecology, although the precise mechanisms are still unclear.

Caribbean reefs have experienced unprecedented changes in the past 40years. A major hypothesis to explain shifts in reef community composition relates to declining herbivory. This hypothesis was developed largely based on observations of Jamaican reefs from the 1980s onward, but it is widely held to be relevant regionally. We use a region-wide dataset on benthic composition to examine how well the pattern of ecological change on Jamaican reefs is mirrored by other Caribbean reefs. The extent to which macroalgal cover exceeds coral cover on Jamaican reefs is an order of magnitude more extreme than seen elsewhere. We suggest that Jamaican reefs are not representative of the degradation trajectory of Caribbean reefs and management based on the Jamaican experience may not be relevant elsewhere. However, the recovery of Jamaican reefs following the return of urchins gives us hope that Caribbean reefs are more resilient to catastrophic disturbances than previously thought.

Strategies to control invasive lionfish in the western Atlantic and Caribbean are likely to include harvest and consumption. Until this report, total mercury concentrations had been documented only for lionfish from Jamaica, and changes in concentrations with increasing fish size had not been evaluated. In the Florida Keys, total mercury concentrations in dorsal muscle tissue from 107 lionfish ranged from 0.03 to 0.48ppm, with all concentrations being less than the regulatory threshold for limited consumption. Mercury concentrations did not vary consistently with standard lengths or wet weights of lionfish. In 2010, lionfish from the upper Keys had mean concentrations that were 0.03–0.04ppm higher than lionfish from the middle Keys, but mean concentrations did not differ consistently among years and locations. Overall, total mercury concentrations in lionfish were lower than those in several predatory fishes that support commercial and recreational fisheries in Florida.

Surficial marine sediments were sampled along the south-east coast and in Discover Bay Jamaica. Total elemental composition was determined for the sediments using three techniques. Total mass fractions of Al, As, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, La, Mn, Sb, Sc, Th, U, V, and Zn were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis; Cu, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zr using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence; and Hg using a direct mercury analyser. Potential anthropogenic hotspots were assessed using indices including enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igₑₒ), ecological risk (Eᵣ) and potential ecological risk index (Rᵢ). The quality of the sediments was also assessed using the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen and organic carbon content (OC) were determined to assess variation across sample sites. Results indicated moderate to severe ecological risk at sites in Port Royal and Discovery Bay with ecological risk values as high as 381.9.

We determine the possible impacts of changes in financial development on carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in Jamaica for the period 1980 to 2018, with special attention given to the possible existence of asymmetries in this relationship. There are three major findings. First, there is a unique cointegrating relationship among the variables where CO₂ emissions are a function of financial development, real domestic economic activity, and trade openness. Financial development negatively impacts CO₂ emissions in this relationship, even though CO₂ emissions are impacted positively by rising levels of real domestic economic activity and trade openness. Second, there is an asymmetric impact of changes in financial development in the long run and short run on changes in CO₂ emissions. Third, positive and negative changes in financial development Granger cause CO₂ emissions in the short run. One policy implication of these findings is that strengthening the negative relationship between CO₂ emissions and financial development could lessen the increase in CO₂ emissions associated with rising levels of real domestic economic activity.