Titz Alexandra, Döll Petra
Institute of Physical Geography, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Soc Sci Med. 2009 Feb;68(4):672-81. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.11.031. Epub 2008 Dec 26.
Widespread presence of human pharmaceuticals in water resources across the globe is documented. While some, but certainly not enough, research on the occurrence, fate and effect of pharmaceuticals in water resources has been carried out, a holistic risk management strategy is missing. The transdisciplinary research project "start" aimed to develop an integrative strategy by the participation of experts representing key actors in the problem field "pharmaceuticals in drinking water". In this paper, we describe a novel modelling method, actor modelling with the semi-quantitative software DANA (Dynamic Actor Network Analysis), and its application in support of identifying an integrative risk management strategy. Based on the individual perceptions of different actors, the approach allows the identification of optimal strategies. Actors' perceptions were elicited by participatory model building and interviews, and were then modelled in perception graphs. Actor modelling indicated that an integrative strategy that targets environmentally-responsible prescription, therapy, and disposal of pharmaceuticals on one hand, and the development of environmentally-friendly pharmaceuticals on the other hand, will likely be most effective for reducing the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water (at least in Germany where the study was performed). However, unlike most other actors, the pharmaceutical industry itself does not perceive that the production of environmentally-friendly pharmaceuticals is an action that helps to achieve its goals, but contends that continued development of highly active pharmaceutical ingredients will help to reduce the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the water cycle. Investment in advanced waste or drinking water treatment is opposed by both the wastewater treatment company and the drinking water supplier, and is not mentioned as appropriate by the other actors. According to our experience, actor modelling is a useful method to suggest effective and realisable integrative risk management strategies in complex problem fields that involve many societal actors.
全球水资源中广泛存在人类用药品已被记录在案。虽然已经对药品在水资源中的出现、归宿和影响开展了一些研究（但肯定还不够），然而整体风险管理策略仍付诸阙如。跨学科研究项目“start”旨在通过让代表“饮用水中的药品”这一问题领域关键行为体的专家参与，来制定一项综合策略。在本文中，我们描述了一种新颖的建模方法——使用半定量软件DANA（动态行为体网络分析）进行行为体建模，及其在支持确定综合风险管理策略方面的应用。基于不同行为体的个人认知，该方法能够确定最优策略。通过参与式模型构建和访谈获取行为体的认知，然后在认知图中进行建模。行为体建模表明，一方面针对药品进行环境责任型处方、治疗和处置，另一方面开发环境友好型药品的综合策略，可能对于减少饮用水中药品的出现最为有效（至少在开展该研究的德国是这样）。然而，与大多数其他行为体不同，制药行业自身并不认为生产环境友好型药品是有助于实现其目标的行动，而是主张持续开发高活性药物成分将有助于减少水循环中药品的出现。废水处理公司和饮用水供应商都反对投资先进的废水或饮用水处理，其他行为体也未将其视为合适做法。根据我们的经验，行为体建模是一种有用的方法，可用于在涉及众多社会行为体的复杂问题领域中提出有效且可实现的综合风险管理策略。
